Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang - "Unknowns Revealed!" (w/ Franchesca Ramsey)

Episode Date: May 16, 2018

It’s finally here!! After a “lost episode” debacle, Franchesca Ramsey makes her Las Culturistas debut!! Franchesca’s new book “Well, That Escalated Quickly” is coming out soon and Matt and Bowen get INTO it (yes, passages are read aloud! A sneak peek of sorts!) In fact, Las Culturitas call the book both “Excellent” and “an edifying read” and give it a Newbery Award. ALSO In this episode we learn about Bowen’s craft services demand, Taylor Swift gets read, and there is a life affirming “Voice MemOh, You Bitch” from Dylan Marron. “Look at your work as a contract you have with yourself” - Francesca Ramsey ---LAS CULTURISTAS HAS A PATREON! For $5/month, you get exclusive access to WEEKLY Patreon-ONLY Las Culturistas content!!https://www.patreon.com/lasculturistasSUBSCRIBE ON APPLE PODCASTS TODAY!CONNECT W/ LAS CULTURISTAS ON FACEBOOK & TWITTER for the best in "I Don't Think So, Honey" action, updates on live shows, conversations with the Las Culturistas community, and behind-the scenes photos/videos:www.facebook.com/lasculturistastwitter.com/lasculturistasLAS CULTURISTAS IS A FOREVER DOG PODCASTforeverdogpodcasts.com/las-culturistas  Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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You broke the rules and now you're here getting upset. Watch all new seasons on Bravo or stream it on City TV+. On Thanksgiving Day, 1999, five-year-old Cuban boy Elian Gonzalez was found off the coast of Florida. And the question was, should the boy go back to his father in Cuba? Mr. Gonzalez wanted to go home and he wanted to take his son with him. Or stay with his relatives in Miami. Imagine that your mother died trying to get you to freedom. Listen to Chess Peace, the Elian Gonzalez story on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. talking football. Every week, we're discussing our favorite players of all times, from legends to our buddies to current stars.

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an iHeart Women's Sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports. Forever! Dog! FOREVER! DOG! Fest is going to be our first stop on Saturday, May 19th at 8.30 p.m. at Milk Studios. We are going to be presenting. Let me just give you the whole title of the show. Lost Culture Recess presents the Vulture Festival Segment Festival.

It's going to be so, so fun. We're jam-packing a bunch of amazing segments into one show, into one hour, because we have a stringent time limit in the space which means we have stringent time limits for the segment yes you know we're going to be doing some i don't think so honeys and you know we're going to be uh premiering a little new voice mem oh you bitch and maybe there's going to be some new segments too featuring your favorite guests from the las culturistas canon yes and they'll all be joining us to play these amazing games do these amazing segments and just chat with us and catch up.

Yeah, we're so excited about it. We love our family over at Vulture. We're so excited to be a part of Vulture Fest. So go ahead and get your tickets now. Again, that's Saturday, May 19th at 8.30 p.m. And then what's next on the docket, Beau? Well, next on the docket is we'll be in San Francisco for Clusterfest on June 2nd. We have a show that's going to be so, so, so jam-packed with amazing performers, even a star or two.

Oh, you could say that there's performers and then there's stars. So it'll be at the Civic Center in San Francisco. It'll be so, so fun. We can't believe we're sharing this lineup with so many amazing performers. You'll see some really familiar faces there while you're there to see us in san francisco we can't wait to meet you guys out there yes saturday june 2nd actually at 4 p.m that's when we're going to be forming at comedy central's cluster fest we're literally so excited and honored to be on that bill and matt what's next well what's next is to have to be our I Don't Think So Honey debut on the West Coast in Los Angeles.

We are going to be at Echoplex on Tuesday, June 12th at 9 p.m. You guys are not even ready for this lineup. We aren't going to be in Los Angeles for very long. So we got the best of the best to come on and serve one minute each of their i don't think so honeys you've you've heard the show on our podcast you've maybe come seen it live if you're on the west coast and you can't make it to cluster fest you must come out to echoplex on tuesday june 12th it's gonna be so fun we are really stuck in this like we've never stacked anything before it's gonna be really really really great and people have been asking us for an LA show for a long time and here we are

delivering mama yeah yeah so check it out and this is down the road you guys but then at the end of June it's gonna be us Friday June 29th we're gonna be at the bell house again but maybe you'll hear a little bit more about that later for now why don't you just focus on vulture fest cluster

fest and Los Angeles is very own I don't Think So Honey. Focus up on those three and then we'll twog, okay? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Don't tax your brain. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, we've got too many taxes, am I right? Oh, boy, bitch.

Look, man. Oh, I see. Wow. Bowen, look over there. Wow, is that culture? Yes. Oh, my goodness. Wow.

Las Culturistas. Ding goodness Wow Las Culturistas Ding dong, Las Culturistas calling And if you noticed I seem a little bit relaxed Well, it's because it was a beach day Oh, you literally went to the barge Do you feel that I'm La Plata Do you feel I got any color?

I didn't notice, to be honest I did on the back of my calves Okay Because I was literally face down in my towel reading a book we'll get to the book in a second you've got that greek melanin going on the hints of it

just a little sun kissing today although it's that first very warm day where it's like I'm going to the beach and then you get there and it's not I went with my parents. It was lovely to see them. And we were all reading books, which I don't think ever happens.

Lovely. Before we get to what you were reading, what were your folks reading? My dad was reading a book called Ghost Warriors. Okay. And I think it was about, he's very into history. So I think it was about either Revolutionary War or Civil War. Oh, I think i've heard about this book yeah okay so he was reading that yeah okay he loves history actually now that now that oh

no wait i can't reveal this but i got him a very good birthday present he listens he listens he's gonna listen to this episode because we were talking about what i was reading and he was very interested great so um i can't, but I will reveal soon on the podcast the first really good gift. Because now that, like, not that I have a lot of money, but now that I have some money at all, I was like, I want to get my parents a nice gift. I've never been able to do that.

So I got them the first ever nice gift, and I will reveal on the podcast soon what that was because I'll be excited about it. That's suspenseful. What was Katrina reading? I don't know. I think was probably something something a little bit lighter than ghost warriors um i i couldn't say it was um let's go ahead and make up the pachinko yeah let's say it was i'm only referencing pachinko because i have to read it you're a big reader what are you reading

right now i'm reading well i just finished our guest's book that's true and uh i'm reading some other stuff for the pod for some people we're gonna have on that i'm really excited about and then um so all this is cryptic information what the fuck is the is the birthday gift he got his dad what book is he reading listeners you're gonna just have to stay tuned for all this information. Okay, but let's talk about what we both read. And it's the first book by our resplendent guest, who is the second guest of the lost episode. Okay, so I didn't want to bring it up because it's such a sensitive topic with HPJ. We just have to bring it up just once.

He is fully traumatized by this. And like, listen, this, we had a lost episode. It was an amazing episode with our guest and it's okay. We lost the audio right after we did I Don't Think So, Honey. We literally did it. I don't, all three did our I Don't Think So, Honey's. Our guest turned an incredible I Don't Think So, Honey. And I don't want to, we'll talk about what it was.

I'm sure she's moved on to other topics. Right. But it was really heartbreaking. It talk about what it was i'm sure she's moved on to other topics right but um it was really heartbreaking it was it was making for a great intro you might be wondering whose voice was that um i will tell you the author of well that escalated quickly which was coming out on may 22nd and you guys bone and i both read this and we've been talking about it it's amazing it's it's it's really i'll let her tell you what it's all about but it's so applicable i think everyone especially if you're a listener of this podcast i would imagine that you're engaged on social media and interested in social justice so this is like really something for you like i really want everyone to go pick this up and read this may

22nd it comes out nationwide and also the star of decoded you've seen her on nightly the nightly show with larry wilmore um come on come on and then of course the podcast last name basis last name basis patrick and we're going to talk about patrick yes we will discuss patrick as patrick is also a topic in the book he gets a whole chapter and the topic of the life of our friend and our guest, Miss Francesca Ramsey. I have been waiting so long for you to come back because you were so gracious at the end when we lost it. You were like, oh, come back. And I was like, I'm so embarrassed. And then, okay.

And then we went home and we like sort of processed what happened. And then you were the one, rather than having us send you an email being like, we're so sorry, you sent us an email being like, guys, I had so much fun. Thanks for having me. Like, the most gracious thing. Well, I mean, like, technical difficulties happen. They do. Yes, they do.

And especially as someone who is not just, like, a performer and a writer, but I'm also, like, a creative and a producer. I have been there like I have had so many times where I have spent hours working on something and tweaking and perfecting and then it crashes and it's gone and there's no one to blame you know you're just sitting there like you are angry

but it's not your fault and it's not really the computer's fault it just happens it's nobody's fault the thing that it did take me months to get over it if only because if only because we talked about so much good stuff like that was right after you worked with taraji oh my gosh oh yeah so that was for women who rock yeah black girls black girls rock yeah i mean i here's the thing we have such a great chemistry it's so true it was that no matter

what like microphones on or no microphones, it's going to be a lit conversation. Look. Absolutely. We walked in, I walked in

and I saw them two just chatting away and I was like, oh, this is going to be cute. This is going to be fun. It has always been that way. It's always been that way. I know.

I wanted to stop myself. I was like, all of this is great podcast material. It's great podcast material from the jump because when we met is when I did a little guest spot on Decoded. You've been on Decoded

a number of times. I've been on Decoded I think three or four times and I even helped write an episode. He's recurring. Yes. She's recurring if you check the IMDB although it's not in my IMDB. You can put that yourself. Oh no honey we will fix that. We will fix that.

I want to be known for. Yes. Okay, so I remember very fondly, because we did a sketch, which was Where Are You From? Yes. Well, you talk about Decoded. Tell us what Decoded is. So MTV Decoded is a web series about the intersection of race

and pop culture and identity. We've really expanded to talk about stuff that's not just race. Our friend Patty Harrison has been on a few episodes recently. So we talk about gender as well. And so we did this episode called Where Are You From? Which is about the experience that lots of people of color have where someone says, where are you from? But then they go, no, but where are you from?

And Matt and I were on a date in the sketch. It was a cute date. So it was very cute. It was a coffee date, too. Taking things slow. Daylight pouring in. I think that my character, like, I don't know who picked the place. But if my character picked the place, I was like, good job.

Good job. Good job. It was very cute. Bad job and everything else. Yeah. Oh, he was all in my business. Would not take Florida for an answer. And that is the answer, sir.

I'm from Florida. Yes, yes, yes. But it was so fun. We were cracking up the entire time. That was so fun. Because it was just, it got like really weird and existential and like straight. We had like a Cosmos moment in there. It was just very weird.

