The Breakfast Club - FULL SHOW: Stephen A. Smith Speaks On Rihanna Comments, Is Marriage Still The Goal? Louis A Molina, Lala's Rumor Report and More!

Episode Date: January 25, 2023

Today we are joined by our cohost Lala Anthony once again as she delivers the Rumor Report.  We are also joined by Stephen A Smith to discuss his father, First Take, Ayesha Curry, his Rihanna comment...s and more. Lastly we are joined by the NYC Department of Corrections Commissioner Louis A Molina to discuss the state of Rikers Island and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcript
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Starting point is 00:00:00 Good morning, USA! Wednesday on The Breakfast Club. What's happening? How y'all feel out there? Yes, it's Wednesday. It's hump day. Middle of the week. And our guest host is running a little late. You know, listen. Our guest host this morning is Lala Anthony again. La Lazy. I don't even like to say that they running late. Because, you know. It's not like they really work here.
Starting point is 00:00:37 That is true. They're not getting a check. She got four hours. She can get here when she get here. That's right. You know what I mean? That's right. She'll get here.
Starting point is 00:00:44 You know, maybe do a little makeup, you know what I mean? Drink a little Starbucks or something. You know, she'll get right in the groove. That's right. Well, we got Stephen A. Smith joining us this morning. Stephen A. Smith will be here this morning. He has an amazing new book out. It's called Scrapeshooter.
Starting point is 00:00:57 You know I love reading. I love books. And Stephen A.'s book is really, really good for a number of reasons. But the most important reason is because he don't be talking about his personal life. Not at all. You've never really heard Stephen A. delve into his personal life. And his book, Scrape Shooter, a memoir of second chances and first takes, really, really digs into his personal life. I thought he was married for the longest.
Starting point is 00:01:19 Nah. He got two baby mamas, though. That you found out in the book? Found that out in the book. Okay. He got two baby mamas, though. That you found out in the book. Found that out in the book. Okay. He got two baby mamas. And, you know, he talks about a relationship that I think that men don't talk about enough, which is the relationships with our fathers.
Starting point is 00:01:32 You know what I mean? Especially when some of them weren't the best. And he definitely didn't have the best relationship with his pops. He talks about that a lot in the book. But we'll talk to Stephen A. Smith this morning. Scrape Shooter. A memoir of second chances and first takes. He'll be here to discuss that.
Starting point is 00:01:46 Absolutely. My dad called me yesterday. He was like, I just want to tell you something. I said, what's up, pops? He goes, I love you. So my pops was listening. So if you're listening this morning, dad, good morning. Yeah, I realize the context of, I get what you're, the discussion we was having yesterday.
Starting point is 00:01:57 But man, love you is just a matter of context. You know what I'm saying? And that's what I was saying yesterday. If you know an individual loves you, your dad could have called you and said, I just want you to know, love you, son. Right. It would have felt the same way as I love you. You don't think so?
Starting point is 00:02:10 Yeah, it would have. It's just about context, man. Yeah. You know, if you're on top of somebody breathing and sweating and, you know, y'all making love and you say I love you, it's a different context. Yeah. You know? You can't even look me in the eyes right now.
Starting point is 00:02:23 Say I love you, King. You love me? No, say it to me. No, you say now. Say I love you, King. You love me? No, say it to me. No, you say it first. I love you, King. All right, thank you. See what I'm saying? I love you back.
Starting point is 00:02:30 See what I'm saying? I said I love you back. That's cool. I said I love you back. That's cool. You know, I say I love you more. All right, now it's too much going on now. Okay, it's too much.
Starting point is 00:02:38 Why? Why is love too much? It's too much. That's the problem with y'all, Negroes. You say I love you, let it go. That's why you got a hump in your back now. I don't have a hump in my back. You got a hump in your back right now Because you can't accept love
Starting point is 00:02:45 My back is straight Why you poking your nipples out What What are you talking about First of all it is cold in here It has nothing to do with you I'm not doing this with you today It's cold in here
Starting point is 00:03:02 I got nipples up top and shrinkies below Alright well let's get the show cracking. Where's La La when you need her, man? This is too much masculine energy here. It's too much. There's nothing about me that's masculine. You're right. You're absolutely right.
Starting point is 00:03:14 All right, we got front page news. I am divine, feminine, personified. All right. Now we got to tell you about this winter storm that's about to hit the, I can't even say the East Coast. The East Coast, the South, and a bunch of areas. So we'll talk about it when we come back it's the breakfast club good morning morning everybody it's dj nv charlamagne the guy we are the breakfast club let's get in some front page news now congratulations to lebron i think this is pretty dope i think he's like 200
Starting point is 00:03:38 points away from beating the all-time scoring record last night lebron james uh his team lakers were playing the Clippers, and he becomes the first player in NBA history to score 40 points against all 30 NBA teams. I mean, he's the greatest old player of all time, right? I take it safe to say that. I've never seen nobody at, what, 38 years old play at the level of LeBron is playing at. He's absolutely the greatest old player of all time. they're saying in the next six or seven games he'll beat that record of uh all-time scoring now uh be careful out there all right now they're saying 17 million people are under winter storm warnings now this is from texas to new york so they're saying a winter storm warning uh will be hitting today between one and three they say some places it might just get an inch or two inches of
Starting point is 00:04:25 snow some people are going to get 10 inches of snow and that will affect texas oklahoma arkansas missouri illinois uh indiana ohio michigan and of course new york and new jersey so be careful out there all right we can't handle no 10 inches brother you can't hell no you ever try i don't listen i don't want 10 inches of snow. Not right now in January. And why do they always wait until the season's about to change to do stuff like this? I don't know. Hey, they should have did this around Christmas.
Starting point is 00:04:52 Who's they? What do you mean they should have did it? Mother Nature. I'm trying to be politically correct. I don't want to misgender her. Oh, my goodness. I don't want to call her a mother and she's not. Well, you stupid.
Starting point is 00:05:02 Let's talk about classified documents all right now they've been finding documents all over the place and pence actually spoke out about them finding documents at all these other places did you take any classified documents with you from the white house uh i did not do you see any reason for anyone to take classified documents with them leaving the white house well there'd be no reason to have classified documents with them leaving the White House? Well, there'd be no reason to have classified documents, particularly if they were in an unprotected area. And scene. All right.
Starting point is 00:05:32 And they found documents at ex-Vice President Mike Pence's house. They discovered a dozen documents marked as classified at his Indiana home last week. Now, what are these documents? Because it seems like everybody got a document. I don't know. Classified documents must be the new must-have item for politicians. And what I will never understand is why do politicians weaponize actions that they too are doing?
Starting point is 00:05:56 Like Joe Biden called Trump irresponsible knowing he had classified documents all over the place. Mike Pence lied and said he didn't have classified documents and said Biden was irresponsible knowing he had classified documents. We got that clip too? Let's hear that. Classified documents found as having been in the possession of the president who was a former vice president and being treated differently. It just suggests to me once again that last summer was an overreach. But the kind of double standard that we see being practiced by the Biden administration in the wake of this incident in the Justice Department, I think it's exactly what undermines public confidence in our justice system.
Starting point is 00:06:41 How about all of y'all dirty? All of all y'all dirty so stop the mudslinging it's literally like cheating on your wife but chastise another men uh for cheating on their wife knowing you got a couple side chicks your damn self okay and also if the issue with trump is obstruction and trump knowing and willingly took documents and that means you know biden is just irresponsible incompetent and playing out stupid because he didn't even know he took documents he didn't even know he didn't even know what was on them. He didn't know what was on his documents. So everybody should come clean and just put your cards on the table
Starting point is 00:07:09 and shut the F up forever and properly do what y'all can for this country. And stop worrying about weaponizing actions that all of y'all are doing against each other. All right. Boy, boy, boy, boy, boy. My lad is your front page news. Now get it off your chest. 800-585-1051. If you need to vent, phone, boy, boy. My lad is your front page news. Now get it off your chest. 800-585-1051. If you need to vent, phone lines are wide open.
Starting point is 00:07:29 Again, 800-585-1051. Get it off your chest. It's The Breakfast Club. Good morning. The Breakfast Club. Because being the greatest old player counts too. Because at the end of the day, you've never seen anything like this. I mean, it just adds on to his legacy. The fact that he's 38 years old and still balling the way he's balling right now
Starting point is 00:07:49 he's the greatest old player of all time you ain't never seen nobody at 38 execute at this level he never seen nobody that's the way he was doing it at 25 that's not that's that's not true that's not true that's not true. That's not true. That's not true. The one last all-around player is probably like Bird. Man, you got to stop, bro. You got to stop. We've seen Kobe Bryant. Hey, we've seen Kobe Bryant. We've seen Allen Iverson.
Starting point is 00:08:14 We've seen Shaquille O'Neal. We've seen Kevin Garnett. What are you talking about? All around? All around. What do you mean all around? They can be a small four. They can be a center.
Starting point is 00:08:26 Listen, LeBron is a top five, greatest of all time NBA player, probably top three. But you cannot discount what he's doing right now at 38 years old. Like, yes, that matters. He's the greatest old player we've ever seen. We've never seen this before. Hello, who's this? Hey, DJ Envy.
Starting point is 00:08:44 Good morning. Good morning. Coach Davis, man. Shelfman, how y this? Hey, DJ Envy, good morning. Good morning. Coach Davis, man. Sharlman, how y'all doing? What's up, coach? What's up, my brother? I'm good, man. And listen, Envy, I want to say congratulations to you
Starting point is 00:08:54 and you, Sharlman, for dealing with your health, man, and getting these colonoscopies. Yes, sir. As Wendy used to say, I'm a man of a certain age. And, you know, I'm definitely, this is my second call to not speak
Starting point is 00:09:09 that I'm scheduled for in February. You know, but I also, you know, want y'all to talk about these prostate exams too, man, because black men
Starting point is 00:09:18 are dying out of a high clip from prostate cancer as well. You know? I just got my, I got my prostate looked at. I got, I got the, the ultrasound thing done. Yeah, I just got my prostate looked at. I got the ultrasound thing done. Yeah, me too. I did that like a week ago.
Starting point is 00:09:30 Yeah, that's huge, man, you know, because they have the negative connotation of black men, especially not going to the doctor and getting that check because of the sexual connotations to it, and that's a bunch of nonsense, man. You know, you gotta worry about your health and life
Starting point is 00:09:49 let me tell you something man rather than you know your sexuality I got I got four daughters King right I'm 44 years old I need to live to at least be 90 something years old close to a hundred so I'll let a man look in my butt all day long if it if it allows me to do that facts you know hey i got i got one thing to say man i want to ask you a question i don't know if y'all know about the young man from ohio since they read no who that but all right well um in october he got into an altercation with a white man, and the white man ended up killing him. The young man was 13 years old. Nah, I didn't see that.
Starting point is 00:10:27 I didn't see that. Yeah. We'll look it up, though. The dude that killed him got arrested. 48 hours. He's out. They dropped all the charges, and the young man is dead. Like, they're not recharging this dude.
Starting point is 00:10:43 He claims self-defense. Google it, bruh. Sendzareed. S-I-N-Z-A-E-R-E-E-D. I'm going to look into it. Thank you, bro. It's crazy. Get it off your chest.
Starting point is 00:10:54 800-585-1051. If you need to vent, hit us up now. It's The Breakfast Club. Good morning. The Breakfast Club. It's a new day. This is your time to get it off your chest. Wake up. Whether you're mad or blessed.
Starting point is 00:11:10 It's time to get up and get something. Call up now. 800-585-1051. We want to hear from you on The Breakfast Club. Hello, who's this? Yo, Big Chocolate the Toast Sucker. How we doing, man? Oh, God.
Starting point is 00:11:22 So listen, two quick things now. Listen, listen. I'm sitting here trying to enjoy my breakfast. Y'all got to stop all this. I love you, Talk. All right? And, uh, Envy, be careful. Protect yourself, brother.
Starting point is 00:11:32 Hey, hey. What? Can you say good morning to Lala? Say good morning to people before you just start talking, bro? Oh, I'm sorry. Hey, Lala, how you feel? Hey, I just wanted to address the Toe Sucker part. No, you don't.
Starting point is 00:11:43 Oh, okay. Yeah, oh, I'm a Toe toe sucker for high if you so decide, girl. I saw you last night in Think Like a Man. I was looking for the pretty toes, but I didn't see them. What's up? What you mean? I had shoes on. My feet are nice. What are you talking about? The next
Starting point is 00:11:59 movie, I want to see some toes, baby. All right? Go ahead, man. Finish what you got to say. All right, yeah. So, listen, all this I love you talk. Envy, be careful. Don't bend over in front of Charlamagne. You got them all turned on
Starting point is 00:12:11 and worked up with that. I love you talk. Can you make me a promise? When Angela Lee's new show starts, can you just call her and not call her ever again? Please?
Starting point is 00:12:20 And listen, too, I think DJ Khaled comes out Super Bowl halftime show and says, DJ Khaled, Rihanna, bring me another salad. Now, that's funny, right? DJ Khaled, bring me another salad. You know, Dan won't eat no salad.
Starting point is 00:12:34 Say peace. Hello, who's this? Hey, what's up, man? It's T-Roy from the MIA. What's up, bro? Get off your chest. I just want you guys to praise my daughter. I got a new client. She's on the fourth team. She's a preemie. 24 weeks. What's up bro Get off your chest I just want you guys To pray for my daughter That I just put out
Starting point is 00:12:45 A new client She's on the 14th And she's a preemie 24 weeks Oh man She's a preemie 24 weeks early Alright definitely
Starting point is 00:12:53 Prayers up Putting prayers up Yeah Sure Well good luck brother And then I got something For you DJ
Starting point is 00:13:02 What you got? He just blew you without asking. I know, right? Oh, my God. Have a good one, man. Hello, who's this? It's Terrence down here in Newport News. How y'all doing?
