The Breakfast Club - Eating While Broke: ALYSHA BURNEY - Hoodchos

Episode Date: March 15, 2025

The Black Effect Presents... Eating While Broke! In honor of the life and legacy of the incredibly talented Alysha Burney, we are throwing back to an episode of her appearance on this show. On this week's episode of Eating While Broke, Coline welcomes Comedian, Writer, Director, and YouTube sensation, Alysha Burney to make her signature ghetto nachos “Hoodchos.” Right from the start, Alysha’s journey hints at the perseverance it takes to follow your passions. From Kansas City to college in Missouri to finally landing in LA, Alysha’s path has been unpredictable with inspiring ups and downs. They talk honestly about the realities many talents face first moving to a cutthroat industry, but also touch on the moments that reaffirmed Alysha’s gifts. Like when a major TV show reached out even before she believed fully in herself. What’s most striking is Alysha’s transparency about mistakes made and wisdom gained championing the underdog. She shares tips for staying grounded through unexpected viral success. And the key mindset that helped her channel creativity even in lonely seasons. Alysha keeps it real about dating and relationships too, with perspective beyond her years on self-worth and matching energies. And she flips the script on taking life’s lowest points too seriously. Finding humor and hidden blessings that fueled her purpose, especially throughout the pandemic.   Connect: @wittcoline  @alyshaburney_ Share your recipes with us: @EATINGWHILEBROKE   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakfastClubPower1051FMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In Mississippi, Yazoo Clay keeps secrets. Seven thousand bodies out there or more. A forgotten asylum cemetery. It was my family's mystery. Shame, guilt, propriety. Something keeps it all buried deep until it's not. I'm Larisen Campbell and this is Under Yazoo Clay. Listen on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Have you ever wondered if your pet is lying to you? Why is my cat not here? And I go in and she's eating my lunch. Or if hypnotism is real? You will use a suggestion in order to enhance your cognitive control. But what's inside a black hole? Black holes could be a consequence of the way that we understand the universe. Well, we have answers for you in the new iHeart Original Podcast, Science Stuff. Join me or Hitcham as we answer questions about animals, space, our brains,

and our bodies. So give yourself permission to be a science geek and listen to Science Stuff on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Bob Pitman, Chairman and CEO of iHeart Media. I'm excited to share my podcast with you, Math and Magic, Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing. Make sure to check out my recent episode with legendary musician and philanthropist, Jewel. I didn't want a million dollars, I wanted a career.

I wanted a way to figure out how to do something that I loved for the rest of my life. Join me as we uncover innovations in data and analytics, the math and the ever important creative spark, the magic. Listen to math and magic stories from the frontiers of marketing on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, it's Alec Baldwin. This season on my podcast, Here's the Thing, I speak with California

governor Gavin Newsom. Is there any chance of increased tax breaks for the movie business? We're going to double it. You are. I proposed that a few months ago and that was right before the fires. What are the fires only reinforce? The imperative and also working with all our friends, you know, the who's who of Hollywood saying it's time to double down on bringing production back to California, particularly

this time of recovery and renewal. I said to my legislative friends, I said, there's no budget. I'll veto the budget. If we don't get it done, it's going to get done. Listen to Here's the Thing on the iHeartRadioApp, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey guys, welcome to another episode of Eating While Broke. I'm your host, Colleen Witt, and today we have very special guest, famous YouTuber, Alicia Bernie, producer, writer, director. Alicia Bernie's in the building, and I'm excited to hear your story

because it's a long journey for you. Yeah, it is. It's been a long time. It's been a long time. And what are you gonna have me eating today on the show? I I call it hood chose, like hood nachos. So yeah, basically whatever you got in the cabinet, I just combine all four ingredients together. And what are the ingredients?

Sour cream, salsa. You can use tortilla chips like regular tortillas, but today we're going to use Doritos and shredded cheese. Oh, do you usually use tortilla chips or you only do the Dorito Cool Ranch? Honestly, it's whatever chips I can find, but like, yeah. Oh, really, any chips? Any chips. It's always chips.

Okay, have you ever done it with like Cheetos? Mm-mm, I don't like Cheetos. Not even the puffy one? Oh no, you're trippin'. Maybe the hummus. Okay, well, we're gonna have to judge this dish hard. So before, well, I guess while you, another thing I wanted to share with you guys

is that Alicia said that she only usually does this dish in the microwave. Yep. Which is interesting because I would assume the chips get hot. They do. But you don't, like, they're not in there for a long time. It's probably like 30 seconds to a minute.

Okay. Just to melt the cheese a little. And then today you're gonna take one for a long time. It's probably like 30 seconds to a minute. Okay. Just to melt the cheese a little. And then today you're going to take one for the team and cook it on the stovetop. I am. Okay. All right, so get into the cooking of the cheese so I can eat. The cheese? Yes. And then what was going on around the time when you're making this dish? Um, actually, my mom, I mean my auntie, she taught me how to make this.

Like, one day I called her, I was like, I'm hungry. Because there was never no food at home. And then she was like asking me like, what's all in the house? And then she told me like, literally to combine these four ingredients. And I did- How old were you at the time? Probably like nine. And you know, I could only really cook in the microwave or else I was going to get in

trouble. So you was like walking around the house like, hey, there's some chips here, there's some shredded cheese. And she was like, oh, combine all four. And I was like, okay. Okay. Now, are you a cook at home by nature? Oh, yeah, I am.

Cooking is like my love language. Oh, okay. Okay. Like if I cook for you, I love you. When did you start getting into writing and producing? So I started off with sketch comedy. Oh, we should get our chips ready. Really?

Uh-huh. Do however you do. Yeah, put a lot of cheese. I should just cook. Cook all the cheese. Cook all of it. Yeah. But yeah, I started getting started

with writing and producing. I was very young when I started doing comedy sketches. I was like 11. I started on Facebook. I would hack into my, not necessarily hack, but my mom was logged into her Facebook account on the laptop. So I would log in there and I would just upload videos

of myself to her Facebook page. Of course I got in trouble. I'm not supposed to be doing stuff like that. But After that, I just started I kept going with like the comedy sketches Then I was like I want to like take it more serious So last year I write produced directed and acted in and filmed my own short film Mm-hmm, and then ever since then I just keep like producing films And then ever since then, I just keep producing films. But take it back to when you were, you said 11, when you started. What inspired you to get into comedy, even think of comedy sketches?

