Podcast Summary: "Living Single: Then & Now with Kim Coles & Erika Alexander"

Baby, This is Keke Palmer – Wondery
Date: December 30, 2025

Overview

In this dynamic episode, Keke Palmer welcomes sitcom icons Kim Coles and Erika Alexander, celebrated for their groundbreaking roles on Living Single. Together, they discuss their new podcast "Reliving Single," revisit memories of the show's legacy, and delve deep into evolving narratives around Black womanhood, representation, the pressures of performance, and the shifting landscape of love and entertainment across generations.

With warmth, candor, and plenty of laughter, the trio explore themes of sisterhood, survival, reshaping narratives, and embracing growth within entertainment and personal life. Their conversation is filled with storytelling, heartfelt tributes, and insightful reflections relevant to artists, fans, and those passionate about Black culture in media.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Keke’s Signature Icebreaker: The Baby, This is Keke Palmer Questionnaire

Time: 01:41–09:02

• Kim Coles jokes about menopause and estrogen, introducing her signature humor and openness about life changes.
  • “Welcome, welcome, welcome to menopause. You all get there.” (02:01, Kim)
• The group laughs over “secretly chaotic joy and sleepiness” as a mood, segues into hormone health, and the importance of understanding your body earlier in life.
• Kim shares a personal anecdote: “My boyfriend's younger than I am, so there's an estrogen... pellet for insertion. There's a gel you can put on your thigh. There's also pellets in your booty.” (02:22, Kim)
• Erika Alexander relates, speaking to having “a lot of testosterone,” pointing out how women in leadership often have these traits:
  • “You’re a woman king.” (03:17, Erika)
• Light-hearted banter: laughter about farting, puppies, and humorous last phone screenshots, sets an intimate, honest tone.

2. Paying Tribute and the Power of Legacy

Time: 05:27–07:23

• Keke and Erika reflect on the loss of Malcolm Jamal Warner.
  • “When I say that we lost a light, yeah, that brother was good.” (06:03, Erika)
• Erika discusses working with Malcolm on The Cosby Show, his intelligence and warmth, and the significance of honoring Black artists beyond controversy.
• Keke: “It’s important to bring up... he is an icon. Amazing representation. I wish we could get some of those moments back.” (06:44, Keke)

3. Living Single’s Impact Across Generations

Time: 09:06–11:47

• Discussion on the resurgence of Living Single every decade and its deep cultural impact.
• Kim and Erika reflect on their experience at ESSENCE Fest:
  • “To see all the shapes and sizes of all of us and all the delicious blackness... every tone and shade and hair, the hair. Oh the hair.” (09:28, Kim)
  • Erika: “ESSENCE is a legacy project... it’s competing with all the channels, the internet... but we can come together in person and have a silent conversation and a vibe.” (10:12, Erika)

4. Real-Life Sisterhood & Venturing Into Podcasting

Time: 11:54–15:46

• Kim and Erika detail how their friendship evolved from the show into real life, with honest talk around boundaries and learning from each other, even when it comes to workplace gossip.
  • “Sometimes you just want to... We just did a show on gossip. I just... I needed to have a way to vent and go, like, I’m seeing this, are you seeing this too? Cause I respected you.” (15:02, Kim)
  • Erika describes the intimidating whirlwind that is Kim Coles’ energy and their mutual growth into friends and collaborators.

5. Getting the Roles: The Making of Living Single

Time: 17:32–25:08

• The cast was built uniquely: some actors created around, some auditioned.
  • “The first time we all meet is at the table read. I knew immediately that this felt like home to me.” (17:55, Kim)
• Kim reflects on the difference between the competitive world of In Living Color and the collaborative feel of Living Single.
• Erika brings in TV production realities: “There are two different types of performance happening... with the ensemble, with the audience, with the cameras... you have to manage all at once.” (22:03, Erika)

6. Breaking Ground for Black Characters & Women

Time: 29:14–33:09

• Living Single’s status as a “Black show” and audiences transcending that label, including stories of unexpected fans:
  • “This little old Jewish man came and squeezed my arm, ‘I love you girls. You remind me of Brooklyn.’ ... I knew we were a hit because that wasn’t the demographic at all.” (29:27, Kim)
• Discussion about representation—showing quirky, career-driven, nontraditional Black women on TV.
  • Keke: “Now we have Issa Rae... Quinta Brunson... but that was the first time we seen just like, well, okay, it’s like, we get to be that.” (32:33, Keke)

7. The Weight of Representation, Survival & Evolution as Performers

Time: 33:09–39:50

• Erika speaks candidly about carrying the pressure of representation, as a child from humble beginnings whose early breaks were not just personally important, but also symbolic for her whole community.
  • “The last thing you want to do is drop the ball. You don’t want to make people ashamed. You don’t want to make the people who didn’t get that role feel like, why did they choose her?” (35:38, Erika)
• Kim shares a different kind of pressure—family expectations and “maintaining” success:
  • “My father, until he passed away at 94, was like, ‘So when are you going to go back to college?’ ... That pressure was to become something my parents wanted me to become.” (38:23, Kim)
• Discussion of how the source of their performance shifted from a drive for survival and rebellion to performance as a form of embodiment, wholeness, and joy.

