The Toast - S3 Ep101: The Hate U Give: Monday, June 8th, 2020

Episode Date: June 8, 2020

1. John Legend on balancing humorous content amidst ongoing protests (Page Six) 2. Kanye West launches college fund for George Floyd's daughter (Page Six) 3. K-pop group BTS donates $1 million to Black Lives Matter (Page Six) 4. Vanderpump Rules' Stassi Schroeder, Kristen Doute Apologize to Former Costar Faith Stowers (PEOPLE) 5. Youtube Originals' 'Dear Class of 2020' All-Star Commencement (Billboard) The Hate U Give Recap Toast Movie of The Week: Hidden Figures The Morning Toast with Claudia (@girlwithnojob) and Jackie Oshry (@jackieoproblems) Merch: https://shopmorningtoast.com/ The Morning Toast Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/themorningtoastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Good morning, millennials. Welcome back to the Morning Toast. Happy Monday. Hey, Claude. H-Y-D. Hey, Jax. How you doing? I am good. Thank you for asking. Good morning, everyone. Hope everyone had a peaceful weekend. We are back on the air. We are excited to get back. It was a necessary few days to just kind of take a step back, and I'm glad that we did it. Yeah. But I'm excited to be back. It was a necessary few days to just kind of take a step back, and I'm glad that we did it. Yeah. But I'm excited to be back. I'm excited to be back, too. We have a lot to talk about, a lot of things to recap, things that you and I both watched over the past week. I feel like the past week in this country has been extremely intense, but extremely necessary. And I now like feel waking up today

for the first time, I feel like I've been living like sort of in a constant state of anxiety, much like a lot of people. I'm feeling optimistic. I'm excited to make the changes and do the things that we say that we're going to do. And I'm just excited for this next evolution for us and for the country. Yeah, and you know what's, like, not exciting, but a positive is that there's been so much going on in the last week, and it's not for nothing. Like, there have been so many updates in this case and other cases. Like, Derek Chauvin's charges were upped,

and then the other three police officers were arrested and charged. They reopened Breonna Taylor's case. Like there are things happening, which is good. Like that is the point of all of this activism. So I think that that's a good thing. Yeah. Changes are being made. It really does feel like we are in the middle, we're witnessing history. Do you know what I mean?

You know that saying like decades happen in, things don't happen for decades, and then decades happen in days. I obviously botched that saying, but that's the gist of it. That's how I feel about this week. Like, I feel as though we are a changing country over the course of this week, and this show's changing with it. Yeah, and it's been cool to see influencers influencers and celebrities who don't normally you know touch on these topics just like diving headfirst into educating themselves and just becoming a part of the conversation like ourselves included um and i feel like that's a really awesome thing to see yeah i agree and i feel like i've also seen a lot of people you know encouraging others to speak up

because they recognize that people might be afraid of saying the wrong thing, which I very much understand. But we just all need a little grace and room to grow. really accomplish anything if we're so divided. And of course this country feels so divided, but I've just seen a lot of unity like on social media and just in the world this past week. And that's been like a bright spot in this dark time. Yes. And you know what another bright spot is because the coronavirus pandemic is still waging, but New York city is entering phase one today, which I thought was just construction. But then my newsletter told me that it was construction and a bit of retail. And I just, I'm finding that so exciting. Like, I really feel like it's a brand new day today. Yeah, that's exciting. I didn't know that phase one was anything other than like... Construction and manufacturing.

Yeah. Well, it's just, it's exciting. And I'm looking forward to the world reopening because it's been so long. Like, I feel like this week was really, really long, but then I forgot about the three months before that, where we were all quarantining, you know, it's like my mind shifted so much from like worrying about a pandemic to worrying about systemic racism that I just forgot like about the things that happened before it, you know? Yes, I completely agree. But now everything, now we're, it's all coming back together. But I'm just, I'm ready to do our job, you know?

I feel like last week we didn't and we shouldn't have, and we just needed to sit back and listen and absorb everything that was happening and has been happening. But now we are here to talk about those things, the things that we learned, and also bring a little bit of levity into your lives because everybody does still need to have a little bit of a laugh once a day. Yeah, a belly laugh. A belly laugh never hurt nobody. No. No, she did not.

Okay, well, I want to start to get into a little bit of the things that we were watching over the past week. We'll recap our Toast Movie of the Week at the end of the show. I'm so excited to recap The Hate U Give. I absolutely loved it. And we'll also assign our movie for the end of this week, which Jackie chose, and I'm very excited about. I'm very excited about as well.