Yeah, that episode got surreal. Yeah, it was funny. Yeah, that's right. Yeah, it was so funny and also like love the producer. Love Kornhaber Brown. Kornhaber Brown.

Shout outs to them. Shout outs to them. Andrew gets a little shout out. Yes, he does. Yes, he does. And another shout out in this book and I also met this person

on that day. Oh, you're safe. And this is another reason why I was so bummed that we lost the episode because we talked all about Delina. That's my girl. Tell them who Delina is.

Delina is one of my best girlfriends, but she's also my makeup artist. And, you know, like not to say that I'm like someone who wears a lot of makeup, but you always think you know. Like you're like, I know how to do take care of what I need to take care of. Right. Not till you have a professional come in and slay your face. That's when you're like, oh, I know nothing. I don't know anything.

And that's how it was when I first met Delina. And she's just like a gem. And she's the full-time makeup artist on Decoded. And she does my makeup for all my red carpets. And anytime I'm on TV. And she's just fantastic. She's so fun. And you can follow her at Delina Medin.

Yeah. But the way – and I'm just going to get into the book. The way you write about her in the book, it's as if it was – I mean, it is like a turning point for you because you were talking about developing Decoded and then like just shooting a bunch of stuff and then being like, oh, shit. And just tell me if this is inaccurate, but being like, oh, shit, I don't know how to do my own makeup. I need to outsource this to someone else. No, we filmed three episodes of Decoded and then MTV was like, so this is not the business. Okay, but honestly. No, but here's the thing.

Network notes on the makeup. Are we okay with that? No, but here's the thing. Here's the thing. No, I'm okay with it because like everyday makeup and TV makeup are so different like you know when you meet a celebrity and you're like

holy shit she had so much makeup on and then you take the iPhone picture and you're like whoa they look amazing they look amazing and I look like a mole rat

it's because like one HD cameras but even like if you're taking with a shitty camera like making sure that you have powder on and I'm serious

like I like don't wear foundation very, like making sure that you have powder on. And I'm serious. Like I don't wear foundation very often. Like I do now. But I was on camera with no foundation on, no powder on, just like some eyeliner and mascara. And I was like, all right, let's do this. I was all like shiny and greasy. Like I just, I didn't look like someone who was hosting a show. You feel me? So it really was one of those things where I had met her on set for a web

series like maybe the week or two before. And we really hit it off when we've been texting about podcasts, strangely enough. Because I was like, why aren't you listening to Serial? This is when Serial had just come out. And I was like, are you listening to Serial? Honestly, yeah, it was like three years ago.

And she was like, no, what are you talking about? I was like, girl, listening to Serial? Honestly, yeah, it was like three years ago. And she was like, no, what are you talking about? I was like, girl, you need to listen to this. I was just telling her about it. So we started texting. And then when MTV came back to me and said, listen, we got to reshoot these. I was like, I don't know what I'm going to do. And then I texted her. I was like, listen, this is so last minute.

But is there any way you could do my makeup for this? And she had a full-time job. She was working in like pharmaceuticals. She and she was she had a full-time job she was working in like pharmaceuticals she wasn't even a makeup artist full-time she was doing it on the side and then decoded became like her full-time job yeah which is you know just like a blessing that i was able to be like can you please help me i'll be able to pay you and then she was able to take that and start her career from it. And she gives you exactly. Not only is it incredible hair and makeup, but also.

Yes. Good conversation. Yes. You can be talking about anything. And Delina has a she's like she just like is so engaging. She's hilarious. Hair and makeup people are my favorite people on the set. And you know what?

Here's the thing, too, is you want to be nice to those people because they will make or break you. Not that you're doing it to be fake, but I cannot tell you how many times I've been on set and I've been like, you have an attitude and the last person you should have an attitude with is the one who's going to make sure if you look cute or not. Absolutely. It's HMU, baby. It's rule of culture number 39. You be nice to HMU. And honestly, if you're nice to the right ones and if the right ones are on set not that there's like a right or wrong little tips or they give

you fucking lamera yes I had someone for this recurring thing for like three weeks straight put slather like $300 lamera on my face I day. I had no idea how expensive that shit was. That's another thing. When we sometimes do a little bit of light drag or use makeup, that's another thing. Women have to pay so much fucking

money for makeup. To all female listeners, I cannot even fathom the amount of money that you guys are spending. That's why you need a makeup artist friend who has a little discount. Yes. And then you hit up that Venmo and you just say, I'll hit you back, girl. Yes.

So here's another thing, though. Hair and makeup people, they usually are so friendly and down to earth, so they're friends with everyone. So if you are nasty to a hair and makeup person, just know everybody just know that they have relationships with everybody be nice to everyone honestly not that you shouldn't be nice to everyone always at all times but like if you're having a bad day don't take that out on hair and makeup no and also i actually heard some tea this production that i will not name one of the actresses like was difficult okay um And now the showrunner like will not work with them on any other projects because of the way they treated hair and makeup because they didn't want the assistant to do their makeup. They had to have the top person do their makeup.

This is like a secondary person on the show. So just know that word travels around when you're rude to people on set and hair and makeup are not the people to fuck with. I will never understand that. Like if you are blessed enough to have the opportunity to play, like literally we get paid to play and have a good time and dress up and tell stories, which is just like so fun, right? You're not doing brain surgery. So to come on to set and be nasty to somebody is just,

I, I never will understand that. Yeah. You're doing the easiest job being a talent. Truly. I mean, for real, for real.

And here's the thing is like, also there's ways to get around it. Like if it's going to be a late night sleep before, like, Oh, I'm just saying like one time, one time I found myself feeling cranky on a set because the call time was 7 p.m. And it didn't shoot.

7 p.m.? 7 p.m. And so then you were doing it overnight? And I didn't know that. I haven't been on too many sets, but I found 1 a.m. rolled around and we hadn't even done anything. And I was like, oh, no, I didn't prepare for this. That's your own fault. Literally, don't take that out on anyone else. So I just found myself kind of sitting sitting in the corner, like silently,

like breathing through my nose and at my mouth. Cause I was so tired. But like, if you allow that to show up, like girl, not to mention like millions of other people would kill to be right in that spot that you are in right now. Like how many people audition and,

or just like, don't even have an agent or like sending out those headshots and like sending out those reels of like stand-up and shit like just you know taking improv 101 just trying to get their foot in the door and here you are like rolling your eyes because you're like craft services doesn't have soy milk. Soy milk. My thing, my like craft services like requirement and I will throw a fit. He'll tear it.

If they don't have Welch's fruit snacks, I'm flipping a goddamn table. Oh my God. She's here. Hundo Q. High brow shit. I want that blue little bag to tear open.

Wait, can I just say like one time, so when we shot the pilot, I shot a pilot for Comedy Central. And one of the nights we had a late night and it was difficult, but you know, I got through it. And the next morning everybody was like, Francesca, you did great. What can we get for you? What can we do? Because, you know, do you want chocolates? Do you want like, what do you want? And I'm like, oh, I'm not really like a chocolate person like what kind of candy like any candy you like

and I was like well I love gummy bears I love gummy bears they're great and um so they were like okay great great so then I'm on set that day and there's a guy with a cup of gummy bears between every take coming up to me and being like do you want a gummy bear oh my god the first time I was like no that's kind of weird. Okay, cool. And then I learned that that was his job all day. No. Was to stand there with a thing of gummy bears.

It was so funny. And at first I was like, this is ridiculous. And by the end I was like, where the fuck are my gummy bears? I was like, I don't get those gummy bears. The birth of a monster. I am not going. The birth of a monster right there. I respect that. I offered the gummy bears. Wow birth of a monster. I am not going. The birth of a monster right there. You shouldn't have offered the gummy bears.

It was so funny. It is funny. And I felt bad because I was like, this is really a lot. I just said it very offhanded like, yeah, sure. I like gummy bears, whatever. They were like, you better have those gummy bears for the store. That is...

I mean, you made it right there. Life goals. That's life goals. Life goals. Speaking of life goals that's life goals life goals speaking of life oh let's go back to the beginning and let's ask the question that we once asked many months ago got an answer to but now we must ask again and i'm very excited that we get to ask again which is the question that we ask all of our guests which is francesco what was the culture that as you were growing up kind of made you the person that you heart that youca, what was the culture that, as you were growing up, kind of made you the person that you are today? What was the pop culture, whether it be a movie, like television, music in your life, circumstances around your upbringing that you decided this is going to form me?

I don't remember what I said the last time I was here, but I have been thinking about this recently. And I will never forget seeing Moesha in like middle school. This is what you said. Did I? Because let me tell you the braids, the floppy hat, like suburban black girl who was like a little prude. Like I remember like her friends having sex and Moesha being like I don't know about that and I was like yes this is my life not for me either yet

I was like no don't do it and I just thought she was so and I also thought it was so cool that she was a singer and an actress and I remembered there was a time in my life where I really thought I was going to be a singer oh god

I need to hear about Columbia records reaching out which is in the book i must hear more about this but yes continue oh god um so yeah like i had this time in my life where i like really wanted to be a singer and i was just like brandy is doing it all i remember i sang sitting up in my room in like a talent show when I was in like sixth grade, I think. Yes. I think it was sixth grade. I'm dying to see what the outfit was.

Oh, God. I think I was wearing like denim overalls. Yep. And like a floppy hat because I was also into Blossom. So it was like a floppy. It was like a Moesha meets Blossom moment. Beautiful. Florals on the hat.

Yes. I had like the big big like the fake sunflower oh god what what a time um but yeah like moesha like really spoke to me because it was like wholesome but it was funny and it was like real yeah and to me i was like wow that's the career that i want like i want a sitcom i want to have an album and like she was so confident and also for me she was a different version of blackness on television that I was not used to seeing yes in terms of the fact that I went to private school and in many spaces I was the only black girl and I would have friends who would say like oh you're not like other black girls that i know and i'm just like no i'm like moesha um so yeah i loved loved moesha yeah that's yeah we did talk about brandy no literally we did that's

what you said last time and then we also got into how brandy and this is like it's like a beautiful feeling hpj to know that we're gonna get this episode back. I turned to him and we're crying together. He's holding my hand. He's not really. So then we got into how Brandy actually is widely regarded in like the R&B singing community. As underrated AF. Not even just underrated, but as an icon of riffing, vocal styling. Just like. Alto.

Like that like media. Like, yeah, she's she is Just like. Alto. Like that like media. Like yeah. She's. She is an icon. She is. And like. Apparently a virtuosic pianist. Like she can.

