The Breakfast Club - Ryan Clark Says He Was Targeted at ESPN + The Usher Fan Everyone's Debating

Episode Date: July 27, 2026

Ryan Clark is finally speaking out about his departure from ESPN—and his emotional interview is raising even more questions. Loren LoRosa breaks down Ryan's claims that he wasn't laid off, but fired, why he believes there were warning signs, and the comments about feeling like he "couldn't be too Black" while trying to keep his job. Plus, Usher's latest concert has the internet in a frenzy after a fan went viral for giving the superstar almost no reaction during his signature on-stage serenade. Was she keeping it respectful because she has a boyfriend, or did she completely fumble a once-in-a-lifetime moment? Loren dives into the online debate and whether the backlash has gone too far. Before the headlines, Loren also checks in with listeners about finding balance, learning to disconnect from work, and what she's discovering about purpose, belonging, and success during this new chapter of her career.YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BreakfastClubPower1051FMSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human. On Raiders of the Lost podcast, we explore cinema like no one else, including huge interviews with stars like Ryan Gosling on Project Hail Mary. It was like the Jaws Shark. Didn't always work, came with its own problems. That's what made it great. The cast of Obsession.

On set, there was so much magic happening with each scene we were putting together. Deep dives into classics like 2001 of Space Odyssey or Fight Club. Plus weekly episodes on all industry news. Listen to Raiders of the Lost podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And for more, follow at Raiders of the Lost podcast and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Hey, Portlandia fans. Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen here. The Dream of the 90s is alive in podcast form.

We're launching Podlandia, AEO rewatch, our brand new podcast where we revisit every episode of Portlandia together. breaking down sketches, going deep on our iconic characters, and pulling back the curtain on how it all got made. And we'll also be joined by the people who helped bring it all to life. Guest stars, collaborators, and friends, including director Jonathan Chrysall, the mayor himself, Kyle McLaughlin, legendary musician Amy Man, and many more. Kyle is going for it here. You fully improvised, not just words, but a song about it.

Well, I thought you were all going to write a song. I remember you thinking that. Listen to Podlandia. A.O. Rewatch on the Arch. IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, fam? I'm sports journalist Ari Chambers. Hey, what's up, y'all?

It's your girl, Sam Jay. And we're the host of everyone watches women's sports, a new podcast from Together and I Heart Women's Sports. We're breaking down the biggest headlines. Naomi Osaka, showing out. Shoutouts to you, Naomi. The viral moments. I've been obsessed with Kashan Rock's boxing journey. She looks good.

Her combos are swift. And the stories everyone's talking about across women's sports. Because everyone watches women's sports. Listen to everyone watches women's sports On the IHeart Radio app Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast This is Chelsea Hanelor from Dear Chelsea Every week the news gets worse

The world gets crazier And Yamanika is here to tell whoever's responsible You're the problem Do you know I just found out who Sidney Sweeney was If he got a bunch of women Then I should have a bunch of men Do better or do less

So I don't have to do so much I'm Yamanika and I'm out Listen to You're the Problem with Yamanica On the IHeart Radio app Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Let's get to it. I'm a homeguard that knows a little bit about everything and everybody. You know if you're going to lie about that, right?

Lauren came in hot. Hey, y'all, what's up? It's Lauren LaRosa, and this is another episode of the latest with Lauren the Rosa. This is your daily dig on all things, pop culture, entertainment news, and all of the conversation that shakes the room, baby. So today and every day here on the latest with Lauren the Rosa, like you guys know we check in behind the scenes of the grind. Back on the grind.

So back here kicking off another work week. How am I feeling today? I am feeling in between. Hmm. That's a good. Those are good two words to describe how I'm feeling today. It's like I'm feeling very well rested. I took the weekend to just do that.

Spend some time with family as well too. But I'm learning. Y'all know I'll be in it. not to learn how to disconnect or not. But I'm feeling in between because I feel like I had such a great weekend disconnecting. And then it's like, y'all know Monday is like such a big newsday. If you don't know it is. Monday is a really big news day because there's so much that happens over the weekend.

Even though the weekend is typically slower, a lot more things happen during the week because you have like, you know, different filings, everything from divorces to, you know, if cases are going down civil, criminal, things just move a bit faster during the week. but Sunday came after I spent Friday and Saturday just really relaxing. I told you guys in the last episode, you know, I developed this plan of like, here's how I'm going to get things. You know, I'm trying to like get a well-oil machine running. And I feel like if I can do it myself internally and personally first, that's what will reflect

in what I'm able to do and articulate across my team, which is really important to me. now that I'm like working with people on a daily basis on daily basis as a team. I want to make sure that like we're actually progressing and executing and getting things done. And I know it starts from the top. So I'm in between because it's like, all right, you take this little break. I've gotten way past the feeling of feeling guilty because I'm taking time for myself, whether it's I stop answering my phone for an hour or two or I decide that I'm going to say no to attend to some things, whatever the case may be.