Okay, but first, oh, so one of the podcasts that I listen to, because we, instead of doing our own podcast, we're going to be listening to other podcasts. And so I've been listening to 1619. And first of all, it's just so well done. Like, we obviously like use Zoom audio obviously use Zoom audio and kind of have to shuck and jive, but listening to a podcast with crisp audio and music and all of these different elements and bringing in historical recordings, it was a pleasure to listen to on an audio level and just as a podcast person, that is important. So I was listening to Code Switch,

like a bunch of episodes this week. And I had this same experience. Like not only do they add musical elements and like they tapped into old interviews from NPR, it was much more like I'm used to listening to podcasts that are conversational and they're like about reality TV and the people are always talking over each other. Like that's my genre. But Code Switch was like so, it was like storytelling. It was really painting a picture with all the elements. And I agree, like it was a totally different genre and it was like really well done. Yeah. It was a pleasure to listen to. And also the content, it was, you know, a historical retelling of the establishment of this country, the beginning of the slave trade, and just everything that has happened throughout American history in the lens of that. And it was a very interesting listen. I would encourage you

guys to listen to it. I think one of the most eye-opening but also enjoyable episodes was the episode about American music and how American music got its sound that separated it from European music or what people had been listening to. And it was that minstrel choral chorus music. And that was inspired by, but really ripped off from the music of plantation workers and just, Oh yeah. Hearing everything through that lens, it just makes you realize.

And the episode started off really interesting because it was about a guy. He was cooking in his kitchen. His friend was like, let's listen to yacht rock. Have you ever heard of that? It's yacht rock. I didn't know that was a genre. I guess it's like music that you listen to when you're on a yacht. That's what I assumed it was.

That's what Sutton Strack was trying to tell Kyle at, it's yacht wear, like that's a genre. So he was listening to this yacht rock, right, exactly. Yacht rock while he was cooking and he was realizing like all of these different musical influences that are from Black culture and it opened up the episode to the beginning and the evolution of American music and all of its racist undertones. And it was very, very eye-opening. If you only listen to one episode, I think that that episode was super powerful. A little footnote about 1619 that I heard back in feedback from the audience was that a lot of people, and there was an article written up about it, that it's actually a little factually incorrect. And when you were telling me about it, you actually said like you felt like they were not 100% like rooted in fact. So yes, I read the, cause I saw some comments that like, you just need to look into this

cause there are some factual inaccuracies. And so I guess there's this conflict in the history community and a bunch of these historians wrote a letter to the New York Times asking them to correct some of these historical inaccuracies. And the historians who wrote it, they got a few signatures on the letter. And then other historians spoke out and said, I saw the letter. They asked me to sign it. Yes, there are some factual inaccuracies, but I did not sign the letter because it aims to just like kind of delegitimize the 1619 Project in general. And even though some of the conclusions that are drawn are not necessarily what those historians would have said or what historians have been saying,

I do think that there's value in hearing just different perspectives, especially when you're taught American history through the lens of, you know, old white guys the entire time. Jackie, you said something to me just like in conversation last week that like really struck a chord with me and kind of just like was making me realize so many things. And you were like, and I had the same experience. Like when you're taught American history in high school, like the high school curriculum is like, there was racism, we fixed it, and now it's over. And I think that's why a lot of people have, like white people, have like a hard time understanding these like complex issues because it's been ingrained in us since we were kids that like, this is over.

Yeah, no, the way American history is sometimes taught, especially in like social studies when I got it, there's not like so much time, but it's taught like, okay, there was slavery. We abolished it. That left racism in the communities. It took a while, but the civil rights movement abolished the racism and now we are good. And like, when that is just given to you as fact, it takes a lot of undoing to realize like, oh no, we're not good.

No. And I think so much, and we're going to talk about this like a little later on so much of um like what the racism in this country is is subtle it's like a microaggression which I just learned what a microaggression is and I feel like that's not to blame but it's like a almost a byproduct of being taught for so long that like racism doesn't exist yeah or like not to see color and that's something that comes up in the movie that we watch that I'm looking forward to recapping. Yeah, I think. And when KJ Apos, you know, we'll talk about it when we get to that scene. Yes. Oh, something else that I wanted to recap. Oh, wait, you can go. Sorry. and I got a bunch of episode recommendations from the toasters.