Starting point is 00:13:15 7-5-7. What up, Terrence? Get it off your chest. I'm sitting in a country where the previous president and the former president both under federal investigation. Well, Biden's not under federal investigation yet. And I doubt they will because, you know, the whole double standard. You know, Marilyn Garland might not do the same thing to President Biden, but we'll see.
Starting point is 00:13:36 The way it's looking, I thought they were trying to legalize criminalization. Well, you see inmates in prison running their campaign. I'll be home in 90 days. Vote for me. Y'all have a good day, though. Yes, sir. All right. All right.
Starting point is 00:13:53 Get it off your chest. 800-585-1051. If you need to vent, you can hit us up. And Lyleezy has joined us. She came in hot this morning. She came in hot. I came in hot. I came in hot.
Starting point is 00:14:04 That's the things on my mind. All right. Now we got rumors on the way. Lyleezy, you ready? Yes, we're ready. We're ready. But we teasing. We just teasing. She came in hot. I came in hot. I came in hot. That's the things on my mind. All right, now we got rumors on the way. Lala, you ready? Yes, we're ready. We're ready. But we teasing. We just teasing. So we're teasing that Justin Bieber sold his music catalog.
Starting point is 00:14:12 We want to talk about that. So our interview where Nia Long got emotional talking about, you know, some of the things she's been through. We want to touch on that. It's some good stuff. It's some surprises. There's a lot going on. And Lala says she want to talk about marriage this morning. She sure did. Sure did. She came in hot. So want to touch on that. It's some good stuff. It's some surprises. A lot going on. And Lala says she wants to talk about marriage this morning.
Starting point is 00:14:26 She sure did. Sure did. She came in hot. So we'll get into that next. It's The Breakfast Club. Good morning. The Breakfast Club. Hey, everyone.
Starting point is 00:14:39 This is Courtney Thorne-Smith, Laura Layton, and Daphne Zuniga. On July 8th, 1992, apartment buildings with pools were never quite the same as Melrose Place was introduced to the world. It took drama and mayhem to an entirely new level. We are going to be reliving every hookup, every scandal, every backstab, blackmail, and explosion, and every single wig removal together. Secrets are revealed as we rewatch every moment with you.
Starting point is 00:15:11 Special guests from back in the day will be dropping by. You know who they are. Sydney, Allison and Joe are back together on Still the Place with a trip down memory lane and back to Melrose Place. So listen to Still the Place on the I heart radio app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Hey guys, I'm Kate Max. You might know me from my popular online series, the running interview show where I run with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs,
Starting point is 00:15:45 and more. After those runs, the conversations keep going. That's what my podcast, Post Run High, is all about. It's a chance to sit down with my guests and dive even deeper into their stories, their journeys, and the thoughts that arise once we've hit the pavement together. You know that rush of endorphins you feel after a great workout? Well, that's when the real magic happens. So if you love hearing real, inspiring stories from the people you know, follow, and admire, join me every week for Post Run High. It's where we take the conversation beyond the run and get into the heart of it all.
Starting point is 00:16:24 It's lighthearted, pretty crazy, and very fun. Listen to Post Run High on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, what's up? This is Ramses Jha. And I go by the name Q Ward. And we'd like you to join us each week for our show Civic Cipher. That's right. We're going to discuss social issues, especially those that affect Black and brown people, but in a way that informs and empowers all people to
Starting point is 00:16:49 hopefully create better allies. Think of it as a Black show for non-Black people. We discuss everything from prejudice to politics to police violence, and we try to give you the tools to create positive change in your home, workplace, and social circle. Exactly. Whether you're Black, Asian, White, Latinx, Indigenous,
Starting point is 00:17:06 LGBTQIA+, you name it. If you stand with us, then we stand with you. Let's discuss the stories and conduct the interviews that will help us create a more empathetic, accountable, and equitable America. You are all our brothers and sisters, and we're inviting you to join us for Civic Cipher each and every Saturday with myself, Ramses Jha, Q Ward, and some of the greatest minds in America. Listen to Civic Cipher every Saturday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Jenny Garth, Jana Kramer, Amy Robach, and TJ Holmes bring you I Do Part Two, a one-of-a-kind experiment in podcasting to help you find love again.
Starting point is 00:17:45 If you didn't get it right the first time, it's time to try, try again as they guide you through this podcast experiment in dating. Hey, I'm Jana Kramer. As they say, those that cannot do teach. Actually, I think I finally got it right. So take the failures I've had the second or even third or whatever, maybe the fourth time around. I'm Jenny Garth.
Starting point is 00:18:04 29 years ago, Kelly Taylor said these words, I choose me. She made her choice. She chose herself. When it comes to love, choose you first. Hi, everyone. I'm Amy Robach. And I'm TJ Holmes. And we are, well, not necessarily relationship experts.
Starting point is 00:18:21 If you're ready to dive back into the dating pool and find lasting love, finally, we want to help. Listen to I Do Part 2 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Daphne Caruana Galizia was a Maltese investigative journalist who on October 16th, 2017, was murdered. There are crooks everywhere you look now. The situation is desperate. My name is Manuel Delia. I am one of the hosts of Crooks Everywhere, a podcast that unhurts the plot to murder a one-woman Wikileaks.
Starting point is 00:19:00 Daphne exposed the culture of crime and corruption that were turning her beloved country into a mafia state. And she paid the ultimate price. Listen to Crooks everywhere on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. All right. Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy Charlemagne, the guy. We are The Breakfast Club. Our guest host, Lala, is here.
Starting point is 00:19:33 Make sure you tune in at 8 o'clock hours. Oh, have mercy. This topic is hot. This topic we're going to talk about. Goodness gracious. Lala on fire. You can settle down, but they'll cheat. Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Starting point is 00:19:44 Lala, save it. Jesus. All right. Let's get to the settle down, but they'll cheat. Whoa, whoa, whoa, Laleezy. Save it. Jesus. All right, let's get to the rumors. Play the drive. Let's go. Rumor has it. Rumor has it. Call out a name,
Starting point is 00:19:53 or you gossiping, or you chatty patting. I'm gossiping. This is the rumor report. I mean, I guess we on The Breakfast Club. This is where the tea spills, right? Yes, on The Breakfast Club. Where we starting?
Starting point is 00:20:02 All right, let's talk about Oscar nominations for this year. So, Everything Everywhere leads with 11 nominations. Shout out to Angela Bassett. She is... This is her first acting Oscar nomination, which is incredible. Really?
Starting point is 00:20:15 For Black Panther. Everyone's super happy about that. And Brian Tyree Henry is Best Actor in a Supporting Role, nominated for Causeway. And pretty much all the nominations are from Black Panther. Best Supporting Role, nominated for Causeway. And pretty much all the nominations are from Black Panther. Best Supporting Actress, Angela Bassett. Best Original Song, Rihanna and the crew,
Starting point is 00:20:32 which is amazing, for Lift Me Up. Best Visual Effects, Black Panther. Best Costume Design, Black Panther's nominated. Best Makeup and Hairstyling, Black Panther is nominated. But some of the snubs... Go ahead. Well, Angela is the first person from Marvel
Starting point is 00:20:47 to be nominated for an Oscar she's been nominated before she got nominated for What's Love Got To Do With It yeah so Angela Bassett snags the Marvel's first acting
Starting point is 00:20:55 Oscar nomination which is awesome but the snubs The Woman King Till and Nope they were shut out from the Oscar nominations
Starting point is 00:21:02 and Halle Berry still remains the only black woman to win the Oscar for actress in a leading role for her performance in Monsters Ball. There is no way in hell that Daniel Deadwiler who played Mammy Till
Starting point is 00:21:13 and Viola Davis shouldn't have been nominated for Best Actress. No way. Y'all don't got eyes, ears She killed Woman King. Yeah, Viola killed Woman King. Have you seen Till? Daniel Deadweiler body till man what
Starting point is 00:21:27 but the prep she had to do for woman king and all oh man she killed it if you haven't seen woman king definitely check it out but I don't care
Starting point is 00:21:32 about the Oscars no way though and that is why say more say more when they had the whole Oscars you know
Starting point is 00:21:38 so white campaign nothing has really changed since then you know and I don't think that you know people like Viola Davis
Starting point is 00:21:44 and you know Daniel Denweiler need that you know people like biola davis and uh you know uh daniel deadwild need oscars to validate them but i do understand why actors and actresses want those awards of course it makes the stock go up of course of course and it's just like why are we continuously overlooked it's just it's it's it's a problem and the only other thing i would say is the movies they be nominated and i don don't be watching no way. So I don't be knowing if those people should be nominated. So that is true too. It's so true. I'm looking like, and I watch movies and stuff.
Starting point is 00:22:10 I'm like, never heard of that. Never heard of that. Don't know who that is. Never heard of that. Top Gun. I did see Top Gun. I don't know how many they're nominated for, but Top Gun was pretty good. I feel like Top Gun was two years ago.
Starting point is 00:22:20 At least a year. Top Gun ain't this year. You sure? I don't know. I didn't see them on the list, but I could be wrong i was looking for everyone black that's right all right so we're going to the next thing justin bieber sells his entire back catalog in a historic deal for 200 million dollars so this is a historic deal his manager scudo bron said, this is historic. Bieber has sold over 150 million records globally and he sold it to this
Starting point is 00:22:47 group called Hypnosis Song Management for $200 million. More than 290 songs. I wonder why. I was going to ask that. Why get rid of your masters? Why not? Isn't that something you keep for your kids and it continues
Starting point is 00:23:03 brings you money every year it's not like it's i mean does an asset yeah i was having conversations with somebody the other day because i saw the same thing i forgot who was it somebody sold a master's over the holidays with a future future so i think for 50 minutes no dr dr when dr dre sold his and they was like you know why not it's like yo you get unprecedented unprecedented money you know it's generational wealth for your kids like they're not making no 200 million dollars off no one time off their catalog they might not even make that over a course of a lifetime you don't think so it's definitely saying here that it's just becoming more increasingly popular to sell your catalog shakira just struck a deal she sold 100 of her
Starting point is 00:23:37 publishing rights justin timberlake and they said that there are several reasons artists look to sell rights to years of work some are looking to sell their catalogs before President Biden's proposed plan to increase taxes on capital gains is potentially instituted. If artists were to wait until after this tax plan goes into effect, they will be paying a higher tax on the sale of their catalog. That was the other thing he told me. He said they got to pay taxes on it. And they said artists are looking to get a lump sum of cash up front instead of royalty checks over a period of time. Yo, yo, yo, you'll never get no $200 dollars in no lifetime off no music but you lose your masters you know when people stand for your music and all that i don't know i don't care give me the money up front
Starting point is 00:24:14 and it's all it's not like bruce springsteen's doing it pink floyd is doing it jimmy ivy's doing it get the lump sum of money man there had to be a reason why michael jackson was buying everybody's masters instead of selling his that is true too yeah that's true you know that's true too that's true um i want to talk about nia long who recently did an interview we have we have a clip and became a little bit emotional talking about you know some of the recent stuff personally she's been through she's just an icon a class act a friend i love nia long but let's go to go to the clip I I still have my anonymity and I appreciate that about my career I appreciate that however I've I've managed to do that that it's it's the thing that allows me to stay connected to the people and to be human and not
Starting point is 00:24:58 try to to to be this perfect being and you, I've had some pretty devastating moments in my life over the last couple of months. And I've had to just say, it's all right, you'll pick yourself back up. And oh my God, I'm about to cry. You pick yourself back up
Starting point is 00:25:17 and you keep it moving. Class, act in every way possible. And I just think there's like this thing, I don't know, like when people in the public eye go through stuff, it's like this kind of idea of like, well, people don't feel bad for them or what did you expect
Starting point is 00:25:36 or what did you think? Especially even when dealing with athletes, it's kind of like, well, what did you think was going to happen? And guess what? Nobody goes into a marriage thinking that that's going to happen. He's an athlete, so this is going to happen. Yeah, it's just like, oh, so what did you expect or what did you do this, what did you think was going to happen? And guess what? Nobody goes into a marriage thinking that that's going to happen. He's an athlete, so this is going to happen. Yeah, it's just like, oh, so what did you expect? Or what did you do this?
Starting point is 00:25:49 What did you do that? No, not at all. No, you don't go into a marriage thinking that. If you thought that and believed that your connection with that person wasn't something different, then you wouldn't get married to them. Well, hold on. You know, when you were writing and writing behind the scenes, you said, uh, people going to cheat.
Starting point is 00:26:05 I'm not saying you should accept it. No, but I'm saying I did not go into a marriage with the idea of I'm doing this, but I know I'm getting cheated on. Or I know I'm going to get cheated on. I went into a marriage saying I found a connection or someone that we're going to do it different. Absolutely. And regardless if you're an athlete, whatever you are entertainer any kind any kind of business you're in you can't just say like well you married an athlete or you married a rapper or whatever so you should expect what you should expect it and then and then some people go further and say you should expect it and you should be okay with it right now there's
Starting point is 00:26:37 another piece to it yeah like not just accept it but be okay with it that is a stereotype right because it's not like you know it's not like pastors don't be cheating uh people that you don't expect to cheat they sometimes they jump out the window right right but that's why you gotta get you a black man because black men don't cheat we're gonna talk about it eight o'clock all right because i i have more to say we're gonna talk about it we're gonna talk about the next hour all right now don't forget when we come back steven a smith will be joining us in a little bit and we got front page news we need to push steven back lala on one right now.