I used to feel really, really guilty about that stuff, but now I don't. Now I feel like it's more of strategy. Like, where do I need to be and why do I need to be there? Because it is important for me to be outside and on the ground right now. But, like, I think that there's a very much good quality over quantity conversation when it comes to picking and choosing those things. But the in between comes in because it's like, after you do all that, after you take the break, a part of me, I'm used to operating at such a, I don't take those breaks. type of, you know, feeling that, like, I'm always, I woke up this morning feeling like, uh, am I fully prepared for the day?

Am I fully prepared for the week? I didn't spend the weekend basking and, you know, being overthrown and all of the work things and all the stuff. I probably took calls this weekend. I was really intentional because I felt like last week, uh, the wake up time was kicking my behind. So I wanted to be able to, like, catch up myself a bit. But yeah, you just feel in between because what you're used to do.

doing I really what you're used to doing let me finish a thought what you're used to doing you're no longer doing so your body your mind everybody around you is used to you operating in a certain way and then you start to change that but everything around you may not change right away so you're kind of in this in-between space of like here's what I'm trying to get to here's the balance I'm trying to get to and here's what I'm coming from um but I'm taking it to church again And then check in, my mentor, Ms. Lori Hayes, she spoke at my church. She's a greatness over the weekend. And she talked about, like, belonging.

And basically, what you believe is what you feed or what you feed is what you believe type of thing, right? Like, let's take a listen to a clip from Ms. Lori Hayes about the idea of belonging. Kind of like the fitting in conversation and, like, almost like imposter syndrome, too. Let's take a listen. How many of y'all experience some beef? with Eve and renounced in again. That was until I kept reading and I read a little further and it said she wasn't just enticed by the fruit.

She was enticed by knowing. And then I felt conviction. Because I don't know if you're like me, but I went through a season up, I got to know. God, I got to know how you're going to work this out. God, I got to know how you're going to come through. Tell me. Tell me now. and then I bite the fruit.

And now I'm trying to fix it. What's your beat? What is that thing that you bite? Every time that the enemy is in your ear saying something, did he really say it that way? Did he really say you have to attend church? Did he really say you should serve? Did he really say you should give to the church?

They just want your money. what's the bait that he's using? I was having a conversation with my husband and I was like, I kind of don't even want to say what my bait is. And then I realized, oh, you almost got me. Because what I thought was I was keeping a secret from the enemy if I didn't say it. But he already knows because he's been using it. I'm the one that was ignorant.

I'm the one that couldn't recognize how he was using it. I'm the one that noticed me. He knows you come from my children. Oh, my gosh. I'm a different person. And when I recognize that thing and I said, I've been taking the bait. I've been concerned about how it was going to happen.

I've been worried about it. Identified with yourself. Now, I'm a teacher. So by trade and by calling, as you're sitting there and if you're taking notes even in your head and your phone, I want you to identify what's the bait he's been using. What has he been using to try and get you to be this person that is just always in control?

This person that is anxious about everything. This person that is depressed about everything. This person that is controlling to the point that your kids don't even want to be around you because you're so controlling. Your husband, your wife don't want to be around you because you've got to be in control of everything. instead of you saying, hold on, baby, let's go to God and see what we're going to do. And we're letting the enemy in our ear. He's saying all these things to us, and we're just allowing it to happen.

Hey, I'm Ruby Carr, the host of the podcast, Encore. Check out our brand new episodes featuring music from the show that everyone is reheating as we speak. Heated rivalry. Join me as I go behind the songs that brought Shane and Elia together. I'll tell you the stories of Fice, My Moon, My Man, Wolf Parades, I'll believe in anything, and tattoos all the things she said, and how they all became a part of this global phenomenon. Stream encore on IHeart Radio, crave, or wherever you get your podcasts.

What's up, fam? I'm sports journalist Ari Chambers. Hey, what's up, y'all? It's your girl, Sam J. And we're the host of everyone watches women's sports, a new podcast from Together and Iheart women's sports. Because let's be real. Women's sports is giving us way too much to talk about these days. So Kelsey Finler, she became the first female. female solo rower to go from California to Hawaii. My first thought is like, what's up with the snacks?