Everyone recommended hood feminism, which I listened to and I loved. And it's just really makes you think like about how some of these like feminist movements, like the Me Too movement kind of like misses all the nuances, especially within the black community. And it's like the black community is and women in the black community, like single mothers, like they're just not equal yet. So it's like you're forgetting about this entire community of women in this women's movement. And it was just really interesting to like, you, you would never think of those types of details and nuances. Like when, when thinking about certain movements,

like the Me Too movement, but, um, the woman who came on, um, she like had coined the term hood feminism and it was, it was really good really good but an episode that someone not as many people recommended to me but i highly recommend was the episode on adoption um and i was just like writing these things down that i couldn't believe like they were saying that um in certain like adoption agencies they consider um black children to be like less valuable and they will like decrease the value and they had like listeners write in email and like telling them about their experiences being adopted from like Asia or different countries and like being brought into a white family and how one, they have like no sense of identity because it's like they're like,

it was, they had the Southeast Asian guy and he was like, well, no one really thinks I'm Asian, but like I am Asian, but like I'm not. But, and like,

I wasn't, and it was like, I wasn't until I turned like 15 that I realized like I wasn't white like my parents. So you just don't think about those types of identity issues within the adoption community. And they just had like all their listeners call in, write in, like leave voicemails.

And it was just interesting. Most of the episodes are actually not the hosts. They bring in experts and they like let the experts, the authors, the people who have been adopted, like do the majority of the talking which I thought was really um like really hits home the message um and I really liked the adoption episode it just made you think about things like you would never think about if you're not adopted oh wow oh my I'm gonna listen to that next it was good

okay thanks um also something that I've been watching that I wish I had been watching sooner is I started the Real Housewives of Potomac um literally told you did I tell you you told me you completely told me and I'm so sorry that I haven't been watching sooner scene one episode one like I'm just completely and already here for it like I love Potomac we need to move there I love the women I'm in the middle of season two now. Um, such a good season. Oh, I feel like that's what I remember you saying. And I'm not going to lie. I did a little bit of research cause I saw that Katie wasn't back for season two and I was wondering where she went. And then I, I saw some of the stuff that I know is going to happen. You know,

stuff that you said happens with Michael, but I tried to not, not read it. Um, so I know that the new season of Potomac is coming back soon. So we will be recapping that on this show. Um, I, I just absolutely, I love the women. I love so many of them. And I just, I, I, and I also love it sometimes maybe it's because it's like I was in season one, but it's like, I love Giselle, but a lot of the times, like I wasn't necessarily on her side, but like, I still love her you know and like even though Karen's not my favorite sometimes like she was right you know no no no that's the thing um with Karen I struggle and me and TPG like always go at it because he is a Karen

Huger like number one fan like bought her perfume like sprayed me with it he's her number one fan and it's like she's like this grand like dom like she's in charge of the social scene, but like she sometimes says and does things that are just so like not right, but he just like rides or die for her. And, but that's how I feel about Giselle. Yeah. Yeah. I feel that. And then you told me about Giselle and Jamal and I'm very excited to get there. Also season one, they have a lot of conversations about race as it relates to them, as it relates to race in America. And yes, like we were listening to educational things throughout the weekend. But I think that season one of Real Housewives of Potomac has that conversation in a very entertaining way and a way that's easy to understand. And I thoroughly

enjoyed it. And I look forward to binge watching it throughout the week. Yeah. Whenever there's a new Housewife franchise, I'm immediately just not... I remember even with Dallas, I didn't watch in full. I was just not in the mood. I feel so happy with the Housewives that I do have. But Potomac was this edition that once... TBG really was the one who got me on it. Once I started, it's just so good. And at the reunions, they fucking bring the glamour. Like they are like Beverly Hills level. Like they all just like match outfits. Their glam is so good. Their outfits are so good. Like they take the job of housewives very seriously. And I compare it to Dallas because they started, they have like similar amounts of seasons. And I feel like it just comes

so much easier for the housewives of Potomac. I feel like they really love the platform that they have and they want to be role models for like, you know, smart, powerful black women. And they take that really seriously. And like, it just comes naturally for them and they like are so glamorous. And I just think it's such a good show. And I think that it's like going to be one of it, like it's delayed because of COVID. I think a lot of the Housewives franchises are delayed. But I'm so excited for the new season. And I'm also really excited to see if they're filming and if they talk about like the current climate in the country.