Starting point is 00:27:05 I need to know what's going on. I need to say something happened. You just don't come in here with this energy. Now, we got front page news next. Imagine being killed by your dog and not your homie. Like, your dog. We'll explain when we come back. Oh, no.
Starting point is 00:27:19 It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning. Good morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy. Charlamagne Tha God. We are the Breakfast Club. We got our special guest host, Lala, here. Good morning. Good morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy, Charlamagne Tha God. We are The Breakfast Club. We got our special guest host, Lala, here. Good morning.
Starting point is 00:27:27 Yes, indeed. And let's get in some front page news. Now, let's talk U.S. Airlines, meaning the airlines in America. All right. Now, because I said U.S. Airlines. I'm going to Canada. Yeah, it's going to sound like I said U.S. Airlines. But we're going to talk about the top nine airlines.
Starting point is 00:27:43 All right. Number one. Who's number one? JetBlue. JetBlue. No way. one. Who's number one? JetBlue. No way. Delta. Delta's number one. Number two is Alaska.
Starting point is 00:27:49 What? Number three is Southwest Airlines. That's a damn lie. Number four. Southwest Airlines. The bus in the sky. Southwest Airlines? Yes.
Starting point is 00:27:58 So I'll tell you number nine. Number nine is JetBlue. How JetBlue so low? I actually have great experiences on JetBlue. Before JetBlue, number eight, Frontier. I am a Mosaic member on JetBlue. How JetBlue so long? I actually have great experiences on JetBlue. Before JetBlue, number eight, Frontier. I am a Mosaic member on JetBlue. Same, and I'm very proud of that. Number seven, before JetBlue, before Frontier, Spirit.
Starting point is 00:28:13 That is a goddamn lie. Wait, how? And that's from the Wall Street Journal. Well, Wall Street Journal, pull of it. Wow. Southwest Airlines is a bus in the sky. Okay, you go in there and you play musical chairs. That ranked number three, sir.
Starting point is 00:28:24 There ain't no damn way in hell. How is possible i had do they have first class do they give you soda and water last time i checked you when you get on southwest airlines you pick your own seat they be having the music playing when the music stop everybody got to sit down so that's the airlines now this is a sad story so hunter, I guess he's, I'm not sure what town he is. Oh, Kansas. Okay. So he's 30 years old. He was driving in his truck with his dog and the dog accidentally, I guess, bumped the rifle or stepped on the rifle and the gun went off and killed him.
Starting point is 00:29:01 Well, they need to press charges on the dog. Well, they can't press charges. No, if Alec Baldwin is being charged with manslaughter, then this dog needs to be charged with manslaughter, too. We cannot live in a country where dogs get better treatment than humans, okay? When dogs get killed in this country, humans get held accountable for killing those dogs. So the same rules should apply. I recommend the death penalty.
Starting point is 00:29:18 That dog needs to get put down. For the dog? Euthanized. He didn't grab the trigger. I don't care. Bumped into it accidentally or stepped on the trigger. It was an accident when Alec Baldwin did it, too. Damn it. Jesus. He don't care. You bumped into it accidentally or stepped on the trigger. It was an accident when I was bald and did it too.
Starting point is 00:29:27 Damn it. Jesus. He's being charged. It's horrible. Charge the dog. Now, in some other sad news, a grandmother held in a chokehold by grocery workers after refusing to give them the $50 she found. Now, she was in a grocery store. What?
Starting point is 00:29:39 It's not funny, man. People are asking. Man, come on, man. Stop, man. She found the money and they put her in the chokehold. She found $50 on the ground and everybody, you know, when you find money, that's my money, that's my money. What if it wasn't that person's $50?
Starting point is 00:29:51 She refused to hand over the money. She was confronted by the store employees and physically restrained. Come on, man. Oh, no. Come on, man. Where the grandkids at when you need them, man? Come on, man. You can't be doing grandma like that.
Starting point is 00:30:04 Now, the three employees that held her down, she was 65, have been fired. Why it took three? Was that my D&A? Why it took three employees to hold grandma down? My God. I need to see pictures, man. It got to be a video or something. I need to see what's happening, man.
Starting point is 00:30:19 Now, the store owner has issued an apology to Smith in addition to offering to pay bail for her daughter because her daughter came up there after and wild out. You think that's grandma? That's grandma. We have audio of one of the family members. This beautiful elderly black sister who is suffering and fighting cancer. The fight over that $50 escalated. At one point, Smith was put in a chokehold. One employee snatched the money from her hand. DA Travis Cohen sending Fox 26 this statement, saying they're carefully reviewing the video and witness statements from the incident and that the investigation is ongoing. If you had extensive video footage of some black people in this county
Starting point is 00:30:58 choking a white woman the way they choked her and beat her, would you call it an ongoing investigation? When you turn around and step on one of us, we all coming. And that lackluster letter that you had, Mr. D.A., we not hearing this because we going based on the Texas Penal Code. Come on, man. You ain't say they was black and white now. You just read the story.
Starting point is 00:31:22 I just read the story. You ain't put the racial element into it. You ain't say it was a bunch of white people Doing that to an older black woman now Bro Could you imagine them? No I can't Somebody grab your grandma
Starting point is 00:31:32 And put her in a chokehold No I can't You gotta go beat them up Wait I ain't hear nothing about no violence No violence happen after that Other than them choking grandma I'll just tell you the door I'm supposed to be hearing
Starting point is 00:31:41 Consequences and repercussions happening And I want to hear You know charges being pressed as well But I still want to hear about you know Some things happeningcussions Happening And I want to hear You know Charges being pressed as well But I still want to hear About you know Some things happening In that store To those people
Starting point is 00:31:48 That did that to grandma We're not promoting Any violence I am You choke out somebody Grandma 65 years old Grandma that was
Starting point is 00:31:55 Suffering from cancer From cancer But they need Three people To hold down grandma Well And grandma was going They said grandma
Starting point is 00:32:02 Was going to the store To get ice cream And a honey bun For her son Come on man Listen I am promoting violence In that situation You choke out And grandma was going to the store to get ice cream and a honey bun for her son. Come on, man. Listen, I am promoting violence in that situation. You choke up somebody's grandma, 65 years old, and three people hold them down, and you expect me to come up here and keep my cool?
Starting point is 00:32:14 Nah. No. No. No. Some things are just not okay. I agree. All right. Well, that is your front page news. Now, when we come back, Stephen A. Smith will be joining us.
Starting point is 00:32:24 He has a new book out called Straight Shooter. A memoir of second chances and first takes. That's right. We'll talk to him next. It's The Breakfast Club. Good morning. The Breakfast Club. I knew that if I was going to write a book, there was only one way I could go about doing it.
Starting point is 00:32:40 It ain't some damn sports book. It's got to be about me. Who I am, how I i think why i came to be how i am the way that i think etc etc i thought i owed that to the audience and the only reason i hesitated uh once i got left go let go by his pen in 2009 in 2011 people were coming to me to write a book and i knew i wanted it to be about you know my life etc etc and my mother at the time who had just gotten diagnosed with cancer uh one that she lost in 2017 god rest her soul she said she made me swear you will never write this book while i'm alive i understand why after we reading it because i'm sure it had to do
Starting point is 00:33:17 uh with your relationship with your father yes which i felt like exactly why yeah you addressed the topic most men don't discuss enough and that is our relationship with our fathers. How difficult was it to explore that topic? It was hard. And the reason why it was hard, it wasn't the writing process. It was the editing process, which you all know. You know, you write it, but they look at it, the editing process. And so when they're editing, it's calling upon you to revisit and revisit over and over and over again.
Starting point is 00:33:41 And I didn't wait until the book was finished to, like, show it to my sisters. I got four older sisters. And I didn't wait until the book was finished to like show it to my sisters. I got four older sisters and I didn't wait until the book was finished. When I wrote those specific chapters, I sent it to them and they didn't talk to me for two weeks. Really? Um, and I thought they were originally upset. They weren't upset.
Starting point is 00:33:57 They were just saying we had buried these memories a long time ago. And they said, you brought it back up. You don don't we ain't knocking you for it we understand but it just hurt a lot to revisit some of those experiences because we had buried them for the longest time and the details that you had they couldn't believe that i remembered because i reminded them and they were like yeah you never this happened this happened that happened my dad is no hero yeah my dad he wasn't i feel like the things you said about him in the book are the things you wanted to say about
Starting point is 00:34:29 him at his funeral yeah that's accurate yeah um i told him to his face i didn't say anything in the book that i didn't tell him to his face um so let me be clear about that in 2018 he passed away 14 months after my mother passed away and when he passed away i caught my sister carmen the morning of his funeral and i said i'm doing the eulogy and carmen's like god no steve please please steve don't do this don't do this she said what are you going to say i said you'll find out when you get to the funeral and she's like steve don't do this what will mommy want what will mommy want you know what mommy would say? I said, I got it. And I was going to go in and I was going to literally say everything that you see in the book. And you spoke to Pastor A.R. Bernard. And I spoke to, I called Pastor A.R.
Starting point is 00:35:13 Bernard. Something told me to call him. You know, I've been going to CCC. I've known Pastor Bernard for 30 years. And so I said, let me call him. And I called him and told him what I was feeling. And he was like, you're right to feel that way. I'm very familiar with your story. He said, you're not wrong. He said, but the Bible talks about God's grace and God's mercy. And he said, and you might want to think about that before you decide to speak your truth. And when I eulogized my father, I went up on this. I went up on the stage after everybody gave all the plaudibles, all of,ibles all you know all the nice things the pleasantries they had to say about him and i walked up and the first words out of my mouth was that's y'all memories of him memories of my family we have an entirely
Starting point is 00:35:54 different story and i saw my cousin derrick keel over like oh no please and i saw my brother-in-law it was like oh lord he's about to go in and i saw neighbors that were in the audience that i hadn't seen in years that just showed up for my dad's funeral and they were like literally lip-syncing to me please don't do this and i said my father was not a good man i said but then i brought up my mother i said my mother knows nothing about sports i'm steven a i work for espn the world knows the sports world knows who i am my mother says eps and whatever it is i don't know what she didn't even know the letters i said but she knew what a home run was she knew what a no hitter was she knew what a stolen base was and she knew it because of him because she loved my father so much that she knew
Starting point is 00:36:42 baseball because of him i said so there evidently was something very special about him to have a woman like my mother and then i talked about a lot of the happy moments that he gave us and then i ended it by saying at the end of the day he's still my dad and i love him and i don't think i would have gotten to that point if it wasn't for a.r bernard wow what made you change uh your perspective of how to talk about him for the book? Was it because you could add more context? More context. Because I could add the full context.
Starting point is 00:37:10 And not only that, I owe it. If I'm going to write it, you know, I didn't know it was going to be like 78,000 to 80,000 words. But I literally wrote 90,000 words. I wrote the book myself. And when a ghostwriter, it was me. I wrote this book. I did the audio. It wasn't another voice. It was me. And this book i did the audio it was another voice it
Starting point is 00:37:26 was me and i just said if i'm gonna do this then i owe it to everybody i mean and and you know because of the business that i'm in i imagine talking to you you or you i can see the questions you know because i'm experienced enough to know what's coming i know what i would ask i know what i would think about and i wanted to make sure that I left no doubt as to where I stood and you know what I was trying to say and that's what I did and I have a question so even even though obviously you know how you felt when you were writing the book because it was your thoughts and feelings was there a sense of like that therapeutic element like you know when people actually put the words on paper and write it down and read it and look at it a lot of authors say like
Starting point is 00:38:05 it's a form of therapy it's like i finally got it out my head and on the paper possibly so i'm not i'm not i'm not saying that i didn't feel that way but there was a bigger emotion coming from it la la i you know when my mother passed away to see her in the grave before him and to see her deprived she was 76 years old my mother was at a point where let her go on a couple of cruises a year and she's in heaven what was unforgivable to me was not paying any bills allowing her to work the hours you were supposed to be working to have the obligations you were supposed to have so that's the pressure you're supposed to take off you said you had a conversation with him when you had the conversation before he died what was his reason well this was years earlier i would tell you about five years earlier we were in my dining room we in my
Starting point is 00:38:53 mother's dining room he's in there and his older brother my uncle freddie was sitting next to him and my father was like you don't know what the hell you're talking about you don't realize what i've done for you i said you haven't done anything for me you know he started arguing with me and my uncle freddie looked at him and he said basol that was his middle name basol and he said shut the f**k up he said this is steven he's a journalist for a living you know he knows what you what you have and have not done chapter inverse you have no shot just be quiet and my father just sat back and just took it and i just i just left it alone for me all right we got more with stephen a smith when we come back don't move it's the breakfast club good morning everybody it's dj
Starting point is 00:39:35 envy charlamagne the guy we are the breakfast club we got our guest host lala joining us now we have stephen a smith in the building charlamagne does skip ever get in trouble for anything he said on First Take? Because you talk about the times. First Take or his show? First Take. Because you talk about the times that you got in trouble on First Take. And I'm like, well, Skip had crazy opinions too. And the opinions you had weren't necessarily like
Starting point is 00:39:56 suspension worthy. I never recall Skip getting in trouble. Wow. Ever. In terms of a suspension or anything like that. When I got suspended, I was furious. I did not believe I deserved it. I was pissed off to the highest degree because I just thought that, you know, it was made into something that it wasn't.