Like, what are we eating? The highlights, the rivalries, the breakout stars, the moments that take over your entire timeline. And the conversations that start during the game and somehow keep going all week. Every week, we're breaking down the biggest stories across women's sports. Naomi Osaka showing out, she beat Sabalinka. Shout out to you, Naomi. You get the palm, Naomi. You get the palm for that. Because we're not just interested in what happened.

we're interested in why everyone's talking about it. Because everyone watches women's sports. Listen to everyone watches women's sports. On the IHeart Radio app. Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast. What did black music, food, and culture teach us about who we were becoming? 2016 was sort of that last era of monoculture where we still consumed things in community. From Beyonce and Rihanna.

Everybody wanted to be Beyonce. I don't think we'll ever see another Rihanna. to soul food, memory, identity, and the stories we carry through black culture. What does it mean to be black and eat in America? So we were this group of people who knew how to work the land, who knew how to live with the land. We make it do what it do. Therapy for Black Girls is bringing together the conversation shaping Black Life right now. You will never make me feel bad for being a Black girl, for being a Black American girl, ever.

Therapy for Black Girls is bringing it all to the mic. Listen to Therapy for Black Girls on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you get your podcast. Hey, I'm Nora Jones, and I love playing music with people so much that my podcast called Playing Along is back. I sit down with musicians from all musical styles to play songs together in an intimate setting. Every episode's a little different, but it all involves music and conversation with some of my favorite musicians. Over the past two seasons, I've had special guests like Dave Grohl, Leveh, Mavis Staples, Remy Wolf, Jeff Tweedy, really too many to name. And this season I've sat down with Joshua Hami, Sarah McLaughlin, John Legend, and more.

Check out my new episode with Phineas. So I went home and I asked Billy if she wanted to sing it. She immediately made it her own thing. No faith. You really know how to make me cry when you give me those oceans. So come hang out with us in the studio and listen to Playing Along on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. So I was watching this sermon over the weekend and I was like trying to figure out like I knew that it hit me in several different places in my life.

And whenever I'm like watching sermons or even if I'm just listening to people speak or in conversations with people, I always walk away thinking about what I actually have happened on a day to day in my life and what God is bringing to my front door about that and why. Like what is the message? How was it supposed to hit me? How is it supposed to land with me? It's supposed to smack me in my face with something, but what is it? Um, so from her conversation, just in me, you know, trying to find balance. And what I've been talking to you guys a lot is about a lot is change. I feel things about myself changing, even though I can't articulate everything.

Um, so as I'm trying to figure out what those things are that are changing, why they're changing and how to incorporate it in my day to day and incorporate it and people I interact with and or not anymore, um, a lot of times you just kind of feel like, well who are you to be doing all this and it's like but who are you not to be and that's what i've been having a conversation about with myself it's like there's nothing wrong with you being like i'm gonna take a weekend and just enjoy life like you taking 48 hours to just breathe eat some crabs with your family get off your phone and i've been really good about this i've done this for at least two weekends in a row i'm proud of myself even sunday morning for breakfast

i was like me and my boyfriend went to breakfast and i was like let's do a no phones breakfast and he was like, you are going to die without that phone. Like, you're going to be itching by the end of breakfast. And I was like, no, let's do it. I just think now I'm realizing how much more valuable thought, opinion, workflow, and execution is at a high level when you really take the time for yourself to understand who you are in a situation and to really understand that you belong in a situation, no matter what you can or can't produce.

I've literally always been just as good as my last story, all of my, or my last job, all of my life. And that's so crazy for me to say out loud. But when I was listening to Ms. Hayes talk about belonging, and she was talking about this thing that she was, you know, fighting with herself about admitting out loud and fighting with admitting out loud because it's like you don't want the devil to hear that

and be able to lean in and just do more with it. And I think that's why I've never really talked about it as well. well, it's masked in success. It's masked in always think you've got to be right. It's masking so much stuff. I was sitting and just downloading so much. And I'm like, girl, you've been operating as such a, I always have to put points on the board forever.

