Summary: "The Art of Not Giving a F* with Taraji P. Henson"

Baby, This is Keke Palmer
Host: Keke Palmer
Guest: Taraji P. Henson
Release Date: August 27, 2025

Episode Overview

This vibrant episode brings together two powerhouse women—Keke Palmer and Taraji P. Henson—for a candid, funny, and soulful conversation about self-worth, motherhood, legacy, mental health, and the freedom of unapologetically being yourself. Taraji shares wisdom from her formidable journey as an actor and mother, reflects on pivotal roles and battles against industry stereotypes, and offers insights on relationships, therapy, and "the art of not giving a f*". Expect lively storytelling, memorable quotes, real talk about the industry, and rich, shared experiences as Black women in entertainment.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Opening Banter & Early Connections

• Reminiscing: Keke and Taraji recall their first interaction when Keke was just 16 at a Mike Epps comedy show, highlighting their longstanding rapport.

  • [01:37] Taraji: “I’ve been running into you since you were like 16.”

• Vibes & Style Talk: They bond over fashion—mixing highs (Schiaparelli) and lows (Zara)—and the reality of shopping’s impact on finances.

  • [02:18] Taraji: “Highs and lows. That’s how you keep from going broke, man.”

• Gratitude & Energy: Both celebrate gratitude as an essential part of their daily mindset.

  • [02:42] Keke: “Today’s mood, in one word: grateful.”
  • [02:49] Taraji: “Any day I wake up on this side of the soil, I’m grateful.”

Motherhood, Family, and Origins

• Dog Mom & Real Mom: Taraji introduces her Frenchies, Buddha and Zen, and shares how motherhood transformed her, both with her son Marcel and her pets.

  • [04:01] Taraji: “My fat Frenchies. …I think I became a real dog mom when I became a mom.”

• Losing Marcel’s Father: Taraji remembers her son’s dad and ties her personal life to roles she’s played, especially "Baby Boy" and its realness.

  • [05:32] Taraji: "When I look at him, it's just like I gotta pinch myself sometimes."

• Cycle of Generational Resilience: Taraji credits her parents for modeling toughness and determination, forging her path from Washington, DC to LA with only $700 and a small child.

  • [17:41] Taraji recounts her father’s saying: “Fear and fate can’t coexist. No, you gotta pick a side.”
  • [17:50] “The biggest moment was me deciding to move out to LA with just $700 in my pocket and my kid.”

The Power of Arts & Representation

• Childhood Energy & Stage: Taraji’s vibrant personality channeled by her father and teachers led her to the stage—starting all the way back in kindergarten singing “The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow”.

  • [15:21] “I just would not be still. …She needed that big mouth for the graduation!”

• Arts as Escape: She underlines how creative outlets kept her from negative statistics growing up, especially given her surroundings and school environment.

  • [16:36] “I got out. I made it. No windows.”

Cooking, Travel, and Self-Care

• Culinary Passion: Taraji is a devoted home cook, enthusiastic about recipes and sharing love through food.

  • [07:42] “Someone asked me a while ago, how do you show love? I said, I cook.”

• Friendship & Retreats: She prioritizes annual girlfriend getaways and values the power of well-planned rest—a true Virgo!

  • [08:47] On group trips: “I’m the planner.”

• The Magic of Solo Travel: Taraji details her month-long healing journey in Bali—hot yoga, sound baths, and breakthroughs.

  • [09:53] “When I went the first time, I was there for a month.”
  • [10:20] “…a priestess prayed over me, moved a lot of negative energy out of my body.”

Career Milestones & Industry Realities

• Broadway Dreams Realized: After years in film and TV, Taraji shares her excitement about making her Broadway debut, marking a full-circle moment with mentor Debbie Allen.

  • [12:59] “I just knew that I didn’t want to struggle in New York with a kid. …But, you know, theater is always around.”

• Breaking Out & Being Pigeonholed: The conversation explores typecasting in Hollywood. Taraji has had to repeatedly prove her range but never compromises her artistic integrity.

  • [31:14] “They sent me every ghetto baby mama… I’m really classically trained, guys. Shakespeare, you know?”
  • [32:46] “When I did Empire… so many other things came. …That got them away from trying to pigeonhole me.”

• Empire, Cookie, and Mainstream Disruption:

  • Relating her initial hesitation with playing Cookie (“I was scared of her…” [29:07]), Taraji explains her process of humanizing the character, which revolutionized her visibility and industry opportunities.
  • [30:26] “Terrence Howard has to be Lucious or I can't do this.”
  • After Empire, her options—and power as a producer—expanded.

• Legacy & Black Women Leading

  • Taraji and Keke discuss the impact of stories fronted by Black women, the difference in opportunities for Black women versus men in Hollywood, and their turn to producing and entrepreneurship for agency.
  • [49:16] Taraji: "They get paid more than us. …But now you have women like myself and Keke taking control and producing and doing our own thing."

