Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay - Life Lessons From Loni Love. Plus, What To Make of President Obama's Comments About Defund the Police.

Episode Date: December 4, 2020

Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay are joined by comedian and author Loni Love to discuss her show 'The Real,' President Obama, interracial relationships, and more (1:00). Then Van introduces Rachel to his new dog, Boseman (38:00), before they discuss President Obama’s comments about defunding the police (47:00), Funkmaster Flex getting liposuction (1:05:00), and some mailbag questions (1:12:00). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yo, yo, yo, what up, Thought Warriors. Higher Learning is on. It is I, Van Lathan. It's me, Rachel Lindsay. Listen, you're not even going to bullshit right now. We have such an amazing guest to bring to you guys right now. We normally don't start the podcast and get right into the guest unless they are super duper important. And this lady is super duper important, multi-hyphenate.

Lonnie Love, we're talking about she's on the real. She's an author. She's a host. She's a comedy legend. All of these things, we are so happy to have her on the show today. Lonnie, welcome to higher learning. For adults with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis symptoms, every choice matters. Tramphia offers self-injection or intravenous infusion from the start. Tramphia is administered as injections under the skin or infusions through a vein every four weeks,

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Manage your activity with our consumer protection tool. Restrictions apply. See terms at vandul.com slash predict slash bonus dash offer dash herms. All right. We got something special for y'all. Like this is actually a trade. Seriously. Because we have a multi-hyphenate star on the podcast today.

Comedy legend, television hosts, author. All of these things like show hosts. Delta, Delta. Oh, really? Yeah. I didn't realize it was Delta. Oh.

Yeah, that's right. That's right. Oh, so y'all about to gang up on me. Y'all, I thought words, get up for Lonnie Love. She's the house. I thought you were talking about Rachel. You said star. I'm saying, that's Rachel.

Okay. Hello, man. You're looking great. Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate that. You do as well, my sister. Can I just say, this is how you know I'm not a star?

Because I've been trying to get on Lonnie's show, not once, twice. What show? Talking about the real? You've been a guest. Yeah, you've been on. Yeah, you've been on this. Didn't you host the reel for like a week?

Exactly. What are you talking on? She must not been that marvelous. No, she was. No. You know what? I can't stand you. She must not been that marvelous.

Because the company went in a different direction. This is true. Right. I'm not in that. I had no pickies. People, people always do that. They go, it was really great, but we're going to go in the direction. She was.

She was great. You know, I don't know. You about to give me a trouble, man. I don't know. I don't know. The people are already, a lot of me picking the people letting out. I'm a lot of you don't know. Shit, okay?

I ain't in charge of nothing, nothing. So let's start there. Let's talk about your time. on the real. You guys, like, the real, you guys are newsmakers over there. It was only like a couple of weeks ago that I saw a random clip of

of Tamara, Tia, Tamara. Tamara. Tema. Shout out to Tamara. I saw a random clip of Tamara from years ago. Did you see this clip? Seasons ago?

Which one? Seasons ago. So there's so many clips out there. It's seasons ago where she was going back and forth with Jeannie about a birdnerney. And did you see this? This went through.

She was trending on Twitter. I went there. I was there while it was happening. Right. And they were going back and forth for a burden. And it's weird because I love the way the internet goes because that clip

got dredged back up because she left a clip, a comment on somebody said I love black love. Remy Ma and Papoose. Papoose. Right. Say I love black love.

And she said, don't, I love that you're in love, but I like some of that interracial stuff, too. And then people got so pissed off. I think she was trying to jokes. That's the problem now. You can't joke because it's a different inflection. If she probably would have said it, it would have been a different thing. But when she typed it, everybody was like, you know. So being that you have the platform that you have, when you're on the show, do you ever, how do you make sure that you don't go viral?

Dude, I've been viral for some things. But I'm going to tell you something, Van, and Rachel, you all know this. It's a new day now. You learn and you evolved. And that's the thing. You know, you have to get on these producers. You have to make sure, look, what topics, what you, what clip you're going to show? It's like, wait, wait, wait, why are we talking about this?

What's the meaning of this? Well, we, you know, so it's a lot. It's many more questions now because, you know, people take things the wrong way. And what I have asked the real to do now is to basically uplift the culture and not necessarily talk about the culture, like the things that's happening. And I think that that will help us to divine our show to be different than other shows. Some shows may talk about gossip. We do a little bit of that, but I'm saying like, okay, I'll give an example. Like the man in the restaurant that it was man.

Kevin Kinney. Was it Kevin Kelly? Kevin Kelly. Okay. Yeah, like that. Now, that's something that maybe we could have talked about. My feeling was, this is, I'm just being honest, is that, you know, I felt like it was too negative. You had the brother who was trying to do something.

And you had the sisters that was twerking. out because they was love bored or whatever. Right. So to have that type of conversation on a panel with just two black women and you have an Asian and a Hispanic, I had to kind of like, I went to the producer. I said, I don't know if I feel comfortable having that type of conversation because of the fact that it's, to me, it felt like two negatives. You know what I mean? Really?

Yeah. Yeah. Because it can get into something and it gets into what you saw with Tamara and with a genie with the Burton. Ernie is too, you have to be very sensitive right now. You have to be very careful when you're dealing with different cultures and we're all sitting together. It's about uplifting, not necessarily pointing out, because you got to remember, we're on a national platform. Stuff belongs on Twitter. Let's stay on Twitter. Let's Twitter talk about it. But we have to be careful on a national level. And I'm just realizing this now. Trial and error.

But Lonnie, aren't you afraid that maybe that's losing the essence of the show? Because I feel like when you come to the real, you're getting the real. And people want to hear you're a show where everyone who sits on the panel is a woman of color. And people come to you to hear you talk about things that affect the culture. And they want to hear your opinion on it. And this was something that was big. I mean, we covered it on the podcast because people were on such opposite ends of the spectrum when it came to it. So don't you feel like if you shy away from things, that's kind of what your viewers come to you to hear your opinion on as well.

Because they're not going to get it anywhere else. Who was on your panel, Rachel? Who's on the panel? It was just us too. Yeah. See, it's you as a black woman and you as a black man. And that's what I'm saying. We have to be sensitive because other people are watching us.

And on a national level, I didn't want to, who I'm going to talk about the sisters, about them twerking. Hell, we twerk sometimes. Am I going to talk about the owner who this black man is saying, hey, I'm trying to make something for us. It was too much. If we could do something now like, if I could have had the man come on and talk, I would have did it that way. If I could have had one of the sisters that was twerking and she gave her opinion. So it's all about how you produce things and I'm learning how to do something. And when we talk about doing the real, we're talking about uplift in our culture.

So we can get Kamala Harris to come on and talk about voting rights. We can get Stacey Abrams to come on and talk about voting rights or what they're going to do to help the culture. I just think we're trying to steer away from that, you know, oh, this ain't right with other people that are not black on the path. So that's what I'm asking. So you're saying that basically kind of where you are right now, if you did a show and it was for black people, you feel like there are things that would be different. You talk about different things or there are some things you could talk about. about the topics that you shy away from on the real

because there are two non-black people that are on there. Yeah, I'm just gonna be honest. I just think that's being respectful of my culture, and I want to uplift my culture. It's like we got enough people talking about us. But you got to understand too. It's not about just a panel.

It's about who the audience is. I did not want to portray that, because you got to remember, we in the Midwest somewhere, and you got people that's looking, that's going, ooh, black girls, twerker. Why? Is that all they do? Is that, you know what I mean?

It's a lot there. And, you know, I know some people will disagree with me, but I think in the end, the things that I like to, I'm trying to actually push on the show, like I said, is upliftment of black women. Let's talk about, you know, the good things that we're doing. We got enough people. And I had to learn that.

I really had to learn that because when you have a show and you know this, both of y'all know this, you're trying to find the essence of show that makes me different. You know, some shows may be, they talk about gossip a lot. Some shows may talk about politics a lot. We're still, even in the seventh season, you know, I would say we're trying to figure out,

you know, what is it that we can lean into the culture, but we don't disrespect the culture. That's me. And I feel, and I can sleep at night now. Whereas there have been times when we talk about something, we go a little too far. Now, Burden, Ernie, that's for everybody. That's for the world.

Right. No, I'm with it. I'm with it. What was the time that you feel like it went too far? Can you think of one? Like a topic? Yeah, like a topic or a specific instance or something that kind of made you feel like,

yo, maybe in the future we need to pump the brakes on kind of how we're talking about things. I would be honest with you. There was a time. I made one comment, but I didn't have enough time. That's another thing, too. People have to realize.