Yeah, definitely. I'm excited to catch up to where you are. I remember when it premiered and I remember the same thing about Dallas. And I dove into Dallas because I was dating Zach and like he was from there and I felt like it was an easy way to get to know his city. But I actually felt the opposite of you. Not that I was like happy with the housewives that I had. It was like,

I'm tired of all the housewives franchises that I already watch. Like, and so I wasn't trying to walk, like watch even more, but I would rather watch Potomac right now than New York. Definitely. No, it definitely no it's it's it's just so well done and they don't try too hard like it's I felt like Dallas and I just compare it to Dallas because they came out like at similar times I just felt like a lot of times in Dallas like they just needed the show so badly that they were just like forcing so many storylines and And I just feel like in Potomac, it's so natural. Like a lot of the women have like

really like long, deep rooted friendships, but they're not like, it just comes naturally for them, which is the best kind of franchise. Yes. I, I agree with that. Okay. So, um, anything else you want to recap before we get into everything? Not recap because I just started it, but I started the Redheads book last night. Oh, Maya Angelou, that's our next book for the Redheads. So it's a little confusing, but this week our episode will drop where we recap Codename Helene, which I'm in the middle of. And it's actually very, very good. And then we, but we announced that our book for next month is going to be, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. We're all really excited to read it. It's been recommended by a lot of different people and on a lot of

different lists of how it's just a very powerful story about race and America. And if you are going to buy it, yeah, I know. And if you're going to buy it, I read, there's like a full list of Black-owned bookstores that you can and should support if you can't, I mean, if you're not going to like buy it on Kindle. So it's just like one extra step in Googling that I think most people might not think about. But if you're going to buy it, feel free to support Black-owned bookstores definitely so yeah we have a lot of very good the book it's like funny which is not necessarily what I was expecting I'm so excited that you're reading it that you're reading with us that you're reading and I'm excited maybe we'll have you on the next episode, like to share some thoughts. Maybe. Maybe. Okay. Now is it time? Um, I think so. Okay, cool. Um, without further ado,

it is time for the fast five stories that you need to know before you wake up and take a bite out of your morning toast. Cool. Cool. Cool. Cool. Okay. The first story i actually felt was um kind of the perfect story for the tone of today's episode and just sort of getting into now you know some well all celeb news some mindless some not um but john legend discusses balancing humorous content amidst the ongoing protests during a panel for Sherman's showcase, executive producer John Legend said it's important to keep creating joyful content amid the important Black Lives Matter protests happening across the country. Quote, we still have to have our sense of humor, he said from the couch on Saturday when the

moderator asked about conflicting feelings when creating silly content right now. Quote, we still think there's a lot in the world to talk about and make fun of, and there's a lot of joy we can share with other people, and I think it's important to continue to share that joy, that laughter with intelligence and with an eye to what's going on in the world, but people still need to laugh and enjoy themselves. He added, I think it's important that we show the fullness of what it is to be Black and human through our art, we are able to do that. I mean, I love this. And I feel like I had this moment on Blackout Tuesday of last week, TikTok was like highlighting black creators. So my entire For You page was like overwhelmingly black creators from both like

comedy to beauty to like social justice. And I just have to say, and I said this to you, it was so much better like I spent literally so much of Tuesday on TikTok like listening and just watching all these different types of content both funny and like not and serious and I just I preferred it so much and then on Wednesday I like expected my my feed to be like filled again and it was just back to the normal like dumb stuff and I don't know how to get back to Tuesday because he's right like it so much of like the black experience is like knowing all about all different facets and like whether that includes comedy or beauty or like black owned businesses I totally agree it was so

much better yeah no I totally agree I feel like Instagram has been a very powerful place to share news and information but there have been some people who are using it also to bring levity to some of what's going on. The first person that comes to mind is Justin Sylvester, because he's just been posting so much informational content. He posted some podcast episodes. He spoke with the sheriff, but he's still just like his funny self and just sharing humor amidst this time. And I think it's important. Yeah. It's obviously touch and go, like not to make light of what's going on, but I agree with John Legend. Like there needs to be an element of like levity sometimes. Yes. I agree with John Legend as well. Okay. And John Legend and Chrissy Teigen, I mean, we didn't do a show last week, but if we did, we would have touched on it,

that they donated $200,000 to a bailout fund for peaceful protesters who were taken into custody, which is just fabulous. Yeah, there are a lot of celebrities who are stepping up, donating large sums, including Kanye West, who launches a college fund for George Floyd's daughter. Kanye West has launched a college fund for the six-year-old daughter of George Floyd, who was killed while in police custody. West set up a 529 college savings fund to cover tuition for Gianna Ford, his rep told CNN on Thursday. The rapper also donated $2 million to the families and legal teams supporting Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor. Wow. I didn't know that second part. Yeah. That's amazing. Like, I just feel like obviously any form of donation is amazing, but to donate to someone's like education is just so

special. And I feel like Kim and Kanye are both like so family focused and like their kids are their whole lives. And I feel like them donating, of course, to the family and the legal fund, but also to George Floyd's daughter's future is just so special. So special. And just like looking towards the future. And I think that was very thoughtful and generous of them. Yeah. It's very nice to see celebrities stepping up like that. And also, our next story is a K-pop group, BTS, has donated $1 million to Black Lives Matter.