Mental Health Advocacy

• The Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation:

  • Inspired by her father’s struggles and the lack of resources, Taraji started her foundation to destigmatize mental health issues and expand access, especially for Black communities.
  • [24:09] “Watching him struggle and knowing that the resources just weren’t resourcing.”
  • Taraji expresses deep concern about rising youth suicide rates and the urgency of normalizing emotional complexity.

• Peace of Mind Talk Show:

  • Created to further open conversations, targeting taboo subjects and inviting her audience to see themselves in honest stories of mental struggle and healing.
  • [48:18] "The urgency to get our community to talk about mental wealth."

Love, Relationships & The Art of Not Giving a F*

• Dating in the Spotlight:

  • Taraji is unfiltered about dating as a successful Black woman in entertainment—the double standards, the challenge of authenticity, and choosing peace over disruption.
  • [22:15] “Been there, did it, done it, not sure if I would go back.”
  • [45:02] “I have fought to get this peace that I have. …I protect it fiercely.”

• On Growth:

  • Both women share how their priorities and ‘taste’ in relationships have evolved, gravitating away from trauma bonds and toward self-sufficiency and joy.
  • [44:47] Taraji: “Now you’re talking. …I have fought to get this peace that I have… I protect it fiercely.”

• On Not Giving a F*:

  • Taraji joyously claims the freedom that comes with age and hard-earned boundaries.
  • [53:39] Keke: “Things I learned at 50 that I wish I learned at 30.”
  • [53:42] Taraji: “To not give a f**.”*
  • [54:14] “When you get 50, I don’t give a f**… No is my favorite word.”*

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Breaking Out
  [31:14] Taraji: “They sent me every ghetto baby mama, and I was like, I’m really classically trained, guys. Shakespeare, you know?”

• On Motherhood and Focus
  [36:32] Taraji: “I didn’t have time to waste… I had to focus on how to get to this money. Cause I want a better life for my son.”

• On Self-Worth and the Industry
  [50:54] Keke: “…While these challenges are very real and true. Get in the driver’s seat and buckle up that part. Create multiple lanes.”
  [51:02] Taraji: “Build the doors to open. Don’t be stopped knocking at a door.”

• On Not Giving a F*
  [53:42] Taraji: “To not give a f**.”*
  [54:33] Keke: “How do we get engaged with it sooner?”
  [54:35] Taraji: “It comes with time. When you get to 50, you’re closer to the end than you are to the beginning. So I just can’t worry about what other people — I don’t have that kind of time anymore.”

• On Boundaries and Peace
  [46:01] Taraji: “If you spend the night, pack your up in your bag the next day and take it with you. Cause I don’t even have a drawer for you.”
  [45:02] “I have fought to find, get this peace that I have. …I protect it fiercely.”

• On Relationships Past and Present
  [43:48] Taraji: “The good boys, I was into them. Let me get quiet… I like the bad boys. I was into them.”

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 03:54 – Frenchie dogs, motherhood, and generational stories
• 09:53 – Bali solo trip and wellness
• 12:59 – Why Taraji put off Broadway; balancing motherhood and ambition
• 17:41 – “Fear and fate can’t coexist”—on risk and moving to LA
• 24:09 – Mental health and the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation
• 31:14 – Typecasting and breaking out in Hollywood
• 32:54 – Empire, Cookie Lyon, and expanding her range
• 36:32 – How motherhood focused Taraji’s drive
• 44:47 – The sacredness of peace and boundaries in her 50s
• 53:42 – On not giving a f*, learning to say "No" with freedom
• 54:35 – Embracing your own time and living fully

Game Segment: "What Would Taraji Do?" (51:18–55:02)

• Texting Your Ex: “Change the number. New line. Who?”
• Key to Thirst Trap: “Show the assets, but leave something to the imagination.”
• Bag Essentials: “Lip therapy, a lotion, and some Kleenex. For sure.”
• First Move (without making it): “Flirt and then make them feel like they did it all themselves.”
• Dealing with Friends Who Tell Your Business: “Are we cussing that out? She might come up missing.”
• Thing Learned at 50: “To not give a f*.”

Episode Takeaways

• Prioritize Your Peace: The central lesson for both Taraji and Keke is that real strength comes from protecting your peace—whether that means saying no, setting boundaries, or not apologizing for your joy or ambition.
• Legacy is Living: From mental health advocacy to Broadway dreams, Taraji underscores that it’s never too late to realize goals, but you must own your narrative.
• Motherhood as Motivation: Both women reaffirm that motherhood can clarify, not diminish, one’s ambition.
• Unapologetic Authenticity: As Taraji says, the ultimate flex is being your truest self, and “not giving a f*” gets easier—and sweeter—with time.

This conversation is a blueprint for living boldly, joyfully, and unapologetically—especially for Black women carving out their own spaces in life and art.