Really? Oh I did not know that. Like she can play the piano really fucking well. And then remember that clip that went around for a little bit when she was in Chicago. In the cast of Chicago. She's always dropping the funniest like. But she's doing fun little bits. Like she's doing.

Like she just like. She's at a piano. And she's just singing to bits. Like, she's just, like, she's at a piano, and she's just singing to the camera, and she just sings bish wet. Oh, my God. Bish wet. Bish wet. Like, she's just doing that over and over, and it's the funniest thing in the world.

There's a gif of her that is so funny. When she was on, like, 106 and Park, and they were like, everybody's getting a copy of Brandy's album. And she looks at the camera, and she's like, no, we need to buy the album. She was like, that's great, but, like, everybody's getting a copy of Brandy's album. And she looks at the camera. She's like, no, we need to buy the album. She was like, that's great. But like, buy it.

And it was so funny because it was just so real of her being like, don't give my shit away. No, because honestly, it got rough for her in terms of selling music after a while there. She was one we kind of lost. It's hard to be to make the transition. It's hard to be a musician period these days with like streaming and like it's just the streaming services don't pay very much money

and that's why everybody has to tour and have like products and do all this like you know collaborations with brands and all that other stuff. It's really the whole game has changed for musicians. But in terms of longevity like that is almost impossible to like maintain in a way and not not saying that she's like succeeded or failed on that criterion alone but it's like that is just that's impossible for anybody well she's done what she's had to do i

mean like she she gigs like chicago was like oh yeah that's true you know what i mean like she does her thing like for a while there i think she was judging america's got talent yeah she's always like no she's working she's working and then she's always worked but the what i think is not that it's a shame well it's a shame is because so many people like there was an there i remember there was a video which was like for maybe her for her like 40th birthday or something all these r&b singers including jennifer hudson were like brandy you are the one they were like trying to sing little riffs that she had done and like couldn't do it and i was like yeah actually if you think about it a lot of music that she makes sound very easy is technically difficult like the song have you ever

oh my god yeah there is some riffing and some vocal gymnastics at the end of that song, which is like, it's a lot harder than it sounds. Well, you know Whitney was like her godmother. Yes. You know what I mean? So she came up under some really talented vocalists. And it also goes back to,

I think we talked about this before, or maybe I just have said this many times. In some ways, I feel like it's more difficult to be a successful singer if you can sing than if you can't sing. Yeah. Because like there's some stuff that just can't really be captured in the studio. Right. It's like you need it live and people like to be able to sing along to shit.

Absolutely. and people like to be able to sing along to shit. And if your voice is too good, the general public can't sing along to some shit that's like belting and head voice and big notes. People want to be able to sing along to stuff that's like repetitive and like easy to digest in that way. And so it's like,

if you have a really good voice, I think it's just really really hard and that's just like such a strange thing like not to say that like every big popular singer doesn't have a good voice but there's also a lot of people who can really sing and they pull them back in the studio because they're just like oh this is a little bit too much for like gen pop i will cite this the the person i always cite on this podcast which is kelly clarkson oh yeah i mean here's the thing we started out friends that's like yeah exactly it's one one hundredth of what she can do and yes she is belting out the notes

in the chorus but you can still anthemically sing it along but the range of the song does not show like what her actual range is. Capability, right, right. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, and now that she's singing on the new album, Meaning of Life, and she's kind of letting go in the way she's always wanted to, like in her words, it's stuff that is soulful pop, very riffy, very kind of emotional and felt.

But yes, you can't hear it on the radio because people don't know how to do that. Yeah, they want stuff that has a smaller range. And again, there are some singers who can break out of that. But I do think for some people, if your voice is too good, I think that music execs are like, I don't know. There's something about, and I don't even want to say her name, but like, say her name. But like,

I think in many ways, that's like why Taylor Swift. I knew it. Absolutely. Relates, is so relatable to girls. Right. Like she's a decent songwriter,

but like she is pretty, but she like tones down her pretty. So she's like, I'm just like you. And you're like, girl, you are six foot tall and like a size two. Like you're just like me and then like her songs are all really you can sing along to them and they're like accessible it sounds like you're reading from her journal

you know what i mean and like there's something about that that audiences really like it feels like you could be my friend like you are someone I could hang out with versus, you know, like I fucking love Beyonce, but like Beyonce and I are never going to be friends. Like she is a star. Like she's not my friend. She is a star. She doesn't belong to us in the way that like Taylor Swift wants to.

Beyonce's never inviting us over for the cookies. Oh, listen. Beyonce is not inviting me to her fucking house and like sending me Christmas cards and shit like are you kidding me she's not liking posts she's not sliding up in my DMs she's not being like we are besties like no not

at all like if she acknowledges me I will be forever thankful and grateful but like you know what I mean like Taylor's like trying to be everybody's friend yeah 100% isn't her Instagram like Taylor Swift 13 yeah I think her Twitter's Taylor Swift 13 her Instagram

handle's Taylor Swift like I'm just like you I couldn't get my own name either oh my god oh my god I hope no Swifties listen to this podcast oh we've come for Taylor before we've come for her many times okay they tried to get my Twitter shut down. Oh my God.

Literally? Well, that escalated quickly. Okay, I mean. Yeah, they did. Title of the book. Yeah, they did. Look, can we, okay, let's just exchange some Swifty stories.

Because obviously you've dealt with this in a much greater volume. Mine was very recent, but I'm ready to hear yours. Okay, mine was election day 2016. Oh, I don't even know if I know about this. Taylor posts the Instagram of her standing in line

The voting. Yes. At the polls. I'm with someone. I'm not gonna say who. Right. Right. And she tweets it

and then I reply like, she a little too fucking late. And I think just the F word just threw people off. Yeah. And Swifties latched onto it. They are aggressive. Who the fuck are you?

She doesn't just scratch both your toes. They are all right level. Probably because a lot of them are that. Yeah. No way. Let's think about that. And then I kept being like, guys, it's not about what she owes us and what she doesn't. It's the fact that she used feminism as a marketing tool.

Exactly, exactly, exactly. And I was clapping back with like, and look, your boy fucking threw down $300 for floor seats at the 1989 World Tour

because I used to love her back in the day. Yeah. But now she's letting me down and I'm just... And you're allowed to say that. Yes.

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She had this wild night and ended up getting pregnant by some other guy. What? You've told her? Not today, Satan. Not today. The Real Housewives of New York City. All new Tuesdays at 9 on Bravo or stream it on City TV+. I'm Cheryl Swoops, WNBA champ, three-time Olympian, and Basketball Hall of Famer.

I'm a mom and I'm a woman. I'm Tarika Foster-Brasby, journalist, sports reporter, basketball analyst, a wife, and I'm also a woman. And on our new podcast, we're talking about the real obstacles women face day to day. See, athlete or not, we all know it takes a lot as women to be at the top of our game. We want to share those stories about balancing work and relationships, motherhood, career shifts, you know, just all the s*** we go through. Because no matter who you are, there are levels to what we experience as women. And T and I, well, we have no problem going there. Listen to Levels to This with Cheryl Swoops and Tarika Foster-Brasby,

an iHeart Women's Sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the I heart radio app, Apple podcast, or wherever you get your podcast presented by elf beauty, founding partner of I heart women's sports. I'm Julian Edelman. I'm Rob Gronkowski. Guess what folks?

We're teammates again, and we're going to welcome you guys all to dudes on dudes. I'm a dude. You're a dude. And dudes on dudes is our brand new show we're gonna highlight players peers guys that we played against legends from the past and we're just gonna sit here and talk about them and we'll get into the types of dudes what kind of types of dudes are there grunts we got studs wizards we got freaks or dudes dude we got dogs dog we'll break

down their games we'll share some insider stories and determine what kind of dude each of these dudes are. Is Randy Moss a stud or a freak? Is Tom Brady a dog or a dude's dude? We're going to find out, Jules. New episodes drop every Thursday during the NFL season. Listen to Dudes on Dudes on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Jay Shetty and I'm the host of On Purpose. My latest episode is with Jelly Roll. This episode is one of the most honest and raw

interviews I've ever had. We go deep into Jelly Roll's life story from being in and out of prison from the age of 13 to being one of today's biggest artists. We talk about guilt, shame, body image, and huge life transformations. I was a desperate, delusional dreamer, and the desperate part got me in a lot of trouble. I encourage delusional dreamers. Be a delusional dreamer. Just don't be a desperate, delusional dreamer.

I just had such an anger. I was just so mad at life. Everything that wasn't right was everybody's fault, but mine, I had such a victim mentality. I took zero accountability for anything in my life. I was the kid that if you asked what happened, I immediately started with everything but me. It took years for me to break that, like years of work.

Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Trust me, you won't want to miss this one. Here's the thing. I really feel like the super vitriolic level of her fans is due to the fact that she has cultivated this fake friendship with them. Yes. Where they feel as if, because what she does is she goes on Tumblr and when people write

these long ass screeds about how dare you come for Taylor. She likes them. She likes them. So she is like indirectly like rewarding that behavior. And so she and her team follows some of these accounts. Invites them to her house. Invites them to her house. And so I feel like they

feel like they have to stand up for her. Like an army. Like they feel like they have to stand up for her like an army like they are a Taylor Swift army and it's so funny because they came they've come for me a few times

but most recently she did a cover of Earth Wind and Fire September and all I tweeted one single tweet is I tweeted no one asked for this

like all I tweeted I didn't talk about this. All I tweeted. I didn't talk about the quality of the song. I didn't mention that it sounded like a funeral procession for someone that died in September. You know what I'm saying? Usually you want to see your uncle and auntie popping that pussy at the fucking BBQ

to September. My auntie and uncle both popping the pussy. Yes. Both of them. Meanwhile, Taylor's like plucking to a guitar being like,

it was just like so sad. So I tweeted that out and they were coming for me. They were like, bitch, I asked for it. And then they were like, and then,

but like it was, okay, but then the funniest was, you know, all the Swifty accounts, like they searched to see that I had tweeted positive things about Taylor Swift in the past. They were like, we're exposing Francesca. Because on my 32nd birthday, I tweeted, I'm singing 32 to the tune of Taylor's 22.

Okay, this was three years ago. And they were like, gotcha, bitch. And I was like, what? You're jealous. You referenced another song. You want to be her. I was like, listen, I have 1989 in my iTunes right now. Do you feel me?

Like, there are a number of songs on that album that I enjoyed. Yeah. Exactly. But stay in your lane. This was not, some songs do not need to be covered. You know what I'm saying? There was no reason for that. Oh God, they were so bad.

So then I was getting on a plane. I was like leaving a speaking gig. So I was not on the internet. Like I tweeted that one tweet. I went back and forth with a few people. I got on a plane. When I got home in my email box, I had messages from Twitter that were like, we've reviewed your account. You are not in violation of our terms of service. Twitter that were like, we've reviewed your account.