BTS and their management company, Big Hit Entertainment, donated $1 million to Black Lives Matter earlier this week. Variety reported on Saturday. While the K-pop superstars didn't comment on the donation on social media, both Black Lives Matter and Big Hit confirmed the transfer. Black Lives Matter managing director Kaylee Scales told Variety, quote, Black people all over the world are in pain at this moment from the trauma of centuries of oppression. We are moved by the generosity of BTS and allies all over the world

who stand in solidarity in the fight for Black lives. I mean, this is incredible, obviously, because a million dollars is so much money, but also, like, they're so influential, like, especially amongst a generation of, like, young people whose minds are, like, you know, they're sponges, you know, they're absorbing. And I feel like, of course, the money says a lot, but I just think, the actual, like the message is so powerful here, given like what their audience is, who their audience is, how old their audience is and like how big their audience is. Yes. They are so influential. They are massive. And I agree that the money is fabulous, but also them taking a stance in this way is important and wonderful.

them taking a stance in this way is important and wonderful. Yeah, I think it's, and it makes it, you know, not just like an American thing, it makes it a global thing because they're a global group. Yes, and there are global protests, and this is really like a worldwide movement. I'm sure that you saw the tweet that was going around, like, sort of saying how there has been protests in 50 states, every state in the country, and making this the biggest civil rights movement in history, which is incredible. And that's why, like when you said earlier, like watching history, like this is definitely going to be in textbooks, you know? Yes, definitely. Okay, switching gears a little bit, because Vanderpump Rules stars Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doughty are apologizing to former co-star Faith Stowers. Vanderpump Rules

Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doughty are breaking their silence to offer apologies to their former co-star Faith Stowers. On Sunday, they both posted lengthy statements on Instagram to address an incident with Stowers that she spoke about recently during an Instagram live chat with Floribama Shore star Candace Rice. Love her. Faith, who appeared on seasons four and six of the Bravo series, recalled a time when Stassi and Kristen spotted a tabloid article about a Black woman wanted for theft and called the police to pin the crimes on her.

Quote from Faith. There was this article on Daily Mail where there was an African-American lady. It was a weird photo, so she looked very light-skinned and had these different weird tattoos. They showcased her, and I guess this woman was robbing people. And they called the cops and said it was me, Kristen and Stassi. This is like a true story. I heard this from actually Stassi during an interview. So Stassi had done a podcast interview detailing how Kristen and Stassi called the police because they believed that it was Faith in the images who was robbing people. And I just feel like not enough people talk about how like where justice for faith, like she had the, honestly the worst experience on that show. And of course, like you sign up for reality show, like you get yourself into, but it's like, she just like couldn't catch a break.

And they just, everyone was so like mean to her for doing something that they've all done, like slept with each other's boyfriends. Like she was just held to like this different, more impossible standard. And I just feel like she had a terrible negative experience on the show. And I really like, I feel for her. Yes. And doing something that they've all done, but also that like one of their friends participated in as well. And I feel like faith was just such a scapegoat for them to not deal with like the real problem of the infidelity that occurred um and i do feel like her experience on the show was just truly unfair um yeah and every like i mean this so

sassy and kristen i posted that you know they're sorry for um for what they did, that it wasn't like racially motivated, but they see now how what they did was- Calling the police. Right. But they had said that, you know, at the time they were just in defense of their friend and, you know, all of the infidelity that had gone on. But I just feel like you can't be so mad at one of the people involved without being equally mad at the other person. The person who owes you something. Right.

Right. The person who's your friend. Right. The person who's in a relationship. Yeah. No, that's what I meant. like no one gave her a chance and she wasn't even given enough air time to really like say her piece and say her side of things and everyone just kind of wrote her off from the second she got there and i understand why she's now speaking out about having a bad experience and i feel like it really

just harkens on like the lack of diversity in banner pump rules like it's been so glaringly obvious for so long, especially now. Like, and it's not like they have a small cast. There were like 19 people at the reunion. Yeah. And not one Black person. Yes. Not one. Yeah. No, there definitely needs to be more diversity. I remember when Faith was on season four, though, she was good friends with Lala, and I think she was dating Lisa's son, Max. son max yes and like the three of them were like and james was like their fourth friend and like they were kind of a really fun crew and and it would have been nice to expand on that yeah i mean season four was like too early like they were still so focused on the original cast

mates but now it's like season eight the old the old the the original cast mates are like so kind of jaded that now they're focusing on like this new generation. But this new generation doesn't include any people of color. Right. So I think that, I mean, it's been time for a while for change in Vanderpump Rules and change in just like the cast. And I think this just drives home that point. Yeah, especially last week when the reunion was airing, it was,