So my mom, she would always be playing Kevin Hart and stuff. I thought he was so funny. Still to this day, I think he's very funny. And I don't know, it made me want to kind of be like him, because I would always see him on the TV. She would just replay the comedy stuff back to back. I used to watch, this is a commentary on YouTube, Trey Melvin.

I used to also watch Delano Edwards. Who else? There's one more other one. T. Pindell. I used to watch all three of them on YouTube. And then I was like, wow. Like I wanted to create content just like them, because I thought their content was so funny.

So it inspired me. And they were short skits at the time. Mm hmm. OK. And then what was do you remember like one of your first skits that actually did well? Um, it was actually a story time. It wasn't really a skit, but it popped off my channel. I think it was types of workers. Like I just I think I was like 17. my channel. I think it was types of workers. Like I just, I think I was like 17.

And I did this skit like types of workers. It was just me like pretending to be a worker and also playing the character as well. So I played like two different characters. Yeah, I noticed you'll play different characters. And while you're doing all this, what is your mom saying about this passion that you're developing?

She wouldn't really say much. She was just like, I was a kid. She was just like, oh, you know, she didn't really say much. But I did have some people telling me, oh, you need to stop. I don't know. I was a kid. So I don't know. Some people was saying stop.

I used to start cussing in the skits as well. But then it's like once they saw it was like working for me, like making money and like doing, you know, beneficial stuff. Everybody kind of like... Started supporting it? Yeah. Okay. And then what were your friends thinking when you were getting into that at that age?

I would like force them to be in stuff, like be in baskets. Now when you were doing this, this was before Vine and all those guys came out, correct? Uh-huh, but I also hopped on the Vine wagon as well. You did? How well did you do on Vine? By the time I really started popping off, I think I had like 30,000 followers. I was in the eighth grade with like 30,000 followers on Vine. It was people at school like telling me like,

I'm full of BS, like it's never gonna happen for me because I would come to school and be like, oh, everybody subscribe to my YouTube channel. Yeah, they would just talk stuff. But now it's like all those people they support now. Wow. Yeah. Now, where were you at when you got

your first check from YouTube? I was at home. I remember my first big check. Well, actually, my first check in general. What grade was I? I was in the twel... It was senior year of high school, and I got like a $500 check. And to me, that's a lot, because I was working at the time at Hy-Vee. Do you know what Hy-Vee is?

No. I was like a grocery store in Missouri. Okay. Oh, you're not even from out here. Where are you from? Kansas City, Missouri. Kansas City, Kansas City're not even from out here. Where are you from? Kansas City. Kansas City. Kansas City? Me coming up on this show a couple times. Okay.

Yeah. I saw Bobby was on here. He's from Kansas City too. Yeah, yeah. He was an interesting interview. I don't know if you heard it yet, but yeah, he's interesting. So you're in Kansas City, you're in the 12th grade, and at what point did you get the notification from YouTube to monetize the channel? So I started YouTube at a very young age, and the rules were different then. My channel was monetized since I was 16, but I wasn't making any money because I didn't have any views at the time.

But then when I finally got views and stuff, they gave me my first $500 check in the 12th grade. I was so happy. And then I was like, it was in 2020 when COVID had hit. I transferred colleges. And I was just so like depressed and I was like praying to God. I was like, God, like, if you give me enough money, like I'll literally leave Missouri and I'll move to LA,

like to pursue my dreams. Like that's all I really wanted at the time. So that next month I got a $2,500 check. 2,500 is a lot from YouTube. I get it. But at this point, you're in college. You're past high school. So you get your $500 check.

And what are you going to college for? Digital media production. OK. And at this point, are you still recording on iPhones? Are you buying your own equipment? How are you taping? iPhones? Are you buying your own equipment? How are you keeping? I would record on my iPhone. Like I never bought equipment till this year.

Till I moved here, I started taking everything more serious. Okay. Yeah, you may want to put that in that bowl or something. Yeah. Okay. Are you ready to dump the cheese? Let's do it. let's do it. Make us some hood shows? Yeah.

Hood shows, okay go ahead. Hood shows, nachos. Alright go ahead. Okay, so first, you need me to make yours? Yeah, oh I didn't know if you dump it in the bowl or how you're gonna do it. Oh, should we do that? No, I don't need to know.

Okay, okay here, just go ahead. You want me to do it? Yeah, I'll do it. Okay. Just a bunch of chips, I don't need to. Okay, okay, here, just go ahead. You want me? Yeah, I'll do it. Okay. Just a bunch of chips, right? Mm-hmm. Okay. And then just lay them out, just like spread them out.

Mm-hmm. Okay, perfect. Then what, we dump the cheese? Uh-huh, but let me get some more. Yeah, we gotta put a lot. Get into, hoodchoes. Hoodchoes. Okay. Y'all make this whenever y'all are hungry and high.

Don't forget to turn off that stove. Oh yes, I don't wanna burn myself. We don't want you to burn yourself. Yeah. Wow, and that's how the cheese comes out. That's thick. That is thick. All this oil. That's how the cheese comes out. That's thick. That is thick. All this oil.

That's in the cheese. So while you're in college, you're praying for this window of opportunity, but you're in Missouri still? I'm just gonna dump this. Oh yeah, it's very oily. Yeah. Is that how it usually comes out when it's out of the microwave?

No. Okay. And you can it usually comes out when it's out of the microwave? No. Okay. And you can put this back on the stove. Oh. Ooh! I don't know what I was thinking. I'm glad you didn't give it to me. Wow, that would have been the first live burn on the show.

Okay, so salsa. I'm gonna lather mine. And then what, sour cream? Yep. So you're in college, you're praying for a miracle, but you do know that your end result is you want to come to Los Angeles. Yes, so my dad, he moved here when I was like two.