You don't have time to clarify what you're talking about. You don't have time to discuss because you've got three or four of the people on the panel. You can't talk and you can't like a podcast. I tell people sometimes on a podcast, you can clarify. You can question me. I can question you, you know. But when you're on television, you know, it's a different thing. And it was one time when I made a statement about a girl, but it was a joke.

Right. And the way it was produced was that it was produced so that I would, you know, I was only supposed to talk about what she was doing, not about her personally. But then it got personal. And then it looked like I was being racist toward that girl when it was like a joke. You know, she was like a dating expert or something. And I didn't know her. Oh, Shan.

Oh, Shan. Shan. Yeah, I know Shan. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I do remember that clip very well. Like the whole. See? Yeah. I do.

I do remember that clip very well because it was like about whether or not Shan was black or something like that. Right. But the way it was it was brought to me was that, oh, it's this girl. She's a, she's a dating person and she says blah, blah, blah about dating. So as a comedian, I go, well, I said, we're not talking about the girl, right? No. We get to the table and it's produced different. And that's just, you know what I'm saying?

So I was just making a joke like, oh, all white people are something. She's not white. She's not white. I'm like, wait, wait, wait, wait. I didn't think, I ain't know y'all knew her. I didn't know. Yeah, she's close with Jenny. Yeah.

Yeah. You know, so then I had the girl, you know, and I tried to write my wrong. So I had her come on the show. I had her talk about her business, you know, and things like that. So I try to correct myself. But it's been times when like either there was a miscommunication, you try to write the wrong so that you're not embarrassing anybody. And, you know, you just, you do things.

But, you know, it's what happens in television and you learn. No, I know you're right. I mean, my short time on the real, you're right. There's five people with opinions, and it's hard for you to be able to get yours out or finish your thought without somebody else coming in and wanting to make sure that they give theirs. You guys are filming from home.

And while we've seen a lot of shows go back into the studio, you guys are still doing it from home. How is that working for you? And is this something that you want to keep going? I'm trying not to get the Rona. So I don't know what them cameramen doing when they leave home? I don't know.

We're in studio. We get tested every other day. They don't be back. But they go home. You don't know what the hell they're doing. They probably go in the Denny's. You know, they're a cameraman. Not anymore.

Not anymore. They're doing all kind of stuff. It's like, you know what? The thing is, to be honest, our right around this time in November, everybody gets sick in the studio. I mean, and it's like the flu season and stuff like that.

when they decided to come back, they said, why don't we just do it from home? Because we know that the numbers are going to rise. And so we decided just to stay at home. So now I've, you know, invented this whole studio. It's the Lonnie Love Studio. And actually, I'm getting used to it. You know.

I was about to say. You know what I'm trying to go back to the studio at all? No. Not until that vaccine take. And, you know, we can get the numbers down. It's just, you know what? It's like, and we know the whole story about black people and preexisting conditions and stuff. You don't know what's going to happen.

So it's like the thing, my thing is the purpose of having a studio show is for the studio audience. We can't have a studio audience. You know, that's the energy. So, you know, let's just stay here until we can figure out these numbers, get stuff right. You know, but I'm getting spoiled because I used to have to get up an extra two hours earlier just to prepare to go to the studio. Now I can get up 30 minutes and it's just good on your body. It's good on your mind. You're fresher.

You know, the only thing is, like I said, you don't have that space of the studio. Right. It's a different thing. But yeah, I'm good until the rona is, you know, where are you at on the vaccine? A lot of brothers and sisters I know are like, yo, I don't trust the vaccine.

I got to wait and see. Where are you at on the vaccine? Are you an early vacciner? Or are you going to wait and see it? approach or you want it as soon as you can get it. You know, I was watching CNN on Don Lemon, and Don Lemon had this brother that's doing the, did you see that?

He's a brother that's doing the trial. He on a clinical trial. And then I was like, oh, he was like, yeah, I feel good. I'm healthy. I took it, you know, and stuff. Well, I don't know if it's the placebo or if it's the virus. Wait, go. Get him off there.

No wonder you feel it. Right, right. You might have a placebo. Right. You know, because I was feeling good. I was like, oh, well, wait a minute. Maybe I'll take the thing. You know, I was the placebo.

I'm like, oh, wait, hey, hold up. You know. He shouldn't stop that. So I'm going to wait. I'm going to wait. Right, right, right. You know, I'm going to wait and see. Let's see what happens.

They said the presidents, you know, they said they volunteer. Right. No, Obama. All take it and Jordan Bushy. That doesn't help you? I know what's going on, so he's going to take it. So I was like, okay, well, y'all, let me see what happened with y'all. And then, you know, let me wait to the ground because the thing is, people have to realize that it's like three different vaccines.

They're like, they're up to 90% effective, you know, which is extraordinary. People need to understand that. But I need to wait because you will get the ronet. So you don't know how sick you're going to get. So it's like, you know, I, for me, I'm going to wait and see. but I know I will eventually have to take it because I want to travel. And in order to travel, you don't want to get sick, so you might as well take the vaccine.

Yeah. Speaking of presidents, you posted on your Instagram recently, you talked about, you posted a video you were talking about racism and you were talking about Trump playing on certain fears. This has been in the news lately. We are going to talk about this from the podcast today. The criticism that former President Obama is getting for saying that we should ditch the phrase defund the police.

What do you think about that? People are pretty split. Yeah, it's just there. What you think, man? That's what you see. See that? Like Chris Ball. Wooosh.

Ball came. Hey. Come on Lottie. That's what we do on the podcast. We talk about politics and how it affects the culture. This is a hot topic. A lot of people have spoken out about this. Mm-hmm.

What you think, man? Oh, seriously? Oh, I mean, look, I think I understand what about, first of all, I will say this. And we will talk about it later on. But I think that the headline was much more harsh than what the president actually said, right? Correct. I reacted to the headline. I think a lot of people did, but it was much more harsh than what the president actually said.

However, though, I'll say this. Barack Obama, this is going to sound very condescending and maybe even patronizing. Barack Obama has to understand who he is, right? So if there's a conversation to be had about the way you communicate what the intentions of defund the police are as it pertains to the slogan itself, you know what I mean? Then that conversation, like you were saying earlier, has to be had amongst family. It has to be had amongst the people that are going out there and saying defund the police who might be turning people off by it. The optics of you talking to some white dude and telling these kids who are watching their brothers and sisters getting their heads blown off that they're saying the wrong shit is pure. and it doesn't matter who you are.

You could be Obama, you could be whoever it is. It doesn't look right. Now, we can have a very cogent, intelligent conversation about whether or not the phrase itself is getting us to where we want to go, but we have to have that amongst us. You know what I mean? And if you're the great communicator, which Obama is, and I love President Obama, then help them communicate it better.

Exactly. You can't kind of be from a little bit from the cheap seats and coming at them. and, you know, because I didn't see Obama at any protest. So I mean, that's all that, I mean, that's, I'm just being for real. And I love President Obama. Yeah. That was a, that was a great answer, Lonnie. No, no.

You have Black Lives Matter. People question Black Lives Matter. And now look, you have Black Lives Matter Little Bar, you have corporations, you know, actually, you know, hugging Black Lives Matter and understanding it. You had, yes, we can. You know, slogans are very powerful.

You know, You know, keep hope alive. Jesse Jackson. Right, yeah. Right. Just say no. The whole time they were telling us Just say no to drugs,

we thought, hey, yeah. We're on drugs. It's cool. 20 years later. You're on drugs. Not cool. Be best. Be best.

Oh, God. Everything don't work, Melania. Right. Crazy. Be best. Be best. But be best to what, Melania.

So, you know, but no, no, slogans, I think do work. I think people, I think he may have just did an off-the-cuff remark.

Sure. And, you know, that's what happens when you own those type of podcast. Platforms, yeah. Yeah. You know, it's like, you got to watch it.

She said, it ain't and it happened to me today. It's not happening to me. Mm-hmm. What happened? What happened? No, I'm saying, you're saying it's not happening

to you on this podcast. Oh, you thought it was right. No, but at least we listen to each other and you could check me or I could check you but with him, you know what I mean? It depends on who's the host. It's like kind of like, okay. You don't vote for me.

That's right. That one was a tough one. Like, so I would, there's something I wanted to bring up here. You and Rachel both very pro-black sisters, but in interracial relationship. He loves to do this, Lonnie. Right. Oh, look at a lot of your trick.

So do you get how much, all right, because there's this brother out there. I don't know if you guys have heard of him, Dr. Umar Johnson. Oh, yeah. I love Dr. Umar. A whole different way. Wait, wait, wait.