I had literally forgotten that it was on because there was so much going on in the world. And when I did catch it, they, it just felt, it just felt so like out of touch. Yeah. Like almost outdated when it wasn't filmed too long ago. outdated when it wasn't filmed too long ago. Right. So I think that, you know, I feel really like sad for Faith. I feel like she just had a really negative experience on the show. And certain people, you know, go on reality shows and have bad experiences, but I feel like hers was like really bad, you know, because she was never given an opportunity to like speak for herself. And there was just really like a lot of talking about her yeah and she never got to like be like hey this is my side of the story so honestly i'm happy that she's kind of you know just going on instagram and telling her truth

yeah i agree okay fifth and final story a little good news for the class of 2020 um because youtube originals did their dear class of 2020 all-star commencement yesterday. There was a performance by Lizzo, Alicia Keys, former President Barack Obama, former First Lady Michelle Obama, Beyonce, BTS, Lady Gaga, Secretary Robert M. Gates,

Secretary Condoleezza Rice, Sundar Pichai, and Malala were all there to wish their well-wishes. Taylor Swift was there. I know well they're all virtually remotely etc. To share some advice and music for the graduating class. Lizzo's performance did you see it of her playing the flute to the and they had like virtually they had a virtual orchestra like uh you know a 20 piece orchestra like all at home and they like put all the videos together and lizza whenever she plays her flute

like it gives me life like it was just so epic and so iconic stellar it was stellar like it was just so different you know like some of these even regular graduations are just so like corny sometimes. Oh, sometimes. Every time? Yeah. So I feel like this was actually kind of fabulous. Yeah, very fabulous. I've been reading some of the speeches that some of the stars were sharing.

And I actually wanted to pose a question to you. If you could give some advice to the graduating class of 2020, what would you, what would your advice be? That's a good question. Do you have an answer? I need to think about it for a second, but I feel like my advice is always the same, but maybe it just needs to be tweaked a little bit, but I feel, well, you know, if I'm just like talking like, you know, just to one-on-one, I'm not like on the YouTube thing where, but if I'm just like being real, like, I feel like a lot of people get like really sad to graduate high school or college and don't look forward to the change that comes with it. And I just want to say like, embrace it all.

You have so much ahead of you, get excited about it. Don't worry. And I just think my best life advice is just to be yourself. There's only one you and everyone looks forward to meeting you. Oh, that's sweet. I think my advice would be, I feel like when I was in college and in high school, if I was going through something or I had a, like it felt like the end of the world and now it's like so irrelevant. So I would like try and encourage young people to like have perspective, you know, and just if you're going through something like it's going to end, you know, like it does. Everything gets better. Everything works out.

Like don't let whatever it is that you're going through like define you. Yeah. And you know what also is it like advice that sometimes people give to me that it always like, just a leaf, like eases my burden a little bit when people are like, just go easy on yourself. Like, don't be so hard on yourself. Um, like give yourself a break, like you're fabulous. Don't be, don't be so hard on yourself. Yeah. I would also give advice. Like, don't worry about having a million friends. Like just have a few good friends. Yeah. Don't worry about staying in touch with everyone. Um,

it's unrealistic. Yeah. It's unrealistic. You're going to be really busy. And so, um, you just find your people. Also, if I would give some advice, it's all coming to me now. I would just say like always be grateful that you don't have to do homework anymore. Like for me, graduating was this huge burden. Like I'm sorry, no, college was this huge burden. Like I was just never really good at school, like tests, reading. Like I just wasn't that type of student. And for me, like graduation was this huge release, like knowing I'm never going to have to do

homework again or like do it, write an essay or submit an assignment and like lean into that because there's a lot of, you know, trials and tribulations that come with being an adult in the real world, like paying bills. Like there's a lot of realness and that sucks, but just always keep in mind, at least you're not doing homework. Yeah, and you know what? You will continue to have dreams that you're doing homework or that you haven't done yet. Yes.

And those are kind of annoying, but at least like you get to wake up and go on with your fabulous life. And I think my advice- Have those dreams like once a month. I know. My advice would also be the world is your oyster. Like take on, this is your time.

You know, this is your time. Do your thing. And then I would also, I would also quote one of those classroom bulletin boards. What's right isn't always popular. And what's popular isn't always right. This is the one that stuck with me. Never stop asking why.