And he was out here, he was pursuing his dreams of becoming a comedian. Also, writing, directing as well. Yeah, this is what it looks like. Yeah, it looks good. It looks official. So he's pursuing his dreams, and is what it looks like. Yeah, it looks good. It looks official. So he's pursuing his dreams. And is he telling you, like, the whole time, like,

you should come to LA and? Yeah, he was, but, um. Was your mom with it? No. No. Not at all. Which I'm glad everything played out the way it did. I wanted to move to here when I was younger,

because I just love the idea of LA, because all my... Did you come and visit before, when your dad was here? I visited first for a cruise, and then I got a... While I'm out, it hit me up, they were like, we want you to come down and audition at one of the locations. It was either New York, I think New York, Atlanta, and then it was LA.

And I was like... They directly hit you up, and you were in college? Yeah, I was 19 when they hit me up. I was like they directly hit you up and you're in college Yeah, I was 19 when they hit me up. I was like so you were making little waves Yeah, I started coming up. You gotta try this before the cheese Pretty good Mm-hmm. I feel like the cheese is thick though. It is thick I like this though You like it that thick?

hmm, I I like this though. You like it that thick? I like it better in the microwave, but I like it on the set of soup. I'm gonna be honest. These chuchos would taste good with just the salsa and the sagan. Don't you think so? Mm-hmm. I agree.

I don't even think you need the cheese. I don't think I'll ever eat Doritos plain again, cause this is amazing. Thank you. I'm gonna take one more bite. Take a bow. Okay, Pucho's made it. Really affordable dish. Fun snack. Y'all this is the best meal on the show thus far. So yeah. We're not gonna say that. But we don gonna give it a 10 out of a 10. So it's up there.

Am I the runner up though? You're runner up. Like this is definitely good. Like we've had the nachos, the Doritos nachos, but as far as simplicity, a couple of minutes to make, I really like it with the salsa and just the sour cream though. Sometimes I do that.

Like if I have Doritos, I'll just put sour cream on them. That's awesome Never ever thought to do this ever So while now hits you up So you're getting it seems like you're getting signs that you should be you're going in the right direction Parents are all supportive. Yeah at this point Alright, so take me on to the next chapter. So do you do the Wild N Out audition? I did, but at the time I was 19.

So everybody's like, when I went there, when I'm around people I don't know, I'm not thinking like, oh, this opportunity could change my life. I'm just shy, like, because I'm 19. These people were like way older than me. Like they have very big personalities. Like at the audition, everybody was loud.

It seemed like they kind of knew each other as well. So I was just sitting there like just very like shy and timid I didn't really say too much and I feel like I didn't show much of my personality I didn't make it but obviously but yeah I feel if I could redo it I would wish that they would hit me up at an older age because I feel like that I have the confidence now. Back then, I didn't. What was your following at the time when they hit you up?

I think I was at 200K on Instagram. And then on YouTube. Now, YouTube is where you make most of your money? But I wasn't popping on YouTube back then. So I feel like they filmed me on Instagram. OK. What was your YouTube is where you make most of your money? Mm-hmm, but I wasn't popping on YouTube back then. So I feel like they filmed me on Instagram. Okay. What was your YouTube following when you made the, like, $2,500 check? Oh, it started skyrocketing.

There's a type of soil in Mississippi called Yazoo clay. It's thick, burnt orange, and it's got a reputation. It's terrible, terrible dirt. Yazoo clay eats everything, so things that get buried there tend to stay buried. Until they're not. In 2012, construction crews at Mississippi's biggest hospital made a shocking discovery. 7,000 bodies out there or more. All former patients of the old state asylum, and nobody knew they were there.

It was my family's mystery. But in this corner of the South, it's not just the soil that keeps secrets. Nobody talks about it. Nobody has any information. When you peel back the layers of Mississippi's Yazoo clay, nothing's ever as simple as you think. The story is much more complicated and nuanced than that. I'm Larysen Campbell. Listen to Under Yazoo Clay on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Have you ever wondered if your pet is lying to you? Why is my cat not here?

Am I going and she's eating my lunch? Or if hypnotism is real? You will use this suggestion in order to enhance your cognitive control. What's inside a black hole? Black holes could be a consequence of the way that we understand the universe. Well, we have answers for you in the new iHeart original podcast, Science Stuff. Join me, Jorge Cham, as we tackle questions you've always wanted to know the answer to about animals, space, our brains, and our bodies.

Questions like, can you survive being cryogenically frozen? This is experimental. This means never work for you. What's a quantum computer? It's not just a faster computer. It performs in a fundamentally different way. Do you really have to wait 30 minutes after eating before you can go swimming?

It's not really a safety issue. It's more of a comfort issue. We'll talk to experts, break it down, and give you easy to understand explanations to fascinating scientific questions. So give yourself permission to be a science geek and listen to science stuff on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Bob Pitman, Chairman and CEO of iHeart Media. I'm excited to share my podcast with you, Math and Magic, Stories from the Frontiers

of Marketing. Make sure to check out my recent episode with legendary musician and philanthropist, Jewel. I didn't want a million dollars. I wanted a career. I wanted a way to figure out how to do something that I loved for the rest of my life. Join me as we uncover innovations in data and analytics, the math and the ever important creative spark, the magic. Listen to math and magic,

stories from the frontiers of marketing on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, it's Amartines. The news can feel like a lot on any given day, but you can't just ignore las noticias when important world changing events are happening. That is where the Up First podcast comes in. Every single morning in under 15 minutes,

we take the news and boil it down to three essential stories so you can keep up without feeling stressed out. Listen Up First from NPR on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. So that was the year of 2020. This was October when I made the 2,500. So in December I hit 100k on YouTube. So I'm not sure where I was in October. Maybe like 80k. I think I was at 80,000.

But I was coming up like that's when I popped off. Like, some people, they would meet me and be like, oh, the quarantine queen. Because, like, that's when my channel was blown up. During quarantine. And were you doing any day jobs during quarantine? How were you surviving? I wasn't. Just social media, really.

That's it. So how were you? Were you getting paid enough to survive on social media? Well, I lived with my mom. Well, I lived on campus. But, like, when I would go home, I would lived with my mom. Well, I lived on campus. But when I would go home, I would be with my mom. So that was good.

So you were good. So were your checks consistent? Are they monthly? Yeah, once a month. I was getting also paid from promos. People would pay me to post their businesses on that account. What else? That's really it.