You are not in violation of our terms of service. And I was like, why am I getting these messages? They were flagging. They were flagging, mass flagging that tweet. Then I went on my Facebook and they had like, and I know they're Swifties because like all of their Facebook names are Taylor Swift and Camila Cabello. I was like, they love both of them. So either their picture was one of them or their name was one of them. And they were like leading racial slurs all over my Facebook.

And then one tweeted, oh, Francesca is only saying this so she can sell her like flop ass book. And I was like, well, now that you mention it that escalated and i was also like way to do research on me like way to go like flop ass book i was like okay guys but also like how perfect that you literally just illustrated my my book is about how the internet has ruined communication yeah around like the smallest issues to like really important issues right and how like things just get really blown out of proportion and like 10 like everyone's emotions get so high to the point that one innocuous tweet saying no one asked for this which is is a fact. Yeah, no one asked for this. And also, it wasn't even, it's not even inherently negative.

It's just a fact. It wasn't even like, you know what I'm saying? It wasn't even this sucks. Listen, Wildest Dreams is like my fucking song. I love Wildest Dreams. I love that song. It's good. Justice for that music video because it sucked.

And like, I loved that song. And so I was literally like, not that I have to justify. I've given Taylor some of my money. You like what you like. I've listened to some of her songs. I didn't like this cover. It wasn't for me. If you like it, that's great.

But people got really upset. And there were lots of people who were like, this is really promo for your book because this happens to you all the time online. All the time. And I'm like, yeah, it really does. It's perfect. Her flop ass book coming out through Grand Central Publishing. because this happens to you all the time online. And I'm like, yeah, it really does. Her flop ass book coming out through Grand Central Publishing.

May 22nd, honey. So speaking of the book, so Bone and I have both read it. And I love this book. And I'm very excited that it's out there because I definitely don't know if there's anything that's so directly and so relatably tackled. Oh, thank you. The issue of social justice and social media living in the same breath and how sometimes they can really complicate each other. Oh my God. So tell us about why you wanted to write this and tell us a little bit about what you want people to get from it. Yeah. So I had a viral video in 2012 called Shit White Girl, State of Black Girl.

Which I didn't even know this is where you came from. Yeah, so I had been making videos for like six years prior to that, but I was working. Like I was working as a graphic designer. I wanted to be in entertainment. You know, I was sending out those headshots and I was doing stand-up. I was pounding the pavement and wasn't getting anywhere.

So YouTube was really my outlet. And when this viral video happened, it completely rocked my world. Suddenly, I became the person that everybody wanted to speak about race and identity and privilege and oppression. And I think a lot of people don't realize that I didn't know. I was just so unprepared, and I kind of had to do a ton of homework to get realize that I just, I didn't know. I was just like so unprepared and I kind of had to do like a ton of homework to get to where I am now. Very quickly. Yeah. And so I think through the course of that, you know, at the time, lots of people were

coming to me and saying, write a book, write a book. But I didn't know what to write a book about. And I just thought like, well, something just, I haven't done anything yet. Like I went viral. That's not, and I didn't want to write shit white girls say to black girls book which is like what everybody wanted me to do and so I was like I'm not ready for this and then fast forward to five years later uh right after nightly show got canceled I thought well maybe this is the right time like I don't have a job and this is

something I really wanted to do and I had been kind of like collecting stories like in a Google Doc. And I really wanted, first of all, to shine a light in the fact that we all have to start somewhere. And I think, especially right now, conversations around social justice are so judgmental, sometimes rightfully so. But oftentimes it turns into, you don't know what that word means. You still watch that show. You still listen to that artist. How dare you? And it feels for people who have never been exposed to this stuff, they shut down.

And I know that because I've been the person doing it and I've been the person on the other side. And so I thought, well, why don't I just expose myself in hopes that people will be a little more self-reflective and be honest about their own journeys and be a little more gracious to the people that they love in their lives who are going to fuck up because like, that's part of being a human. Like we all fuck up. And so, yeah yeah i wanted to do it in a humorous way but in just like a really honest way too it's so good and i think that's i think that's what sort of distinguishes the book from from other similar works i'll say like the fact that you have that you were just able to turn that sort of mirror back on yourself and be like look like i like just i think midway through the book you you're like, look, I started out being this sort of like, you know.

Hater. And I was going to say like internet obsessed person. Like you were fixated on certain people. Trying to get views. But here's the gag is that like so many of us have been that person. And like social media has made us into monsters in the sense that we are all putting on this like show for everybody like look at how great my life is and my brunch and my outfits and how great these things are and then we're also looking at what everybody else is doing and feeling really bad about ourselves

and for me I thought it was really important to say like look I have been that person and I had to have my own wake-up call in order to create the life and career that I wanted because I was wasting a lot of time talking shit and being negative online. And guess what? I bet you are doing that. Like every single person is doing that on some level. Yeah. I mean, it got so crazy for me. Not that I was engaging too much, but I definitely was.

We're currently, I i mean i can speak for everyone as well we're both off facebook right now like and tell me about how you decided to break away can i tell you on my part it was for cold fucking turkey like one day i woke up i was like i don't need this uh deactivate uh it was as simple as that i've pulled back a lot but i mean for me the complication is like this is part of my i know and that's so hard that is something i really wanted to talk to you about because i recently had a discussion with someone and i i i just met this person and i incredibly smart guy and um actually lauren ashley smith's father oh yes yeah i was out there mariah smith and lauren actually met they're good friends of ours and i was out there on a story part strip and they

graciously invited us over to their house, and I was talking to him, and I said I had just deleted Facebook. And he said, I don't think it's a good idea to delete Facebook, because that just removes one intelligent voice from the discussion. And I thought to myself- I mean, I wouldn't call Facebook an intelligent voice. And so then I thought to myself, but I do see what he's saying. Okay.

You know what I mean? Because throughout your book, you do you have so many like really good, positive ideas about how you engage with people online and calling them in as opposed to calling them out every time, which I really encourage people to read your book also gets into self-care, it was part of my self-care to get off Facebook because it got to a point where I found that that site became a place where I would only put negative thoughts. Absolutely. I felt everyone else do that. It felt different from Twitter and Instagram in that Facebook became a place to dump negative feelings. Yeah. And I think Facebook is also different because you have relationships with those people.

Like on Twitter. Yeah. It's not my friends. It's not my family. It's like celebrities. It's media outlets. It's like some internet people that I know, but not people that I'm like close with. And there's something very different about when you're on Facebook and it's somebody

that you went to high school with and they are just saying like super ignorant shit that like hurts you in a very different way than like kanye saying ignorant shit which is like still terrible but they just like feel very different well facebook i think and this is i'm just gonna recount something that happened to matt and i I feel like Facebook sort of exists in this very specific place because like that sort of exemplifies call out versus call in. Yeah. Like incidents where Matt, you were having this issue and correct me if I'm wrong, where you were just having these public.

Oh God, I was seeing them. Yes. Like Agora-esque like, like. I had a couple times. But then, but then. It always, like the tenor of each of times. But then, but then, yeah, it always, like the, the tenor of each conversation was completely changed as soon as you reached out to them individually and you were like,

Hey, let's talk this out. Yeah. Person to person. Through my own experience. I mean, people are surprised nowadays when you go to speak to them directly because they don't expect it.

Because it does not happen. And again, like this is something I talked about in the book is that I had this. And I think everybody falls into this where we like we want the cookies. Like people get on Facebook and they're like, I just want to say if you're a Trump supporter, did it in. And everyone's like, thumbs up. You tell him, sister.

Like, that's right. And like everyone just like patting themselves on the back. Like, wait, what the fuck are you? You're not actually doing anything. I have totally done that. I have totally been there. And then what ends up happening is that you realize that doesn't actually do anything. That does nothing.

Those aren't even cookies. No. And they don't taste good. They're gluten-free. They're like the diet cookies made of of like fucking sawdust like they're nothing and then you have somebody who like jumps into the conversation who like genuinely doesn't know anything

they put their foot in their mouth and then like everybody descends on them it becomes confusing too because it's what the discussion was initially about and then this subsect of this person inserting themselves and all of a sudden it's confusing and also timing is weird remember it's not a conversation. You could reply to something

after two more comments pop in. And then there's like two days later. And then people from all different cross-sections of her life chime in. I remember after the election everybody was posting about, you know, they were upset about Donald Trump and my dad had

just joined Facebook now my dad lives in South Carolina he like there's no internet like there's no internet cafes like he didn't have internet for a really long time so he like just got on Facebook oh boy and he posted something like you know like on my Facebook wall like it's in God's hands or something, which I was like, oh God. But I also know my dad, right? I know him. Yeah, yeah. And I had friends

from college who were like, listen up, sir. And I was like, holy shit. Like my friend from, like who's like a fucking feminist scholar

is like going off on my dad about like intersectionality and how like, and how it's like easy for him as like a straight cis dude to say it's like easy for him as like a straight sis dude to say it's in god's hands but she's agnostic and like and like all very valid things

but i also was just like my dad does not even know like what you were talking he doesn't know what these words mean and now like everybody else is tagging on so that like they can look cooler yeah and i was just like oh my god i just had to like delete this and call my dad and be like okay listen yeah you can't do that like you that's how you feel about it but like this is why other people got upset and it was if i hadn't called him and talked to him i feel like he would have felt completely different about that situation yeah yeah yeah and most of us i feel like too often we're we're so quick to like go in on somebody online that we actually care about

that it would be so different if we just picked up the phone and talked to them it could be over in seconds oh absolutely um okay and i want to talk about because this sort of gets into and i don't know and tell me if these aren't necessarily the same things you talk about cookies a lot and that's a chimamandaanda Adichie sort of quote from Americana, where it's like, um, You don't get a cookie for, like, racism shouldn't exist. You don't get a cookie for, like, not being racist. Beautiful quote.

Like, just, it's perfect. Is that impulse to, like, fucking descend on someone just to, like, performatively show how woke or whatever you are? Like, is that, is that some, like, like, like like how like how do you sort of i always struggle with like um separating like virtue signaling with like actually trying to be educational but you know what no you've answered my own question i think it's a little bit of both yeah for some people but calling in is different calling it is not virtue signaling yeah because calling it publicly yeah, calling in you, I mean, and if you're not like familiar with the term, calling in is like taking somebody aside and having like a private,

personal conversation with them. And it takes, it's a lot more work. It's a lot more emotional labor, which is why a lot of people don't want to do it. And I totally get that. And I think especially for like marginalized people, you know, like every time a straight person says something stupid, like you don't want to have to like pull them aside and like explain to them like, you know, like LGBTQ history.