You love Dr. Umar. Dr. Umar is hilarious to me. So, but Dr. Umar says that if you are in an interracial relationship, you cannot be down for black people. You can't do it if you're in an interracial relationship. relationship, but you still love Dr. Umar. Go ahead. No, no, go ahead.

Because I'm not familiar with Dr. Umar. So that's, that's all I know. That's not the pen yet. Ain't nobody sitting up here and tripping with him. We need to find out where that money is for the school that he was going to see. See? See that? No, I'm asking you.

Wait, please give me some more context here. Please tell me he said he has a reason. Not that it's going to be right. I need to understand where he's coming from. So you just lose all sense of self and identity when you are with someone who doesn't look like you. That's his logic. Dr. Umar is a pan-Afghurs.

You need to take away the doctor. Like, well, he's a, just, umar. He's a, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a boy certified psychiatrist, right? He, like, that's, psychologist, psychologist, I don't want to say what he's not, I don't know. But Dr. Umar, it's a pan-Africanist, he says that, specifically, if you are not sharing, and he more talks about black men, to be honest with you. But specifically, if you're not sharing your bed, that he says the most,

what he says is what he said? He says the most important thing about the community is the families and stuff that you build. And so you can do a million other things, but if you're not sharing your life with a black woman or man, then you can't fully be down for the struggle and for the movement and for all of that. That's how he feels.

I'm paraphrasing what Dr. Umar says. Yeah, that's his opinion. And, you know, you respect people's opinion, but his opinion doesn't affect me. It doesn't affect Serena Williams. It doesn't affect John Legend. It, you know, how you're down for your community is by what you do and what your actions are. And this has been happening for years.

We've been getting on black people for interracial dating for years. You know, I'll tell you all something. For me, life is short. And I talk about it in my new book. I'm about to get to that. Yeah, we're about to get to that. Talk about, you know, why. Because it wasn't like I was choosing.

It wasn't like I was, let me look for a white boy. That wasn't that. Same. But, I mean, people aren't tied to their opinions, man. I let him have his opinions. When I say, I love him, I love that he makes you think about something. And I don't agree with him, you know, and that's not right to disagree, you know. But it's like, and as some people, you know, even like Kiki Palmer, you know, she was shown kissing a white guy who I believe is reportedly her boyfriend and people are on her.

You know what I mean? And it's like, you just got this certain sector of people that they want to pounce on people for just anything. And it's like, no, you live your life. Life is short. I don't think that right now we're living in a pandemic. And if you can find love, find love. I've talked about this on the real. I've talked about the numbers.

I've talked about the pool of available black men, available black women. We do try to find each other. But sometimes it just happens that, you know, especially when you get past 40, it's hard finding them. Well, why is that? They just did some, you know, you got to look at how many people are, you know, they dare you. the gay, they're married, they're mass incarceration. Or they don't want us. They don't.

They go outside. And so it's like the pool gets smaller and smaller as you get older. You know how many sisters I know that's in their late 40s, early 50s? They got the house. They got the degree. They got the job. And they don't have a man. And I feel so bad for them.

And I'm not telling them to go out. Find just, I'm telling you find the love that you need to find. because it's modernized. I believe what Dr. Umar is saying, that was, if we were in a perfect society, that type of thinking would be good. We are in a different type of society.

We are in a melting pot. Have you ever liked a white girl before then? Like in the past, sure. Mm-hmm. Yeah. I mean, it never got to those. I've never asked you that question. It never got to those levels,

but I mean, it depends on what you mean by like. Because, you know. You know what I mean? Well, then when that's the, if that's the case, then we've all liked each other, right? You know, we all like, of course, you know, you're in college and you're different places and stuff like going on. Oh, you know what I'm saying?

You're going on. It was, you know, it happens, you know. But by the way, I have no opinions about it. I think everybody do what they want to do. I just think it's interesting. I see, here's the thing. I more so see why sisters have a problem with it than brothers do.

I just be honest with you. Like brothers that have an issue with it, but I see why sisters have a problem with that. I see why sisters see a black male with white women? Yeah. Why do you say that? I see, how could you not see why they, like, I just want to hear you say it?

For all the reasons we just talked about, right? Right. So if you're a black woman and America gives you no quarter, like you're not safe almost anywhere. And sometimes that's true even in your community, right? If America gives you no quarter, the one thing you want to be able to count on is at the end of the day,

some dark chocolate caramel, something is going to be there to help you make a life, right? And I could understand somebody that feels completely abandoned when that doesn't even happen, you know? And so that's all I'd say. I see why I see why sisters have an issue. I have a problem with Umar's statements because you're not taking into consideration people who are biracial.

So when you make a statement like that, it's really detrimental to people who come, who are a byproduct of interracial love or have interracial parents. Do you know what I mean? Then what do you say about people who are black and white? Where do they go? What does that mean for them? I don't know if he has an explanation for this. But it just, it's like, it just doesn't make any sense.

I just, that's popping to a certain core of people. He's talking to like, he's like Donald Trump. Donald Trump talks to his audience. And that's, you know, the type of audience. Like I said, you know, I find you some love. But these sisters out here that's, I have one friend, she will not, she will not date outside her race. She's like, I'm looking for a brother.

She's 56 years old. I was like, girl, she had a man that since 86. Is there an age? Is there an age to where, let's say you, let's say it's a thing to where you say you, you're not going to date outside your race. Is there an age where you should maybe open up the playbook a little bit? For me, it was 30. For real.

God damn, that's young. That's young. I was very, and I've talked about this before, I said this on the podcast, because when the world met me, you saw me on the bachelor, so you saw me dating outside of my race. So people assume that's what I always did because that's what they see. That wasn't the case. It wasn't until I was in my 30s where I was like,

you know what, I came out of a long-term relationship. I'm going to just be open to. whatever happens for me. I'm just, whatever the universe throws my way, if I'm feeling it, I'm gonna play into it.

And, you know, it happened the way it did. I say, whatever age, it started tickling and you can't find nothing to feel that spot. You're like,

ooh. Right. I'm going down there. It's like, girl, get you something. You know, the vibrate is only

going to last for so long. I'll tell you. So, if it looks at it, So you wrote a memoir. I tried to change so you don't have to. What does that title mean? What this means is that I grew up in the Brewster Projects during the 80s, during the crack era.

And I talk about the journey that I did to get out of the projects. Most of my friends did not get out of the projects. Most of them, you know, fell into the drug war. And I tell stories about how I got. out of it, how I avoided it. When people look at me and they go, we thought you would be a certain type of way, I know about that drug life.

I know what that life is like, I don't want to go back there. I've seen my friend shot. I've had guns held to my faces. It was just a rough life. So this is a story of inspiration and hope and it shows what happens when you keep pushing. Also, it also tells a story of how I came to Hollywood,

didn't know nobody and how I didn't have to get on my knees to get a television show. Woo! What's what the fuck? I'm to look at it? Did it your way? Did it your way?

It's like if you were going to, oh, Rachel, I'm sorry. No, no, go ahead, go ahead. No, if you were going to talk about the biggest lesson that you would want people to take from the book, Is there something specific that you could put your finger on that you feel like would be the biggest lesson

that Lonnie Love has learned? So many lessons. This is a thing. The name of the book is called True Life Lessons. So after every chapter, there is a lesson that I learned through the conflict that you see at the beginning of the book at the end is resolved

and then there's a lesson. I think the biggest one would be to show up. I think a lot of times, 80% of the wind is showing up. And that means either, you know, you show up at school. If you sign up, go to school, go to class. You know, when it pertains to entertainment, get up and go to that meeting.

Get up and get on that podcast, even though they was 15 minutes late. Get up and put your hair in a bun, put some glasses on, put a little powder, then you a cocktail, and enjoy the conversation. Show up. The biggest lesson in life is showing up, and sometimes we don't do that. And we miss out on so much when we don't show up. Show up. That's amazing.

Right? So good. Lonnie, you have so many things going on. We were talking about this before we got on here. I say I have a lot of jobs. You have way more than me. Tell us what you have coming up and what's going on next with you. Y'all, they are blessings because when COVID happened in March, I was in

New York, I was preparing for the Essence Festival. I'm the first black female to host it. And that was last year. And so I was doing it again for the second time. It got canceled. All of my live acts got canceled because the real ends in May. So once May starts, I do a whole live tour. It was meat, edie league, Sherry Shepherd. All that got canceled. All my club dates got canceled. I didn't know, you know, what was going to happen as far as money. I didn't know how long this was going to happen. Thank goodness for Zoom.

Thank goodness for virtual. So I've been doing a lot of virtual things. And when I say show up, you never ever know because you think, oh, I do Zoom. No, it's a lot of money to be made. So the networks have been reaching out. I'm the first narrator for Brides Zillas in 13 seasons. That's African American because it's based on African American brides.