Literally forever. And a lot of that is fear. Like, you know, for me, it's a lot of, I want to be able to like make sure I'm financially straight. I want to make sure that I'm able to do things for myself that even like my mom couldn't do my grandmother couldn't do i want to make sure they're good as they get older and age and the things that they've worked for you know they're living off of and they need things replenished um i want to be able to like really be comfortable and and enjoy my children and my

family when i get to that point and for me the idea of that was always a number like a money number and then i heard this and i mean and so much in my life has been changing so fast recently and I think I've been really having to get in tune with myself because I don't know what God is repairing me for y'all. But I'm trying to tell you, it's so weird. It's like being on a platform where you're so available to everyone else will make you, you're intaking so much. You're intaking so much criticism, so much thoughts, so much opinions, so much reaction

to things. And you're also, well, for me because I'm a producer, I'm also a part of the nucleus that is creating that, right? Like creating the reaction, creating the thoughts, creating the news sometimes. and you get caught up on that of like that's how I show and prove like the reaction of other people the emotional invoking of other people and the more I'm around people who operate at a high level and actually enjoy their life and the level that they're at I realize that like it's not just about your last job your last win your last W in the chat like I literally think back to

Charlemagne. So last Thursday, July, who's the date? Last Thursday, July, last Thursday, July 23rd, it was announced that Charlemagne will be receiving a star on a Hollywood Walk of Fame. He is amongst 32 people who were selected out of hundreds of people, including, you know, Kiki Palmer, Raven Simone, Little Wayne, Grand Master Flash, Edress Elba, like, you know, he's a part of this great class of people who are going to do something as major as receive a star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame. And I remember when I got the news alert about that because I subscribed to every platform you can imagine via my phone. And then, you know, families putting in in group tags and our EP Eddie sent it to me, the Breakfast Club executive producer sent it to me to make sure we, you know, got it to talk about in the show the next day, just making sure I saw it. And my memory my first thought was he's so excited right.

now just about enjoying his summer with his family he keeps calling it a dopamine rush but like you know being out at jZ and seeing him excited there and then you know taking weekend you know staycations away with his family and his daughter is about to go to college soon and you know prom and all these things happen like this summer for him going to go see gzian marry with his wife and having a date weekend this summer i've literally said to him like i love this little summer you having you outside you're having a good time like you are really enjoying your life and for me, I know right now I'm in a building phase. Like, Charlotte made $200 million up, all right?

I'm at a building phase. I'm in a different phase in my life where right now what I'm doing, and I do enjoy a lot of it. I've had to teach myself even that to enjoy things as they're happening, even though I'm on such, you know, I'm boots on the ground right now. I'm really in the thick of the grind. And I enjoy that. But what I've had to talk myself through is you're not prevent.

bailing through the grind. You're not surviving to learn how to live because this is just because your last story was great. You're surviving and you're learning now how to live because that is what God already had destined for you. You're in this room. You know, on this platform, this podcast, you have the latest with Lauren the Rosa and these listeners that download because it's above you, girl.

So, you know, my check-in today, how am I really feeling? How are y'all really feeling? And if anybody's going through that, like, phase of life where I don't know if it's change or if I'm getting older, I don't know what it is. But I have just been looking for, like, the deeper purpose of, like, my existence. Not like, oh, my God, what is my existence on this earth? Like, you know, not all of that. Like, you know how people think God and think the universe.

Like, I'm not all, like, floaty like that. That's not what I'm saying. What I'm saying is that I've really been having a conversation with myself about like my belonging. And in questioning why I think I have to give to belong. Like why is that transactional in my mind? And what and as that changes for me and I become firmer and like, no, this is like I'm here. Like and I'm here because I do what I need to do to be here what that looks like for me um as far as like you know how it is portrayed in my work so that's where i've been at with it and that's the kind of like middle point in between point that i'm telling you guys about because like even taking a break and just

being able to enjoy certain things i used to always feel like going back home to delaware when i lived in la was like so grounding for me like i would i would leave and i'd be motivated to get back to LA, motivated to get back to work, motivated all these things. But now it's like, I leave Delaware and I'm motivated to get back to work and I'm motivated to get, you know, to all the things. But I leave, and I leave family

and not even just Delaware, but like any interactions with people that like are in my life that like I love and I love to hear from and I love to have conversations with. Thinking about so much more substance of things. Like what I told you guys was Charlemagne. Like to me, one of the most flyest things about him receiving that Walk of Fame Star announcement last week was the fact that I knew in real life,

he wasn't even caught up off all that. He was literally, he's just been so excited to live life and experience things in real time. And as I'm learning to be a personality and I'm watching, you know, Charlemagne, Envy, you know, just navigate. Like me and Jess are literally here learning from them. And I say here because I'm in the Breakfast Club studio, I'm recording this podcast.

I watch how like that real, life goes into everything, goes across everything that they do. Now this brings me to where are we going to go in the latest today. An I-Hart Radio experience. You and a pal down under in Australia. At Savannah in the Round Festival. Experience tropical North Queensland in Cairns and see the Roadhammers. Dan Davidson and more.