Like you don't want to do that work. And I totally get that. But I also think sometimes we kind of have to. And for me, I do think sometimes people descend on other people because they need an outlet and it's and it is very frustrating especially like there's so much scary shit happening in the world like life and death shit and when somebody completely invalidates your experience or just says something really dismissive or just downright ignorant even if they don't mean it in that way and you're just like mad like you have probably had those times where you're like oh i have time today and like you don't really have time you're like i have somewhere to be but i'm

going the fuck in like i have all the gifts i have like all the emojis like i am ready like catchphrase is everything right and it like, not even about them anymore. You know what I mean? People are like, you know, they're like, okay, Becky.

And they're like, my name's Melissa. And you're like, no, it's not Becky. Miss Mayo. Like all of a sudden, like it just,

it just turns into something else. And again, sometimes it's a performance and sometimes it's a cathartic experience where you're just like, I'm really upset about this or like not to keep bringing up kanye but like he most recently said that like slavery was a choice and black twitter turned it into like a hilarious hashtag where it like became cathartic where like we were dragging kanye but we were also kind of just like laughing at the

idea of like this is something people say all the time like oh if I was in slavery I would have done A, B, and C so like now let's all make jokes about it right and like let's all commiserate and how stupid this is but also like say something funny and educational so I think that

sometimes it is for other people and sometimes it is just like I need to get this off of my chest. And I think I've been in both of those places. Well, there's the call out culture, which I think can be positive because then you can at least feel like you're not alone here when people do say, hi, I see this and I'm responding. And I think sometimes call in culture or calling in can feel intimidating because then you're responsible for the person's reaction. And there's actually a paragraph in your book that I

wanted to draw attention to specifically because I've actually had a very tearful conversation with a member of my family when I brought up their privilege. And I wanted to read this little, if I can. Sure. Here's what I what i've learned conversations about race and privilege are difficult especially with someone you love when patrick your husband and i first talked about white privilege i remember him getting hung up on the word privilege itself like so many people do in many ways the word is a misnomer since it's so closely associated with wealth and a complete lack of struggle so instead of trying to explain it getting inevitably more and more agitated as I did so, I pivoted and talked about my own privilege as a straight, able-bodied cis woman. No one asked me invasive questions about my genitals or gross relationship questions like

which one of you is the man. The conversation slowly grew from you have privilege to everyone has privilege, so let's figure out how to navigate it and i thought that was really a good way to go about future conversations like this because the person that i had this discussion with it became a fight oh my god i said privilege oh my god that word because that's people because they don't understand that it's not saying you've had it easy your whole life and it's not ignoring any sort of marginalization that you may feel um you're a part of as well the minute you bring up privilege people are like one time i broke my leg in third grade and i couldn't go swimming all summer long and you're like okay

like great especially especially white people who just because they've had economic struggles in their life they say how dare you say I'm privileged? And it's just this, it's an acknowledgement of what separates you from actual marginalized groups. And I think that is a way, that is something to acknowledge is that the word privilege rings a certain bell

in people's ears that it need not. Well, and I think that again, that's like one of the big themes of this book is there's so much stuff that people don't know. And so when you go into a conversation with somebody of like, you're wrong because you don't know this thing, they are like, well, I don't even know what you're talking about. So like, I don't know that. How do I know that I'm wrong if I don't know about the thing that you're telling?

I don't know what I don't know. Yeah, exactly. So how do we even start? Right. It's like speaking another language. And also when when you're speaking a language that sounds talk downy because it obviously is educated or like required a diversity of opinion to arrive there, it can feel like, wow, this person thinks they're better than just correcting someone's behavior in any like arena is gonna feel like a little like oh god you're telling me that i did something wrong and i think people in general just don't like to be corrected and also i don't know if it's like a specifically american thing but in some ways i i mean i'm only an american so i i don't know

it any other way but i feel like it feels very like, this is who I am. Take me or leave me. I'm grown. I'm going to be who I am. People are not comfortable admitting when they're wrong. No. And so when you tell someone you are wrong or you just hurt me, people go on the defensive. And the privilege thing, I really realized that white privilege is the one that everybody knows of.

And so they think like, oh, you're only saying that white people have privilege. And it's like, no, I'm an able-bodied person. I can go to any bathroom anywhere and I am fine. Right. Like I never have to think about like, will my wheelchair fit in the store? Like, will I mean, like, and I remember I went out to think about like will my wheelchair fit in the store like will I mean like and I I remember I went out to dinner with a friend who's in a wheelchair and we'd never gone out to a restaurant before and we went to a fucking restaurant and there were stairs leading

into the restaurant and I was like oh my god I didn't even think like I never would have thought about that because I've gone to this fucking restaurant and it wasn't like a lot of stairs it was like three stairs and she was like it's fine like I know how to do it but I also real I had this moment of like oh my god I never think about this ever it's not my fault like I'm not a bad person for it but like I had a moment of like oh wow like that's privilege that's my privilege as an able-bodied person um and I think and what you touch on in the book is that privilege just comes to me, just means the different ways in which people move through the world. Oh, and then you like have this cute story about a caterpillar and a snail going to a

party and like it explains it perfectly. I love that. And also it was very funny the way it ended. Thank you. Yeah. Yeah. Thanks. You know, I often describe my work as like when you are feeding a baby like vegetables

and you like do the airplane like you're still getting the baby the veggies but you're like here you go like I just try to take I love analogies so I try to like wrap things in like a funny joke or an analogy or like a self-drag and hope that people will say like oh now, now I get it. You're not yelling at me. You're not telling me that like, I'm just a bad person. You're saying like, we all have fucked up

and like here's another way to understand this fuck up and like move past it. That's great. Let's take a quick break and then we'll be right back with our sponsor. With our sponsor

and we'll be right back with Francesca. You know, Bowen, here's the thing thing i have to be honest i'm actually having some trouble sleeping oh my god same i am in the market for a new mattress same okay so i have a really good idea for both of us okay we must pursue helix sleep mattress and pillows okay listen helix is going to be the new frontier when it comes to your sleep experience, guys. And remember this, there's nobody on the planet like you. So why would you buy a mattress just built for everyone else? Wow, that's so true.

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Listen. She's trying to be book tour wreck. I think about it all the time. And now I want to just read something that you said. Look at your work as a contract you have with yourself. Yes, I love this part. I loved that. Because then you go on and say, getting auditions is work.

Posting videos is work. Even if you don't book the gig or go viral, you've still met the conditions of your contract if you do that. So especially in this kind of career where you're kind of trying to create your own career, which is I think what we both do and you've done for so many years successfully, just kind of at least giving yourself every opportunity to succeed,

which is I think such an important thing like can you talk about being like a self-starter yeah i mean the thing is is like that specific thing is something that i learned from a girl who i was throwing mad shade at because i i just thought that she was not successful i didn't get it i thought she was like not that talented and i met her at a party and she was super nice. And I said like, how do you do it? How do you do it all? And that was the thing that she said to me. And it really shook me because I realized that I was making lots of excuses for myself, whether it was I got an audition and I only had X amount of hours to learn the side.

So then I was like, well, then I'm just like, I'm not going to learn it or I'm not going to go. Or I can't. There's not enough time. So why try? There's not enough time. So why try? Or like I'm not even going to like, you know, get memorized or whatever it was. And I was just always making excuses for myself.

And I realized that at the end of the day, the only person that's responsible for my career is me. And especially as a creator, we have a luxury that many do not have in that we really don't need somebody to offer us a job. We can start a podcast, write a web series, go do stand up, write a sketch. We can make stuff and that is leading to so many awesome opportunities. We know in this room between us like so many people who have television shows and nobody gave them the show. They like banged down doors. They made those opportunities happen for themselves. And so I really needed to have that experience with this person in order to realize like, oh, it's that easy that like I can just do the work. And at the end of the day, like you have to set goals for yourself. And if

the goal is just get to the audition, then you did it. Then you did exactly what you set out to do. And so like, I really just try to start i make big goals but i start small too so that i can feel like i got something done and that's been really helpful for me yeah especially because the only thing that's promised to you and it's promised to you is that you have the audition you know what i mean at least that much there are people that don't get listen how many people do you know that are like guys i'm going out to la for pilot season and they're out there for three months and they don't get one? No, it's hard.

And so if like if you have an opportunity, you've got to give yourself all the you have to drench that opportunity of all its juice. If that makes any sense. Get that juice out of that opportunity. Well, I think the other part of this is that I think you even bring this up because it's sort of like the opposite scenario circumstance of like, okay, well, then I could spend my life. Like this could be the alternative to me spending my time just like going online and like losing my mind. You know what I'm saying? It's like, it's like you, at a certain point, you have to ask yourself this hypothetical question of like, well, what would my life look like if I didn't give the time to- To all that other shit. Exactly. Like, oh, I would just be improving myself, working for myself, like creating opportunities,

et cetera, et cetera. Like that is, I think that is also like how it ties back into everything else in the book is that like, look, look at this whole other side of like the world that's like open to you like sure like like do what's important like do the work that's important like in terms of social justice but also like give yourself the time and the space to like just be the best version of yourself absolutely and also i i was kind of surprised to learn actually um that you used to be quite the stoner oh yes and we'll talk'll talk about it. We gotta talk about this. We must talk about this because I actually,

as of, I smoke quite a bit of weed, so does Bowen. I probably smoke a little bit more than you do. I smoke every single day. Okay. But you get into this in the book about self-care,

about quitting. Yeah. You actually had to stop. And so now, as of recently, I've started to realize that my memory is a little worse than I would like it to be. And so do you of recently, I've started to realize that my memory is a little worse than I would like it to be.

And so do you think that that has anything to do with that? And also, because the answer is probably yes. Like, when did you get to the point where you were like, do I have to stop doing this entirely? I know you talk about this in the book, but I'd like everyone to hear it. Yeah, sure. You talk about that. I mean, I used to be like a full blown wake and bake smoke pot every single day.

And like full disclosure, if I'm at like a party and someone like offers me a hit, I'm like, all right, cool. I'll do it. But like there was just a time where like if I didn't have weed, I was like, oh, my God. Oh, my God. We don't have any weed. Like we got to call the guy. Like what's going on? He's not texting me back.

What's happening? Do I have to go downstairs and like call the guy like what's going on he's not he's not texting me back like what's happening like you have to go downstairs and like ask the guy like we had a guy in the building who was like our backup guy oh yeah you always have your backup nice though yeah but like it's not good weed okay he's in the backup situation he's in the building yeah you know what i mean like my building is not we're not doing high quality, like, lights and shit. Like, it is, like, swaggy, like, not cute weed. Yeah. And then you have, like, the friend who smokes a lot of weed who can just, like, show up to their house and be like, how's it going? What's going on with you?