So they wanted an African American voice. I'm also the executive producer on the after show, the first ever after show they had on Lifetime for Little Women. Okay. Season six. And I'm also working with Lifetime to Salt and Pepper. January 23rd, they have their biopic coming out. And I'm in an after interview.

And y'all want to see that. I definitely want to see it. Yeah, there's a lot going on with Salt Pepper. It's a lot going on there. And by the way, let me tell you something else. All of this salt and pepper related content is necessary because we start hearing about the great groups in hip hop or the great contributors in hip hop.

And people leave out a group that started their career in the mid-80s and then went all the way to the top of the rap and pop charts It's one of the groundbreaking rap groups of all time. And Salt and Pepper get left out of the conversation and it's about time that they get included back into that conversation. Well, this is going to definitely, it's a 90-minute film that they did, and then there is an actual interview with the real Salt and Pepper. It is very revealing.

It was long. We're going to edit it down because it's a lot happening. Right. Is Spinderella there? we it's long okay you gotta watch to see okay

you have to watch to see all right I got one last question and it's about the it's just popped in my head it's about the interracial shit again just one I know I got to just one last question

one last question who you date one last question one last question was there was there anything that you had to get used to from from

Dave, a white dude. Was there anything, was there anything hard, was there anything that was hard to get used to? For me, he's happy. He gets up, he gets up, you get, what the fuck are you saying? Good morning. I'm laughing because I know exactly what you're talking about.

Motherfucker, motherfucker, don't you know we're catching hell out? Oh, maybe you. Exactly. Don't know. No, seriously. Good morning. It reminded me when I was an engineer at Xeroz. My boss got me every morning.

Good morning. White people are good morning. Good morning. Damn. I ain't up yet. It's so true. I'm so glad I asked. That's fucking hysterical.

Lonnie. Sister, I love you so much. I'm happy for all of your success. You are immensely talented. We are so happy that you were able to join us today. We appreciate you. Thank you. I love you too.

Keep working together. This is a fantastic podcast. I'm proud of both of you. So happy holidays. Same to you, Lonnie. I tried to change so you don't have to, true life lessons. Go pick that up.

Where can they pick it up? Is it out now or is it coming out? It's out. Amazon, all the bookstores, Lonnielovebook. com. Montylovebook.com. All right.

Peace, Lonnie. Bye, Lonnie. Bye, bye. So, so, so, so, so, so, so Brian says good morning, huh? Brian definitely says good morning. And it, like, the, the happiest way. And it's, it softened to me, I have to say. In Spanish?

In Spanish? He'll say, um, me amor. He doesn't say Buenos Dias, but he'll say me amor. Just melt you, huh? He says, um, oh, what does he say? Um, he always, um, he'll say, um, he always, um, he'll say, um, he always, he'll always says, take yero. Take yedo.

Take it erro. Just melt you, huh? Yeah. It really does. I'm not even going to like. Oh, Brian. Oh, Brian. That's, by the way, loop that sound.

Anytime we talk about Brian now. That's what we talk. Oh, Brian. I do not want to hear you say that. That's the way. That's the way you just acted. Like you like him. Okay, but that ain't the way I said it.

You like him a lot. You like him a lot. I love him. He's my husband. Oh, Brian. I can't wait to see whying. Why do you sound like a baby crying? Oh, my God.

Oh, wow. Speaking of babies. I was waiting. Let's speak in the babies. Let's take a break. Let's take a break real quick. Okay, okay. And we'll come right back.

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Services not available in all areas. Yes, there is a new baby. in the Lathen household. Would you like to see him? I would love to. I will also bring over copper so they can meet each other. Yeah, let's let's let me meet each other.

Hold on real quick. This is live on the podcast and we're about to go get Boseman. Come here. Bye. Look, buddy. Don't eat the mic. Wow, look, look, look, look.

What's going to happen? Look, there's a dog. That's copper. She's hurting her dog. She's hurting her dog bones. Look. Look how. It's not like us.

Look, we're right here. here, we're ready to go. She's having such a partner. Oh, my God. Copper's big. I'm going to hurt my dog. I didn't realize copper was that big. Hold, please.

I didn't realize copper was that big. He's got a lot of hair. I mean, I can lift him up pretty easy. Copper, say hi. Say hi to Bozeman. Oh, my gosh. She's so cute. Don't eat the mic.

Okay, so how, I mean, does he sleep in the bed? No, he sleeps in his little crate. Very happy to have him. You know, all right. You're getting nervous, aren't you? Wait, you're not going to be, you're not going to be a parent who lets the dog sleep in the bed? Not just, yeah, we got to get him crate trained and stuff like that, you know. Copper's big.

I didn't realize copper was that big. He's like 45 pounds. Mm-hmm. All right, Bose, you want to go back? He's getting nervous. He doesn't know what's happening. He's so cute. Look at you.

You're such a proud dad. I can tell you a dog dad. Okay, buddy. Can I just talk about dogs real quick? Yes, you can. So Bozeman gets here yesterday. People drop off Bozeman. And, you know, I've been wanting the dog for a long time.

My neighbor has one. I think I talked about this. And my life is, my brain is, I've talked about it. My brain is all pinky. I'm on these different medications, one to sleep, one to get through the day, one to stop the PVC, just all of this stuff, you know. And they dropped the dog off and he looks down, right?

He came a long way. And the guy goes, he's just tired. It's very interesting because then I walked outside and I was so excited to go outside. I didn't have my mask. And the guy goes, I go, my bad man, I don't have my mask. And he goes, don't worry about it. I never wear this goddamn thing. And I was like, I forgot.

Yo, these gentlemen, these gentlemen came from Ohio. By the way, fantastic, fantastic service. Ferry trails, pet transport. And we bought the Bernadoodle from Jim and Amy out there in Ohio. So fantastic, fantastic people, everyone, right? So I get them, grab them, grab them up, grab his papers. All this stuff, you know, transitional food, all of that. Take him in a house and I put him down.

I had just unboxed the crate and all of that, you're making them a space. And he sits there and I look at him and he looks at me. And you can tell he's sad. Okay, but is it sad? Or he's just like he doesn't, he's confused. Right. It's new.

It's all new. You can tell it's new. He's away from his brothers and sisters, which he had just been around. He's, you know, you can tell. And then so I'm like, Like, all right, what do you do? So I sit down.

I sit down and he looks and he crawls over. And I start, and me and Bozeman get to know each other right there. He crawls over. Do you know that during that time, I did not once think about anxiousness. I did not once think about COVID. I did not once think about any of those things. The dog seems sad and tired. and I'm trying to make the dog feel better.

And then he gets used to me. And then Kalika comes home. And then she meets him. And then Day Bond. And then the whole day, it's like, it didn't even take 24 hours to fall in love with the dog. I know. It's so weird.

Why is it this way? This is why their emotional support animal. Like, I have copper registered as one. You should do the same thing. I'll tell you how to do it. Okay. But honestly, I don't. never grew up with dogs. So I never had that. I truly, I didn't realize, I've learned as I get older,

I'm an anxious person. I didn't realize some of the things that I was going through was anxiety. Anyways, until I got into therapy, but copper, I can touch him, I rub him, and I'm telling you, I feel so much lighter. It's just like, it releases so much. I'm so happy for you, man. It's like, It's so necessary right now. You're going to feel so much better. Oh, I can't. Copper just told me that he really liked Bozeman and he can't wait to come and fight. Okay.

So you're going to extra mile so the dog talks to you. Cool. Okay. I'll talk to you in two more weeks and you'll start telling me what Bozeman says. I'm just saying, you know, we're talking about how much we love the dog, but then you say, you go to the extra mile by saying that you talk to the dog. Can't wait until you start telling me this. That's been documented before in cases of people who have done heinous things and have said that they talk to the dog. So I'm just letting you know.

You talk to me around Christmas when you start dressing Bozeman up, you put a hat on him. Already done. Went to Petco. Went to Petco, saw the stuff. Yep. You know what I mean? If I put something on him, as long as he doesn't flip out,

if he flips out, I'm not going to do it because I'm really, I don't want to, like, I, my, here's my problem with being a pet owner is that I want the animals to be free. Of course. And so it is heartbreaking putting him in that crate. That's why I'd never do. he he doesn't like that crate. He wants to be chilling with me.

And sometimes he doesn't even want to be chilling with me and doing anything. He just wants to come lay at my feet. Yeah. Right? And so, but you have to put him like, she's very adamant. She wants the crate training done.

