Mention It All - Do We Ever Get Tired Of Talking About Reality TV? Ft. Nina Parker

Episode Date: December 24, 2020

Bari and Dylan are joined by Nina Parker, host of Nightly Pop on E! They talk about what she’s been up to lately, and how life in quarantine is going. She shares how she and her co-hosts adapted their show for 2020, from social distancing to social justice. They discuss her work hosting Bravo’s Race In America specials, and how she hopes these issues will be discussed going forward. They also talk about what Nina has been watching lately, her complicated relationship with reality TV, and what she has planned for 2021. Headspace: You deserve to feel happier, and Headspace is meditation made simple.. Go to HEADSPACE.COM/BETCHES for a free one-month trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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With Dylan Hafer. Who don't check me, boo? And Barry Rosenfeld. I need to start drinking alcohol. Now go to sleep, wee. Hey, everyone. Welcome back to the Mention at All podcast. I'm Dylan Hafer.

And I'm Barry Rosenfeld. And we are joined by such a special guest today. We are so excited to have her here with us. Everyone, it's Nina Parker from E's Nightly. Pop. Hi, Nina. Hi, Nina. I'm so excited to finally chat with you. Yeah, I'm excited. So how have things been going? We are in the height of the holiday season. You are, of course, still making it happen on TV every night. How's it going right now? You know, I got a little senioritis, you know, it's the end of the year. And so I just kind of want to be with family and just

kind of regroup, 2020 was like a, you know, a bulldozer on a lot of us. So I'm, you know, excited to have a little holiday time with the fam. Oh, I haven't heard the word senioritis in a long time. That really brought me back. That is, like, I'm a little bouncy. That is, that is totally like an accurate feeling right now. I feel like we're all just like, okay, this year is over, even if it's not on the calendar yet. Like, it's done. It's a wrap. I want 2020 out of here. You know what my thought. on that though is that we're we're almost there we're almost to the new year and I feel that once we get to january first everyone's going to be like okay back to normal but it's not it might it's not going to be like

that just yet i feel like the energy is going to change so i think you know looks in january is a big month for a lot of us um so i feel like the energy is going to shift so i think you know hopefully at least everybody will be full of a lot of more positivity i think 2020 has overstayed this Welcome. I will say I never thought I would be this excited to see vaccines being injected into people's arms on TV. I'm like, yes. Give me a live feed. Like, yeah. Well, speaking of TV, so you host E's Nightly Pop with Morgan Stewart and Hunter March. So what's your favorite part about hosting a show on television, especially during this time? I mean, you know, I think it's it's really cool when people reach out and say, you know, you're giving me an escape. from, you know, sometimes people are going through really horrible things. I'm super grateful for the life I'm leading. And I think that, you know, there are times when you get really self-absorbed. And so sometimes when you come out of that and there are people telling you about these

struggles and things that they're going through when they look at the U.S. and escape, you know, with comedic fodder and things like that. It just, it feels really good. I think our show is a late night show. We can be a little spicy. We can, you know, say things that we probably wouldn't be able to say during prime time. And, you know, it allows people to kind of laugh with us. and tweet along and things like that.

So that's one of the parts that I love the most is that people, you know, look to us for and escape through some of the things that they're going through. I love on your show, like you were saying, you got to be a little more, maybe like a little more loose than you would be at another time of the day. I love that you and your co-hosts have this kind of playful relationship with each other. You're not afraid to give each other a hard time, you know, make it a little personal. what was when you guys first started hosting the show together how did that kind of come together did you already know them before like what was

did it take a while to kind of get that rapport for those who follow I you'll know that I've been on E I've been on E for a little bit before I had filled in on Daily Pop with Morgan so I had worked with Morgan on Daily Pop the morning show um for a while and then but that was filling in because one of the hosts was on maternity leave um so when she came back Nightly Pop was just starting up. So Morgan and I had a really good relationship and rapport at that point.

We were friends. And so she and I went into Nightly Pop looking for a co-host. So there were auditions for our male co-host. And that's how Hunter got in. We felt like we had good chemistry with him, which was a great choice. And that's kind of how that whole situation formulated. I do have to say when I started watching your show, you could see the energy and feel it between the three of you.

And that was something I really liked comparing to other shows that I watch because it was like friendly banter and it was something you don't usually see on television. We're all kind of the same person as far as like comedic-wise. With this on different levels of when to shut up. So like I'm very like, I've been hosting

in entertainment television since 2007. So I'm like, I know when to stop. I was going to say you're the one that always ends it. You're like, okay. We all can get a little dark, but they, you know, there's like a lot. I'm like, I would never say this on camera. I'm not going to do this. They're more like, we're going to go for it.