Oh, my God, there's a joint here. Let's smoke it. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, like, I was setting up all these scenarios to, like, help me smoke weed. Yeah. like help me smoke weed yeah and then what i was realizing was i stopped being like a fun stoner and i started being like have a meltdown start crying i feel like my world is ending stoner where like i would just get so overwhelmed and i would either like lay in bed and do nothing or i would like go on social media and i would see what everyone else was doing and I would start feeling really bad about myself.

And then I would start arguing with my husband. And every single time he would just be like, are you stoned right now? And I was just realizing that pot was not fun for me anymore. And I do think it was for me at least because it was an everyday thing. Like start my morning stoned and be stoned all day long and then like get to two o'clock where you like feel a little, like the buzz change a little bit. And you're like, ooh, you're like, oh God, I'm still stoned. You know?

And so I think that for me, I just realized that like I needed to stop smoking weed because it just was – and the circumstance for me was that I got really sick. I lost my voice. And like I was like at a party and I smoked weed and then the next day I couldn't talk. And I couldn't talk for like two weeks. Oh, my God. And like I had just been invited to go on nightly show. I was like on vacation and I got the email that was like, hey, can you go on nightly show?

And I was like, fuck, fuck, fuck. I got to get my voice back. Like I have to get my voice back. And I'm on vacation and everyone's smoking weed and drinking and I'm not going to do it. I'm just not going to smoke weed because I need to – my voice needs to come back. Be myself. I need my voice to come back. And so I just was like, all right, I'm quitting cold turkey.

And then my voice came back like two days before I was supposed to fly back. And then I got the job and then I realized like, okay, I really need to like focus on this job. I'm in like a new circumstance and smoking weed is not helping me. And so I think I had a few times where I tried to go to work stoned, and I was just like, this is really bad. This is just not helping me. It's stressing me out. Oh, my God. It's not fun anymore. That rang such a bell for me just there. One time I was on my tour guide job,

and I had had an edible, and I was like, I literally, I can't really believe I even just said that, but I don't have the job anymore. It's long in the past, so who cares? But I was standing there, and I was like, I have to talk to people in two seconds. And I was one of the highest I've ever been in my life.

One of the highest. But I was like, oh, maybe my decision making isn't good anymore. Yeah, I do think that you build up a tolerance and it changes in your body. And I've heard this about certain foods that if you eat a certain food all the time that your body can just develop an allergy to it. Like suddenly,

those people who are like, I've drank milk my whole life and then all of a sudden I became super lactose intolerant or suddenly I found out I had a gluten intolerance and like I've ate bread my whole life. I've never it's never bothered me. And now suddenly I get like stomach cramps. I really think that happens with weed that like if you do it a lot that your body like can change how it reacts to it. Yeah.

I've had people be like you need a different strain. And I'm like I'm not trying to do like research. I literally was just about to ask you. change how it reacts to it yeah yeah um i've had people be like you need a different strain and i'm like i'm not trying to do like research i literally was just about to ask you do you think it could be the strain like possibly like because there was a there was a time where it was a bad strain and i was getting anxious every time i also was having some tough times with my relationship yeah yeah and so i think that situationally and also the weed i was smoking were making me literally think i was gonna get hit by a car no matter where I was. Yeah.

It was if it was on the seventh floor of a building going to get hit by a car. Can't explain to you how I knew a car would hit me. I have had so many friends be like, well, you need to have this. And I'm just like, you know what? I don't need to do research. That's just not in my nature. Again, if I'm at a party and someone offers to me and I'm like, all right, I could do a hit. But I was at the point where we had a giant roar bong that was on display in our apartment all the time.

And it was like, whenever you came over, it was like, you need to christen the roar. It was like a whole process came over, it was like, you need to christen the roar. Like it was like, it was like a whole lifestyle and I just, and I was like spending so much money on it. And I just realized like, it's a lot of money. And I just, I like, I do have some days where I'm like, God, I would love to be stoned right now. And then I think I have a lot of shit to do. Like if I got stoned right now, I would not be able to do anything I will say

I do wait until my stuff for the day is done at least that here's the thing I don't think for me it's a personal thing in the sense like I don't begrudge anyone I had some great times when I was stoned I also sometimes realize like when I'm recounting a time that was great when I was stoned

I was like this is only great to me yeah exactly this is not actually like that funny of a story I'm like telling the story nothing happened the whole story is like and we were so stoned it's so true like whenever we talk about

we go to Orlando like once a year like that's like our thing whenever we talk about it we're always like and also we were high and it just kind of sounds like okay who cares it sounds like it sounds like a 17 year old douchey it sounds stupid i also realized because of that i had certain friends i mean like god it sounds like it sounds like i had a heroin addiction that i was literally like i didn't really like you that much like we just got stoned together and i like didn't really know anything about you we would just get stoned and like laugh yeah and now that i don't really smoke weed like that anymore i'm and I like didn't really know anything about you we would just get stoned and like laugh and now that I don't

really smoke weed like that anymore I'm just like I don't really want to hang out with you because all you do is smoke weed and like that's totally okay but then I realized like what do we have if not weed we don't have anything we literally all we have is weed and so

I don't know well I'm happy I said it out loud you well just because so I don't know. Well, I'm happy I said it out loud. You. Well, just because like, I don't know. Like it was so funny because like when I was in high school, it was never like you. You talk about starting smoking weed early. Oh, my. Listen, so my mom read the book and when she.

It wasn't a candle? She didn't. So like when I was in high school, I smoked weed every single day and I told my mother it was a candle and she did not know. And so after she read the book, she didn't mention that specifically, but I know that's what she was talking about. She was like, it was really great.

Like she was like, there are some, some language and she's like, there's also some unknowns revealed. I was like, what is this? Is this like an email to HR? Like, what the fuck?

There were unknowns revealed. Oh, that's a great combination of words. Potential title of ep. Oh, yeah. Unknowns revealed. Yes. I love finding the title. Yeah, so my mom had no clue.

And I really think in retrospect, it was because my mom's brothers had like very serious drug problems so my mom was like drugs are bad like all drugs are terrible so she really kind of had no understanding or concept of like casual drug use and how it could be harmless in its way yeah like to her all drugs were like, you smoke crack. Like you are going to like, you're, you're going to ruin your marriage and like live on the street.

Yeah. And like, I was smoking weed every day and like getting good grades and like, I was totally fine. And so she would ask me what that smell was. And I was just like, Oh, it's a candle. And she just said,

I honestly don't even know if she knew until she read the book. Cause I never, I never told her. A candle that smells very specific. Honestly, I was like, what is this aromatic weed that you were smoking? What is this skunky-ass candle? Why would you want your house to smell like that? There was one other part of the book which I was like really kind of fascinated by.

And I actually read it. I read it. My father drove me back into New York today and I read this out loud to him. Wow. Oh my God. This is so weird. I know to hear back. No, but it's so cool.

It's cool. Wow. That is that's like that is an honor. So there's a whole chapter in the book about hair. And I did not know many of these statistics. Well, I also underlined this sentence, which I love, which is be who you needed when you were younger, which I think is just something really great to remember. But I just want to read this. In 2017, two 16-year-old twin sisters at Boston's Mystic Valley Regional Charter School were told their braided hair extensions were, quote, distracting and in violation of the dress code. When they refused to, quote, fix their hair, their natural hair that they were wearing, they were banned from extracurriculars and prom and threatened with suspension.

In 2016, Durham School for Creative Studies made a group of students remove the head wraps they were wearing to celebrate Black History Month. In 2013, a private school in Orlando threatened to expel 12-year-old Vanessa Van Dyke, whose voluminous natural look was so fierce that I'm kind of questioning my locks right now. If she didn't cut or shape her hair. And then it goes on to detail many more recent occurrences of schools charter schools but still um telling these girls that their natural hair was distracting and you talking about how you know the transition or decision to do whatever you want to with a black woman's hair a black girl's hair is very personal and it's just time consuming and all these things and to think that these schools are like holding it against these people,

like it's just crazy. I didn't know any of this. I mean, historically, we have always been told that everything about us is wrong. Right. From like our bodies to our noses to our hair to the way we speak, like everything has been policed

and really kind of shaped by this idea of like fitting into like whiteness, you know, and, and, and that's not to say that that doesn't happen across cultures, but for black people, especially like it is this constant struggle of like making sure that I am myself, but also like, don't make people uncomfortable. You want to make sure like when I went natural, I remember my mom being like, are you going to be able to get a job? And me thinking like, what are you talking about? But also now knowing that like, yeah, there are people who have lost their job because they dared to wear their hair in the way that it naturally comes out of their head. And we see this in like fashion

and in entertainment where models are like, yeah, I'm basically bald now because when I show up on set, they don't know how to do my hair and they're like ripping it out. Or I had to put weaves in and I had to dye my hair and straighten it and damage it because I mean, and even now, like I have a hairstylist that I bring with me, but I've always been used to doing my own hair because, I mean, and even now, like I have a hairstylist that I bring with me, but I've always been used to doing my own hair because when I would show up on set, no one knew how to do my hair. Right, right, right.

And it's like that with makeup as well. Oh, yes. And thank goodness for Delina, but I made sure she taught me how to do my own makeup and like what foundations to bring with me because sometimes you go on set and I can't have her there, I out of state or something and the person just doesn't know they don't know and so it is very interesting especially because again that's not that privilege right of like why would you know that like even the fact that when I was in high school there was no

natural hair care aisle in the store and even now it's like a tiny little space but in some stores depending on what neighborhood you're in there's no beauty products for me in that store I have to go to the hood or I have to make sure that I'm in or I go specifically to like a black hair care you mentioned in the book where you went to college for a short time like the the closest like it was an hour away that was appropriate for your hair was an hour away an hour away there was no one in i was living in ann arbor because i was going to university of michigan there was no one in ann arbor who could do my hair and i was just like wow i guess i'm going

natural now because i can't get my perm retail. I can't get a relaxer here. It's just so crazy. I think that almost nobody understands that that's the reality. I mean, and the thing that I want people to walk away with when they read this book is that there are all sorts of realities that we are not aware of. Right. Right. It's like I want to speak very openly and honestly about the fact whether it's the fact that I'm able bodied or the fact that I'm, you know, sis, I can go to my doctor and don't have to worry about my housing.