Like, you have to put him in the crate. And he's in the crate. It's like visiting one of my uncles in jail. Is he whimpering? Sometimes he whimpers. But more than anything, he has that look. That you, when you look through that glass and you see that you talk into a man,

but he know he's not free. And you're like, damn, that's fucking. You know what I mean? You know, that's how it was when I was growing up. You're talking to a man. You're like, damn, he talking to you. But he know after this 45 minutes to an hour, he got to go back in that bitch. So he's counting the minutes.

But hey, come on. Keep coming. What else you got? What else you got? That's how fucking Bozeman looks inside his crate, man. How big is he going to get? About 100 pounds? Are you serious?

Yeah, he's part of Bernice Mountain Dog. And you called Copper Big. I thought copper was a smaller dog. No, he's just gaps like a small. He's half Pomeranian, so I can see why you would think that. Oh, yeah. No, like. Shepard and Chow as well.

Right. So he, no, he's going to get, he's going to get probably, probably like the dog upstairs, Clinton, who's a Bernadoodle, Clinton, Clinton. Shout out to Matt and Jamie, my upstairs neighbor. Clinton, who's a Bernadio, he's about 125. Wow. I don't think that copper is going to, copper. I don't think that Boz was going to get that big.

But he's so cute. I'm so excited for you. I really am. I love him. Well, on the podcast, I know the thought warriors are going to say it. We're going to need Bozeman updates. Yeah, we will.

I will give him to you. We'll give him to you. He's already starting to be rambunctious, nipping at everything. That means he's getting comfortable. Yeah, right. All right. So we told, we promised that we were talking about it.

I guess we'll go a little bit more in depth into it. We don't have to spend as much time because we did some of it with Lonnie. But President Obama's comments, um, did you first see, the headline or did you first see the video? The headline. Okay, so we should say exactly what President Obama said.

So just so people know, President Obama was on a podcast and the podcast is called Good Luck America. It's a Snapchat political show I had never heard of it before. Me neither. Apparently it is incredibly popular. So shout out to Peter Hamby, who is that? What he said is, he says, you lost a big audience the minute you say it, which makes it a lot. less likely that you're going to get the changes that you want done. Okay. Now, in context with what he's saying, he's talking about the juxtaposition between actually what it is that you want to get done

and how you frame it. And the fact that getting some things done, you need a wide coalition of people, which obviously Obama was able to create while he was the president, for some time at least. But it was met with a lot of criticism. Like Elon Omar came out. She kind of went at Obama. A lot of other people online amongst my leftist group,

leftist, my left-leaning group, that's another term that Trump uses. My left-leaning group, it was a very unpopular thing for the president to have said, especially having just read the article and not watched it in context. You saw this, you thought? I guess I'm the opposite

end of the spectrum. I saw it, and I guess I guess I'm not one to read a headline and then go off. I was like, okay, let me understand where he was coming from when he said it. And when I watched him the video, I thought, okay, this is exactly what I thought he meant. And to me, I agree with him. I understand exactly what he's saying. And I don't think he's saying it because he's trying to say like, hey, we need to, you know, be more appealing to the other side.

it's more of what's more important to you to hold on to this phrase that they've now used to try to weaponize, you know, the term defund and try to use it to take voters away from us or to take away from the cause and the message that is. Or is it more important for people to demand things and to get those demands met? And so I feel like that's where President Obama was coming from when he was talking about the phrase being. problematic. He in no way is saying that, you know, we shouldn't be demanding that the police be defunded because there is a problem with the police force. It's just they have now taken this phrase and used it against us. So it's taking away from the message and what it is that we're trying to accomplish. So I didn't understand what the big deal was with it. I didn't think that, I actually think it's very detrimental that we go after President Obama for saying that when

that's not what he's saying because that feeds into another side of it. I just, I mean, and if you, if you look at what he's saying, it is true. I mean, prior to this election, we had a 35-seat advantage in the House. After the election, I think we lost about nine seats. And I say we, I mean, Democrats, there were about nine seats that were lost. So we didn't do as well in the election in Congress that we thought we would do. And I think that part of that is weaponizing phrases like defund the police and where they made it seem like, oh, they're trying to dismantle the police and you will be harmed and no one will be there to protect you. And you saw the commercials. You call 911 and they tell you it's busy while you're going through something. And that's not at all

what it is. And obviously, them taking the phrase and turning it upside down was, because it is, it sounds confusing. It sounds like he can be ambiguous. And that was harmful. So I understand where President Obama was coming from. And I don't understand the outrage. I don't understand why people didn't take the time to really know what he was trying to say. Hmm. Um, well, I'll tell you. Well, tell me, because you go on the other side. I am on the other side.

I am on the side of, of, I'm on the other side, but I'm also on the side of understanding both sides. Okay. But I am on the other side. So, Patrick Henry. Do you know who that is? No. Patrick Henry, there was speech to the second Virginia convention,

March 23rd, 1775. Oh. This is prior to the, to the formation of the country. Patrick Kennedy. He is a very famous American for having said one word and words that I never forget

when I forgot, when I learned them in social studies class, in middle school. And the reason why I never forgot the words is because I had a death fixation at that point. Like I was just learning about life and death and all of that stuff like that. And so I remember a teacher said this,

then I was like, wow, he's really making the stand. Patrick Henry said, give me liberty or give me death. Oh, okay. So you know that. You've heard that, of course, you've heard that. Yes. So here's the thing. When you are asking for your life,

it's difficult to ask nicely. And there is no country that knows that better than the United States of America because the United States of America is a country that throughout its history has drawn lines in the sand and asked people on the other side of those socio-political lines

to step across them at their own peril. So what I am saying is this. While I understand what President Obama is saying, what I understand, like I said earlier, what Rachel is saying, what everybody is saying. And remember, President Obama is not an activist. President Obama is a politician. Correct. So in being a politician, what he is fixated on is how effective something is going to be. Okay. But remember, the only way that you can make something effective is to have the will of the people who want it completely engaged.

And they have to be engaged with energy. They have to be engaged with passion. And telling them that their energy and passion is the wrong way to go about something is not necessarily the way that you're going to have them continue to march towards where they need to be. Now look, defunding the police is a novel.

It's not the wrong slogan. It's a novel slogan. meaning it is new, right? So because it is new and because we have 100 plus years of conditioning that the cops are completely infallible and heroes, right?

Even though in our neighborhoods, we know that that's not the truth. Anything that is a slogan that cuts against the fact that the police are the saviors of the day when you see them is going to be unpopular in a lot of places of America.

If I walked up to somebody right now, and I said to them, hey, when we're talking about defunding the police, if I said, hey, would you rather the police have a tank, right? Or would you rather they take the million dollars that they were going to use for the tank of the police and build a community center, a mental health center, or a public safety administration building where you can go to when you're having a problem? What would you rather? very few people, white, black, red or green,

are going to say that the cops need a tank more than we need mental health services. And if they were to say that, then they would just be flat out wrong. That is defunding the police. It's not more mystical than that. It's not, it's not, it's not magic trick. That's defunding the police.

The fact of the matter is the police have a bunch of shit that they hardly ever use and that they really don't need. They have a bunch of resources that would be better served in other places in communities. That is a fact, and by the way, it's not just the police that should be defunded. Anything that is bloated that is taken away

from the betterment of the lives of regular ordinary Americans should be defunded and reinvested. Now look, I get it. We want to make sure we make things as easy for people to understand as possible. But the reality is, on the other side of the line,

America's going to have to do some work, work too. America's going to have to want it a little bit badder as well. They're going to have to do some work too. They're going to have to do some work in making an attempt to understand something that's new to them. I'm sure when Niggas was in the late 50s and in early 60s, when people were saying we shall

overcome, there was a bunch of people going, overcome what? What is it that you need to overcome? There's a lot of shit that they need to overcome. And there's a lot of things wrong with policing. President Obama is the greatest communicator I've ever heard in my life But President Obama needs to be more selective And more intentional about who he's communicating with

Because if you want to drop jewels and impart lessons Don't do it from over us Do it from in the crowd because that's what niggas are Okay So I get the last part about what you're saying about President Obama I agree with But this is I think it's if If what, if you took from what I just said that I meant that we need to say it in a nicer way,

no, no, no, but listen to what I said, though. What I said when I heard what President Obama was saying, I was saying, is the message more important, the slogan, or are our demands more important? So if people are taking a word we're using and turning it against us, you're losing what we're trying to demand. Demand is not a nice word. Okay, so nothing that I'm saying says, hey, we need to say this in a nicer way. I don't want to get it confused that that's what I'm trying to say.