Starting point is 00:40:15 And so for me, whatever my opinions are, I don't mind anybody coming at me about that. This is what we feel about what you said. It's when they try to branch it out and turn it into something that it was not that's what pisses me off because what happens is when you have disney disney and and i'm not knocking disney for this at all listen man we got stockholders got shareholders you got people to appease and so you got to pay attention to everybody you ain't after black white hispanic appeal you have to mass appeal you want it all and so as a result of that you have to pay attention to everything and everybody and so when
Starting point is 00:40:49 that noise is made my boss at the time felt compelled to respond to the noise and when he got suspended 48 hours earlier he told me i wasn't gonna be suspended we're fine and then you know he turned around and said to me and so for, it was, I've learned a lot. I'm a lot better. And what I try to do, and all of y'all can attest to this at one time or another, we've all had private conversations. I whisper something in y'all ear about something to watch out for. I'm very, very big about these are the minefields. Watch out.
Starting point is 00:41:20 Because what I'm saying is, as a product of corporate America, somebody that's been in corporate America for over 30 years, I kind of know where the minefields are. And so as a result of that, I might see cats on the come up that I think is going to be in my position or an even higher position. And I'm saying, come in. Let me make sure I tip you off to this. Watch out for this. Watch out for this. Watch out for that. Because I want y'all to succeed. I don't want y'all to fail. Who the hell wants to be successful alone? Now, who do I want to shop that sk succeed. I don't want y'all to fail. Who the hell wants to be successful alone? I was shocked that Skip sat with you, though. When you got suspended. Oh, yeah, it shocked me, too. But he, listen, he walked off the set.
Starting point is 00:41:52 Said, I ain't coming back until my man comes back on. Because he knew it was wrong, too. But I was really shocked that he took that position. I certainly didn't ask him to. And I'm appreciative of that. That doesn't mean I'm, shoot, we still disagree 99% of the time. But I did appreciate the fact that he took that position on my behalf who are the worst fans are they cowboy fans I care about that skip fans or the navy fans cowboy fans nobody's worse nobody's
Starting point is 00:42:18 worse but I will tell you I will tell you the navy got at you a little bit listen they came for your head first of all let me be very, very clear. You don't give a damn about the Navy. I don't give a damn. I want to be very, very clear about that. It doesn't faze me. It really, really doesn't. Lala, you've known me for years. I'm just built that way.
Starting point is 00:42:37 Rihanna, if she had a problem, that would have bothered me. Not her fans. I challenge anybody to tell me one negative thing I said about that wonderful performer and young lady. Are you excited for this halftime show? I don't want to say I'm not excited. She's fantastic. That's not where I'm going with this.
Starting point is 00:42:56 Okay, where you going? Ladies and gentlemen, she's a lot of things. She's spectacular, actually. Yes. And congratulations on new mamahood. Yes. There's one thing she's spectacular actually yes and congratulations on new mama hood yes there's one thing she's not uh-huh she ain't beyonce well you didn't give no nuance to it you just said rihanna okay well if you just say rihanna doesn't perform as well as well let me give you an inside let me give you let me hook you up on the inside sherry shepherd's team i'm promoting my book last
Starting point is 00:43:22 tuesday sherry shepherd's team comes up to me and they said since you're here we want to debate like format we want to have fun with it i said okay bring it no problem i didn't know what they were gonna ask right but it's a sure no problem so i'm expecting a debate right rihanna's great but i'm thinking you got a lot to live up to because there's only one beyonce now you agree fine you disagree fine how we get to the point why he got to pick two black women really well i can't i can't i just can't be a fan of both but i prefer beyonce over rihanna that's a crime i didn't know that. In your book, you talk about learning lessons. Yes. And you have
Starting point is 00:44:07 gotten in trouble for that before when you pitted Ayesha Curry against Savannah James. That's right. Listen, first of all, this. Yeah. Fair question. Lala said, yeah. Fair question. Lala, and I'm going to talk. You said that tape cost you the sports in the gig, which I didn't know. I'm going to talk to Lala.
Starting point is 00:44:23 I'm going to talk to Lala. I didn't know that. Yes, yes. Let me explain what happened. So Steph Curry is in game six of the NBA finals. LeBron and Kyrie are coming. They won game five after Draymond got suspended. Bogut and Iguodala got hurt. They win game five.
Starting point is 00:44:43 Game six, they coming at Golden State. They down 12 with about four minutes left. And Steph Curry fouls out. Steph Curry pulls out his mouthpiece, tries to throw at the official, but misses it, hits a fan by accident, blah, blah, blah. Ayesha Curry goes ballistic. What y'all may not have known was that, and I love Ayesha Curry. I mean, no problem no throwing no shade
Starting point is 00:45:06 on her whatsoever i'm just telling you what happened prior to the game she had tweeted that she was upset because they were backed up in traffic now jay-z and beyonce were coming to the game but nobody knew so the cleveland arena the gundam or whatever it was right the quickens loans arena they held up the traffic so she was mad about that and was talking about how the wives and the family
Starting point is 00:45:29 of the players for Golden State were being inconvenienced she complained something else about the officiating blah blah blah now you're talking about Aisha versus Beyonce
Starting point is 00:45:36 no wow Steven how you see me you're so crazy stop man so what happened is she did that and then she went off
Starting point is 00:45:44 after Steph Curry you know fouled out all that other stuff stop man so so so what happened is that she did that and then she went off after steph curry you know fouled out all that other stuff what i said was you are representing your man at that particular moment in time anything that you do it's not you it's the wife of him. And so because of that, you have to guard yourself and be careful. But now that they've lost two straight and LeBron and the Cavs have been giving it to them, suddenly stuff is rigged. She's an adorable young lady with an incredibly promising future. I wish her nothing but love, respect and happiness. But you can't do that. You just can't do that.
Starting point is 00:46:24 And I'm quite sure somebody got to her, which is why she ultimately deleted the tweet. My other point that I would like to make, which will be deemed somewhat controversial, but I don't particularly give a damn. I will present in question form, rhetorical or otherwise. If that was Savannah, LeBronon's wife what would we be saying and i got news for you as beautiful as everybody wants to say aisha curry is and she is savannah is something special scamp comes back at me and says oh please you know what are you talking about blah blah blah and i'm jumping in like wait a minute you will
Starting point is 00:47:06 get on lebron about anything yeah yeah how all of a sudden this escapes you you know what i'm saying so that's how the whole savannah aisha thing came up because what i was saying was if this were lebron you would have found an excuse to jump on him and we all know that savannah is phenomenal so what are you talking about that's all i was saying if lala is in a public position if you or you are in a public situation in the moment and there's a tension that some your spouse or your significant other could potentially bring to you that could detriment that that could make a detrimental to what you're trying to accomplish they can't get in the way of that. That's all I was trying to say. You've been in that position.
Starting point is 00:47:46 I've been in that position. The thing is that also nobody in this room has been married to an NBA player before. Day in and day out, you're hearing about things that are going on. You're getting invented to about everything. You have emotions. You act off emotions sometimes. So every night you're hearing about this. Whatever's being said and it's just building up and you get protective and then something just sets you off and you want
Starting point is 00:48:07 to say something because you realize your spouse has continuously taken the high road i said earlier i remember a time we talked about it before you came when i think i tweeted something at skip bayless because i was like yo enough with the mellow slander every single day and i'm he's not saying anything and i'm just like this is enough because now it's affecting the household it's affecting the mood it's effect so it becomes a bigger thing that's like somebody got to say something now is it a right time and place for those things of course but when you care about somebody when you're protective and when you're competitive we're all competitors and you act off emotion you say things that might not be the right time
Starting point is 00:48:42 the right place but at that time you're not thinking like that that's absolutely true and my point is is that i didn't blame aisha curry for anything you know i was saying in that moment you can't do that i've never said a word about her prior to that right and so i said that and when i said that her response was you're putting two black women against each other and i was like what how we get to that so then you did whether you realize it or not okay fine i didn't look at it that way but that's fine if you're saying that i did okay well then now i'll correct it i find out weeks later the sports center the six o'clock sports center that was supposed to be given to me and it was taken away from me because of that. So what's going to be taken away from you
Starting point is 00:49:28 because of Rihanna? Nothing. And you know something? And if it ever does, fine. Because at the end of the day, there's a level of authenticity that has to come with what we do. I'm going to be me.
Starting point is 00:49:42 Damn it, that's how I feel. All right, we got more with Stephen A. Smith when we come back. Don't move. It's The Breakfast Club. Good morning. Hey, everyone. This is Courtney Thorne-Smith, Laura Layton, and Daphne Zuniga. On July 8, 1992, apartment buildings with pools were never quite the same
Starting point is 00:50:01 as Melrose Place was introduced to the world. It took drama and mayhem to an entirely new level. We are going to be reliving every hookup, every scandal, every backstab, blackmail and explosion, and every single wig removal together. Secrets are revealed as we rewatch every moment with you. Special guests from back in the day will be dropping by. You know who they are. Sydney, Allison, and Joe are back together on Still
Starting point is 00:50:31 the Place with a trip down memory lane and back to Melrose Place. So listen to Still the Place on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Hey guys, I'm Kate Max. You might know me from my popular online series, The Running Interview Show, where I run with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, and more. After those runs, the conversations keep going.
Starting point is 00:51:07 That's what my podcast, Post Run High, is all about. It's a chance to sit down with my guests and dive even deeper into their stories, their journeys, and the thoughts that arise once we've hit the pavement together. You know that rush of endorphins you feel after a great workout? Well, that's when the real magic happens. So if you love hearing real inspiring stories from the people, you know, follow and admire join me every week for post run high. It's where we take the conversation beyond the run and get into the heart of it all. It's lighthearted, pretty crazy, and very fun. Listen to post run high on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. that informs and empowers all people to hopefully create better allies. Think of it as a black show for non-black people. We discuss everything from prejudice to politics to police violence, and we try to give you the tools to create positive change in your home, workplace, and social circle.
Starting point is 00:52:14 Exactly. Whether you're black, Asian, white, Latinx, indigenous, LGBTQIA+, you name it. If you stand with us, then we stand with you. Let's discuss the stories and conduct the interviews that will help us create a more empathetic, accountable, and equitable America. You are all our brothers and sisters, and we're inviting you to join us for Civic Cipher each and every Saturday with myself, Ramses Jha, Q Ward, and some of the greatest minds in America. Listen to Civic Cipher every Saturday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Starting point is 00:52:49 Daphne Caruana Galizia was a Maltese investigative journalist who, on October 16, 2017, was murdered. There are crooks everywhere you look now. The situation is desperate. My name is Manuel Delia. I am one of the hosts of Crooks Everywhere, a podcast that unhearts the plot to murder a one-woman Wikileaks. Daphne exposed the culture of crime and corruption that were
Starting point is 00:53:16 turning her beloved country into a mafia state. And she paid the ultimate price. Listen to Crooks everywhere on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Jenny Garth,
Starting point is 00:53:39 Jana Kramer, Amy Robach, and TJ Holmes bring you I Do Part 2, a one-of-a-kind experiment in podcasting to help you find love again. If you didn't get it right the first time, it's time to try, try again as they guide you through this podcast experiment in dating. Hey, I'm Jana Kramer. As they say, those that cannot do teach. Actually, I think I finally got it right. So take the failures I've had the second or even third or whatever, maybe the fourth time around.
Starting point is 00:54:05 I'm Jenny Garth. 29 years ago, Kelly Taylor said these words, I choose me. She made her choice. She chose herself. When it comes to love, choose you first. Hi, everyone. I'm Amy Robach. And I'm TJ Holmes.
Starting point is 00:54:19 And we are, well, not necessarily relationship experts. If you're ready to dive back into the dating pool and find lasting love, finally, we want to help. Listen to I Do Part 2 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Hey, everybody. It's DJ Envy, Charlamagne Tha God. We are The Breakfast Club. We got our guest host, Lala, joining us. Now we have Stephen A. Smith in the building. Lala. So do you just feel like in your position,
Starting point is 00:54:50 you really just cannot care what anyone thinks about you? No. Because I feel like people always want to say, I don't care what anybody thinks about me. But there is a point that everyone does care. And everyone has a place where they truly do want to be liked by people. But I'm not saying i don't care about what people think in general lala i'm saying there are certain things we can't care
Starting point is 00:55:12 about because we know it's not as unfair and as inhumane as people are trying to make it out to be if i sat up there and i disrespected rihanna and i said I don't care that's a problem because she doesn't deserve that she's home she's a new mom she's a beautiful artist she's doing her things most people would dream to have the life that she's had she's earned it I got nothing but mad love and respect for her if I said something disrespectful like that and I didn't care that's a problem that's a lack of humanity I would never do that what I'm saying is it's not a crime to say i'm a huge beyonce fan there is only one and you about to go on the same stage she has blessed not once but twice and there is a standard to live up to yeah there's nothing wrong you come on first take
Starting point is 00:55:58 i'm sorry y'all there's a bar that's been set i've said it you come on breakfast club there's a bar that's been set y'all said it you do come on Breakfast Club, there's a bar that's been set. Y'all said it. You do all the different things that you're doing with power and now BMF. I've seen you. I've watched what you're doing. You continue to ascend. Well, damn it, everybody can't measure up to you. Now, that doesn't mean they're
Starting point is 00:56:17 whack. It doesn't mean they're not gifted. It means they're not you. That's all. You got a line in the book that kind of sums that up. You say, on first take, we capitalize on the kind of polarization people supposedly abhor. What's the word? Abhor? I believe so. I'm trying to remember.