There are 38 states in this country where you can legally deny housing to somebody because they are LGBTQ or you can fire them. Wow. The majority. Legally. Legally. I mean, and those are things that I would never have to think about. And so I really wanted to talk about this in like a comedic and approachable way

but also to say like we all have stuff that we have to learn and we all have to like have our eyes opened at some point and it's okay we could do it together yes and it's you really do have such a skill and I mean like that approachability

and relatability that you have on camera which is such a natural gift that you have, truly translates to the book. I know. Podcasting is, like, not really my medium. We always say podcasts are a visual medium. Because we do take a picture at the end. It is an important part of the listenership experience. And Francesca's brought the visuals to naught. You certainly have.

No, it's a fantastic book. I have a little passage I want to read. I love a good hashtag passage. Hashtag passage. Well, guys, just pick it up in stores wherever you get books. May 22nd. But it's just, this is why I love this book. She does not do herself

the disservice of being absolutely prescriptive because she's I mean, she's like giving you advice but she's also backing this up with like anecdotes or with examples of when she has had to learn these things herself. It's so illuminating yes it's it's so illuminating it's so so so good you should be so proud you should be so happy thank you so much

it's so good i'm gonna read this go ahead this is towards the end of the book but it's so good i i like gasped when i read this this passage oh he gasped darling okay great here we go the world is an unwieldy place okay the world is an unwieldy place these days and my little corner of it the internet is particularly stressful. It allows people to make anonymous claims without any repercussions. Many social media users seem dedicated to taking your words out of context to make you look stupid or worse. And the fact that we're often talking about life and death issues

for people who haven't had the chance to advocate for themselves, and you have a ticking time bomb. I'm not sure I could call myself an expert in anything other than styling my hair and bad puns but i truly believe that trying to get it right is worth something yeah so good so good beautiful thank you so much excellent excellent an excellent review from las culturistas use that pull cord watch when they take the hard cover back and all of a sudden there's a new book oh And it says, Lost Culture Recess Approved like a Newberry Award. Yes.

That's what I want. Like a Newberry Award, like elementary school Newberry Awards. Rule of culture number 92. The Lost Culture Recess Approval is the new Newberry Award. Say it with me. The Lost Culture Recess Approval is the new Newberry Award. And Matt, the adult version of the Newberry Award is the Pulitzer Prize. I just want to let you know.

Well, I have to tell you all, this is my very first podcast interview about the book. Okay. And I am just so glad that I popped that cherry consensually with the both of you. And just thank you so – I mean, it is scary writing a book. It is so scary, especially because, you know, again, that passage was a perfect example. I worry about people like taking things out of context or deciding that they just, you know, disagree with me

and they're so mad about this and that or just pulling something apart and making me say something I didn't say. It's very scary. But it feels so great and affirming to hear that you all resonated with it and you enjoyed it and it spoke to you. And so just thank you so much for taking the time to even read it. Thank you for writing it, first of all, because many people are going to benefit from it. And I think also something that people forget is I totally identify with you saying it's nerve-wracking and it's scary to put this out

because you're a very sensitive person. I mean, you have to be to be this sensitive to all these issues. I mean, and you see you putting on this sort of brave and very public face and dealing with this difficult, tough stuff, especially coming from a marginalized perspective. Yeah. Where, you know, sometimes it can feel like the world is just ready to jump down your throat.

And so this is, you know, not this is kind of like you throw this around lightly, but like this is a brave thing to step forward and say, here's my mistakes. Here's my successes. And here is how you can learn from them seriously an edifying read okay an edifying read that's another pull quote i guess um we're gonna move on what go go go we are gonna move on because speaking of um you know people who step forward bravely oh here we go we do have a, I'm happy you're pouring the wine because I'm going to need some as well. Get it. This is a friend of ours who's decided to...

He's elected to participate in our voice memo. Oh, you bitch. This is a voice memo from a friend of ours, Dylan Maron. Oh, my God. Dylan Maron. He's decided. Listen, listen. And Dylan Maron will be with us in a couple short weeks, you guys.

I love Dylan. Dylan is a fabulous specimen. A true angel. And I want to tell him something over the air, and I know he'll listen to this episode. You look like a hunk in your TED Talks. Listen, bitch. Such a hunk. With those little pearl earrings.

You looked good, you motherfucker. The TED Talk speaker with a pearl earring, mama. Miss TED Talk, honey. Veer, veer, veer, painting. The category is TED Talk. Okay, this is a voice member from Dylan Maron, and I think Dylan is doing his own little take on a popular segment on this show.

Okay, we'll see. So let's take a listen. Matt Bowen Francescaancesca is your daughter dylan maron hallway the acoustics are good i do think so honey oh i'll begin i do think so honey matt Rogers Matt you are so fucking talented and incredible that if they sold VIP courtside season pass tickets to the Matt Rogers

experience I would buy them with the black MX card that I do not have and you would see me cheering you on like that Drake gif where he's clapping at a basketball game because you are that fucking good I like wise honey I do think so honey where he's clapping at a basketball game because you are that fucking good. Oh my God.

Do you think so, honey? Bow and yay. Okay. If you had attended the performing arts day camp that I went to for six years, I would have been so fucking intimidated by you that I would have made up an excuse not to like you because I would have felt insecure

next to your gifted ass. No. So lucky me for knowing you now as a more confident adult when I can regularly text you to tell you how much you mean to me because you do. You're such a beautiful person. And finally, I do think so, honey, Francesca Ramsey. Okay, so already, everyone already knows that you slay at literally everything you do. Yes, yes. But what they don't know is that you're an amazing friend and a support system and a mentor.

And deal with it, babe, because until your lawyers specifically ask me not to, I will continue to send you bad pop songs That I unironically love Because I want to share them With a person I love Which is you So whoops, I do think so honey Francesca Ramsey

Oh my Oh my god, Dylan Maron I love him so much Also because He is, when he becomes extremely famous, someone is going to have a field day impersonating him. I'm Dylan Maron.

Like he just gives you the voice. Maybe it's me. Maybe it's going to be me. But all I'm saying is he is an icon. The nicest. Okay. So Dylan wrote on my pilot. Yes.

And I remember one time we were trying to come up with like insults for a straight woman. And I think eventually we used like a population pantry was the insult we used. But everybody was going around and pitching ideas for like ways to just like shit on straight women. And Dylan was like, I've got one you woman like he couldn't do it because he's so nice yeah it was the funniest thing I've ever experienced because I was just like you are the sweetest guy and he it was so funny because he was trying so hard and I was like I love you so much you are just like the most genuinely good and nice person and to circle back to the book I had so many times that I called Dylan crying

and I was like should I tell this story in the book and Dylan was like you're fine you're fine send it to me like I would send him stuff and I would just be like tell me what you think of this and he would just like be so affirming. He is just such a good soul. You really don't find many people like that. It's also not a brand. It's not a front. That's who he is.

He's exactly the way you think he would be when you watch his videos. He's a great friend. He makes you want to be a better person. Because sometimes I want to send him a shady text. And I'm like, you know what? Dylan does not need this negativity. Every time I talk to him, I have that thought. I'm like, no, I can't.

Dylan doesn't deserve this. I can't say this to him. Sometimes I am a little shady. That is part of who I am. And it's true. Dylan's looking at you and you don't know if he's going to participate in the shade. And he'll sometimes give you a knowing look. Girl, yes, I understand the shade,

but I don't know if I've ever heard him be truly shady. Can I tell you, actually, actually, wait. He does reveal. He lets it out. He lets it out. And I think he's okay with me saying this. I was on the phone with him today because I was explaining what he needed to send in for this Weiss memo bit.

And then he was like, oh my God. god he was like so matt and i did these interviews with people at tribeca film festival and we interviewed ansel elgort and oh waterhouse wow this um british actress and then so dylan was like oh my god i love that interview with ansel and who was that who was that actress and i was like oh sticky waterhouse she's great she's she's like you know like one of those like posh british actresses actress models and then dylan goes oh yeah you know i probably like waited on like the millionth iteration of her back at my restaurant and i was like dylan and then i'm a dozen i didn't even no i didn't i didn't even like call that out or anything i didn't even like react to that he he pulled himself back and was like wait no that's. You know what? That's too mean. I take that back.

I was like, Dylan. Well, guess what, Dylan? It's out there now. It's out there now. You said something correct and everyone knows. And that's also the most innocuous thing. I was like, where is the shade? Where's there's no shade? He's such a sweetheart. Such a sweetheart. When he's gonna be on

our show, you guys, to promote his TED Talk. We're gonna talk to him in just a short couple weeks. Short couple weeks. Spoiler alert. I mean, it's online, but he gets an immediate standing out. Really? Yeah. Have you seen it? I haven't seen it. It's so good. It's so good.

But anyway, now it's time to move on. I'm gonna watch it. I'm gonna watch it. Go see it. Alright, so is it time? It's time. Okay. It is time for I Don't Think So, Honey. And we're gonna get you on a live show one of these days. Yes. Every time.

Every time I have something, I'm not here. Listen, you're busy. She's busy. But the thing is, guys, just a quick little plug before we continue. Are you coming to see us at Vulture Fest on May 19th? Saturday, May 19th, which is just in a few short days, at 8.30. Are you coming to see us in Los Angeles at Echoplex on June

12th? Are you coming to these events? Are you coming to see us at Cluster Fest on Saturday, January 2nd, Comedy Central's Cluster Fest? We're going to be at 4pm. Well, if you're not going to go to any of those things, at least come to another two events that we're doing at Vulture Festival we're moderating

the RuPaul's Drag Race panel and we're moderating the Wendy Williams panel which is going to be very interesting because like Wendy I'm like oh my god I really want to do her show oh my god you should definitely do her show I want to do her show so badly

she'll say how you doing how you doing I have to think about and I'm just letting this all out and airing this out publicly, like, on the record. Like, she is someone who everyone, I feel like, goes back and forth on, but she's just so good. Yeah. When she's good, she's great. When she's good, she's great. And when she's problematic, she's problematic AF.

Which is, like, why I would love to do her show. Because I, like, I could tell show because I'm like I could tell her about herself but I could tell her about myself do you know what I mean I feel like we could have a great

I think she'd be very receptive to you I feel like we could have a great shady conversation but also just like a self-reflective one yeah yeah yeah

well she is I think open to a good deal of shade because she dishes it out for her check and she knows how to take it too and also I mean

I think she knows how to take it it's only when a guest comes on her show and is Omarosa level messy or Bethany messy you have to be open to like you can dish it and take it and I think that that's what she respects that is major y'all

are booked and busy we are a little bit booked and busy so come see us share the stage with Miss Wendy Williams. Miss Wendy Williams and the Drag Race Queens. And it's going to be very fun. And also our own show at Vulture Fest, Cluster Fest. And let's see, June 12th, LA. And then June 29th at the Bell House, you guys.