I don't want to get it confused by me saying defund the police. Maybe the slogan should be different, which is what President Obama was saying. I'm trying to say take away from the energy behind the movement. That's not it either. The goal of the movement is to get things done. We are demanding that the police force is corrupt. It needs to change. And you need to reallocate funds in proper ways so things can get done in the community

in the right way, that the police force can be used. in the right way, that the wrong people aren't going to certain situations and they're escalating because the police aren't equipped to deal with that type of situation. That's what we're asking for. So if that message is getting lost in a simple slogan, then don't change the movement. Just change what you're saying, which is what I feel like President Obama is saying. And that's why I'm like, I don't think it has to go to the extreme of, you know, like, we're talking about our lives, so we don't, we want to say it.

our way. Well, we also want to fight for things that are going to protect our lives. And if we're caught up in a slogan and if that's what's stopping some people from getting it, then change a slogan. Yeah. Okay. Well, this is a couple of things on that. Did Obama give a new slogan? No. But, but no, he did it. So very constructive from former president of Obama, right? Well, okay. Well, right. Like, did he say what we should say? Like, is there, is there an answer? Or we're just being chastised. But I didn't either. I didn't think he's chastising.

See, I think that's another harsh word. I don't, I don't, I don't, there's, it's certainly, I don't think he was chastising either. It's certainly an indirect rebuke, right? But look, here's the thing. Here's something else, and I get it. I get it. Two things. Number one, one thing is completely bullheaded.

And I, everyone listening to higher learning right now, Van is being bullheaded right now. They never change how they talk. we have to understand what they mean. You're right. You're right. They never change how they talk. It's always been that way. They say what the fuck they want to say.

They do what the fuck they want to do. And then we have to adapt. We, like, you know why we making slogans? Because they shoot niggas in their fucking head. And we talk and we're having to convince people. I'm about to lose it, man. We're having to convince people that that's wrong. And, and like, I,

You guys are right. I get it. I understand. I totally get it. Like, I, I, I, I, I, I, there's a way to win. I get it. But God, damn, man. I get it. It is like, like, fuck. Like, forget about the fucking slogan for a second. I, I understand. I'm, I'm admitting that I'm wrong. Forget about the slogan for a second. Do you care about the fact that they choke the nigger out in the, do, do, do you care about that? First of all, do you want to solve that problem? Right. Because if you want to solve that problem,

then a phrase is not going to deter you from doing that. Mm-hmm. So then we can sit down and we can solve that problem. I get it. I get what everybody's saying. But it just seems like we always getting shoved to the back. You're right. Saying repackage it, come back.

It's like Colin Kaepernick, right? Colin Kaepernick. Colin Kaepernick Niels. Well, is that the best way? That's divisive. Well, what the fuck else can he do? Right. Like, well, what else?

I mean, well, y'all don't listen to nothing. I read so many books and maybe I should give myself a mental break. And when you read these books with Fred Hampton and Malcolm X and Snick and all of these people were talking about in the 50s and the 60s, they were talking to the Panthers, they were talking about police brutality. It is 2020 and we still haven't figured it out. and we're mincing words with these motherfuckers. Now, I get it that the mincing of the words

might be necessary to get to where we have to go. But God damn, if that's not a kick in the nuts. Well, I mean, I'll be honest with you, man. I get, I feel you. So let me give that to you. I feel you and your frustration and your anger and everything that you're saying. And I'll be honest with you.

We could change the slogan. It doesn't mean that we'll change the mindset and the hearts of these people to actually want to do something. I agree with you, but I can only speak, I'm only speaking right now in the context of what President Obama said, and I just don't think it was unfair. I think it was unfair in how he was criticized. But you are right. If you wanted to get it done, if you wanted to help, if you wanted to see change, you would do it.

You would need us in the streets yelling, defund the police. You would need us yelling Black Lives Matter. You would just get it done. You would show us that we mattered. You would show us that there's police brutality and there needs to be police reform. by actually making changes. Actions do speak louder than words, and they speak louder than these slogans,

and that's what we need to see from these people. I agree with you. No. I agree. Oh, by the way, I'm sorry, guys, that I just, I knew. I'm on a lot of medication. Oh, but look, like, like, somebody bring Bozeman, bring Bozeman back into the rain.

What, Bozeman at me? What Bozeman at? Baby, bring Bozeman. Did he? I thought he barked. Yeah, right. It's funny. I'm glad that you have such passion about this because it's allowed you to redirect

some of the other shit that's going on in your life that I know you're afraid of. Like what? Like the fact that on the last podcast, you called out Hannah B to box. And as it turns out, Hannah B got them motherfucking hands. I didn't call him out.

By the way, as soon as you call Hannah B. Oh, now you crawfishing. I love it. No, no, no, no. As soon as you, as you call Hannah B. I am not crawfishing. As soon as people heard it. As soon as people heard it, it was, I, can I tell you thought words?

I love you guys so much. I love you guys. As soon as I heard like, hey, man, you might want to show this to Rachel. Like, Hannah, Hannah, be mixing. You know what's funny? Nobody deans me that. And I knew, I follow Hannah. So I know that she does boxing as a workout.

And so I was fully aware of that. But let's just be clear. Rachel didn't call her out. You said, pose the question, would you fight Hannah for a million dollars? I said yes. I didn't say I'd win. Oh, actually, I think I did.

You didn't say you win. Look, you're definitely crawfishing, by the way. Crawfishing is not a verb for me. It's a noun. Okay, let's just be clear. Well, crawfish, when I'm from Louisiana. Something I eat. You know what it means?

Oh, ooh. Ooh. Listen, I'll be honest with you. Phil Polina, Polina Boxing Club, Woodland Hills, California. It's my training. Okay.

If you had to fight, Han to B, you whippe, we get you ready. But we get you ready. We get you ready. We have to schedule to fight for like 2022. I got a bad shoulder. So I want to see how I would be sparring in the, yeah, but I have, I have passion.

Yeah, yeah, you're angry. I have temper. Angry lady. Angry white female. Yeah, angry lady. All right, let's take a break real quick. For adults with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis symptoms, every choice matters. Tramphia offers self-injection or intravenous infusion from the start.

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Tell your doctor if you have an infection, flu-like symptoms, or need a vaccine. Explore what's possible. Ask your doctor about Tramfaya today. Call 1-800-526-7736 to learn more or visit Tramphiara Radio.com. This episode is brought to you by WeatherTech. Everyone knows winter is the MVP and making a mess. You don't need weather tech floor liners in the summer unless you hit the beach or go camping. Then you'd want a cargo liner.

Or a road trip goes sideways, ketchup goes rogue, ice cream drips. Yeah, you'd be pretty happy about those weather tech seat protectors. So just to be clear as the mud, you're inevitably going to step into the summer. You don't need weather tech unless you plan on doing summer. Visit weathertech.com today. All right, real quick, a couple of things in the culture that we have to talk about. Number one, I don't know if you guys know how 97 legend DJ Funkmaster Flex. Got life a session.

That is the entire story. Farnc Master Flex, who is a legend. LifeFlex, don't like Flex. He's a legend. I broke some of the biggest artists, been on the radio forever, posted a video on his Instagram of him getting liposuction. That's the problem. This was, for some reason, a huge deal.

What you mean? What's the problem? Well, it's not that he got liposuction. It's the fact that he was posting it on his social media. First of all, it's gross. It's nasty. I don't want to see them stabbing you with stick. I don't want to see the fat being sucked out of you and put it in a tube.

I don't understand. Was it an ad? I'm almost certain. I'm like, QVC. Rates might understand. Exactly. I'm almost certain because he talked about the place. I'm almost certain that there was some kind of discount involved. I can't say this for sure. I haven't talked to Flex about it.

Me and Flex don't really, I've only ever met him a couple of or talked to him a couple of times. If any time, I may interview him on TMZ or something. But I'm almost certain when you look at it that it was a situation to where if you put this up that there's some kind of discount in that. So if you guys ever seen me one day, hey, cool, he's cold. Say baby. You know what I mean? So I'm almost certain it's some type of situation like that.

I think it just, look, I think the reaction from people was like, you're this great legend, you've done so much. Has it come to this? I think that's kind of what it was. Like you want to? Come to what? It's just so personal. It's so in your business.

That it's just, and this is coming from somebody who sells stuff all the time. Look at you right now. Can I ask you something, though? Can I ask you something, though? I couldn't do it. Can I ask you something, though? Is it different if, because today, my man, Kenny Burns, shout out to Kenny Burns out there in Atlanta.

Today, Kenny posted. He did it too? No, he didn't do a lip-o. You know, Kenny? Not personally. Yeah, but today Kenny Burns posted himself in the bed, in the hospital bed after his colonoscopy. Oh, that's a good message.