Starting point is 00:56:33 I mean, I read it. I've read it 11 times, but I'm just saying. That's what that feels like, though. In terms of what? Like what you're discussing. Like it's the kind of polarization, you know, people act like they don't like. But we do it all the time. But what I'm saying is this.
Starting point is 00:56:44 You wake up and you pay attention. We all it you have a show you know what's trending you know what's newsworthy you know what's percolating and as it was and not only that you know who percolates and so because of that it it determines what subject matter you're going to tackle because you're not doing the show for you you're doing the show for the audience you're trying to reach. And I have an audience that has an expectation as it pertains to content. And so when we're talking about sports and it's me, there's a level of expectation that they have as it pertains to the issues I'm willing to tackle. I'm mindful and cognizant of that. And I operate accordingly.
Starting point is 00:57:22 And when somebody questions that i would remind them i've been number one for 11 years every month every year for 11 years so evidently i kind of have an idea of what people want to see and hear all right no i know you got to go i got one more question because it ties into all of this in the no safety net chapter you know you talk about uh basically personalities who attack other personalities for things they say because you talk about i think it was the ray rice scandal yes everybody got upset with what you said about that and i feel the same way i'm like man if you got a microphone in front of you you're going to say something at some point that
Starting point is 00:57:58 you're going to get backlash for so i don't understand when i see other personalities like calling for other personalities to be fired. It's what you can't wait. Yeah. What it is is. And remember this. All three of y'all here. Remember what I'm about to say.
Starting point is 00:58:11 When you're winning, they always come in for you. Because unfortunately, particularly in this day and age, their definition of winning, the closest they can get to it is knocking you off your perch instead of creating one for their own it's inevitable and it's just like when he used to call me donkey of the day and all of this other stuff that people expected me to have a problem with him when i first met you what did i say i had no problem with it whatsoever you know because he didn't attack me he attacked what i felt about a particular issue i know the difference difference. They wanted to create that divide. You're not creating that because I'm going to root for y'all and I want y'all to root for me and I'm going to root for a whole bunch of brothers and sisters to make it.
Starting point is 00:58:53 But in the same breath, you have to be real and authentic about what's going on in the moment that is going on and do what you can to enlighten folks. If you feel you have an enlightening point of view, that's what you do. And you let the tips fall where they make people who don't win are real good about doing what you describe let them keep doing it because it reminds you that you're a winner otherwise they wouldn't be talking about you i learned a lot from you and i feel like it's vice versa i do want to say this because i was really sitting here thinking about what we were talking about earlier and i want to say this you know it is important everyone can have an opinion and who you like better who is is your opinion but i will say this as a black woman let's acknowledge and celebrate the fact that we have two amazing talented black women who are able
Starting point is 00:59:36 to do the halftime show at the super bowl outside of sports fans and players the majority of people i know that's the reason they watch the super bowl not for who's playing they're watching for that halftime show so let's acknowledge and uplift and applaud the fact that on such a huge forum you had beyonce and now you have rihanna as a black woman i'm proud of that that's something that makes me proud that doesn't take away from your opinion on who you like more whatever whatever but at that moment for me it's about uplifting the fact that we need to celebrate that well let me say well let me end it by saying this i completely agree with that one thousand percent and what you're saying and what you would prefer is entirely different than someone throwing out an accusation that my sentiment was making it a divide between two black women that's a difference you're just simply saying they're both great let's celebrate them
Starting point is 01:00:32 no problem no problem whatsoever that's entirely different than and understanding that they're both the reason that right majority of people are even watching that's right you guys are watching for the sports aspect and sure majority of people are watching right for that half but what happens is is that when we question people's intent because they express something differently what happens is is that you didn't lose those folks those folks that think like that because they're like oh here they go with this and i'm like no at the end of the day ranna is phenomenal. And she's got her own army or navy, as they say. Beyonce has got her crew. They're both fantastic.
Starting point is 01:01:10 They both sell out stadiums and arenas. They're both making gobs and gobs of money. And they've earned it. Okay? Much love and respect to you. Ain't no doubt about it. I'm rooting for her. I ain't rooting against her.
Starting point is 01:01:20 I'm just a Beyonce fan. I think with these microphones, you know, it's something that we would debate for to the end of time intention versus impact yes because it's a lot of times my intention wasn't to offend but then somebody like a lie gotta be like nah you offended you offended you know you impacted that person in a negative way right in those moments you just gotta apologize and keep it moving yeah you know i understand which is which is what i did yeah but let me be very clear people don't like your apology either, though.
Starting point is 01:01:45 Well, the hell with all that. First of all, Leslie Jones on Comedy Central. Hilarious. She got you. And she's supposed to. That's what she does. I wasn't offended by it at all. All right.
Starting point is 01:01:55 Because she's great. Not even the hairline joke. You don't have to think about that. No, bro. It's there. It's struggling. But I'm 55. It ain't like I'm 35 walking around with this stuff.
Starting point is 01:02:02 Yeah, but that's what I'm about to do on the search. I'm 55. You know what? No. And we got it. You know what? I might visit HairClub for a minute. I walking around with this stuff. I'm 55. You know what? No. I might visit HairClub for men. I have a new hair product and I got something for you.
Starting point is 01:02:08 I might visit HairClub for men because I don't think I'm Godzilla, but I ain't the most attractive dude in the world. But if my hairline move forward, I might have a... There might be hope for me. There might be hope for me. There might be hope for me. I got some Manala rice water drops for you. Okay.
Starting point is 01:02:22 It work. It better work, Lala. It better work. Charlamagne's gonna try. Let me test her right now. because then they're gonna get on me forgetting that there's another sister because if it don't work i'm blaming you i'm blaming you right now i'm telling you that right now i appreciate y'all that right now. I appreciate y'all, man. Thank you so much. I just want to tell you one last thing. Yeah, man. You know, we have a new studio.
Starting point is 01:02:48 Okay. So now we have the option to go to you when we need some questions. So next time, next season, the Cowboys start losing and I need to go to you for some backup or some help. You need like a Zoom call or something like that? Right to that camera. We can pat you right in. I got y'all.
Starting point is 01:02:59 And you can just- I'm telling you right now. Cowboys going to the Super Bowl next year. I can't tell you. I gotta go. I gotta tell you. I can't do it. I can't do it. I can't tell you. I gotta go. I gotta tell you. I can't do it. I can't do it.
Starting point is 01:03:06 I can't do it. It's the Breakfast Club, man. Y'all ridiculous, man. Ridiculous. Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy, Charlamagne Tha God. We are the Breakfast Club. Our guest host, Lala, is hanging out with us today.
Starting point is 01:03:18 Good morning. And make sure you go watch that full interview with Stephen A. Smith. It'll be up on Breakfast Club YouTube page very shortly. Lala wasn't letting up. At all. Not at all. At all. Don't play with Lala.
Starting point is 01:03:28 All right. Well, let's get to the rumors. Rumor has it. Rumor. Rumor has it. Call out a name or you gossiping or you chatty patty. I'm gossiping. This is the rumor report.
Starting point is 01:03:37 I mean, I guess we on the Breakfast Club. This is where the tea spills, right? Right. On the Breakfast Club. Yeah. So T.I. was on Club Shay Shay, the podcast hosted by Shannon Sharp recently, talking about his parenting skills because he has received a lot of criticism on his son, King Harris. And he said, we all got badass kids. Whatever he's going through, I love him through it.
Starting point is 01:03:58 And I can't say he a great kid enough. But the media don't talk enough about the good part. The thing that he does. And, you you know when we young we kind of talk about things based on how we think they should be right rather than acknowledging them for how we know they are right and i just try and you know walk them through they get better every day though i would like to shed light on the fact we all got bad ass kids okay they can say like i'm the only one on here who got bad-ass kids.
Starting point is 01:04:26 We all go through. You feel what I'm saying? If you ain't got no bad-ass kids, you got one and you got lucky. You hear me? Anybody with three or more, you got one that you don't know what the hell you going to do with. You feel me? He's right.
Starting point is 01:04:39 You can't take all the responsibility for your kids' actions. You can be the best parent in the world, give them all the resources, all the tools, but they still gonna go out there and live life and be they own people they all gonna make stupid decisions like we all did we all did made decisions that we like damn I wish I didn't do that as a kid it's true it's very true but the issue is that when there is a kid making bad decisions or whatever a lot of times people just automatically place all the blame on a parent or just assume that because the
Starting point is 01:05:03 kid made bad decisions that means the parents not involved or the parents not you know checking in or participating but it's just not always the case like and that the screech don't have an allure the world right like the world is gonna influence your kids just as much as you yeah your kids friends absolutely yeah for sure so um shirley ralph chris stapleton and babyface are performing at the 2023 Super Bowl, the pre-show. So the NFL announced on Tuesday that Cheryl Lee Ralph will perform Lift Every Voice and Sing in the pre-show. Is that on TV? Is that televised? I think so.
Starting point is 01:05:33 And R&B crooner Babyface will also perform with the rendition of America the Beautiful. So that's in addition to, obviously, Rihanna performing at the halftime show. Okay. And like I was saying to Stephen A. Smith, most people that I know are watching the Super Bowl for this stuff. They want to watch the halftime show. They want to watch the pre-show, see who's performing, and get into it. You said something during Stephen A. Smith's interview that was real. You were like, we should celebrate the fact that we've had Beyonce and Rihanna perform at these Super Bowl halftime shows. We forget Mary J. Blige was there last year, too. And Mary performed with her last year, too.
Starting point is 01:06:08 It's unbelievable. And I feel like that's what we should be talking about and being excited about and showing up for them and loving on them and supporting them. I mean, there was a time where you would never see something like that. At all. That's true. As a black woman, woman empowerment, it's just so powerful to turn on TV and see that, see those images.
Starting point is 01:06:28 It's so inspiring and it's necessary and I think that's what should be celebrated and talked about more than, oh, I like this one better than this one
Starting point is 01:06:35 or I think that, I mean, everyone's entitled to their opinion but even when there's opinions, there's a time and place for everything. I do think Mary J. Blige
Starting point is 01:06:42 needs her own set though. We can have that discussion. Absolutely. I think Mary J. Blige can headline her own Super Bowl halftime show. I'd like to see that. Absolutely. Agreed. 100%.
Starting point is 01:06:52 All right. Well, that is your rumor report. Charlamagne, who are you giving that down to? You know, for After the Hour, I need a woman named Carmella Mains to come to the front of the congregation. We're going to talk crack pipes and butt plugs. What do they have in common? We'll discuss. What? All right. We'll going to talk crack pipes and butt plugs. What do they have in common? We'll discuss. What?
Starting point is 01:07:08 Alright, we'll get to that next. Whatever you want to do. It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning. The Breakfast Club. Your mornings will never be the same. Looking to turn a small bet into a big payday? With DraftKings Sportsbook Same Game Parleys, you can pocket more cash when you combine multiple
Starting point is 01:07:23 bets from one game download the app sign up with code envy that's e-n-v-y and get a special offer restrictions apply see draftkings.com sportsbook for details make sure you tell them to watch out for florida man the craziest people in america come from the bronx and of Florida. Yes, you are a donkey. A Florida man attacked an ATM for a very strange reason. It gave him too much money. Florida man is arrested after deputies say he rigged the door to his home in an attempt to electrocute his pregnant wife. Police arrested an Orlando man for attacking a flamingo.
Starting point is 01:07:59 The Breakfast Club, bitches. Donkey of the day with Charlemagne the guy. I don't know why y'all keep letting him get y'all like this donkey today for wednesday january 25th goes to carmella and manes of clearwater florida now what does your uncle charla always tell you about the great state of florida say it with me the craziest people in america come from the bronx and all of florida and today is no exception see carmella was taken into custody wednesday in clearwater florida after she failed to show up to court to face shoplifting charges now why no no not why wow she was being processed uh at the county jail a body scan revealed an anomaly in her genital area i don't
Starting point is 01:08:37 even know why i'm using big words like anomaly for no reason they found something odd in her genitals i know what you're thinking. Was it a penis? All right. It can be a little confusing when someone tells you they are a woman, you know, but that's actually just what they identify as. And then when you get down there, whoa! You're staring at a whole plate of frankenbeans. But no, it wasn't a penis. Okay, it was a pipe.
Starting point is 01:08:56 All right, not the kind of pipe that produces baby batter to procreate more life, but the kind of pipe that people put crack in and smoke it. You heard me correct. Crack. fried cocaine rocks this woman had a glass crack pipe in her vagina okay yes when officials conducted a script search of the suspect they found a glass crack pipe protruding from the woman's pom-pom carmella then removed the crack pipe from her vagina and intentionally threw it on the ground and stepped on it in an effort to destroy the evidence mind you she did all of this in front of the officers who had just discovered said evidence on her. But that's not why she's getting donkier today.
Starting point is 01:09:30 It could be, but it's not. It's part of it. The main reason she's getting donkier today is because of her excuse as to why there was a whole crack pipe in her vagina. Carmela said that the crack pipe wasn't a crack pipe But it was a sex toy She said this despite the fact That it was consistent with a pipe Commonly used to smoke crack cocaine And it had burnt markings all over it If she was really thinking She could have said the burnt markings came from
Starting point is 01:09:56 That new screen of gonorrhea that's going around It don't just burn humans But nope, she said that the crack pipe She got caught with Was a sex toy let me tell you something carmella you might could have got that lie off if you wouldn't have put it in your vagina i repeat you might could have got that lie off if you didn't put the crack pipe in your poomphoom if you're going to try to convince people a crack pipe is a sex toy then guess
Starting point is 01:10:20 what you got to put the crack pipe in the crack crack of your ass. All right, listen, man. There's a lot of people who are into anal play nowadays. All right, Cosmopolitan. I saw this article on MB's computer. Cosmopolitan just came up. No, he had his computer open and I saw it. Cosmopolitan came out with a list of the 15 best butt plugs for 2023. You got the Jimmy Jane aerial glass glass plug would you like to hear the
Starting point is 01:10:47 review no are we really talking about butt plug this is true this is real okay the review was i got the ariel and let me tell you wow i was a little nervous that my inexperienced back door might have difficulty but i was surprised when it did not a bit of warming up in some lube and this thing had me reaching my O. Like most glass toys, you can use it cold or warmed up, and I have to say, playing with this toy was amazing. I highly recommend this toy, end quote. That was a review. Why did I use that one?