I did have jobs here and there. I was always getting fired though. Like I worked at a hotel, but. Where were you getting fired from? Like why? Yeah. I don't know. You just weren't into it.

You weren't passionate about it? Yeah. So you're continuing with your YouTube channel and your social media. Right now you have almost a million subscribers on YouTube, which is a huge feat. It says you started your channel in 2013. What was the hardest hiccup in that journey?

Were there hard moments, like even coming up, did you feel the pressure to come up with content? Yeah, that's kinda how I feel right now. So at first, everything came to me naturally. I would just upload once a month, which is not consistent at all. Sometimes I'll go three months without uploading. But I had my channel just for fun.

I was creative, so I wanted to showcase that. Of course, I wanted followers too, or subscribers. But it became hard when everybody wanted me to start posting more consistently, because I wasn't used to it. When you say everybody, like fans were reaching out, like when's your next post? Yeah. And I was like, dang, it's getting real. So I have to post once a week.

And I just graduated college last May. So when I was in school, I had work due. But I know I had to post, so I was like, dang. I had a lot to do. And then at this point, how consistent are the checks? Just still once a month. Once a month. But the size of the checks are?

They go up and down. My biggest check that I got one month was 40,000. Never seen that again. 40,000? Yeah. What the heck? You never seen it? That was one time.

That was one time. I was like, during that time I was coming up. But was that during the pandemic? It was in 2021. So that's right after the pandemic. Oh my gosh. So what did you do with the money? I didn't do anything big.

I just kind of kept it. Do you still have it? Kind of? Well, yeah. OK, so you're managing your money. Now, when you get checks like that, who was the first person you called? And did you know that check was arriving,

or does it come in the mail, or do they send you an email? How does that work? So if you go in the app, on the studio app, YouTube Studio, it'll tell you what you're getting that month. When I saw that, I was like, what? That's crazy. But I was also getting like $ you're getting that month. When I saw that I was like, what? Like that's crazy. But I was also getting like 10,000 a month. So it didn't really like affect me.

10,000 a month is really good money. And are you telling your family like, yo, this is how much money I'm making? So that's the mistake I made. I told my mom, like I made my first 11,000 in December of 2020. And I was proud. So I told my mom, she told the whole family,

like now everybody knows how much I make. So yeah. Why is it like a not so good thing? Because people start asking you for stuff. Like if you like make a lot of money, they'll start like, I don't know, it's like, I don't know. Like when you guys go out to you, they be like, you got the bill, you got it. I hate that. Like, yeah. I just want to feel like, like, I don't know it's like I don't know that when you guys go out to you They'd be like you got the bill you got it like right like yeah

I want to feel like like I don't know like when people buy stuff Like if I buy something for somebody it's cuz I care about them or like I don't know I want to feel like somebody cares about me, too like that's one of my oh my love language one of my love language is like Give giving yeah, okay so like when somebody buys me something like I feel like I don't know feel like they care even though that One of my love languages is like... Gift giving? Yeah. Okay. So like when somebody buys me something, like I feel like, I don't know, I feel like they care even though that can always be the case.

But yeah, so I'm always having to buy people stuff. People expect me to like pay for everything. So that's why I just say anybody that got money, keep it on that. Did you ever have that conversation with your mom later? So if she were to listen to this interview, she would be like, oh my gosh, I didn't know that. I'm sure she knows. I think I did tell her it does bother me

when people ask me how much I make from like. Oh really? Are you uncomfortable saying it on the show? Oh no, I don't care. Okay. We just talk about it on the show because our show was really created for the underdog Yeah, and so we're trying to get them like don't quit even though. Oh, yeah, don't quit keep going

I have my channel since 13 now. I'm living off of my channel So I feel like anybody that was ten years ago So well 11 now because it's when you're but keep going but it wasn't so like years in so you got your first Yeah, right. It wasn't like year one. Mm-mm. 2020 is when I got my first big check. Oh, that's seven years. Yeah, dedication. That's seven long years.

And no part of you was like during that journey, like maybe I should give up or maybe I should pause this. Mm-mm, I loved it so much. Really? Mm-hmm. Now tell me about your concept process. Is it like you're going through everyday life and then you see something and it sparks? Like tell me what that process looks like.

Yeah, everyday life. Like I'll see stuff. I'll be like, I need to make a skit about this. Or I'll see something trending and I'm like, I got to hop on the bandwagon because that's how videos go viral. You just got to hop on what's trending. Like when they're trending. I have this, I don't know if you know him,

but James Andre Jefferson Jr. He's such a long name. That is a long name. But he's like, he makes fun of like a lot of the celebrities and trending, but I remember when he was getting into social media, he had discovered that if you could strike while the trending was happening, like on topic, then your stuff can trend with it.

Very true. But the turnaround has to be like a lot of pressure. Yeah, it is. Cause it's like, you got to come up with something quick. Like how the whole, like what's something trending now? Or we could say like the, like all the submarine stuff going on, like if somebody makes like a review about how they feel, I feel like that's easier. But if you make like, just hop on the bandwagon, talk about what's going on,

like in the moment. Like even the Jaded Pinkett stuff that was happening with Will Smith, I hopped on the train, like I made a skit, like pretending I was her and I was getting interviewed. You just gotta hop on quick, do something creative. What was the one thing that like, because you have 900, almost a million followers on YouTube, what is the one thing that like, because you have 900, almost a million followers on YouTube,

what is the one thing that you did that where you saw like a huge jump in your numbers? I started doing these videos, what is it, if slavery existed in 2021 or 2022, but I would make like parodies, but I get a lot of backlash from black people because they're like, oh, slavery is not a joke when they were not even running with

Harriet and no, but yeah I don't know but that's something a lot of people like I guess and then the online class videos because in 2020 those were like That's trending cuz like COVID and stuff. So a lot of people were taking classes online. So I hopped on that and We're not necessarily hopped on that. I created that wave, like the whole online classes, parodies. Yeah. And then where did you learn how to edit? Are you editing your videos or are you having someone else edit?

Oh, I edit them. Wow. And then you sit there with the lighting and the shooting and all of that. That's nuts. My brother taught me how to edit. We used to make videos together. We had a channel and everything. Where's your brother at now? He lives in Dallas. He graduated college in like 2021.