With flights, accommodations, VIP passes. Plus, Great Barrier Reef and Rainforest Adventure Day Tour. and $1,000 cash. Listen to Pure Country on the free Iheart radio app for at least 10 minutes. Every day you enter is another chance to win. What's up, fam? I'm sports journalist Ari Chambers. Hey, what's up, y'all? It's your girl, Sam J. And we're the host of everyone watches women's sports,

a new podcast from Together and IHart Women's Sports. Because let's be real. Women's sports is giving us way too much to talk about these days. So Kelsey Finler, she became the first female solo rower to go from California to Hawaii. My first thought is, like, what's up with the snacks? Like, what are we eating? The highlights, the rivalries, the breakout stars,

the moments to take over your entire timeline. And the conversations that start during the game and somehow keep going all week. Every week, we're breaking down the biggest stories across women's sports. Naomi Osaka showing out, she beat. Sabalinka. Shoutouts to you, Naomi.

You get the palm, Naomi. You get the palm for that. Because we're not just interested in what happened. We're interested in why everyone's talking about it because everyone watches women's sports. Listen to everyone watches women's sports on the Iheart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Hi, it's Alec Baldwin this season on my podcast.

Here's the thing I'm speaking with more artists, policy makers, and performers by composer Mark Shaman. Once you've established that you have the talent, it's about the hang. It's the pleasure of hanging out with the people that you're with. You know, Rob and I was always a great hang. We would sit in kibbitts for hours. eventually get around to the music. That's what I mostly think of when I think of him, the time together laughing. Lawyer of Robbie Kaplan. The great gift of being a lawyer is the ability to actually

change things in our society in a way that very few people can. You can really make a difference to causes in the United States if you bring the right case at the right time. Marriage equality. Yeah, Windsor's the perfect example. Director Morgan Neville. Film school teaches you all the wrong things about making documentary. What do you want to say? Documentary is all about your ear. What do you hear? I feel like my job is listening

really, really hard. Listen to Here's the Thing on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, my love. Starting your day can be tough. You wake up, maybe hit snooze, and then scroll on your phone for a while,

checking your emails, all before even giving yourself the chance to really open your eyes and breathe. And I want to help you break that cycle. My name is Ryan Weiss and for the past 15 years, I've been an emotional intelligence coach and spiritual guide. And I'm here to share with you my new podcast, Waking Up with Ryan. Waking Up with Ryan is a daily audio video podcast to interrupt the inertia of your fear, your ego and judgment. Here to help you connect with yourself before the noise of the day takes over.

So let's start our days together with a moment of calm, a moment of reflection and meditation, a moment that's just for you. Listen to Waking Up with Ryan on the IHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Because as we get into the latest, y'all know we get into the conversations that shake the room, and I want to get into a conversation right now

that Ryan Clark had on his podcast, the pivot. He's there with the guys over at the pivot and he is finally talking about what went down with ESPN. Now, I do wish that it had been a bit sooner. I feel like some of the stuff that I've been seeing on social media I don't know. I just, I don't like the theatrics around

something that I feel like could be such a great teachable moment. I don't know. I just, I'm not here for the performative stuff. Now, love Ryan Clark though. And I and everything that I know that like it is his for him he feels like it's his mission to stand for like all things black it's black women like you know all of that but i just thought that the conversation that he was going to have on the pivot about this moment with ESPN was going to be a very real and honest conversation about what the hell is really

going on over there at ESPN um and i do think that he got pretty honest he definitely got really vulnerable he ended up breaking down in tears but i don't know i just feel like uh it just I can't even really put it into words what I was expected from. Let's get into the conversation. You guys make your own synopsis. So for background, for those of you guys who do not remember, Ryan Clark, you know, former NFL champion, also analyst. You know, he hosts the pivot, which is a podcast.

But he was also on NFL live and he had been working with ESPN for over a decade following his football career was recently laid off from ESPN. Now, when this happened, I received. the statement from sources close to production over there that told me that he was actually told during a TV break. And the reason why he was told during a TV break was because he, like the network, they were scared that the news was going to break while he was on air. And he didn't want that the network is saying that they didn't want him to find out from anybody else. But from what I was told and now what we've confirmed through Ryan Clark himself is that

he didn't feel like it went down that way at all. So he's basically, saying he was not laid off, he was fired, and that it was basically almost like there was a target on his back because he's a black man at ESPN. Let's take a listen. I think the big question is, did you see it coming? Could you take us inside that moment? Yes and no. I'm upset with myself from this perspective. There were signs, but I truly thought for the first time in my life, I worked so hard at something. I was so good at something. Everybody acknowledged that I was was that they couldn't fire me, that they wouldn't fire me. That a company who's gonna have the Super Bowl this year

who truly wants to put their best foot forward to the entire world and have the best people talking about football wouldn't fire in my opinion. This is my opinion, and it seems to be the opinion of many others, the best football analyst in the world. I didn't think that, and that's my fault. You know, this off-season, our piece on Monday Night Football with Greg Brooks won an award, a diversity award. And our showrunner and our director and our producer were so excited.

