The Breakfast Club - Primary Day, The Trial, and Issa Rae's TikTok Takeover

Episode Date: June 2, 2026

Mimi Brown breaks down the day. It's primary election day in five states — what's on the ballot and what's at stake. Jury selection has begun in Texas in the high-profile Karmelo Anthony murder trial. And Issa Rae just made TikTok history with the biggest micro-drama in the platform's history. Plus,  the Front Page Two-Minute Take. The internet has been trying Karmelo Anthony for over a year. Now the real courtroom finally gets to weigh in. From the Black Effect Podcast Network.YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakfastClubPower1051FMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey guys, it's us. The Jonas Brothers. I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it. We're the first people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it. But, you know, tired and sick.

Tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas. And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast, Point Game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments.

If we didn't talk ever again, I was harmed. You just understood. That's how personal it got. Wow. Then after that game seven, Marquis come until he's like, you know I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball.

So listen to Point Game on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Why are we all so obsessed with romance? On the Radio 831 podcast, join us. Sanjana Basker and Tyler McCall as we unpack all the trending tropes, fuzzy adaptations, book talk drama, and celebrity love stories with hot takes and sharp guests. Each episode digs into what these stories reveal about desire, fantasy, identity, and how we love now. Listen to the Radio 831 podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

This is Saigon, the story of my family and of the country that shaped us. From IHeart Podcasts, Saigon. You don't think I'm serious about a free Vietnam? One city, a divided country, and the war that tore America apart. This is for Vietnam. They're pouring Patrick all over here. Freedom for Vietnam! There's a fire coming to this country and it's going to burn out everything.

Listen to Saigon on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Its primary election season across the country in California is leading the ticket with the race for governor and the race for the mayor of Los Angeles. So a reality star with no track record, I'm not sure he's ever had a job. Jury's selection has begun in the high profile murder trial of Carmelo Anthony in Texas. This is definitely a self-defense case because it always is one until you look at the facts of the case and compare the two. And Issa Ray is making TikTok history with a vertical drama that's pulling in more than 150, million views. Good evening.

I have gained access to your entire online footprint. From the Black Effect Podcast Network, I'm Mimi Brown. This is Front Page, and here are the day's biggest stories. Plus, today on the two-minute take, Carmelo Anthony has been tried in the court of public opinion for over a year. Today, the actual court finally gets to weigh in. Stay with me. Today is primary day across several states, including California, New Jersey, Iowa, Montana,

New Mexico and South Dakota. Polls are open right now, and the candidates' voters choose today could help shape the governor's races, control of Congress, and the political conversation heading into November. Let's start here in California where voters are choosing a new governor

for the first time in eight years because Governor Gavin Newsom is term limited. The issues driving voters this year are familiar ones, the cost of living, housing, affordability, homelessness, insurance costs, public safety, and wildfire, recovery. And in Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass is facing one of the most competitive re-election fights in her political career. The latest poll shows a razor-thin three-way race with Bass about 26 percent,

city council member Nathia Raman at roughly 25 percent, and reality TV star Spencer Pratt close behind at about 22 percent. If no candidate wins more than 50 percent, the top two finishers will move on to a November runoff. Here is Mayor Karen Bass. So a reality star with no track record, I'm not sure he's ever had a job other than reality TV. I don't know if he worked at a regular job. I know he has no idea how the city government has run or somebody who has devoted their lives to change. And over the last three and a half years have brought about change in some very significant ways. So if you're voting in California today, make sure you're in line before the polls close at 8 p.m. specific.

Now to New Jersey, where Senate and House primaries are on the ballot today, Senator Cory Booker is up for re-election this year, but he's running unopposed, along with the Republican primary to determine who will challenge him in November. In Iowa and Montana, voters are focused on farming, the economy, and rising costs. In New Mexico, key issues include border security, crime, oil, and gas jobs, and water shortages. And in South Dakota, voters are talking inflation, agriculture, land rights, and health care access. in rural communities. And here's the bigger picture.

A lot of people are focused on November, but in many districts, the primary election is the election. Whoever wins today will likely win in November 2. So if you plan on voting today, double check your polling place, make sure your registration is active and bring your ID if the state requires one.

Jury selection is now underway in Texas in the murder trial of Carmelo Anthony. If you haven't followed this case, here's the quick breakdown. Back in April of 2020, during a high school track meet in Frisco, Texas. Prosecutors say an argument between two 17-year-olds over seating under a tent turned into a deadly fight. Witnesses say Austin Metcalf told Anthony to leave.

The two exchanged words, witnesses say Metcalf either touched or grabbed Anthony, and Anthony then pulled out a pocket knife and stabbed Metcalf once in the chest. Metcalf later died at the scene. Anthony immediately claimed self-defense and told officers he was protecting himself, and he was charged with first-degree murder. Because we all carry these implicit biases with us that perceive or impact how we perceive an event. Now, what's really it's going to come down to it,

and I disagree with the guy who said, this is not a self-defense case yesterday, I think he said it. This is definitely a self-defense case because it always is one until you look at the facts of the case and compare the two. You have to compare who was the initial aggressor? Was it an aggressive act for him to go up and say, get away from the tent?