It's going to be very fun. Oh, you heard it here first. Okay, great. So let's do. So I'm comfortable going first. You can go first. This is Matt Rogers. And I hope that you're okay with me doing this.

Oh my God. Well, that's a terrible disclaimer. This is Matt Rogers's I Don't Think So Honey as time starts now. I don't think so, honey, that it has taken us this long to quote unquote officially cancel R. Kelly. Let me tell you something. It should have been canceled when he tried to marry a 13-year-old. Let me repeat, 13-year-old

Aaliyah. In the words of my co-host Bowen Yang, cults are so 1978, babe. Ain't nothing wrong with a little bit of bump and grind, but there is definitely wrong with imprisoning women.

You are starting a sex cult, bitch. Look, I'm sorry, but there is an article out right now which is detailing 43 celebrities that have worked with R. Kelly, and underneath every single picture it says, the representative

declined to comment. Here's what you say. My client denounces R Kelly R Kelly is done thank you five seconds take the key out of the ignition honey I don't think so honey R Kelly went for one minute I don't know if I can top that that is pretty

that's major well I did use two jokes that Bowen Yang has said before but I did cite I donate them I have the bibliography on Bowen Yang I was like I don't see nothing wrong with quoting Bowen Yang has said before, but I did cite. I donate them. I have the bibliography on Bowen Yang. I was like, I don't see nothing wrong with quoting Bowen Yang. Thank you.

That was also an R. Kelly joke. Absolutely. And we're allowed to quote, but we're not appreciating. We're quoting to diss. We're using against. And here's the thing, guys. No, it's over.

It's done. And why does Chris Brown have a Grammy after hitting Rihanna? Not even hitting, beating up. Oh, my God. Almost killing. Jesus. You really have to get it together with these people. If they've done something dangerous, they're done, guys.

They're done. There's no discussion. There is a nostalgia element that you can keep to your goddamn self. But they're done. discussion there is a nostalgia element that you can keep to your goddamn self but it's not but they're done like i i want every lost culture is listening to know that r kelly is officially done okay and we're not we're not going to continue this conversation for 16 more years wow thank you there you go i mean mine is not going to be as like fire as that but let's go this is gonna be when you sell yourself short i'm just i believe inen, you sell yourself short. I'm just saying- I believe in you.

Thank you. This is, I mean, I'm just saying this is going to be much more frivolous and silly. It's okay. Okay. Okay. We need all of them.

We need all kinds. Perfect. And Bowen Yang's I Don't Think So Honey on this episode begins now. I Don't Think So Honey theatrical spaces

that are not in the round, honey. We went to go see Once on this Island on Broadway at Circle in the round honey we went to go see once on this island on broadway at circle in the square theater and not a bad seat in the house motherfucker because you know why it was in the round everyone enjoys it no one gets a bad view we were in the last row and the fucking nose bleeds and i loved hayley kilgore belting out those notes tony nomination tony nominee hayley kilgore we're rooting for you um oh my god. If you're... Just look. 30 seconds.

Estue the normal layout of theatrical spaces. Get creative. We're not Rome anymore, bitch. No, bitch. Okay, we are in the new age of theater performance. Circle in the square. Circle in the square knows what they're doing. I want everything in the round. 15 seconds. And makes for good immersive

experiences, too. We had Lea Salonga running up and down those steps. And makes for good immersive experiences too. We had Leah Salonga running up and down those steps. Mention her. Mention her. And Leah Salonga, iconic. Mention the other one. Oh, and, oh my God, who, who?

Oh my God, Tamira Gray, of course. Tamira Gray was amazing. What? I was not forgetting her. I was not being willfully obtuse and forgetting her. And that's one minute.

And that's one minute. Wow. Tamira Gray. That's a name I have not heard in a while. She's fantastic. I tweeted at her. And she faved. And she liked. And she faved. And she ret one minute. And that's one minute. Wow. Tamira Gray. That's a name I have not heard in a while. She's fantastic. I tweeted at her. And she faved.

And she liked it. And she faved. And she retweeted and made a little comment herself. She said, what a blessing. Oh, wow. Thank you for the continued support. What a blessing. Excellent.

And I said, Tamira Gray is a slay in Once on this Island. Yes. She plays the concept of death. She is so talented. It's crazy. I'm happy to hear that. You should go see Once is so talented. It's crazy. I'm happy to hear that. You should go see Once on the Silence. I love that.

I remember seeing that show in high school, like at a local school, and being blown. It was not in the round. There you go. But I'm excited to see it in the round. You are right about this. Because the in the round experience,

there is not a bad scene in the house. And also the freedom that the actors have to be able to act in a 360 way. But also, yeah, exactly, because you got to act with your back. You got to act with your back. You got to act with your back. That's a whole different side. Literally.

This girl that plays the lead, Hayley Kilgore, she's a slay. Phenomenal. And Lea Salonga should be named queen. Tamira Gray should be named queen. We did not see Alex Newell, but we heard he's incredible and the understudy was fabulous. We also didn't see Norm Lewis, who I guess is in it a lot.

But the cast was very good. And I had never seen... Put it on your list. You must. It just scored many Tony nominations and it doesn't have an end date. They're trying to keep it open as long as possible.

Okay. And it's worth seeing. You must go. You must go. Okay. Okay, Francesca. I'm ready. Are we ready? This is Francesca Ramsey's

I Don't Think So, Honey. Her time starts now. I don't think so, honey. Playing devil's advocate? Does the devil need you to advocate for him? I don't think so, honey. The devil is busy all the goddamn time. He don't need you to help. Why don't you just

put it out there that you think those bigoted ass opinions. You ain't standing up for the devil. I don't need that to hear you have your opinion about like the gays, about racism, about privilege. Like, no, bitch. 30 seconds. Just say what you say and feel

what you feel, okay? Like the devil, he knows he's dressed, he's fresh, he, bitch. 30 seconds. Just say what you say and feel what you feel, okay? Like, the devil, he knows he's dressed, he's fresh, he's hot. He comes ready. He doesn't need you to work for him or speak on his behalf. So don't even slide up in my DMs or in my comments or in my emails. And definitely do not disrupt mygiving dinner with your devil's advocate ass you can keep it i do not think so honey what a nothing embellishment to anything at all why do you say that just say that you actually think that shitty awful thing yes yes it's like

a get out of jail free card but But no. But it's not. And also, this is funny because on our live show, Mitra Juhari now over a year ago did I Don't Think So Honey Devil's Advocate and she was like she was like, it's the devil. Why would you advocate for him? You know what?

Somebody needs to think about him. Yes. And this is actually you guys won't ever get to hear this, but the last one you did, which we lost, it was too hot for air or our computers because the whole thing melted down.

But you said, I don't think so, honey. People saying, can I pick your brain? Yeah. Listen, if you email me and say, can I pick your brain?

Like I automatically do not want to read the rest of your email. If you want to pick Francesca Ramsey's brain pick up the book while that escalated quickly made 22nd get that promo and I want to say one more time

I love this book this is really good and it's funny it's entertaining it's relatable and you will learn a lot especially at the end there is Francesca's simple explanation of not so simple concepts gorgeous glossary and um it's really great it's just a really maybe and honestly even if you consider yourself like a quote-unquote woke person i guarantee there's something in here that you'll learn and be able to take away and i love it i think it's going to be a huge success. Thank you so much.

This was a great way to kind of full circle moment from that lost episode. From the lost up to now. Yes. And you'll never know the specifics of what went down with Taraji behind the scenes

of Black Girls Run. But just know that Taraji's amazing. Yes. Oh my God, life changing. That was an anecdote for the ages. Francesca, thank you so much. Oh, thank you for having me. Congratulations.

I'm so excited to see all of the cool stuff you all are working on. I always feel very special when I see other people tweeting about you or sharing something about you. I'm like, I know them. Those are my boys. So yeah, just keep slaying. And thank you for letting me be part of your glow up. Oh my gosh, please.

You're doing that to us. And also we got to say the picture on the book is looking very fresh. I also love this yellow top. Thank you. Check out the yellow top, you guys. You need a pop of color. Thank you, thank you.

Okay, we always close with a song. I think I have one. What's the song, babe? Sitting up in my room. Badly thinking about you. I must confess. I'm a mess with you. Sitting up in my room.

Badly thinking about you. Have you ever loved somebody so much it makes you cry? Have you ever needed someone so bad you just sleep at night have you ever tried to find the words but they don't come out right

the boy is mine ooh what a Netflix enough I'm had about enough it's so hard

to see the boy is mine bye forever dog this has been a forever dog The more is mine Bye Forever Dog This has been a Forever Dog production Executive produced by Brett Boehm

Joe Cilio And Alex Ramsey For more original podcasts Please visit foreverdogpodcasts.com And subscribe to our shows on Apple Podcasts Spotify Or wherever you get your podcasts. Keep up with the latest Forever Dog news by following us on Twitter and Instagram

at Forever Dog Team and liking our page on Facebook. I'm Julian Edelman. I'm Rob Gronkowski. And we are super excited to tell you about our new show, Dudes on Dudes. We're spilling all the behind-the-scenes stories, crazy details, and honestly, just having a blast talking football. Every week, we're discussing our favorite players of all times, from legends to our buddies to current stars.

We're finally answering the age-old question, what kind of dudes are these dudes? We're going to find out, Jules. New episodes drop every Thursday during the NFL season. Listen to Dudes on Dudes on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. On Thanksgiving Day 1999, five-year-old Cuban boy Elian Gonzalez

was found off the coast of Florida. And the question was, should the boy go back to his father in Cuba? Mr. Gonzalez wanted to go home, and he wanted to take his son with him. Or stay with his relatives in Miami? Imagine that your mother died trying to get you to freedom. Listen to Chess Peace, the Elian Gonzalez story, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Sheryl Swoops. And I'm Tarika Foster-Brasby.

And on our new podcast, we're talking about the real obstacles women face day to day. Because no matter who you are, there are levels to what we experience as women. And T and I have no problem going there. Listen to Levels to This with Cheryl Swoops and Tarika Foster-Brasby, an iHeart Women's Sports production in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the iHeart Radio app,

Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Presented by Capital One, founding partner of iHeart Women's Sports. Hey, I'm Jay Shetty, and I'm the host of On Purpose. My latest episode is with Jelly Roll. This episode is one of the most honest and raw interviews I've ever had. We go deep into Jelly Roll's life story

from being in and out of prison from the age of 13 to being one of today's biggest artists. I was a desperate delusional dreamer. Be a delusional today's biggest artists. I was a desperate delusional dreamer. Be a delusional dreamer. Just don't be a desperate delusional dreamer. Listen to On Purpose with Jay Shetty on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Trust me, you won't want to miss this one.