And I'm like, come back, come back. So we can keep your show on the air. So we're all kind of different levels of that. Hunters don't go way left. Morgan's about in the middle. That's so funny. And I feel like you guys, this year I'm sure, you know, where we are doing a podcast over Zoom, I'm sure you guys have had to kind of figure out how to make the show happen.

when you're not always in the same places as each other. Has that been difficult, kind of an exciting challenge? Like, what's, how do you feel about that? Yeah, I mean, it's kind of evolved at this point, you know, so a lot of people know Morgan is pregnant. So for her, for her and her health, she decided the best decision was to continue to film from home. But Hunter and I are back in studio for months, though.

We were filming at home. You know, we tried a couple of different platforms, you know, things like that. We're doing a lot of Instagram live interviews. But for us, I think we really, shine when we're in person. So we were really excited to get back into studio. So right now it's Hunter and I in studio. Morgan Films from home. We have like we cast her into the studio. And so that's challenging because when you're talking, you want to look at somebody. So we have to look at a monitor.

So, you know, just kind of getting that choreography down, um, has was challenging at first. But now we have our rhythm. Right. Now you can plead the fifth, but we want to know, who is your favorite or least favorite of anyone that you guys have, interviewed or talked about or things that are going on currently? I mean, we don't really do in studio, yes. That's very rare. But talking about, I would say, like, it's more, we do like a segment about, like, reality wrap up where we talk about, you know, reality shows and things like that.

So we can, we may get exhausted. It depends on the season. Like, there may be one show that is always in as drama or I'm like, I don't ever want to talk about this person again. You know, right now it's the family Chantelle on 90-day, like for 90-day fiancee on TLC. Like that, I don't ever need to talk about them again. So I'm a little exhausted with that. So it just depends on the time of the year time.

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Watch only on Prime. I remember, I think it was like last summer, there was all of this teen mom drama that was happening in the span of like two weeks. It was like Janelle and then like somebody else and then more Janelle. It was like, I don't want to read about these people for like six months. Please go away. Yeah. But sometimes you do because like you need that.

Yeah. Of course. You feel very normal. You know, I say all the time like sometimes I watch these shows just to feel a little bit better by my own personal. It's not as bad. 100%. I agree with you.

It's like, yeah. I mean, we're always talking about Bravo shows and it's like below deck. It seems like it's fun to work on the boat. But also I'm really glad that I just get to like sleep normal hours and not have to deal with like. Exactly. So you're not that much of a Bravo lover, are you? I am. I went through. I just kind of have been on a little bit of a reality show hiatus. A lot of people have said that over quarantine. No, it's so, I think it's just because life has been so crazy that for me, I didn't want to see a lot of people fighting and dealing with each other. But I will say for our show, I have to obviously do research if we're talking about. So I know who people are.

I usually know what the storyline is. It's just lately I haven't been sitting on my couch and setting my DVR like I normally would have pre-quarantine. But, you know, right now I'm really fascinated with her housewives of Salt Lake City. I think they're, you know, an interesting bunch. The chick that's with her past it, a grandparent, granddad, step-grandfather. It's a lot. It's a lot. So it's definitely intriguing.

But, yeah, I try to space it out. Has there been these whatever? months we've been in quarantine now. Like has what have you been binging? Has there been something else that you've been spending a lot of time with? You guys, I've been, I've been dinging so many things.

I'm trying to remember because it, you know, you get so immersed in it and you're out of it and you're like, I forgot I watched that. And it's only been a lot of time. Um, but right now it hasn't been a lot of reality, but it's been more scripted. So I just am,

I'm super excited about, um, the season finale of the flight attendants. tonight. Yes. I'm watching that. I'm also watching a teacher on FX, which is crazy. If you have not,

yeah. I feel like I've been what I. It's funny because I've been watching both of those shows. And it's like a T of the flight attendant is like so fun, whatever. And a teacher every week I'm like cover. I'm like watching through my fingers. I'm like, I didn't watch the flight attendant yet.

I'm getting to it. But because sometimes I don't know if you're like this. I need to go back. and watch something I've already watched to make my self feel better. So, Dylan left me last week. I told him I had to start Jersey Shore over again. It just that makes me feel better about my life. And so the teach a teacher though, I'm just like, everyone was talking about it.

So I started and I was like, no way. It's crazy. That that happened and came out this year. Yeah. That's weird to me. Little fires everywhere. I'm like, that was this year. You know, all of that was this year.