Yeah, he moved to... He's older than you? One year, or 11 months. Yeah, he's like my best friend. Aw. I wish he was here. Aw, that's so sweet. Shout out, brother.

Shout out to Charles, y'all. So does your brother have a YouTube channel, or does he just kind of support yours? Oh, he does, but he doesn't. He's not really active on there. We've not felt like he should be, but he's not active, like, at all. Is he choosing a different route from you?

Oh, yeah. We did start together. Like, my channel now that I have now, me and him created that channel in 2013. And then I think it was called like Charles and Alicia. And like, I don't know, he just, I don't know. I think when he went to college, he just kind of stopped. And he just wanted to do what, do you know what he's majoring in?

He did IT, informational technology. Okay, so both you guys are choosing good, well, good careers and hard careers at that. Yeah, I know IT is hard. So when you moved to LA,, what does that move look like? I actually, so I graduated May 6th, and I moved out here May 15th. I was not doing no plan. The 2023?

Oh, so you've only been out, you're a newbie. Yeah. OK, so did you move in with your dad right away? Oh, no, I moved in by myself. Like I just came up here alone. And what was the conversation with your mom looking like when you make this jump? I was telling everybody like before, I was like, y'all I'm moving to LA.

People don't be taking me serious, but yeah, I moved out here. Wait, you moved to LA? So tell me the story about you moving to LA. So I was in college, like coming home from classes, searching up like apartments in LA, calling them, getting a virtual tours, because of course I couldn't go out there like,

because I had to be in school. So I was searching up like apartments, like in LA, yeah. So I was doing like virtual tours. I didn't know downtown was as bad as it is. Go to Skid Row and all that? You had a nice reality check? I walked outside like, what is this?

I didn't know what was going on. So you graduate and you're like, I know I'm moving to LA. Yeah, so and I was making good money at the time for my YouTube channel. So I was like, I'm good. Like I'm gonna just move out here. And my dad, he moved out of LA 2022,

but I moved into LA 2023. So it was like, dang, he left and I came. So I was just out here alone. When I first moved out here, I was so depressed, like very depressed. I started gaining a lot of weight because I was just eating to fill my voids. Why were you depressed?

I was lonely. I would reach out to people. I feel like I'm about to cry, but I'm not going to. On this show, people cry. Just so you know. Really? Yeah. Oh. Right? This is the safest place to cry. All right. Yeah. But I was just very depressed

and I feel like nobody like back home, like really cared. I would reach out to people, like tell them how I felt. But people would like literally take me as a joke. And I know I like make funny videos and I like do stuff to like, show my emotions like I'll be funny or something but I don't know. So when you were calling people saying what you were going through, were they doing that like cliche like, Oh girl, you're lucky or it could be hard, it could be harder. I used to hate that, like when people be like, the whole world in my life crashed to an end and then they'd be like, it could be harder, there's kids in another country.

Yeah. You know, you're like, I get that, but right now I need help. Yeah, I feel like all I have was myself. That's why I'm like so like independent, because like. I don't know, that's why I do everything on my own, move everything on my own. I literally didn't have no help, physical help moving any of my stuff. I hired movers, hired somebody to move my car. I just had to get out of the museum. And you're like 22, I'm assuming, at the time? Yeah, 22, 23. I would say early 20s, yeah. And you're like 22, I'm assuming, at the time? Or? Yeah, 22, 23. I would say early 20s, yeah.

And you're doing this all on your home. No mommy, daddy help. At this point, you're just 100% on your own. Yeah. But that's like what I wanted because like I want to be independent because I feel like, I really feel like nobody would be caring about how I feel. Like I genuinely feel like that.

I feel like independence comes from a lot of neglect. It's almost like a survival spirit. Whenever I see someone that's ultra independent, I'm like, they went through some stuff. Yeah. A lot. Yeah. Yeah. Wow.

Okay. So when you move and you finally land, I'm hoping it's not in downtown LA because you say it was culture shock. Yeah, I was like, what is this? Is this a joke? Like literally, because I got my apartment tour and I was like, oh, is it a good area? I should just came down here and looked.

But he was like, yeah, the area is good. There's a few homeless people downtown, but you'll be fine. No, not a few. Was it in downtown? I live on 4th Street. Oh, wow. Wow. OK, so you're like by it. Like all in 4th Street. Oh, wow. Yeah. Wow.

OK, so you're like, buy it. Like, all in it. It's like, yeah. You know what's crazy? Because some of those lofts down there are really nice. So I could see you looking at the loft like, oh, girl, I'm about to come. I'm about to live my best life. And you pull up.

And there's like, you know, 10 million homeless people. And that's like a culture shock. That is very scary to like. OK, so you're making it work, though. Now, are you doing anything outside, are you just 100% YouTube, 100% short film, and then have you developed your own little crew to survive LA? I do have a few people that I, I just got done filming a short film. It's called Los Angeles Los Angeles, so it's just about like me narrating my life here

Crazy situations and stuff. I did find some people but the people out here are so weird like they're like Like when I first meet somebody I don't tell them like what I do like initially because people have ulterior motives But when I meet people they like if someone meets you, what do you tell them? I just talk to them like, I just don't even bring it up. Okay. I don't know. I feel like that's the second question. Whenever you meet someone in LA, it's like, hi, my name is, and they're like, what do you do?

Yes, that's so true. The one thing I liked about the pandemic was, it was the first time people stopped asking what you do. It's more like, how are you doing? Yeah. And that was like, I think the most beautiful thing about the pandemic. It was also people going to people's houses

and just eating around a table, playing board games, like doing stuff, not at a restaurant, you know, or what have you. I think there was something really beautiful in that space of we're all trapped in a nightmare together together, but I hate I absolutely hate that about LA where it's like, what do you do? What do you do? What do you do? So but you moved here in the what do you do here? Yeah, so when they ask you what do you do? What do you say? Um, I told him like oh I direct produce film I do comedy sketches, but people are full of shit. Can I cut? Yeah, you can cut. People are full of shit

So I feel like they probably like, oh, just another one of those, but I actually am like. Yeah, you're doing it, like you're making money. You're not working at Target, you're 100% doing you. So I feel like when they, like first, like people would treat me like, like I'm just like nobody, which you know, it's fine, treat me however, but.