8. What Shifts After Fame: Growth, Vulnerability, and Being Open to Reinvention

Time: 39:50–56:28

• Keke, Kim, and Erika each describe stages of their artistic lives—sometimes performing to “survive,” later for the more subtle joys of expression.
• Erika shares a shattering moment of on-set vulnerability that changed her relationship with acting:
  • “I must live in the moment. I must make my mistakes out loud... But I will not let any one person have permission to do that to me again because I need to own myself.” (45:25, Erika)
• Kim discusses the humility required to keep growing—taking on a soap opera role she once would have shunned, learning new skills no matter her career status.
  • “Maybe the lesson I’m giving here is we say no to things, and those are sometimes the things that would grow us.” (56:03, Kim)

9. Love & Dating: Then vs. Now

Time: 57:09–58:56

• On how dating has changed for Millennials and Gen Z vs. their time on Living Single:
  • “It’s the apps... the fact that you can put yourself on display like a department store catalog is, to me, mind blowing.” (57:11, Erika)
• Discussion on intimacy, slow-burn connection, emotional development—“You gotta dance with each other. These are mating things...” (58:41, Erika)

10. Advice for the Next Generation

Time: 58:56–63:23

• The importance of reading and understanding narrative:
  • “People don’t read. They don’t read, so they don’t think… everything is controlled by narrative. But if you don’t know how to build them or how they conflict… Just read.” (59:20, Erika)
• Kim’s practical wisdom: “Explore. Get out of your 6-block radius, allow your mind, travel, experience, meet new people, go to different kinds of churches, different kinds of experiences… allow yourself to experience new things.” (63:03, Kim)

11. Living Single Matchmaker Game

Time: 64:03–72:08

(A lighthearted segment where the trio pair up famous Black women with their hypothetical ideal celebrity partner.)

• Notable picks:
  • Tracee Ellis Ross: suggestions include Damson Idris and Ta-Nehisi Coates for his intellect, with humorous debate about age gaps.
  • Halle Bailey: “Donald Glover,” for talent and creative energy.
  • Gayle King: Cory Booker, Mark Lamont Hill—someone who could keep up with her intellect and handle public life.
  • Keke herself: “Someone like Serena’s husband, Alexis Ohanian—super rich and supportive,” or a “down-to-earth partner who would love her energy.”

12. Closing Reflections: Sisterhood, Legacy & Courage

Time: 72:10–74:03

• Erika to Keke: “You give off not only a vibe that's inner and outer, but you live out loud... and show us how high up is as you’re climbing.” (72:20, Erika)
• Kim to Keke: “I know that you’re not fearless, but you… couldn’t do this if you didn’t know what the parameters were and what was at stake. And yet you are…” (72:48, Kim)
• The episode ends on a note of mutual inspiration, honoring the co-creation of narrative across generations.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Kim Coles (on living with pressure in entertainment):
  • "Oh, the maintenance... you gotta maintain all of this." (38:23)
• Erika Alexander (on legacy):
  • "Black people are the biggest culture makers in world history because we didn’t colonize people in mind. They allowed us in... that is the power of soft power." (30:38)
• Keke Palmer (on what performance means after survival):
  • "I’m not telling it from the place of joy for rebellion. I’m telling from the place of joy as embodiment." (39:52)
• And, of course, the running theme: "Baby, this is Keke Palmer!"
• The playful exchange during the matchmaking game, such as:
  • Erika: “Senator Cory Booker!” (67:54)
  • Kim: “You need somebody who’s down to earth, someone who’s gonna help you make the chicken wings.” (70:29)

Section Timestamps Overview

| Segment | Timestamps | |--------------------------------------|-----------------| | Episode Intro/Questionnaire | 01:41–09:02 | | Tribute to Malcolm Jamal Warner | 05:27–07:23 | | ESSENCE Fest & Legacy | 09:06–11:47 | | Building Real-Life Sisterhood | 11:54–15:46 | | Getting the Roles | 17:32–25:08 | | Representation and Impact | 29:14–33:09 | | Survival, Legacy, and Growth | 33:09–39:50 | | Performance: Before and After Fame | 39:50–56:28 | | Changing Dating Landscape | 57:09–58:56 | | Lessons for the Next Generation | 58:56–63:23 | | Living Single Matchmaker Game | 64:03–72:08 | | Closing Reflections | 72:10–74:03 |

Final Thoughts

This episode is infused with wisdom and warmth, demonstrating why Living Single’s legacy persists and how powerful authentic representation can be. Keke, Kim, and Erika model vulnerability, insight, and humor—making this a must-listen for anyone invested in Black storytelling, creative resilience, and evolving friendship.

Listen for:

• Candid, often hilarious takes about aging, friendship, and industry pressure
• Heartfelt tributes to Black culture-makers
• Honest reflection on career struggles and personal growth
• Advice that bridges generations—on art, love, and living authentically