And there was like, PR is going to post it. And it never happened. And eventually I just posted it myself. And then PR reached out like, oh, I'm so sorry that we missed it. But the Emmys are coming up and we're posted afterwards. And I just remember sending the text to one of the people I work with. And I said, they're not going to post that. They don't care.

So there were just signs throughout the season, like even now. If you look at everything for the Super Bowl year, I'm not on any of that. A guy that was supposed to be a part of Monday Night Football, a man that's supposed to be a part of NFL Live, a man that's a huge part of first take, was a part of building Get Up. So to me, the signs were always there. And I called, man. I called executives.

I called decision makers. I called bosses. Is my schedule changing? What's it looked like? And it was never a definitive answer. But I think it was never a definitive answer because this was always the plan. And then Ryan Clark goes into not really being able

to fully be himself, like as a black man, right? And things that if he would have been able to change and let's take a listen. To address the head down thing, what makes me a little bit sad about myself is I did adjust who I was to try to keep my job.

I did have meetings with people and say, okay, what is it that you need for me? Not the analyst. The analyst was, he was damn good. Right? If you care about the person

that's on TV, what is it you need for me? Because I want to do that. I want to do that. to build a relationship. I want to involve you in the things I'm doing. You know, man, like this show, for three years, bro, we never shied away from any topic. We never shot away from tackling anything we did this year because I knew I couldn't have no beef. I knew I couldn't respond to disrespect, right? I knew, for lack of a better word, I couldn't be too black.

Now, this is the part I was talking about because there is conversation around Ryan Clark. And there are people who feel like, you know, a lot of things that Ryan Clark says and the things that he chooses to stand for. Yes, a part of it is like, okay, he's a black man. He knows what that's like. He knows what that where he's coming from with that. But there is a part of it where, you know, people feel like it's a bit performative. I really wanted him to get into, like, I mean, he talks about Stephen and he talks about a meeting that they have. had where Stephen A let him know like you know you make it some executives I'm set up here

but I just think that there was like a deeper surface like let's take all of the gear off let's de-rope like let's really strip naked not physically but in a sense of this conversation and get into what he's actually been experiencing at ESPN on an even more deeper detailed level especially because and I thought that we were going to get that especially because when TMZ So I did the story that Ryan Clark was basically let go during the break and that he did not return

from after the break because basically he was told that he didn't need to TMZ shot back at my story with a headlines basically stating that Ryan Clark was not forced to leave the taping, that it was his own choice. Ryan Clark then retweeted TMZ's story on X

and said, and he disputed it. He said that he was asked or he asked after they gave him the news, should he go down? And he was told yes. And that's what I mean. Like something's not making sense there. And I feel like he talks about it.

And he gives us a few things, but he never directly says certain things at the same time. And I just thought that we were going to get that. Now, don't get me wrong, it was a great conversation. And again, I think he did get very personal in the conversation. But I just felt like there was another level. to it a bit. I do feel like that. And I don't know if, look, I don't know where that will lie, if we'll get that. But he's been very honest about feeling like there was this target on his

back. So I thought that he would kind of unveil the layers of the onion a bit about what the target was. But yeah. Hey, I'm Tori Webster and I host That Digital Take. If you've ever wondered how the internet really works from influencer culture to digital marketing and pop culture, this is your inside look. Each week, I share what's actually working online, the behind the scenes of building a career as a creator, and real conversations with people shaping the industry. Think of it like your big sister guide to the digital world. Follow that digital take on IHeart Radio or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up fam? I'm sports journalist Ari Chambers. Hey, what's up y'all? It's your girl, Sam Jay. And we're the host of everyone watches women's

sports, a new podcast from Together and IHeart Women's Sports. Because let's be real. Women's Sports is giving us way too much to talk about these days. So Kelsey Finler, she became the first female solo rower to go from California to Hawaii. My first thought is, like, what's up with the snacks? Like, what are we eating? The highlights, the rivalries, the breakout stars, the moments to take over your entire timeline. And the conversations that start during the game and somehow keep going all week. Every week, we're breaking down the biggest stories across women's sports.