Well it's just cause you look. Yeah, so they're like Yeah, they're more like aspiring or what have you did you watch the Tyler Perry documentary? No, you didn't a lot of people keep telling me to watch it. I don't know Let me tell you girl. I watched I cried a couple times. I didn't even know his story Homeless, right? Well, he did end up with a little bit of homelessness, but he came from a lot of abuse. Like, I did not know that. Yeah, it was kind of interesting.

That's probably why he writes about what he writes about. Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely. That's good. Well, that's not good, but it's good that he, like, shows that in movies, like, that people can get through it. Do you ever make fun of the characters in your family? Or, like, play around with the characters in your family? Or like play around with the characters in your family or develop characters?

From people in my family? Or friends? No, I don't know where they come from. I feel like I got like 10 different personalities. So just pick one, play the character, yeah. Just like the mother I play in my films, like sometimes I'll play like a mom. That's not how my mom acts at all. I don't know where that character stems from. Like the mother I play in my films, like sometimes I play like a mom.

That's not how my mom acts at all. I don't know where that character stems from. But my mom, she's like very nice, very like quiet and reserved. But the mom that I play like in my films is very like... The opposite? Yeah, very loud, very like, I don't know, just crazy. And my mom is not like that at all. So I don't know why I do that or like where I got it from. But that's probably one of my favorite characters,

like, playing as the mom. What is the day in the life of you now that you're in LA? Um, get up, go to the gym, come home, shower, make a video. Um, and then after that, the rest is history. When you say make a video, like, just edit, like, what's that process? Like, a couple hours?

Yeah. Maybe, like, four hours max for a YouTube video Make the video edit it upload it the same day probably gonna do that after the interview really Your money from YouTube do you feel like it's sustainable or is it like the entertainment business where it's like up down up down up down Yeah, be up and down like one month go from 40,000 that month to the next month I'm making three thousand and five thousand ten thousand back down to three like it's up and down But I saved enough like before I moved here just in case it like Fluctuates and then do you put yourself on payroll? Like we were talking about, I think

it was with Brandon Rogers, who's another YouTuber. It's like when you have your money goes to a corporation or does it go to you? It goes to me. There's a type of soil in Mississippi called Yazoo clay. It's thick, burnt orange, and it's got a reputation. It's terrible, terrible dirt. Yazoo clay eats everything, so things that get buried there tend to stay buried. Until they're not. In 2012, construction crews at Mississippi's biggest hospital made a shocking discovery.

7,000 bodies out there or more. All former patients of the old state asylum. And nobody knew they were there. It was my family's mystery. But in this corner of the South, it's not just the soil that keeps secrets. Nobody talks about it. Nobody has any information. When you peel back the layers of Mississippi's Yazoo Clay,

nothing's ever as simple as you think. The story is much more complicated and nuanced than that. I'm Larysen Campbell. Listen to Under Yazoo Clay on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Have you ever wondered if your pet is lying to you? Why is my cat not here? And I go in and she's eating my lunch.

Or if hypnotism is real? You will use this suggestion in order to enhance your cognitive control. What's inside a black hole? Black holes could be a consequence of the way that we understand the universe. Well, we have answers for you in the new iHeart Original Podcast, Science Stuff. Join me, Jorge Cham, as we tackle questions you've always wanted to know the answer to about animals, space, our brains, and our bodies. Questions like, can you survive being cryogenically frozen?

This is experimental. This means never work for you. What's a quantum computer? It's not just a faster computer. It performs in a fundamentally different way. Do you really have to wait 30 minutes after eating before you can go swimming? It's not really a safety issue. It's more of a comfort issue. We'll talk to experts, break it down, and give you easy to understand explanations to fascinating scientific questions.

So give yourself permission to be a science geek and listen to science stuff on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Bob Pitman, Chairman and CEO of iHeartMedia. I'm excited to share my podcast with you, Math and Magic, Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing. Make sure to check out my recent episode with legendary musician and philanthropist, Jewel. I didn't want a million dollars, I wanted a career.

I wanted a way to figure out how to do something that I loved for the rest of my life. Join me as we uncover innovations in data and analytics, the math, and the ever-important creative spark, the magic. Listen to Math and Magic, stories from the frontiers of marketing on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, it's Amartines. The news can feel like a lot on any given day, but you can't just ignore las noticias when important world-changing events are happening. That is where the Up First podcast comes in. Every

single morning in under 15 minutes, we take the news and boil it down to three essential stories so you can keep up without feeling stressed out. Listen Up First from NPR on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcasts. Okay. So yeah, traditionally you would, you know, create a corporation and then maybe get like an ADP and they'll cut your salary. And then you can kind of like live on a more budget and then build cashflow in the business. Oh, I didn't know that. Yeah. That's a lot I don't know, but I love to learn. Yeah, yeah.

We could talk after camera to like kind of fix that, but I'm guessing right now, do you put yourself on a strict budget? Like this is my monthly and I don't go over or do you just be like, it's $10,000 a month? I just don't go crazy with spending. Like, I don't just spend my money like how I would, like, if I made like $5,000 a month. Like, that's like kinda how I spend them. I don't do too much, like, at all.

I'm very cheap. What advice would you give to someone that's trying to get into the game right now? Keep going, and if the people are supporting you coming up, make sure you lock in with them once you come up. Because, yeah, all the people that are around you when you're coming up, just know those people are loyal, and they like you for you.

Because when you get, like, I feel like where I am, I'm not, like, I don't know. I need a better heart of discernment. Because some people just come into my life, or try to come into my life because of who I am So yeah, if you're coming up make sure the people around you stay around them. Don't make any new friends Yeah, I I tell myself that my high school friends are my Mm-hmm. It sounds terrible I have plenty of friends, but I always feel like my friends

from high school are my real friends. Like, you know, the good, the bad, the ugly, you know where I'm from, where I'm going, you know everything about me. And if I don't talk to you for a year, I know we could pick up the phone and I'm not getting like, you ain't calling me and da da da da da. And they're like clocking or whatever, you know? Yeah, locked in. Yeah, I went to New York recently. My girlfriend from high school, she was like, here's my car. Here's my car seat.