Okay, so you can post that your, Shout out to Kenny. By the way, I'm not bringing Kenny in this. First of all, Kenny, way to go. He talked about his family history or another. So you can pose that you've got a colonoscopy and put people in your business like that. But you can't post that you have got liposuction.

It's not a health. That's like something that you want for yourself because you physically want to look better. I'm just asking. It's a cosmetic thing. What Kinns was doing was saying, hey, this is something that has affected my family. It's a history of this.

Hey, if you have the same thing or a history of something else, maybe it's breast. cancer for you. Maybe it's colon cancer. Maybe it's something you need to go get checked as well. To me, that was a public service announcement. Right. But you don't think that there are some people that would be mentally much better if they didn't have a little lovy-lovy around the handle-handle-hangle area. I'm not knocking anybody for getting life up.

Maybe Flex's bravery will spurn some dude out there to get, yeah, exactly like that, jabbed. And that shit looked crazy. I know. That to me, I was like, I would, I could never. do lipo just from seeing that. And he was awake. And he was awake. He had a local anesthetic. I just personally couldn't handle that. Like, some people can handle blood. I couldn't stand somebody

stabbing a suction thing into me. I just, I couldn't. I'm not, I'm not hating on you, Flex. Like, I couldn't do it. He just looks too uncomfortable. Did you like the post? Did you double tap? I don't think I did. Okay. Well, you didn't fully support him.

Yeah. Well, it should be true. Yeah, but look, I think Flex got a lot of heat, and I don't see why. He's the brother got like a lot of suction. He's like, I look good. I want to see the after picture. Post that, Flex.

But see, that's the only thing that's going to be aggravating. It's aggravating is like Flex's about to do a whole tight t-shirt ring. Flex is not going to wear a t-shirt that fits in the right way for years. He doesn't have to. He paid enough for it. It's true. It's true. Like, shout out Jim Jones.

Jim Jones be wearing them super tight t-shirts, too. But Jim, but Jim work out all the time. And I understand, Jim, because it's like, if you work. out all the time. You don't want to just do it for nothing. You know, so it's a t-shirt. Also, uh, slightly bombshell news. Oh.

In the world of dating. I don't know if this is true or not, but People magazine is reporting that Rihanna is dating A-Sap Rocky. You don't like it? Whatever Rihanna wants. Two beautiful people. Yeah. I didn't, I was, I was a little shock because I heard A-Sap Rocky isn't down for us. So I love.

Down for who is like black ladies? Black ladies. That's what I had heard. Everybody's down for Rihanna. But I get it. I get it. But Rihanna and Aesap Rockier are a beautiful couple because T's so pretty to me

and she's gorgeous too. So I like to see it. He is so pretty. Shout out. Shout out to them, man. Like I don't, you know, a lot of people have things to say about A sap. Asap has said some dumb ass fucking shit in the past.

You know, but the reality. is that seemed like a good guy. Everybody says stupid shit. And if she's happy, she's happy. But he seems like a cool fellow. I like him. I like it.

Very, very sweet man from everything that everybody says. So, you know, shout up to them. Remember when we were, you, we, you were trying to name five couples in hip-hop that were both hip-hop. This is your fifth one. If this is true, if it's true, there you go. Shout out to Papu's and Remy Ma, though, because we let, we forgot them. and people let us know real quick. Yeah, A-Sab Rocky is more of a model-looking dude.

Yeah, this would be... And by the way, Rihanna deserves... Like, Rihanna is such a fantastic all-around human being that she deserves all the happiness in the world. I agree. So, you know, they're having fun. Let them have fun. It's a...

It's a... It's... It's... Oh shit. My brain just went out of commission. If they're having fun, let them have fun. Good for them. Pretty babies are fun.

They are. Pretty babies are really, really, really fun. Yeah, so listen, guys, no batch recap this week. Because when everything with Bozeman and all that stuff like that, I've been walking a dog five times a day. I've had time to take three and a half hours out of my day and watch the show. But I will watch the show. I will watch the show tomorrow or Friday.

and then you get two batch recaps next week. All right. Now, listen, the show's got to pick up. Let's be honest. How many more episodes of batch do we have? Then you're going to be disappointed in that. Shut up, Rachel.

How many more episodes of The Bachelor do we have? We've got, you're behind where we are in a public of four. Oh, oh, it does pick back up because next week, I believe we're getting the reunion, the men tell all, where they all come back, where they all come back. where they all come back. So your favorites are going to come back. Yeah.

No, no, no, not Chippinnell, but just like all your favorites. Like Yosef. Um, okay. So, uh, no Batch recap this week. Batch season is trudging along.

I'm going to pop some popcorn and watch it. Tasha have awkward conversations. Uh, it's fun. Uh, but we will have mailbag. Jackson. Let's get to these people's questions.

Okay. First one. From Tony. Chapman, did you start 2020 with any resolutions? And if so, did you follow through on them? I don't do resolutions anymore. I gave that up years ago. New Year's Eve is my favorite holiday. So I do feel like I hit a reset button. But that's pretty much it. I don't think I had any resolutions. I think I had all these ideas. And God laughed. Okay. But you know what? This is what. what I will say. I don't set New Year's resolutions anymore, but because I'm into meditation,

I try to set intentions. I said this before on the podcast, I can tend to go towards the negative side of thinking. So I really try to focus my thoughts on more positive things and taking care of myself in every single way, mentally, physically, spiritually, all that stuff. Okay. Jackson, let's go. Okay. From Tracy. C.M. Jordan, what is the best Christmas song? That's a fantastic question. It is. It's got to be

Mariah Carey though. All I want for Christmas. Are you saying that because that's the most popular or because that's your personal favorite? Can we separate this? Can we do this a different way? Okay. Favorite Christmas song. There's so many. So what I'd like to do is your favorite old school Christmas song,

your favorite pop Christmas song, and your favorite soulful Christmas song because soulful Christmas is a playlist on Spotify. Yeah. All right. Well, soulful Christmas is this Christmas. Is it for you?

Yeah, soulful Christmas is this Christmas. Which version? Whose version? Whose version? Hathaway. Gotta be. I like Drew Hills too, though. That was good too. Or What do the lonely do at Christmas time? Because it's such a funny story. One time,

What do the lonely do? So we can't. It's such a funny story. You guys met my grandmother. Let me take some of my grandmother real quick. My grandmother is one of the most well-adjusted, one of the most centered, amazing women ever, right? But there was a time in the mid to late 80s

when our family was in such flux that we didn't see my grandmother that much. She lived in Dallas. She lived in the Bay Area for a little while. And we would only see her. Remember I told you when I lived in DeSoto? Yeah. That was because we had stopped on our way to California. We had to stop and stay with my grandmother for a little while.

We lived in Dallas a couple of different times, but we had to stop and say it because my grandmother was there, which is why we went. And there was a point to where, like, we didn't see her that much. It was very sporadic. She did come out and visit one time

when we lived in California, but we didn't see her that often. I remember we were at her house one time, and this was back when my mom and my grandmother weren't quite as well tethered as they are now, because there's not much age difference between them. Like, my grandmother was relatively young. And she was talking about the fact,

that she had spent the Christmas before by herself. Mm-hmm. And she was talking to my mother. She was like, you know, it's a lot of times you guys could just come up here and see me. By the way, she is never like this now. Never. Like, she is never like this now.

But she went through, you guys can come up here and see me. You know what I mean? You guys, sometimes I feel like I'm up here and I'm all forgotten about. Last year was one of the love. loneliest moments of my life. As a matter of fact, Christmas Day by myself

and all I did was sit on the couch and play, what do the lonely do on Christmas time? And I've never seen my mother so angry before in her life. I've never seen my mother so angry. My mother goes, you know what, motherfucker,

you know, you don't sit here and make this whole house feel sorry for you. Like, you really, really? You all start talking about stuff? And they started going around for a row and my grandmother ended up going over to the theme on a record player

playing what was alone do for Christmas time and that was the thing. It's just so dramatic but I'm telling you like my grandmother is just the most life affirming spiritual woman. She moved back to Baton Rouge and she became my best friend and I love her to death but that was funny.

So soulful and then I guess old school is... Okay, soulful I would say silent night by the temptations. Oh, that's doubt. Mm-hmm, mm-hmm. What about pop for you? I got to go with Mariah Carey. Second would have been in sync,

Merry Christmas. Happy holidays. What's old school? Like a classic. Maybe I should say a classic. I'm trying to think. For me, I like Baby, it's cold outside. Baby it's cold outside.

Is that a Christmas song now? Yeah. I don't think that's a Christmas song. Yes, it is. I don't really consider that to be a Christmas song. They only play it at Christmas. They don't play it in winter. Do you know what that song is about, right?