Did he do more than that? My understanding was maybe he touched him put hands on him. Granted, that makes the deceit in this case, maybe the initial aggressor. But you really still then have to look at whether or not Carmelo Anthony responded with appropriate force. He used a deadly weapon. And whether or not he was in imminent fear of great bodily injury. That's the standard in Texas in most every state. Now fast forward to this week. Hundreds of potential jurors were called into court Monday as the highly watched trial officially began. Opening statements are expected later this week.

The judge has banned cameras, live streams, and cell phones from inside the court because this case has exploded online for more than a year, fueled by misinformation, fake post, harassment, and protests from both sides. Now outside the courtroom, Monday demonstrators supporting both families gathered. And now the central question finally moves from social media to the courtroom. Did Carmelo Anthony reasonably believe he was in danger when he used the knife. That question is what a jury will decide. All right, so it's Tuesday, and it's time for the front page Tuesday, two-minute take. So every Tuesday, I take two minutes. I give you one thought,

one opinion, or one conversation from the headlines that I think deserves a little bit more honesty and a little bit more context. And today we're talking about Carmelo Anthony and the trial that's already been happening for over a year. Here's the quiet part out loud. Carmelo Anthony was tried and convicted by the internet in April of 2025, long before any jury was ever seated. Within hours of Austin Metcalf's death, major accounts on X had Carmelo Anthony's name, his photo, his mother's name, his high school, his neighborhood. They had a story and they had a verdict. Fake autopsy reports went up, fake police statements, fake autopsy results claiming drugs were

involved, fake screenshots of guns. None of that was true. and it all spread. Within 48 hours of a teenager dying, nearly 50 million people had seen posts claiming this case wasn't getting enough outrage because the killer was black and the victim was white. The platforms profited from every single one of those views. So let me say what this means. Carmelo Anthony was a 17-year-old when this happened. Austin Metcalf was also 17 years old when this happened.

Now, both of their families, they've been swatted, they've been threatened, they've had their addresses posted online. They've had to leave their jobs. They've had to bury a child. And on the other side, they've had to watch a child stand trial while strangers on the internet become amateur prosecutors,

amateur jurors and amateur executioners. Neither of these families asked for any of that, and here's the part of the story that should bother everyone. No matter what you think happened at that track meet, a seating dispute, a pocket knife,

a seconds of contact between two teenagers, whatever the case, The internet turned it into something else. It turned it into a referendum on race, on bail reform, on black crime, on white victimhood, on every political fight you can think of. And that's not justice. That's just for content. And so as the case gets underway, there will be no cameras, no cell phones, no live streaming, and no social media posts from the inside. Just a judge, a jury, 35 witnesses, and the law.

And honestly, all I can say is that I hope this little boy gets his due process and he gets. It's his turn at telling his side of the story, and he gets his turn at the truth. This is not a show. This is his life. And that's your Tuesday, two-minute tape. Let's end the show with something good. Issa Ray just made TikTok history. Her new vertical microdrama screen time has now pulled in more than 150 million views,

making it the biggest series TikTok has ever seen. Thank you so much for making my best friends so happy. James, well, you know we love you. To Olivia and James. And if you have any tips for me and James on how to last as long as you guys, we are listening. Don't keep secrets from each other. And if you haven't heard of a micro drama yet,

just think TV show made for your phone. One minute episodes, big cliffhangers, and fast drama. The format exploded in China, now Hollywood is rushing to catch up. But here's the bigger story. Issa Ray, the same woman. who started on YouTube with Awkward Black Girl just proved again that black stories do not need Hollywood's permission

to become massive hits. Screen Time features a mostly black cast, union crews, and real production money behind it. And now the entire industry is paying attention. That's your front page. I'm Mimi Brown. This podcast was brought to you by the Black Effect Podcast Network. Hey guys, it's us and the Jonas Brothers.

I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called Hey Jonas. We invented a podcast? Well, we didn't invent it. We just contributed to it.

We get to ask people to do podcasts. We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it, but, you know, tired and sick. Listen to Hey Jonas on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it. What's up, fam? It's Isaiah Thomas.

And I'm C.J. Toledano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast. Point game, the playoffs. We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season. And I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was probably. You just understood. That's how personal it got.

Wow. Then after that game seven, Marquis come until he's like, you know I love you, dog. You know, it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball. So listen to Point Game on the Iheart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you're watching the latest season of the Real Housewives of Atlanta, you already know,

that's a lot to break down. Gorsha accusing Kelly of sleeping with a merry man. They holdin K. Michelle back from fighting Drew. Pinky has financial issues. On the podcast, Reality with the King, I, Carlos King, recap the biggest moments from your favorite reality shows, including the Real House Wise franchise,

the drama, the alliances, and the T, everybody's talking about. To hear this and more, listen to Reality with the King on the IHard Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever, you get your podcast. This is Saigon, the story of my family and of the country that shaped us. From IHeart Podcasts, Saigon. You don't think I'm serious about a free Vietnam?

One city, a divided country, and the war that tore America apart. It's for Vietnam. They're pouring patril all over here. Freedom for Vietnam! There's a fire coming to this country and it's going to burn out everything. Listen to Saigon on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever. you get your podcasts.