Naomi Osaka showing out, she beat Sabalinka. Shout out's to you, Naomi. You get the palm, Naomi. You get the palm for that. Because we're not just interested in what happened. We're interested in why everyone's talking about it. Because everyone watches women's sports. Listen to everyone watches women's sports.

On the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. In 2015, teenager Joy Morgan discovered strangely compelling YouTube sermons from the religious group, Israel United in Christ, or IUIC. Her initial curiosity developed into devotion. She distanced herself from friends and family, embraced new identity, immersed herself in the IUIC, and believed she'd found the truth. IUIC is the best family that I've ever had. In fact, she had found what many called a cult. And on Boxing Day 2018, Joy disappeared forever. In the new six-part investigative podcast, The Missing Sister, Charlie Brinkhurst Cuff and Freiturn, explore Joy Story, the family she left, and the religious group she found.

You know when you get out of feet, I'm like, I don't want to be here. I want to get out. I want to go ahead and out. It's a story about truth, lies, a young woman yearning to belong, and a family still waiting for answers. All episodes available now to binge. Listen to The Missing Sister on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Nora Jones, and I love playing music with people so much that my podcast called Playing Along is back. I sit down with musicians from all musical styles to play songs together in a dance.

intimate setting. Every episode's a little different, but it all involves music and conversation with some of my favorite musicians. Over the past two seasons, I've had special guests like Dave Grohl, Leveh, Mavis Staples, Remy Wolf, Jeff Tweedy, really too many to name. And this season, I've sat down with Joshua Hami, Sarah McLaughlin, John Legend, and more. Check out my new episode with Phineas. So I went home and I asked Billy if she wanted to sing it. She immediately made it her own thing. No faith. We cry when you give me those oceans. So come hang out with us in the studio and listen to Playing Along on the Iheart

Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Now, moving on in the latest, speaking of the latest child, lately, Usher and Chris Brown have been going viral. You know, they have the tour that they're on touring all over the world. in Usher and Chris Brown were recently in Nashville. Now, there is a young lady that is now

viral as H.E. Double Hockey 6 in everywhere because Usher called her on stage. And when he called her on stage, this is what happened. Let's take a listen. I don't think she want to be on the stage, huh? Yes, you got that right. That is Usher saying, I don't think she wants to be up here. Now, I know you guys are audio

listener, so let me paint the picture for you. Normally, when Usher or Chris Brown calls girls on stage. It is like a serenade, like Beyonce, Destiny's Child Cater to You Moment. But the fan that they call on stage normally gives a little

something back, whether it's a touch or singing along or, you know, like there's something that we're watching, especially when Chris Brown called them girls on stage. But you know, Chris Brown, I don't know if he's fully single. I know he recently had a baby with you know, Jada, who is believed to be his girlfriend. But

Chris Brown be getting it in on that stage. I mean it'd be the humping, it'd be the thrusting, it'd be all the things. The girls would be throwing it back. It's insane. Usher's is a bit more. If you've ever been, I went to his Vegas residency, too, and he did this during his residency where it's like, he's a showman. So he's serenading the women, making them feel good.

There was one point in his residency in Vegas where he was even making a little fake drinks. I think they were fake. But he was making drinks on the stage for the people as they came up. But anyway, so this girl comes on stage. And she's like smizing a little bit, which is like smiling with your eyes for those people who did not watch America's Next Top Model. And she's smiling, but, like, she's really not giving him much at all. Like, when I say giving him much, I mean, I at least would think, like, a hand would go on his back

and, like, she would grab him behind the neck or singing a song back to him or something. Now, this went viral, okay? The young lady, who is a nurse from according to what we're learning about her online, has spoken out. And she spoke out, and she was really upset. She says that people were even trying to get at her as she was leaving the show because the girls was like, yo, you wasted an opportunity, sis.

Let's take a listen. It was even people harassing me while I was walking out of the stadium. Oh, really? While me and my family was walking out of the stadium, people were harassing us. Oh, well, you should have did this. I would have did this.

Were you available to go on the stage? Is what I'm trying to understand. Now, she is also posted some things online, shooting back at the hater, saying like, look, I was cute. I looked cute. so I'd be danged if I don't get up there on that stage and let the whole you know that all the people see me but then her aunt came out and said she had a boyfriend and a child

and she kept it cute because of that and I think the girls are just trying to figure out why get up on the stage if you're going to do all of that and like if you're not going to feed into why get up on the stage I will say I mean it's not like she could have took her clothes off and it could have got busy on the stage usher is a married man she has a person she went home to but I did think that if you were going to get up on the stage, you would at least give a little something, something. Because, you know, according to what this young woman and her family, who've now come out online and her defense,

have said, they were moved from floor seats over to the VIP. And then told, like, oh, we're going to try to get you on stage. So if you know that and you're down to go on stage, and she said she was there for Chris Brown. But then it's still, I feel like if you're playing it cute because of the man at home and the baby, and, you know, just trying to keep it cute. You want to give Chris Brown much either.