Starting point is 01:11:16 Why did I highlight that toy? Because it's a glass anal plug, just like a crack pipe is made of glass. It's time to rebrand crack pipes, ladies and gentlemen. Okay, they can actually be sex toys. They even have the perfect name. Pipes are already slang for penis. Asses have cracks, but this is a pipe for your ass.
Starting point is 01:11:34 All right, butt plugs come in all forms. Silicone, glass, metal anal plugs. But the crack pipe could be a glass anal plug. I can see the reviews now on Cosmopolitan for the crack pipe. Such a great product, especially for the price. It's only $20, reads one review. Perfect for beginners and seasoned pros alike. Big enough to be satisfying, but small
Starting point is 01:11:54 enough that it was comfortable to wear for a good period of time. I recommend the crack pipe to anyone that's smoking. BOOM! That's how you make a crack pipe a sex toy, Carmella. Not the way you did it Please give Carmella Mains The sweet sounds of the Hamilton's Oh now you are the donkey
Starting point is 01:12:10 Of the day You are the donkey Of the day Yeehaw Now tell me La Liseezy, you don't want to crack pipe after that review. Come on now. No interest in that or butt plugs. But that's just
Starting point is 01:12:32 my personal preference. Whatever floats your boat. What about you, Indy? Want to play a game? No, I don't want to play a game. I'm going to be honest, man. This woman is on crack and she's from Florida. I don't know what she is. When I look at her mugshot, let me... Let's play a game.
Starting point is 01:12:47 Okay. Here we go. Let's play a game of Guess What Race It Is. All right. La La first. Carmella Ann Mains of Clearwater, Florida. She got caught with a crack pipe in her vagina, and she told officers it was a sex toy. La Lizzy, guess what race she is?
Starting point is 01:13:07 Caucasian. What makes you think that, Lyleezy? This is just what I think. This is just how I feel. Stick it to it. Did I win the money? Envy? Carmella Ann Mains of Clearwater, Florida
Starting point is 01:13:22 got caught with a crack pipe in her vagina and told officers it was a sex toy. Guess what race she is! This is a tough one. Okay. See, because my black people, they like to hide stuff. They like to maneuver. They don't mess with the police.
Starting point is 01:13:35 That's not just a black thing. Knock it off. Yes, it is. That is not just a black thing. Everybody got asses and vaginas. Well, not everybody. Wait, what? Everybody got an ass.
Starting point is 01:13:44 Yeah, you know what I mean. know yeah hmm i'm gonna go with white okay for what reason i don't know it's just a feeling like some white crackheadish stuff well lala envy both of you all right You are right. She's Tarsier. I said it first. You got it. You got it. Definitely a crackhead. But you can tell why I was a little confused, right? What? She looks like a crackhead.
Starting point is 01:14:10 What do you mean? Well, she don't look like a woman. You know what? Let's keep it moving. All right. You know what? More water. Let's crack.
Starting point is 01:14:19 That would be stupid, man. Can't believe there's a vagina in this one. All right. Thank you for that donkey today. Up next. Come on, Woosah. Woosah. Up next. Come on, Woosah. Woosah. All right. Come on. Woosah.
Starting point is 01:14:31 Woosah. Okay. All right. Now, this morning, Lala came up here and she was hot. She was on fire. I don't know why. She came in at six o'clock this morning and was on fire. She was like, I have something I want to talk today on air, so I'm going to let her go. F marriage. Yes marriage yes so do we pose the question first i was talking about i feel like currently marriage is not a goal for people i don't hear people who
Starting point is 01:14:58 aren't married saying like i want to get married you just start hearing it less and less like before that was a goal. Before social media and just the way people interact now. I'm not in conversations with people who are talking about, I can't wait to meet someone and get married. Now people say, yeah, I want to meet somebody, be in a relationship, have this bond. But I don't need the marriage piece to feel like it's successful. And most, I'm not saying all, be careful with my words. Most married people that i know are miserable and not happy and don't want to be married they would prefer to be single and what's happening
Starting point is 01:15:32 is people look at the stats and they say oh well divorce rates are going down but the issue is less people are getting married people don't want to get married a lot of people gonna think is lala being a lot of weddings. That's true. They're going to start looking at all the weddings you've been in over the last few years. They're going to look at your friend circle that's married. And they're going to be like, is La La saying that they all miserable? No, I'm not saying that. Because you're just talking about my, I'm saying in general.
Starting point is 01:15:57 In general. In general. I don't talk to people in general who are just like marriage. Yeah. Love my marriage. Yeah. And it's just not what you hear. You guys are a small minority. And what I'm saying is people who are not married, hear me out. I don't hear them talking as marriage, looking at marriage as a goal.
Starting point is 01:16:19 Damn. A lot of people are choosing violence against married people this morning. Let's listen. But the reason I want to talk about it because I want to get a better understanding of why. And also people are starting to feel like marriage is really just a business agreement between two people. It's like, I don't need that.
Starting point is 01:16:32 I'd rather meet somebody, you know, have love, have loyalty, but I don't need the marriage part of it all. Now people are going to also say Lala feels that way because Lala just recently got divorced. And that's okay. Let's talk about it when we come back.
Starting point is 01:16:43 We'll take some calls. Is marriage still a goal? 800-585-1051. Let's talk about it when we come back. We'll take some calls. Is marriage still a goal? 800-585-1051. Let's talk about it. Call us up right now. Let's be respectful with our opinions, people. Okay? Respectful conversation.
Starting point is 01:16:53 All right. That's The Breakfast Club. Good morning. The Breakfast Club. It's topic time. Pick up the phone, baby. It's topic time. Call 800-585-1051 to join in to the discussion with The Breakfast Club. Let's talk about it.
Starting point is 01:17:12 Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy, Charlamagne Tha God. We are The Breakfast Club. We have our guest host, Lala, here, who came in this morning on fire. Came in with an F-Marriage t-shirt on. That's right. Sure did. Sure did. I did not say that.
Starting point is 01:17:26 I just, I'm a person that I like to get an understanding. I want to know why is it like that? But why for people just tuning in, why is it like what? Why does it feel like marriage is not a goal for people in this day and age? With social media, people aren't even dating like that. People are saying, I pulled up statistics,
Starting point is 01:17:42 people are saying dating's not even a priority anymore. They have other things they would rather do than date or meeting people you know in in the traditional way so people are saying because of that they have no interest in getting married so you wouldn't get married again i wouldn't get married again but i was married so at least like i say i did it and you know it didn't work out the way i had planned but it's not something i would want to do again but i did it so i'm talking about people who are saying they have no interest in ever doing it or wanting to do it. It's not like a goal of people. And even people that are in relationships, a lot of them are not saying like the goal for our relationship is to get married. It's like,
Starting point is 01:18:18 the goal is to be together, have a dope relationship, you know, and be companions forever. But people are not feeling like this. The measure of success in relationships is like getting married. But do you feel like not getting married is the easy way out? Meaning when you first get married and let's say you and Mello or me and Gil or Charlemagne and his wife, when I have problems, you're married. Y'all have to work through it. It's not like you can say I'm out in one.
Starting point is 01:18:44 Y'all have to work through it. You're married. you can say, I'm out and want it. Y'all have to work through it. You're married. So there's going to be good times and bad times. Right. But if you're not married and somebody gets on your nerves, you can just be like, you know what? I don't want to deal with it. I'm out. So it doesn't make the relationship as strong because there's nothing binding to you because it's almost like I can be out when I want to be out.
Starting point is 01:18:59 But for a lot of people, they'll say that the reason that they don't just want to be out is because it's a business agreement there's paperwork between the two of you so if i get out now i gotta deal with splitting assets or anything like that or dealing with lawyers and paperwork and people don't want to do that so it's like is it a union of love and like charlamagne said till death do us part or is it a piece of paper that's binding to people i always say marriage is really easy to get in and really hard to get out it's not it's it's hard to get out and people don't really understand that when you're dealing with lawyers and what you have to pay and things like that it's really hard to get out i wonder if this is more of a product of us being disconnected because of technology and social media like folks don't
Starting point is 01:19:36 have real connections anymore and they aren't making real connections anymore you know i'm saying so i wonder if this is just a a by of that, like people not being able to establish real connections anymore. So there is no there is no goal to be married. There's no goal to even make a real connection. It was always a goal because my parents are married. Right. And they're still married to this day. Fifty, 60 years married, whatever it is. But for me, it's like, yeah, every marriage we have our problems. Right. You get into arguments, you get into fights. It takes communication. It takes work. But the happiest days of my life is being married my wife comes home today and I'm excited like I'm happy she's happy like
Starting point is 01:20:11 we can't wait to see each other because I did it it's it's you know laying next to my wife but it's also I met her at 15 that's what I was about to say 16 there was nothing I had glasses and braces and and acne he was a nerd then you a nerd now. And she loved that nerd the whole way through. That's what you're saying. I'm not a nerd now. I get what you're saying.
Starting point is 01:20:31 I love being married. I've been blessed to be with the same person for almost 25 years. So that's my best friend. I was able to marry my best friend. But that's where I go back to. We were able to establish a real connection. In a time where you weren't dealing with social media and the way people aren't even talking to each other anymore. It's DMs, it's apps, it's all these other things.
Starting point is 01:20:49 But that connection of like talking to someone again, that's not happening anymore. So what I'm saying is this conversation that you guys just shared with me about both of your marriages, I'm saying people are hearing that less and less and less. And marriage, imagine young people dating are saying dating is no longer a priority because they have better things to do. But are people getting married because they're actually best friends? Like they really are friends? Or is it she look good, he look good, let's get married, we got money? Yeah, I don't even think people are taking the time to connect
Starting point is 01:21:17 with someone enough to call them their best friend. So what are couple goals then? When everybody be online and they be like, Sharon, Russell, couple goals, who this person is, couple goals, what are those? What does that mean? They just want to be booed up? Well, here's the thing.
Starting point is 01:21:30 Obviously, Sierra's one of my best friends, and she has an incredible marriage, and Russell's an incredible guy and an incredible relationship. I will just say that, to me, I'm happy that I'm able to see that because that's not the norm of what I see. That's not the norm of what I see. So I'm happy that I'm able to have that because that's not the norm of what I see that's not the norm of what I see so I'm happy that I'm able to have that example to still have that hope that that kind of love and connection
Starting point is 01:21:50 really does exist but that's not the norm of what I see that's good because what she's saying is true because the norm of what we see is the guy cheating and then the woman expected to always be there you know what I mean like we think about like this if you take care of your wife or your girl and you do too much, they call you a simp. You a sucker. You're doing too much. You this way. But that's your queen. Aren't you supposed to take care of your best friend, your queen, your girl, your love, your life?
Starting point is 01:22:14 Aren't you supposed to give flowers? Aren't you supposed to do those things? That's what my dad taught me. That's what my dad did to my mom. Yeah. But I'm just saying, again, it goes back in this day and age. That's not how it's looked at anymore. Last question before we go to the phone line what do you tell your son about marriage it's a it's an interesting
Starting point is 01:22:29 and sometimes difficult conversation because we're all products of what we saw growing up so unfortunately my son saw a failed marriage he does still see two people that genuinely love and care about each other and are amazing parents to him. And we work collectively as a unit. But he did see a broken marriage. So I don't expect him to view marriage as this incredible thing because I saw my parents not be married anymore. That's his view on it. So I have to tell him, like, that's not you. You can meet someone and love them and fall in love and want to get married.
Starting point is 01:23:00 And it's a beautiful thing. And it's like, but mom. I don't like that failed marriage talk though i don't think that the marriage failed just because two people you know grew apart or whatever like you know i don't mean that you failed y'all did that we did it and we did it for a long time that's what i'm saying i was when it when it was good it was good that's right hello who's this vanessa hey vanessa good Vanessa. Hey, Lala. We're saying, is marriage still a goal, Vanessa? Marriage is still very much a goal of mine. How old are you?
Starting point is 01:23:32 I'm 36. Okay. All right. Okay. What are you waiting on? Are you dating? You got a man? How's it looking?
Starting point is 01:23:39 I am dating with a perfect. Okay. Ooh. I like that. The thing about me is I'm a very confident, I'm very tall, but I'm beautiful. So, like, my standards are high. Everybody says sometimes I need to lower my standards. I refuse to get anybody short.
Starting point is 01:23:57 That's disrespectful. You're disrespectful. But you know what? You're going to miss your blessing. My assistant is 6'3", and I told her the same thing. I'm like, you're not going to find somebody taller. It's not as many people. First of all, have you seen your assistant's bangs?