I do the same thing. Depending on how stressed I am, I'll watch the office. So, you know, like, I'm like, it's the one show where I feel like I can find something different every time I watch it. And it literally makes me laugh out loud if I'm in a bad mood. So that stays in consistent rotation. I may watch, like, a full season and just revenge it if I'm not feeling good. It just always lifts my spirits.

It's funny because I'll see sometimes in, like, the Netflix top 10, there's like some random old show. and I'm like, why is that? And I'm like, no, I get it. Like, everybody, everybody just wants to watch, like, you know, gossip girl again for the 14th time. I'm like, what are people doing on that place sometimes? But yeah, it's varies. Wait, I need to know, since you mentioned the office,

how do you feel about Parks and Rec? I've never watched Parks and Rec. Oh, my. Okay. I've met an episode of Parks and Rick, so maybe I should binge it. Okay. I'm giving you a suggestion. Okay.

You should binge watch Parks and Rec next. Okay. That's what you should do. And if you don't like it, let me know. It's my fault. It's on that same level, though, right? Oh, yeah. It's the same thing.

Everyone's, it's not the same thing. It's similar. But if you like one, you like the other. Like, but you can't. I'm also a fan. Yeah, you can't go into it comparing. Like, can't be like, no, the office is so much better than this. Like, you have to be a little more open-minded to it.

Okay. I mean, I'm always down for a new comedy. You know, and another. reality. I did watch the only sense that I binge that. Yes. I I I don't, they need cameras rolling 24 seven like I'm stressed out about the fact that so much has happened that the cameras weren't there for. I'm like, no, but we have to know about Chris Hale's new man from dancing with the stars. Like why is that not show me on daily pop today. And I it took everything for me not to rush out of my dressing room and be like, girl, we need to talk but let's have a conversation.

But, you know, COVID rules. I had to stay put. I'm glad. I'm glad she, like, publicized who she is dating, though. Because when Gleb said that he was getting divorced, everybody was like, Chris Lille and Gleb hooking up. But they're on vacation together. So, like, isn't that a slap in the face to everybody else?

That, like, they're like, yep, we're just friends. Thank you so much. You imagine this wife, though, that is like they just filed for divorce. A month later, he's on vacation with someone. else and also like this dance partner, I'm sure she was nice and friendly with, is on the vacation too. Like, it has to be a hard pill to swallow. Yeah. And, you know, she's been open about being on Instagram and some shit that went down. Like a banana pancakes and still in all the tea, honey. It is a hefty breakfast. Okay. So I think I need to

go on Dance with the Stars for two things. One, like a diet regimen and two to find a boyfriend because that seems to be what like everyone goes on the show and succeeds the man it's crazy you know yeah it's crazy that we're in the era of like multiple dancing with the stars marriages but it's it's 20 20 anything can happen and also I don't think prishel in the sky are going to go the distance I think he's a rebound relationship I think this is the you know he's given her attention and I'm sure she's very fond of him but I don't I don't see this going you know She needed a nice man to treat her well for a little bit. And I hope she's having fun.

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Use us directed. So I want to make sure to talk about earlier this year, it was really great to see on Bravo in the wake of George Floyd's murder and all of the protests that were happening. You hosted these two Race in America specials, which we talked about. We were both really happy that they were doing. this on Bravo. Can you talk a little bit about kind of what was happening at that time and how

you got involved and hosting these specials? Because I think it was great to see it, but the behind the scenes is really interesting of, you know, making that decision to use the platform for that reason. Yeah, I mean, I think when you think of a lot of the Bravo Leberties, people don't necessarily associate a ton of depth to them. You know, we're used to kind of talking about these reality shows, of people getting in arguments and that's kind of all we really know and they run businesses, but we don't go further than that. And I think it was really important for Bravo to really showcase like more dimensions to a lot of the people, you know, that were being affected. And, you know, Bravo has a lot of black people on their shows, you know, and to ignore this issue with so many

people on the network that have been on for years, I think would have been a misstep. And I think they wanted to have this conversation with people that you, I think you hear activists and politicians and they're always talking about race relations. But, you know, sometimes it's important to hear it from people and see it on a network where you wouldn't expect it. You'd expect it on CNN, but you may not necessarily expect it on Bravo or E, but I think it's important to have those platforms shared so that people understand this is just not, you know, something you can get away from. It affects everybody at all times. And so when Bravo decided to do race in America, they reached out to me.