Ooh, very powerful. Those actual, those classroom like quotes are actually profound, deeply profound. And I don't think like our young minds were able to process, but I think like looking at a sign every day that said, what's, what's popular isn't always right. And what's right. Isn't always popular. Like really struck a chord with me. Yeah. No. And I think like on even just a very surface level, never stopped asking why, like for me, that just meant like, if something's not making sense to me, like in the class, like why, how, you know? And now obviously like later in life, like it, it means so much more,

but I think just on a technical level back in the day, super helpful. Yeah, I agree. I'm glad that you agree. Um, okay. So those are the fast five stories and now we're going to recap, um, the toast movie of the week, which was the hate you give. Um, before we do that, is it, is it okay if I just like quickly grab the floor really quick? Oh, of course, please. Today's episode is brought to you by Fiverr. If you're a business owner, chances are you're reevaluating the way you do business. Establishing your online presence is no longer optional. It's necessary.

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That's Fiverr, F-I-v-e-r-r.com code toast again that's fiber.com code toast thank you fiber on to our toast movie of the day which was the hate you give starring amandala stenberg um who is queen rue from um hunger games yes um and also a very star-studded cast in general oh my god yes like i first of all i knew nothing about the movie from plot to cast which is my favorite way to watch a movie like it's so rare that i haven't seen a commercial or like read something on instagram like it was just i went i had no idea what the movie was about and or who was in it and i was just like so like living every time someone turned around i'm like regina hall is so right common sabrina I had no idea what the movie was about or who was in it. And I was just so living. Every time someone turned around, I'm like, Regina Hall, Issa Rae, Common, Sabrina Carpenter, H.K.J. Apa.

It was just so like, ooh, ooh. Yes, I agree. I actually had, I didn't know what it was about. But it was so good. It was so powerful. It was so poignant for this week in American culture. And I hope that you guys watched along with us because it really just, it just drove home every single point. But I also, there were so many powerful conversations or things that were said. Obviously

something that really stuck out to me was the thug life acronym, like the hate you give little infants fucks everybody. And I just kept thinking about it. Like I kept thinking about it as I fell asleep last night. Like it's so fucking true. Like what you put out there comes back. And like when you put out hate, it comes back. And to be honest, like I felt really dumb because i wasn't really understanding the whole the hate you give thing little infants until the spoiler alert ending scene when um her little brother picks up the gun and like then it all just kind of like clicked for me yeah but you see how it's thug life yes yes okay okay yeah um for me there were two really powerful moments i thought the opening scene

was incredibly powerful, especially given what's going on. Um, and how like, you know, a lot of white people might not realize like, this is a conversation that black parents have with their children almost all the time to be aware. And like, you know, I, for us, like we're taught, like, you know, be respectful, but it it's never like it's going to be a threat to your life and the fact that like that's a common part of growing up um black is just so crazy and I thought they did an amazing job of what I imagine those conversations are like like they're very serious and kids might not understand at the time but the second they get pulled over it's like ingrained in them and I just thought it was like a really powerful scene and a really powerful way to open up the movie.

And again, I didn't know what it was about, but I was kind of understanding what it might be about based on that opening scene. Yes, definitely. And another really powerful thing was when Issa Rae comes to the funeral and she quotes, I'm sorry, I don't know who said it, but it's like, there's no such thing as an unarmed black man when someone sees blackness as a weapon. Yes. That was just like everything. Yeah. No, that definitely sticks with you. I felt like the scene when Star is talking to her uncle, who's a police officer common. Yes, yes. And she's at his house, like, talking about going before the grand jury,

and they kind of get into the conversation of what would have happened if, you know, it was a white man in a suit and a Mercedes driving the car and how a police officer's reaction might have been different. I think really just, I like how the movie did a good job of, you know, there's, Common is a good police officer. There are good cops of you know there's common is a good police officer there are good cops you know it's like but there is a systematic racism inherent in the police force that that needs to be excavated i agree i thought that scene incredible. I thought there was just so many moments where they, like, obviously the movie had a message, but they kind of emulated in different relationships, like the relationship with Common or the relationship with like black police officers. I just thought it did such a good job of driving home a message

while also acknowledging other types of conversations that are had around this issue. Especially the Sabrina Carpenter, which is like something as a teenager, like a privileged white teenager, I definitely related to, like not being able to see out of your own privilege when you're in high school being like,

oh, it's sad for the police officer's family. You know, like I thought it was very, very well done. Yeah. And then also what I thought was well done is the conversation that she has with her boyfriend, KJ Apa. Um, and he was like, I don't see color. And she was like, if you don't see my blackness, you don't see me. You don't see me. Yes. And I feel like that's something that at least for me, like I've always been like, I don't see color, but now it's like, you should. Yeah. Yeah. No, and I thought that they did all of this in both subtle and very explanatory ways.