Starting point is 01:24:10 Mercedes is a very pretty girl, but somebody need to draw them bangs back like blinds. Yo, shut up. Leave them bangs alone, man. Go ahead, Vanessa. But the thing about it is, I have friends who are who are married friends who are single and we all talk um and i've really listened to my married friends about like their marriage and stuff like that sometimes it does turn me off when i hear things about men cheating women cheating and i'm just like what is the purpose but then i feel like very very hopeful that you know i don't think
Starting point is 01:24:43 every like charlamagne say all, all black men don't cheat. I don't think all black men do cheat. But I do think at some point in time, men have cheated at one point in time in their lives. Queen, God is telling me to tell you this right now. I just got this down. Oh, boy. Your blessing is five foot five. Shut up, man.
Starting point is 01:25:01 Your blessing is five, five, five, six. No, he's not. You're missing your blessing because you want to keep your head to the sky. You should shut up, man. Your blessing is five, five, five, six. No, he's not. You're missing your blessing because you want to keep your head to the sky. You should be optimistic. Vanessa, he's right. But you got to look down a little bit, boo. He's right. Like, don't block your blessing. Charlamagne, I also wear heels. I don't care. I know. Your blessing is five, six.
Starting point is 01:25:15 How do I look great in a five, five, man? That's my child. You look happy. You look happy. That's what you look like. I cannot be happy. Yes, you will. Vanessa, don't block your blessing. I tell my assistant at the same time. Let me ask you a question do people do this to you all the time they come up to you and act like they're playing basketball post you up yes i did play basketball if i tell a man like i play basketball he's like oh i can i can fool you on the court and i'm like i don't want to do that you do what i want do you know do you know
Starting point is 01:25:43 that do it do you know jesus probably was five five because the average height of men around that time was five foot five. Scholars have said this. Y'all are missing your blessings. Not dating short men. I agree with you. OK, I agree with you. Eight hundred five eight five one oh five one is marriage still a goal. It's the Breakfast Club.
Starting point is 01:26:01 Good morning. Can we get into a little Mary and meth, please? Yeah, let's get into that. It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning. Can we get into a little Mary and meth, please? Yeah, let's get into that. It's the Breakfast Club. Good morning. Hey, guys. I'm Kate Max. You might know me from my popular online series, The Running Interview Show, where I run with celebrities, athletes, entrepreneurs, and more. After those runs, the conversations keep going. That's what my podcast Post Run High is all about. It's a chance to sit down with my guests and dive even deeper into their stories, their journeys, and the thoughts that arise once we've hit the pavement together. You know that rush of endorphins you feel after a great workout? Well, that's when the real magic happens. So if you love hearing real, inspiring stories from the people you know, follow, and admire,
Starting point is 01:26:48 join me every week for Post Run High. It's where we take the conversation beyond the run and get into the heart of it all. It's lighthearted, pretty crazy, and very fun. Listen to Post Run High on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. pools were never quite the same as Melrose Place was introduced to the world. It took drama and mayhem to an entirely new level. We are going to be reliving every hookup, every scandal, every backstab, blackmail and explosion, and every single wig removal together. Secrets are revealed as we rewatch every moment with you. Special guests from back in the day will
Starting point is 01:27:46 be dropping by. You know who they are. Sydney, Allison, and Joe are back together on Still the Place with a trip down memory lane and back to Melrose Place. So listen to Still the Place on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Hey, what's up? This is Ramses Jha. And I go by the name Q Ward. And we'd like you to join us each week for our show Civic Cipher. That's right.
Starting point is 01:28:14 We're going to discuss social issues, especially those that affect black and brown people, but in a way that informs and empowers all people to hopefully create better allies. Think of it as a black show for non-Black people. We discuss everything from prejudice to politics to police violence, and we try to give you the tools to create positive change in your home, workplace, and social circle. Exactly.
Starting point is 01:28:34 Whether you're Black, Asian, White, Latinx, Indigenous, LGBTQIA+, you name it. If you stand with us, then we stand with you. Let's discuss the stories and conduct the interviews that will help us create a more empathetic, accountable, and equitable America. You are all our brothers and sisters, and we're inviting you to join us for Civic Cipher each and every Saturday with myself, Ramses Jha, Q Ward, and some of the greatest minds in America. Listen to Civic Cipher every Saturday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Starting point is 01:29:09 Daphne Caruana Galizia was a Maltese investigative journalist who on October 16, 2017, was murdered. There are crooks everywhere you look now. The situation is desperate. My name is Manuel Delia. I am one of the hosts of Crooks Everywhere, a podcast that unhurts the plot to murder a one-woman Wikileaks. Daphne exposed the culture of crime and corruption that were turning her beloved country into a mafia state. And she paid the ultimate price.
Starting point is 01:29:44 Listen to Crooks everywhere on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Jenny Garth, Jana Kramer, Amy Robach, and TJ Holmes
Starting point is 01:30:01 bring you I Do Part 2, a one-of-a-kind experiment in podcasting to help you find love again. If you didn't get it right the first time, it's time to try, try again as they guide you through this podcast experiment in dating. Hey, I'm Jana Kramer. As they say, those that cannot do teach. Actually, I think I finally got it right. So take the failures I've had the second or even third or whatever, maybe the fourth time around. I'm Jenny Garth.
Starting point is 01:30:26 29 years ago, Kelly Taylor said these words, I choose me. She made her choice. She chose herself. When it comes to love, choose you first. Hi, everyone. I'm Amy Robach. And I'm TJ Holmes. And we are, well, not necessarily relationship experts.
Starting point is 01:30:43 If you're ready to dive back into the dating pool and find lasting love, finally, we want to help. Listen to I Do Part 2 on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Call me. Write your opinion to the Breakfast Club top. Come on. 800-585-1051.
Starting point is 01:31:14 Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy, Charlamagne Tha Guy. We are the Breakfast Club. We got our special guest host, Lala, joining us today. And she was talking about marriage. And we're asking, is marriage still a goal? And live for herself, she said, no. You don't want to get married.
Starting point is 01:31:28 No, because I've done it already. I've done it already. I've checked it off the list. I've done it already. It was good while it was good. It ultimately, you know, didn't work out. And I don't need to revisit that. Just like I told that last caller, Lala, you might need to just try again with shorter men.
Starting point is 01:31:39 You know what I mean? My blessing comes in size 5'5". That's it. Hello, who's this? Hey, what's up? This is D in size 5'5". That's it. Hello, who's this? Hey, what's up? This is D from Jersey. What's up, bro? Talk to us.
Starting point is 01:31:50 What's up, baby? What's going on? Say hello to Lala. Hello, Miss Lala. Good morning. How you doing? Well, I got married six months ago. I love it.
Starting point is 01:32:00 I wouldn't have changed nothing ever. It's just a beautiful thing. I wanted to get married. That's nice to hear. I courted my wife for years, and we finally tied the knot. It's beautiful, man, but you got to want to be married.
Starting point is 01:32:15 You got to want to put in the work. This is another job. You have to want to do it. That's real. You have to do it. If you don't want to do it, most people stay single or on Instagram. I'm with you. Hello, That's real? All right. You don't have to do it. You know, if you don't want to do it, you know, most people stay single or on Instagram. You know?
Starting point is 01:32:27 I'm with you. Hello, who's this? This is Ebony from Boothaven, Connecticut. How are you guys doing? Hi, Ebony. Talk to us, Ebony. Hi, Lala.
Starting point is 01:32:36 Hey. I personally feel like it has to do everything with music and who people are listening to now. Oh, okay. Interesting.
Starting point is 01:32:44 A lot of the music out now is portraying a lot of no love, get a whole bunch of hoes. It's just a whole lot of talk about no love, even though people are actually looking for love. Like, nobody wants to be alone. Everybody wants to have somebody, but everyone's going to get numerous Of people instead of just one And settling
Starting point is 01:33:07 But does not wanting to be alone mean you have to be married? You can get a dog Have a little boyfriend That's true, that's true, you can But what I'm saying is The view of music now is what is making People feel like they don't Want to go and actually find love
Starting point is 01:33:24 Fall in love and then allow allow themselves to settle down. That's a great point. But I also would say this, you know, growing up, how old are you, Ebony? I'm 30. So growing up, you heard music the same way. You know, you could go back to Jay-Z, whether it was Big Pimpin' or Girls, Girls, Girls, or some of those other songs that we grew up to as well was kind of the same thing. R&B has changed a lot, but we grew up to songs like that as well. That's true. That is true. But I think it's a lot like
Starting point is 01:33:48 the music videos are just a little bit more graphical now. And I guess people are able to express themselves a lot more. I agree with that. And I think there was more of a balance back then of a little bit of both. Now it's not so much of that. I agree. Even in R&B. Hello, who's this? Hi, this is Michelle. Hey, Michelle. Hey, Michelle. Where you calling from? Jersey.
Starting point is 01:34:11 Okay, talk to us. I definitely believe that marriage in the sense that we have been indoctrinated to believe in might be played out, not necessarily a goal.
Starting point is 01:34:22 I think you have to understand what people view marriage as because a lot of people don't think that it takes standing in front of a judge a preacher or signing paper that you pay the state for to be married marriage is largely about commitment because honestly if it takes a piece of paper for you to be faithful to me i don't know if i want you anywhere you don't need a ring to be my wife what may ii just be there for me and i'm gonna make sure yeah that's y'all even for the bible thumpers if you look at in the bible in the old testament all it took for marriage was sex and a commitment well that's what the commitment was what made the difference between your wife and your concubine
Starting point is 01:35:03 you're right but you know the problem problem with the Bible dump was somebody putting there that you can't have sex before marriage. So a lot of people started getting married just to have sex. I don't think anybody put in there that you can have sex before marriage. People really got to read their Bible because that's not in the Bible. That's the thing that man has begun to doubt. Because sex is the marriage, actually. So all of this about shacking, all of this about fornication if you really understand the transliteration of the word fornication if you
Starting point is 01:35:32 are a real hebrew greek scholar and you go and look into the meaning of these words fornication is not about sex fornication is idolatry, idolizing other guys. So you're telling me that everybody that we've had sex with, we've been married to? No. Not if you didn't make a commitment to be with that person. Remember, there is a clear delineation. You have to make that commitment. You have to decide.
Starting point is 01:36:05 Because honestly, marriage is a contract between people. But whether that requires a signature from somebody at the state and a license where you're literally paying to be committed to someone, I think that's really the question. I see your point on that part. That's why in the new LeBron James version of the Bible it says, I don't let him hold. Because you got to be very clear
Starting point is 01:36:21 about not being committed to people. What's the moral of the story? What's the moral of the story? The moral of the story to me is that times have definitely changed. It actually saddens me a little bit that that's not the goal anymore for a lot of people. But we're living in a new day and age, a new way of meeting people, a new way of socializing, a new way of communicating with each other and i do feel like you can have an amazing commitment with somebody without necessarily that piece of paper that binds you to that but you did catch the bouquet at the last wedding you were at so she catches the bouquet at every wedding a lot of best wide receiver in the game they throw it right at my
Starting point is 01:37:00 face there's nothing i can do it's coming right towards me well if you decide to do it again la just know short men make better husbands. These are statistical facts, okay? You can Google it, all right? We make up in wisdom what we lack in stature. Short guys make better partners, okay? And if you marry one, your relationship is more likely to last.
Starting point is 01:37:18 Then you can carry one on your back if you need to walk around. This is a fact. I'm not even making this up. Do the research. Where did you get these stats from? What facts? Google.
Starting point is 01:37:24 What's your sources. It seems shorter men make more faithful partners. A survey done by Ashley Madison, which is a dating site for married people. Is that for real? Yes. It says taller men are twice more likely to cheat than the ones whose height is less than five feet, ten inches. Your blessing, ladies, is five foot six.
Starting point is 01:37:42 All right? Five, five. How tall are you? And you know what else? Think about how when you're tall, when you're tall, you see everything. Correct. When you're short, I can see 90% of the women. Hell, my goodness.
Starting point is 01:37:52 I can only see my eye level. I can't believe there's a stat that does that. Wow. Get you a short man. That's your blessing, ladies. All right. Well, thank you. All right.
Starting point is 01:37:59 Well, we got rumors coming up. Talking about Kim K. You staying? I'm out of here. I'm out of here. I'm out of here. It's The Breakfast Club. Good morning. The Breakfast Club.
Starting point is 01:38:12 Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy, Charlamagne Tha God. We are The Breakfast Club. We got our guest host in the building, La La. Now, let's get to the rumors. Let's talk Kim Kardashian. Rumor has it. Rumor.
Starting point is 01:38:24 Rumor has it. call out a name or you gossiping or you chatting i'm gossiping this is the rumor report i mean i guess we on the breakfast club this is where the tea spills right yes on the breakfast club now it looks like uh pete davidson removed all his tattoos that he dedicated to his uh ex kim kardashian now you know pete davidson is 29 years old and he got a bunch of tattoos on his body. I guess saying that my girl is a lawyer and a couple of other tattoos. He even got one that
Starting point is 01:38:51 says KNSCP, which people believe it's for Kim's four kids, North St. Chicago and Psalm. So he got them all removed. God damn, but what kind of witchcraft do the Kardashians be doing to people? What you mean? You know what kind of witchcraft do the Kardashians be doing to people? What you mean? Yo, you know what kind
Starting point is 01:39:07 of witchcraft you must have on people to be having them get tattoos like that? And not marry. God damn. But you know, Pete, my little bro,
Starting point is 01:39:15 I love Pete to death. But not only her, but the kids' names. That's not yours. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. What kind of voodoo
Starting point is 01:39:23 is in that vagina? What kind of voodoo is in that? I don of voodoo is in that i don't know all right now that's why lala's not in here y'all yeah that's the reason why she's in a bathroom break now kanye west was spotted dining with his uh new i guess wife because they've been saying that it got married but the thing was was the daughter north was with them i don't like that either man i think that's too soon yeah i mean the same way we say that about women, when we see, you know, you know, men that they just started getting with around the kids, it's the same thing for the guys.