Have fun. Like, you know, like, I got you type, you know? It was like just very much like family. And we don't talk every day. It's just like, I'm coming, girls, whatever. Or if I'm going through a breakup, I've had a girlfriend girlfriend get on a plane, get a bunch of ice cream and candy,

and we watch Pretty Woman and a bunch of just silly stuff, all the way from New York, and I'm like, you're a real friend. That's a real friend. And those are rare. But how's dating in LA? Have you tried dating in LA yet? No.

Yeah, I feel like the trickery is LA guys are different. I think everyone in LA is kind of opportunistic, but I think the dangerous part of being in social media would be that. I think even bigger than being a celebrity, like if you're big on social media. Everybody want to date you. Yeah. They just want some clout. But who knows, maybe not. I don't know. I don't know. I haven't wanna date you. Yeah. They just want some clout.

But who knows, maybe not. I don't know, I don't know. I haven't dated in L.A. Okay. Probably not ever going to. Are you single right now or are you not single? Because you said you're not going to. You're in a relationship?

Yeah. You can say it. It's complicated. It's complicated. Complicated is never good. It's never good. That's what I'm saying. See?

See, if the relationship confuses you, leave. Yeah, I have, my friends tell me all the time, they're like, you're so good at spotting a red flag. There's like, there's nobody better than spotting a red flag than you. But for whatever reason, you will spot the red flag and go, hmm, maybe that's just like a slow down. Maybe that's a maybe. Maybe like, yeah, no, it's a red flag.

You got to respect the red flag and put it in its place. Yeah. And I think as a woman, it just boils down to like, I don't know, it always boils down to like women's like, kryptonite, which is like knowing your worth. That is, I don't know how it always boils down to like women's like kryptonite, which is like knowing your worth. That is, I don't know how we come up with our worth or knowing our worth. I think that's just a woman's greatest challenge. See that's why I'm not dating in LA, because I know my worth. You know your worth. But you're in something complicated. Yeah It's like a bunch of red flags and there's a lot of green flags as well, you know, but

red means stuff. I don't know. I just turned 40. So now I haven't turned 40 yet. I'm gonna be 40 soon. And I'm learning like at this point, you just got to respect the red flag because the deeper you go, the harder it is to get out. You know, I'm just that's just me being totally honest. Because the deeper you go, the harder it is to get out.

You know, I'm just, that's just me being totally honest. You know, the more invested you are. And I also have this other philosophy when it comes to relationships. Whoever invests more loses the most. That's true. Especially if it's over, yeah. Yeah, yeah, whoever invests more, whoever.

And that doesn't just mean monetary wise, it means time wise, it just means like, if the scale is not tipped evenly, I promise you, you will be the one that's hurt more in the end, so. Yeah, that's a crazy way to look at it. No, that's a good way, actually. Well, that's why you ever hear people say,

like, you gotta match the other person's energy. Yeah. Oh, you gave this, I'll match that, you know. When I was young, I would date a guy, boy, I'll go all out, you know. I'll match that you know you when I was young outdated guy boy. I'll go all out you know just You know same that's how I am. I like to like spoil people I like to be spoiled too mm-hmm, but yeah I feel like I always give so much of myself

And I need to just protect my heart at this point like I need to give what I give to that person I need to give that to myself. I'm learning that right now and I'm old as heck. You're not old. I'm up there. I've been trying to avoid the topic for a while. No, you look very young though. Thank you, thank you.

What else do people just don't know about you? I'm a very introverted person. I know sometimes I come off as very outgoing, which I am online. Sometimes I am in person, but I have to be very, very comfortable. Yeah, I'm just a very introverted person. And I'm always sad. And people don't be believing me because I joke around a lot I heard comics are like or comedians and that that line of work. They're the most sad

Mm-hmm, which is crazy because they bring the most joy. It's cuz we have to go through things alone cuz like I'm not sure I can't speak for anybody else But I know with me people don't take me serious and I'm also supposed to be the person that makes everybody else laugh So it's like I don't even feel comfortable coming to people sometimes. I don't want to bring them that energy and then I Don't know We just I feel like we go through a lot of stuff alone like a lot of our emotions. Mm-hmm Yeah, yeah, but it makes you stronger in the end. It does I mean as long as you got that solid one or two, I think you're good.

And then do you have mentors? Mm, no. What? Yeah. What? You need to get some. I don't care how old you are. Like, you could be my age. I still look for mentors.

I'm always looking for a mentor. Anyone that's like even semi where I want to be at or like just different from me. I'm like, yo, can you be my mentor? Can you teach me something new? I wish. Yeah, girl. Well, I'm here in LA.

So I definitely, if you ever need a mentor-y. Yeah. Matter of fact, you could be my mentor in some areas. You could be my mentor. We could mentor each other. So yeah, I'd be my mentor. Okay, good. Cause you know, I'm struggling with YouTube. I know my, the girl that runs my YouTube, we can monetize now.

She's always like, monetize the channel. I'm like, we're going to get $0.05. You should still monetize it. That's what she says. She's like, girl. I'm like, you should monetize it. You're going to have to, you know what? It builds up.

We're going to mentor each other. Yeah. Oh my goodness. I can't believe you didn't. And you have the ability to? Yeah yeah, we do and she's been on me like just fill out the paperwork I'm like for what you need to do it like your money could be growing. So there's a threshold on YouTube It's a hundred dollars. So after you hit a hundred they deposit whatever into your account. So right now like Look like all your views. I don't know, like, added up. If they make 100, I'm sure you're at $100. So you're like, you need to get like after.

But I didn't know that's how it works. I just thought maybe like if I hit like 5,000 subscribers, then I would hit monetization. But if I don't hit it, is it only from that date four that it accrues, or they look at the previous data? Just from that date four. That's why I said you need to get monetized. Oh. Yeah. Seerues or they look at the previous data? Just from that date forward. That's why I said you need to give them that.

See, look at you teaching us. So like they're not going to give you any money from like anything before today, if you monetize today. So when they gave me the opportunity, that's when I was supposed to do it. When did they tell you? Probably a couple months ago. You should do it. Yeah.