I don't know. I wouldn't have went on stage. Like, if my man is at home, whether my man was at that concert, especially when the man at the concert, you're on stage, it's crazy. But if my man is at home, I'm not getting on the stage and participate. I'm just not doing it. And I think that's why the girls were upset. Like, girl, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,

and you ain't even take advantage of it. But I think the fact that there is so much upset around this. Like, I saw this on page 6. I saw it on Daily Mail. I know TMZ covered it. We're talking about it here on the latest. It hit the shade room, neighborhood talk. Like this was so viral.

The fact that this was so viral, I think the next young lady who goes viral from this Usher concert is some pressure on her now. She got to go up because the public who ain't attended a concert, we've only been seeing this through those viral moments. More so with Usher. I'm sorry, more so with Chris Brown and Usher. The last viral moment on Usher side of it

was when Dave Chappelle popped out at one of the shows, and it literally looked like a Dave Chappelle skit because of the face that Dave Chappelle was making. The next young lady that goes up there, baby, it's some pressure on you, okay? Because Miss cute little nurse from Chattanooga, Tennessee, then mess it up for the girls. Now you got to give there and show and proof.

Again, I wouldn't be on that stage. If I was an artist, I honestly, I always wonder about this. Like, do they have the girl sign something? Like, I wouldn't be, as an artist, I would be nervous about even, any of this like any of it like the girl getting up on stage going viral having to handle all the critics touching it a wrong way or anything like people are so weird with like lawsuits and stuff like that now wouldn't be doing it in 2026 but hey if i check out the chris brana usher concert and a girls

get on stage i'll be definitely back here talking about it because i'm a watch from my seat real cute that has been another episode of the latest with lauraosa i tell you guys every single episode you could be anywhere with any old body but you choose to be right back here with me My lowriders, I appreciate you, and I'll catch you in my next one. On Raiders of the Lost Podcast, we explore cinema like no one else, including huge interviews with stars like Ryan Gosling on Project Hail Mary. It was like the Jaws Shark. Didn't always work, came with its own problems. That's what made it great.

The cast of Obsession. On set, there was so much magic happening with each scene we were putting together. Deep dives into classics like 2001 of Space Odyssey or Fight Club. Plus weekly episodes on all industry news. Listen to Raiders of the Lost podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. And for more, follow at Raiders of the Lost podcast and at TikTok podcast network on TikTok. Hey, Portlandia fans. Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen here.

The Dream of the 90s is alive in podcast form. We're launching Podlandia, AEO rewatch, our brand new podcast where we revisit every episode of Portlandia together. breaking down sketches, going deep on our iconic characters, and pulling back the curtain on how it all got made. And we'll also be joined by the people who helped bring it all to life. Guestrars, collaborators, and friends, including director Jonathan Chrysall, the mayor himself, Kyle McLaughlin, legendary musician Amy Mann, and many more. Kyle is going for it here. You fully improvised, not just words, but a song.

Well, I thought you were all going to write a song. I remember you thinking that. Listen to Podlandia. A.O. Rewatch on the I. I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. What's up, fam? I'm sports journalist Ari Chambers. Hey, what's up, y'all? It's your girl, Sam J. And we're the host of everyone watches women's sports, a new podcast from Together

and I Heart Women's Sports. We're breaking down the biggest headlines. Naomi Osaka, showing out. Shoutouts to you, Naomi. The viral moments. I've been obsessed with Kashan Rock's boxing journey. She looks good. Her combos are swift.

And the stories everyone's talking about across women's sports. Because everyone watches women's sports. Everyone watches women's sports on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. I'm Nick Tatoro. You probably know me from NYPD Blue, The Longest Yard, or Spike Lease Black Klansman. And on my new podcast, delivering happiness with Nick Titoro, I deliver pizza to a new guest. I've shared a slice with everyone from Seth Rollins. What are you doing, my belt?

To Bill Burr. I don't think I've ever met somebody so exactly out of their mind as I am. And now, we even have more great guests coming up, including the great John Tuturo. It's called Happiness. Delivering happiness. And many, many more. Open your free High Heart Radio app. Search Delivering Happiness with Nick Tutoro. And listen now. This is an IHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.