Starting point is 01:39:52 I agree. You don't, I don't, I don't think you, I don't know, but I would just assume just you don't know that young lady. They need some time. Like a couple of months. Yeah, man. Make sure that person's going to stay around. Yeah, man.
Starting point is 01:40:03 Yeah. Yeah. That's what I think think but let me mind my business yeah now lastly um this is a story uh people are mad at aretha franklin that's not real envy it's not real no that's not a real story no that's a parody account oh trust me i was already i was ready to go in on they when i saw that story okay but it's not real it's not real it's a satire it's a parody well let me just tell the people what it's not a real story that our producers up here
Starting point is 01:40:30 gave to me they said aretha's uh franklin song a natural woman was offensive uh by the lgbtq community but we got to be very careful in regards to things like that simply because those are the type of stories that people put out there just to cause divisiveness amongst communities you know what i mean like you know cointel pro is real you know especially in this day and age of the internet so you know you got to be very careful when you see stuff like that you know not because anybody's afraid of the lgbtq community in any way because you know folks know they will raise holy hell you know and they will try to get you canceled but the reality is those stories just cause divisiveness you know folks know they will raise holy hell you know and they will try to get you canceled but the reality is those stories just cause divisiveness you know i mean so you
Starting point is 01:41:10 really gotta like double check and triple check you know before you go out there and see if situations like that is real but i saw mad people from the lgbtq community you know denouncing that story like my man david john salute to david john david john's he's one of the people who said the same thing i'm saying he's like yo these stories are made to cause divisiveness you know amongst us we actually should play david let's play what david said about that story okay let's let's play it right now i really want people to put some respect on queen aretha's name and to stop using lgbtqia plus folk as weapons of mass distractions the activist in question in this story that was sent to me so many times is a parody account that was started
Starting point is 01:41:48 in January of this year by an organization in Norway. For folks that have questions about things impacting the trans community, there are trans-led organizations that do that work. Because what this does play on is some of the worst fears about conversations to ensure that we can all be free and have access to the rights and privileges
Starting point is 01:42:06 that so many people take for granted. Let's stop this, good people. Let's spread positive messages and actually learn to look for sources and citations. Yep, he's absolutely right. Oh, and let me put some respect on David's name, man. That's Dr. David J. Johns. Okay, Dr. David J. Johns, man.
Starting point is 01:42:24 There you go. Salute to my God, David Johns. All right. And, Dr. David J. Johns, man. There you go. Salute to my guy, David Johns. All right. And that is your rumor report. Now, we got to send a happy birthday to Alicia Keys. Today is Alicia Keys' birthday. She's 43 years old. So we're going to get on a couple of Alicia Keys joints in the mix.
Starting point is 01:42:38 And don't move. It's The Breakfast Club. Good morning. The Breakfast Club. Your mornings will never be the same. Your company has goals this year. Find the right people to help you achieve them with ZipRecruiter, where four out of five employees get a quality candidate within their first day.
Starting point is 01:42:53 Try it free at ZipRecruiter.com slash breakfast. ZipRecruiter.com slash breakfast. B-R-E-A-K-F-A-S-T. Hey, everybody. It's DJ Envy, Charlemagne the God. We are The Breakfast Club. We got our guest host with us, Lala. She's been guest hosting yesterday and today. Hopefully, we can get it for a couple days, but she's looking at, like, it's 4 o'clock
Starting point is 01:43:13 in the morning, Envy, ain't it? She's right in Brooklyn, maybe. Maybe. You know what it is? Once you get up and get going, then I have all the energy. It's just the initial, like, the initial, like, ugh. Yes. It makes it hard.
Starting point is 01:43:25 And Lala has somebody very special joining us this morning. Yes. You know, I'm so honored to welcome Commissioner Lewis Molina here to the Breakfast Club. And, you know, Commissioner Molina is a huge part of the reason why I'm able to go to Rikers with my initiative 360 and do the work that I do. And I just want him to come and talk about Rikers and some of the incredible changes he's making there and just chop it up a little bit. Welcome. Welcome. Good morning.
Starting point is 01:43:51 Thank you for having me. Yes, I'm so happy for you to be here. So, Commissioner Molina, I just wanted to ask you, and we've talked about it before, but you're so passionate about what you do. You're so passionate about changing the narrative of Rikers Island. And I just wanted to ask you, where does that passion
Starting point is 01:44:08 and that heart that you have come from? Because it motivates me. It wakes me up every day and gives me that extra push to do what I do. I'm learning so much from you. Where does that passion
Starting point is 01:44:18 and commitment come from? Well, for me, it comes from just my lived experience. I've had very close family members that have been incarcerated on Rikers Island back when we had adolescence. And that impacted my parents' marriage. It impacted our family unit. And I had opportunities growing up. You know, I grew up with both my mom and dad in my life. A lot of kids don't have that,
Starting point is 01:44:40 though we did have struggles. And when I think people that look like us are blessed with opportunities to manage agencies where you're dealing with the majority of individuals are black and brown, that's just the reality of the criminal justice system in America, then I have an obligation, people that look like us have an obligation to really make a difference so that our lived experiences are within the policies and operations of how we manage and really care for that population. Absolutely. And Commissioner, I was going to ask you, how do you keep that passion and stay with
Starting point is 01:45:10 that passion when every day you're getting criticized about something or everything is just a negative narrative is constantly being put out? And I'm the one constantly screaming from the mountaintops, like, look what's happening. There's so many amazing things happening at Rikers that you never hear about. There's so many lives being changed. There's so many incredible programs and so many things that you are doing. Like, how do you deal with that? Because you got to be just have a strong backbone for that kind of thing.
Starting point is 01:45:37 Sure. I mean, for me, human beings are worth it. Right. I think for the people that are justice involved, for the men and women that work there, we are a majority agency, black and brown, 44% women. That is a big, big compared to other law enforcement agencies in our country. So the work is worth it. And the people that we're fighting for, those that are incarcerated and those that are working there, contract providers, volunteers like yourself, we really need a holistic approach to really solving America's criminal justice issue. And for too long, I think as a country, we've done just enough to make people seem like we're doing a lot. And we just keep individuals just in a state of mediocrity and in a state of poverty.
Starting point is 01:46:21 Right. And we really need to make a difference and really disrupt how we manage criminal justice in this country. What's the biggest thing that you face, your biggest obstacles? I mean, I've had family members at Rikers and everybody that ever gets locked up in New York City. The biggest thing is they want to get bailed out before taking that trip over to Rikers. So what is the biggest thing that you face and the biggest obstacle? Well, I think there were a number of big obstacles when we came in in January 1st. I mean, we had a staffing crisis where a significant number of staff
Starting point is 01:46:48 weren't coming to work, right? We stopped programming. And I think when you're dealing with a vulnerable population- When you say staff, you mean correction officers? I mean correction officers. Okay. A lot were out at the beginning of the year
Starting point is 01:47:00 and that was an ongoing thing in the latter part of 2021. So we needed to get staff back to work. But we needed to also recognize that we didn't have an organizational health strategy to support the staff that's dealing with a very challenging population, while at the same time during a pandemic. They also shut down programming. And I think when you're dealing with people that are in custody, whether it's patients in a hospital, you need all of the ecosystem to still continue to work in order for that to happen.
Starting point is 01:47:26 So our biggest challenge really has been the mismanagement and really the dismantling of a core part of the criminal justice system in the city. When you think about corrections, the corrections department spends the most time with those that are justice involved. When you get arrested by the police, you may not see that police officer unless you go to trial and then in many cases defendants
Starting point is 01:47:47 are not really engaging consistently either with the prosecutor or even with their own defense attorneys right they go to court every time there may be a new defense attorney that's managing their case so we have a time to try to engage with the individual to deal with the new drivers of why there are justice involved and I think that's very very important work that has to be done. So I think there's a number of complex challenges. We've come a long way over the last year, but we have a long way to go. You know, you're the commissioner of the Department of Corrections, and they call these institutions correctional facilities, right? But what is actually being done to correct,
Starting point is 01:48:21 you know, these prisoners? Like a lot of times they get thrown in jail they don't get any resources you know they don't learn any trades that when they get out they can actually you know be productive in society they're not getting great education the food is terrible so their health isn't you know being benefited so what is actually being done to correct prisoners sure that's a great question and I think the mayor talks about this all the time about solving these upstream problems so we have to understand that a lot of people that are injustice involved are there because of a lack of a nationwide public health strategy to deal with issues like mental illness, substance abuse addiction. Sometimes that's co-occurring and you have both. I think when you look at corrections, you have to understand that there's two parts of it.
Starting point is 01:49:01 New York City Department of Corrections is a jail. So it's a temporary detention place and that's what it's meant for. Now, that doesn't mean that we don't have a responsibility in trying to improve people's outcomes. So we do not determine who comes to us, but we have an obligation as an organization to try to improve their outcomes. Now, in many cases, we're dealing with individuals that were offering educational opportunities, access to health care and treatment that they didn't have in their own communities for whatever reason um trying to deal with vocational training but because their time with us is so temporary the level of engagement that you have it at jail while important is not
Starting point is 01:49:39 the same time of long-term engagement that you may have in a state prison okay you know our last question you know i think about jail, right? Jail should be humane, but not necessarily nice. Because it's jail, right? So I want to ask you on a scale of like one to four seasons, what do you think the conditions of like a jail should be? So I think jail at its core has to be on a foundation of humanity and managing individuals, right?
Starting point is 01:50:04 You're still dealing with human beings, right? Especially for those that are young adults, their brain is still going through brain development and you want to take all of the drivers into consideration of why somebody's justice involved. So yeah, you want to be humane, but understand that, again, we don't have a role in punishment, right? We have a role in making sure that we're providing a safe and secure environment so programs can be successful for those that want to engage in programming to deal with their issue. We remind ourselves at the jail level that they have not been convicted, so they're still presumed innocent. And that adds a certain layer of making sure that we're empathetic to that.
Starting point is 01:50:40 But remind ourselves our job is not to punish people. Our job is to provide a custodial service of those that the court has deemed need to be within the care and control of the government versus being out in public. Thank you for joining us. Thank you so much, Commissioner.
Starting point is 01:50:59 I was so happy to have you here today and thank you for opening up the doors and allowing me to come in and do my work and fulfill my passion. It's incredible what you do, and you're such an amazing leader for all of us. So thank you so much. Tell them the name of the program, Lyle. So my program is 360. Hey, my 360 crew, your shout-out is coming soon, so get ready.
Starting point is 01:51:17 Get ready. Get around the radio. It's coming soon. The 360 Initiative. I'll talk a little bit about it when I shout-out the whole crew. All right. It's the Breakfast Club Positive Notes up next. Thank you, Commissioner. Thank you.
Starting point is 01:51:27 Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy, Charlamagne Tha God. We are the Breakfast Club. We got our guest host for today, La La. You got some shout outs, La. Yes. My initiative at Rikers Island is called the 360 Initiative and it's made up of some incredible young men who are
Starting point is 01:51:43 really, really committed to doing a 360 in their life and changing their lives around and just being incredible members of the community upon release and those that have to continue on to their journey and serve some time. Just changing how they're thinking to just be productive while incarcerated as well. So I got some shout outs. I got a shout out my family double s day g's no e yadi mo digs benny les rondo jr dre what's up to the whole crew and all of this can't be possible without big white dc pastor t britney podcast b definitely for holding us down and the staff there who have just been so incredible and helping us every step of the way i just want to show them some some love you always just hear so many negative things and
Starting point is 01:52:28 there's so many people that work in rikers that are just so passionate about what they do and just have such amazing hearts and really do want to make a change and i think some of those people that i know should be acknowledged so shout out to obviously Commissioner Molina, who we're going to talk to. Ms. Torres, Tavares, Khan, Curry, Medard holds us down. Ms. King, Cordero, Emily, T, and Cove. I couldn't do the work I'm doing without this amazing group of people. And if I missed anyone, I'm sorry, but this crew right here really helps me do what I do. But shout out to the young men in my initiative. I love them so much. And when you see the changes that are taking place in this group, it gives you chills. People just need an opportunity.
Starting point is 01:53:09 People just need resources. And some people just need somebody to lean on somebody to tell them, I got you. I love you. You'll be surprised like how many people just don't have things that some of us take for granted every day. And I'm just proud of my crew. They're leaders in their housing units. They're going to be leaders in the community. And I'm really proud of my crew they're leaders in their housing units they're gonna be leaders in the community and I'm really proud of
Starting point is 01:53:28 the work that they're doing. Now do you say I love you to them or just love you? I say I love you. I love you. Yes. That means a lot. Alright well thank you and you got a positive note Charlemagne? I do man I really been thinking about that. Before we do the positive note okay you got a schedule us to come to Rikers one time. Absolutely. I don't know if Charlemagne's with I'm sure he will but it'd be dope if we could no i'm saying we could broadcast out of there one time wow wow i don't know i'm asking the commissioner's coming you're right you're right you're right you're right i'm not no lie telling me to pull up somewhere that'd be dope yeah be awesome all right i'm positive nope yeah the positive note man i've been thinking about
Starting point is 01:54:02 that tall sister who called in who wants to be married but doesn't want to date short men. And I'm telling you, I'm telling you, I'm telling her her blessing is 5'5". And with that said, the positive note is simple. Don't miss out on blessings just because they aren't packaged the way you are expecting. Breakfast club, bitches! You all finished or you all done?

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