Yeah, I've heard. the rumblings of that it's, but then they change the lyrics or something like that? It's no rumblings. Wait. Hold on. The woman is trying to leave and he's saying it's cold. I thought that that was just a, is it really?

Okay, hold on. What are you talking about? Yes, she's getting ready to go and he's telling her to stay. I know, but I don't know if it was that intense. What are you talking about? I really must go. The answer is.

is no. The answer is no. You know what I'm saying? It's trying to get some arsh. You know what I'm saying? As my friends across the pond would say, he's trying to get some arsh. Okay, what I like about it is that it's,

I like the back and forth and the melodies between the man and the woman. I think it's a playful song. But forgive me, forgive me if that offends anyone. I apologize. I'm not saying, I'm not talking about that. I'm just talking about the song is more about trying to get some pussy than it is actually Christmas.

It really doesn't have anything to do with Christmas. I'm looking at it. I don't see the word holiday. It's no Christmas at all. Just cold. You know, look, he said, she says, at least there will be pleading implied. He says, if you caught pneumonia and died, he's telling her, if you don't stay in here and give me that, ma-ma. I don't see that lyric.

That lyric is definitely down here. I've got to get home. Baby, you'll freeze out there. She asks, why don't you let me a coat? He says, it's up to your knees out there. Like he's trying to convince her to stay So they can have sex S-E

Okay Okay They don't say anything other than Anyways, okay Still love it Still love the song Sorry What's your, what's your classic

What's your classic one? There's so many Christmas songs that I love Obviously jingle bells The jingle bells is easy I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus I guess that's kind of soulful But I don't know. If you,

this is the Jackson Pye version. Yes. I'm trying to think of let me look up Christmas songs. You know what's a good Christmas song that I feel like does not get enough attention. Let it snow. That's a good one. That's a good one. Brian McKnight.

I don't know what category to put it under. I could listen to that any time of the year. You know what my favorite Christmas song is actually? What? Little drummer boy. Okay. That's a good one. I love that song or Silent

Night. Silent night's a good one. You know what I'm going to do this Christmas? I'll be honest with you. What you can do? This Christmas is going to be about me and Jesus. Because I got to be honest with you, man. I'm going to get a little bit more Jesusy this Christmas.

I might go outside and put up a manger. Put up a manger and do the whole thing. It's going to be because I've had different times in my life. At first it was Jesusy Christmases. Then it was Santa E Christmases. And then it was Jesus and Santa, like they was A.D. and LeBron.

But I need a Jesus-led Christmas this year. Good. I'm not going to lie. Good. No, no X-Mis for you. No. I love it. I need a Jesus-led Christmas.

All right. Jesus is my leading score. Jackson, last one. From Malice Lisson. In honor of the Spotify retrospective, what songs and or podcasts did Van and Rachel listen to most of? this year. Oh, okay.

The podcast that I listened to most this year, I listen to, now, some of these podcasts are not going to be podcasts that are on Spotify or the ringer network. So if we're asking this question, just let you know, there's going to be a tip of the hat to the competition in some of these places.

I listen to What a Day. That is a daily political podcast that is done by cricket. The bill is going to love this. I listen to a podcast called Stuff You Should Know all the time. I listen to a podcast called Factorious, which is a game show. I obviously listen to the rewatchables. I love Slow Newsday, which is kind of not a podcast, but a little bit.

The Reed is one of my favorite podcasts. The Brilliant Idiots is one of my favorite podcasts. Obviously, you guys know, I listen to the Joe Button podcast, of course, with Rory and Mao. 85 South comedy show. A lot of them. There's a lot of podcasts that I go through when I'm listening to it.

Way down in a hole. I actually listen to my... I don't listen to myself on this podcast as much. Because it's different. But I listen to myself on way down in a hole. Just because, you know, it's different. I don't listen to myself on this podcast that much. It's harder.

Why? I get more personal on this one. I talk about that. Oh, oh. Yeah, I get more personal on this one. What about you, Rachel? Okay, some of them are the same. And by that, I only mean the read.

We both listen to the read. Funny enough, I don't like to listen to myself back on the podcast either. I'm just giving it to you. I listen to The Daily, New York Times. I listen to Up First on NPR. I listen to everything iconic by Danny Pellegrino, which is all about my Bravo shows, my housewives. I love my housewives.

That's what I would love to get you into watching. And yeah. Oh, I listen to Bachelor Party. Bachelor Party. Oh, by the way, I forgot a podcast. There's one podcast I probably listened to more than any other podcast this year. And it was 538 just because of everything that was going on with the election. I listened to 538 religiously this year.

As far as my top albums, twice as tall by Burn a Boy, please excuse me, anti-social. I'm reading off the list. Roddy Rich. Alfredo, Freddie, Gibbs, 94 Camry music. Femdak. A emcee y'all haven't heard of as much.

I love of Conway. I'm just reading down the list. Conway from a king to a god, written testimony, J. Electronica anniversary, Bryson Tiller. And for some reason, Astro World, Travis Scott is on there. Oh, Tame Impala. Love that.

Anyway. But what else? You don't know what you're top? Okay, I'm going to tell you my most recent. Sure. Meg the Stallion. Meg the Stallion. And then I like to listen to like a lot of playlists.

So I was listening to hip-hop R&B hits from 1994. And when I tell you, 1994 was the year, maybe, can you name one song from 1994? Just like off the top of your hit? Ginny Juice. That was the year. Yeah. Yeah. 94.

I probably name a lot more. Jinnah Juice. Alia was 94. escaped, Kevin Campbell, can we talk, that album came out of 94, regulate. The tribe drop in 94?

I feel like Tribe, I feel like Midnight Marauders was 94 around that time too or something like that. The Tribe dropped. Didn't make the list. I listened to a lot of tribe. I remember 94.

Players ball, thuggish, ruggish bone, that one. Big, big was out 95, had to have been. Mm-hmm. 94, I mean, discography. No, Midnight Marauders was 93. Juicy is 94.

Yeah, midnight rosas was 93. But yeah, all of that shit. Yeah, yeah. Good year. Yeah, man. All right, look, you guys, that's it. That's enough. You gave y'all an action-packed episode.

Shout out to Lonnie Love for coming through. That was amazing. Do you have an unexpected ally week? Oh, you are right. I need an unexpected ally. of the week. Yes, Big Pharma. Big Pharma is my unexpected ally of the week. I have never in a million years been on the same page with Big Pharma, but these vaccines seem to be coming out. There's an uncomfortable conversation that we're going to have to have next week.

About whether or not the Trump administration actually did something right. Whether or not Operation Warp Speed was actually a success. Okay, but don't you think that that would have been pushed? no matter who was in. What I said was it's a conversation we're going to have to have. Okay, fine, fine. We'll save it. We'll save it.

We'll save it. We'll save it. We'll look into it. Maybe we'll bring somebody on. If you guys know anyone in the vaccine field or anyone who is an epidemiologist or anybody like that who you would want to have on the show, a big name that you would want to get out there. We're not talking to Tony. Everybody's talked to Dr. Fauci, like somebody knew.

And maybe we can talk to them about. how much of this it directly has to do with the administration and how much of this would have been would have happened anyway like Rachel says. But Big Pharma, I never thought I'd be saying that, you know, Big Pharma, I am thankful for them, but three vaccines that look like they have pretty good efficacy,

three vaccines that look like they're safe means that by the end of the first quarter, going into the summer next year, you know, things might in some degree normalize. So hopefully we could, things are getting bad out there right now, so we need all the help we can get. What about you?

Someone sent this on Twitter, which, you know, that's rare that I see these things. But it's somebody called Cookie Monster, and they said this should be the unexpected ally of the week, so I'm going to give it to them. North Dakota hockey players planned to kneel during the anthem. I mean, of all places. North Dakota, you know, so it's catching around the country.

I mean, if it's going into places like North Dakota, But Lord knows we wouldn't have never seen it there. So shout out to them for representing the movement, even in North Dakota. That's it. That's all I got. All right. Shout out to Rebecca Black.

Tomorrow, I mean, when you guys are listening to this Friday, the 10th anniversary, make you guys feel old of that Rebecca Black song Friday coming out. The 10th anniversary. Friday, Friday, got to get in on Friday. The 10th anniversary of that. Right. 10th anniversary. All right. This thing says February 10th, 2011.

What are you talking about? It's December. Okay. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. What is wrong with you today? I'm sorry. I was wrong.

Thank you for the end time fact check. All right. All right. We got to go. We got to go. Guys, thank you so much for listening. I'm Rachel Lindsay. We'll keep us on.

But don't think of us off, but don't stop learning. We'll talk to you guys.