they had seen some things I had been doing with E because for a while we had paused our celebrity reporting and we were just talking about the protests and everything that with George Floyd and Brianna Taylor and everything that was going on and they wanted to have somebody who could kind of navigate that conversation with people and and you know I am the former host of love and hip hop reunions for you know on VH1 which lasts for you know over five years for me yeah I had a really good uh you know handle on how to navigate conversations with a multidis to the people. So that's kind of how that all came about. I, to me it was so great. And particularly, I remember Candy telling a story on the first

special where she was like, this affects me. Like it doesn't matter at the end of the day. Like, what's in my bank account, what TV show I'm on, that this stuff in your everyday life is still really real. And I think it's been great to see Bravo continue that conversation on to regular episodes of their shows. We've seen it on the season of Atlanta, especially so far. But even on shows like Orange County and Southern Charm, they're not just ignoring kind of what's going on in the world. And I think it's really exciting to see time being devoted to that and, you know, that conversation being carried forward. Listen, I don't think anybody expects, you know, a lot of these people from Bravo to necessarily do like what Portia's doing, you know, where Portia Williams is,

literally on front lines and she's protesting and she's super active and in the community and everybody has plays their part. But I think just showing that is super important because it's like you can't just pretend that this isn't effective. And I think sometimes people believe if you're black and you're a celebrity and you're making money, you're not affected by racism. And that couldn't be further from the truth. And so a lot of people are like, well, you know, you got a good job. You're making good money. And it's like, well, that doesn't distract from the fact that systemic racism some still affects me, affects the people around me,

it affects how I'm treated, what deals I get. So this is all, all encompassing. Right. It's also, first of all, you did a great job hosting that.

And it's, it's, I know all these shows were being filmed, but it's almost like that race in America special, like open the gates for these shows

to talk about on each of them. Because like you said, it's not something we're used to. And I'm glad that the Bravo audience for any show that they're watching are now aware of what's, going on in all these cities and towns. And these are people, you know,

these are people too. And I think sometimes, even I, you know, we get caught up and kind of feel like their characters, you know, because of what they're going through, whatever. And it's like, no, you need to understand this is a person in a city just like you. And they're affected. And it's important to show that. Yeah, I'm excited to see kind of what the future holds because I do think, I do think this summer was kind of a moment where, you know,

we took this step. forward and obviously there's still a lot of work to do. But I think a lot of people really did have their eyes open for the first time maybe about kind of the reality of the experience for so many people. And, you know, we're a couple weeks into the season of Atlanta and it's just been so, it's been so great to see. And I, yeah. And you know, hopefully people understand that, you know, this year has been an eye opener for a lot of people. For black people like myself, was not, you know, anything new to my experience since I was a baby. And, you know, know how shocking that is that it's like 2020 where a lot of people

decided to finally pay attention when I feel like people have been yelling, you know, okay, this is what I'm going through. This is what I'm, you know, this is not complaint. This is my reality. And I feel like, you know, I'm happy people are really seeing that. And not only that, but just doing more than posting the Black Square, getting involved in any way that they can. And I don't think you have to get involved the same way every single person does.

doing something is really important having conversations. Uncomfortable conversations are really important. I had a lot of conversations with people who said, I'm embarrassed to say this, but XYV. And we left it in such a better place. And I think you can't be embarrassed to say where you're at. You have to use it as a learning experience and learn, you know, how privilege has worked for you in order to move forward in a way that can benefit others.

Absolutely. Well said. Yeah, I was just going to say, you have such a way. of like bringing us in even when you even on all your TV shows like I just listen and that's you know what I'm continuing to do so so speaking of moving moving forward from this year going into 2021 we're almost there what are you do you have anything that you're really excited about in 2021 any big goals just plans there's nothing I can say right now but it's you know it's some things I'm really excited for in 2021. You know, award season is coming also. And, you know, it's going to be

different, but it's going to happen. And so, you know, I'm really excited to see how we navigate and change those a little bit. But there is going to be, you know, I think with every award show, they kind of learn what they can and can't do, what works. So I think, you know, they're getting protocols in place to really try to have that. I think people really love having that escape. And, you know, as we move into the vaccinated world, we'll see how things progressed by the time Oscars gets here. But I think, you know, people are really excited and to feel some type of

normalcy. And I think it'll be a different normal. But I think it'll be a better normal than March of last year. Uh, let's hope. Oh, my God. That's great. Um, Nina, this was so much fun. I love chatting with you. Thank you guys so much for having me. You know, it's always fun to talk and chat. And if people haven't watched Nightly Pop, please make sure you tune in. It's, it's a super fun show and it's on late in night. So it's, you know, it's definitely something you can keep with. And it's also great to catch up on the next day. I, over on the East Coast, it's a little past my bedtime, but, you know, that episode is always waiting in the morning. Yeah, yeah. Nina, thank you so much for joining us and we will make sure to talk to you soon.

Thank you guys for having me. Bye. Bye.