And I just thought it was an amazingly well done movie that talks about a lot of difficult conversations, but does a very good job at it. Yeah. One last thing that I wanted to say was, hold on. It was just on the tip of my tongue. Oh, fuck. Was it Theo popping into the sack behind you? No, no, no.

It was, just give me one second. I need to say it. It's just, oh, when you were talking about subtle things, I thought it was really powerful how they didn't mention it, but at the end of the movie, when she's finally feeling more comfortable with the two parts of her life, she starts to wear her hair naturally. Yes.

And I just thought that was like a little detail that was very moving. Yes, I completely agree. I thought it was a great selection. It was so great. It was a great selection. I'm so glad it was our first movie. I'm so glad that we watched it. I'm so glad we watched it this week. It came out in 2018. I feel like it literally could have come out tomorrow. I completely agree. Yeah. I've also heard that the book, it's based on a book. I've heard that the book is incredible um and so I might I might read that in a little bit yeah I it's like sad that it's so pertinent when it was made two years ago

like nothing has changed yeah but a powerful message nonetheless yeah and a powerful force for change yeah um so our movie for next week would you like to tell the class yes our movie for next week is hidden figures which is one of my favorite movies. It's so important. It has such a great message. It's a true story. It's an incredible story. Claudia hasn't seen it. I'm so excited for her to watch it. And I'm so excited for me to watch it again. I like missed the boat when everyone was watching it, like during Oscar season. And then it like, I was just didn't want to be like the last one. So I just never watched it. Yeah. That, that that does always happen like it's either Oscar season or or bust or bust um but it's Oscar season here so we are going to recap it on Friday so we have a few days to watch it I like need to

watch stuff the day before because I have such a bad memory like of course I wanted to watch the hate you give last week but I didn't watch it until last night because I wanted to remember it yes me too but then it's also like I was watching it last night and Give last week, but I didn't watch it until last night because I wanted to remember it. Yes, me too. But then it's also like I was watching it last night and I had wished I watched it days before because it just gave me a bunch of different perspectives. But ultimately, I'm glad that I watched it. And yes, it did need to be top of mind for the show. So that was a great selection. Thank you to everyone who recommended it.

Also, we didn't get, because we didn't do a show last week, we didn't get an opportunity to highlight Black-owned businesses, which is what we're going to start doing every Friday. So we'll do it this Friday. But if you didn't catch our Instagram, we highlighted a fabulous company called Rebecca Allen. They are a shoe company. And the whole concept of the shoe is five shades of nude,

which Jackie and I were talking about. And it like didn't even occur to me, like how powerful that message is until you explained it to me. Because you just assume nude. Like we were just, we were having this conversation about how we totally didn't even realize like the deep rooted racism in the word nude. In the term nude because like nude is like considered a color, like a pigment. But there are so many different shades of nude so why is nude like in the crayon box like why is it this yes so i just and then we started having another conversation about band-aids yes you were telling me it's the same thing how it's like

band-aids are meant to be like skin tone, even though like they don't necessarily match my skin tone. Like it's, it blends in sort of. Yeah. Flesh color. But it's like, where are the brown and black band-aids? Right.

They're supposed to blend. Yeah. It's just been eyeopening little things like that. So it was Rebecca Allen. I ordered my shoes on Thursday, by the way, they came on Saturday. Like it was crazy shipping and they're so elegant.

I got the flats. The flats are so elegant and fabulous. Yeah, so we didn't get to do it on the show. But if you want to shop, support Black-owned businesses, it's called Rebecca Allen New York. They're available online and you can shop their Instagram too, which is fabulous. And also if you have any recommendations for Black-owned businesses that you feel passionate about

or you are a Black business owner, reach out, let us know, because we're always looking for places to shop. Yes, we definitely are. Is that it? I think that is all that she wrote today. Okay, well, thank you guys so much for listening to The Morning Toast,

the millennial morning show where we go live Monday through Friday, 10.30 a.m. Eastern Time on YouTube. So if you're watching us on YouTube, please feel free to subscribe and give this video a thumbs up. We are also available as a podcast anywhere podcasts can be found. So that's Spotify, iTunes, Stitcher, Public Radio, iHeartRadio, CastBox, all the places.

So wherever you listen to podcasts, find us, The Morning Toast, and leave a five-star review about how beautiful, stunning, and smart we are. We love you guys so much. We hope you enjoyed today's episode, and we will see you tomorrow morning. Bye. Bye, Theo.