It's not like I missed out on that much. I mean, we got a small little. But I do, I would be very happy over a $100 check, just because it's like that milestone of like, oh, shit, we did it. I remember interviewing country Wayne, and he was talking about his, like, he monetized his channel during the pandemic.

It was like getting like $40, like 40 to 100,000 per day. 100,000? Yeah. How much did he say? Yeah, he said he's just getting like 100, 200, 300,000. I was like... That's a lot. Yeah. And it was like during the pandemic, he monetized it. Wow. Could you imagine how much money he probably missed out on? Yeah.

Because I did not know that's how it works. Wow. Yeah, you should monetize. Yeah. Yeah. And you should be know that's how it works. Well, yeah, you should mind it's us. Yeah. Yeah, you should be my mentor. You heard it here first. I do stand up comedy sometimes. What? Yeah. How's it going? Um, I don't do it anymore really. But my last show was in November, November 8th. That was the last show I did. Um, it's good, but like I don't really focus on that really. made you get into stand-up my dad He was a stand-up comedian out here as well, but he moved back to where? Texas oh he's in Texas is he in Austin no I know all the comics are moving to Austin. He's in Houston

Okay, okay, but him. I don't know that's where he's from and then my mom is from Missouri But they met in college such a sweet love story like love and basketball. Oh for real Is it really like a love and basketball story? Well, love and track, I guess. They both were in track. OK. But are they still together? No, OK, OK. They should be.

Why, because they're like best friends or something? No, because they're my parents. And they need to be. Even though they're both dating other people, I don't care. Aw. That's so sweet. But did you grow up in two-parent household? Oh, no, they split when you were two, right?

So it was just me my mom and my brother. Okay. Okay. Yeah. All right There was something else it literally like I was like don't forget to ask this and then I forgot was it something deep Yeah, it was something deep deep too. I Need to be deeper. I think I got a little I wanted to ask you I noticed you do do meet meet and greets, don't you? I did one. You did one. What made you do it and, like, what was the experience like?

Um, what made me do it? Um, this girl I went to school with, she, um, she moved out there and she, like, does a lot of work in Atlanta. So then she, like, set up this meet and greet with this restaurant so to bring people to the restaurant and then bring people to meet me. So it was kind of a collaborative thing. The experience, so it was in a small country part of Atlanta or Georgia. I thought it was in Atlanta, but I was on there promoting, like, hey ATL.

So now a lot of people came, but it was still good to have the experience though. Would you ever do that again? And probably in a different location, yes. Like Texas, when I went to Texas this or last year, what month was this? This was like September or October. It was in October. I was getting stopped. I was going to stop the lot.

Like I have a big fan base in Texas, Dallas. Okay. Okay. I would do it there. All right. I have a big fan base in Texas, Dallas. Okay, okay. I would do it there. All right, well, and then if you were to do it, would you do stand-up or would you just like talk about your experiences as a YouTuber?

I would probably talk about like, I don't know, my experiences, have people come up, because I have a few songs like on my channel that everybody knows, because it's like my outro songs, intro songs, I would probably have them come up and see like who could rap it the best, do a giveaway, take pictures, stuff like that. I wouldn't do stand up though, because my fan base is younger. My stand up is like for adults, so yeah.

Oh my gosh. Well, where can we keep up with you if you do do stand up? Do you announce it on your Instagram and share with our listeners what your Instagram is. My Instagram is A-L-Y-S-H-A-B-U-R-N-E-Y underscore Alicia Bernie underscore, my only page. That's your only page. And then you, so you just have Instagram, you're not doing TikTok or any of those guys?

Oh yeah, I do, I have TikTok. I have a million on there, 1.5 million. And was it like instant or did you have to organically grow it? Yeah organically. I started in like during COVID. COVID was like the real, real pivot, pivotal moment for you. Wow. I blew up on everything. Yeah. During COVID. That three, that two years changed your life. It did. Everybody says how COVID affected them like horribly. I'm just like, COVID bless me. Wow.

Shout outs to COVID. Shout out to you, COVID. And I never caught it. You never caught, what? Yeah. Girl, I done had COVID so many times. I'm like, yeah. Really? I had, oh yeah, I've caught it a bunch of times.

Or maybe I caught it and didn't know. Oh yeah. Maybe you're one of those lucky ones. Cause when I first got hit with it, I knew oh wow I knew Thanks for your evening midnight snack mm-hmm Thanks for blessing us with your energy And thanks to all our listeners peace out guys! For more Eating While Broke from iHeartRadio and The Black Effect, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

In Mississippi, Yazoo Clay keeps secrets. Seven thousand bodies out there or more. A forgotten asylum cemetery. It was my family's mystery. Shame, guilt, propriety, something keeps it all buried deep until it's not. I'm Larisen Campbell and this is Under Yazoo Clay. Listen on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Have you ever wondered if your pet is lying to you?

Why is my cat not here? And I go in and she's eating my lunch. Or if hypnotism is real? We will use a suggestion in order to enhance your cognitive control. But what's inside a black hole? Black holes could be a consequence of the way that we understand the universe. Well, we have answers for you in the new iHeart original podcast, Sighin' Stuff. Join me or Hitcham as we answer questions about animals, space, our brains, and our bodies.

So give yourself permission to be a science geek and listen to science stuff on the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Bob Pitman, Chairman and CEO of iHeart Media. I'm excited to share my podcast with you, Math and Magic, Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing. Make sure to check out my recent episode with legendary musician and philanthropist, Jewel. I didn't want a million dollars, I wanted a career. I wanted a way to figure out how to do something

that I loved for the rest of my life. Join me as we uncover innovations in data and analytics, the math, and the ever important creative spark, the magic. Listen to Math and Magic, Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, it's Alec Baldwin. This season on my podcast, Here's the Thing, I speak with California Governor Gavin Newsom.

Is there any chance of increased tax breaks for the movie business? We're going to double it. You are. I proposed that a few months ago and that was right before the fires. What are the fires only reinforce? The imperative and also working with all our friends, you know, the who's who of Hollywood saying it's time to double down on bringing production back to California, particularly this time of recovery and renewal.

I said to my legislative friends, I said there's no budget, I'll veto the budget. If we don't get it done, it's going to get done.