Kandi Burruss Joins The Show!

Summary

Chrisley Confessions 2.0: Episode Summary – "Kandi Burruss Joins The Show!"

Release Date: August 13, 2025

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Introduction and Warm Welcome

The episode kicks off with Todd Chrisley extending an enthusiastic welcome to special guest Kandi Burruss. Both Todd and Julie Chrisley express their excitement about having Kandi on the show, highlighting her prominence and diverse career.

Todd Chrisley [00:32]: "I'm so excited today because I really have never had anyone really famous or more famous than me on the show. But today we have the one, the only one of the loves of my life, Candy Burruss. Welcome."

Kandi reciprocates the warm welcome, noting her delight in joining the Chrisley duo.

Kandi Burruss [01:04]: "Thanks for having me."

Julie Chrisley [01:07]: "We're so happy you're here."

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Kandi Burruss: A Multifaceted Career

The conversation delves into Kandi’s illustrious career, covering her achievements in music, television, and Broadway.

• Music Beginnings and Success:

  Kandi reminisces about her early days in music, highlighting her hit single "Just Kicking It" released in 1993 during her high school years.

  Kandi Burruss [03:38]: "Well, I was still in high school too. I graduated in '94. But it was pretty cool to still be in high school and having a hit song on the radio... I used to pray about it every single night because we started when I was in the ninth grade and I used to pray, God, please get us a record deal and let us have a hit song before I graduate."

• Broadway Achievements:

  Julie celebrates Kandi’s success on Broadway, noting her record-breaking performances.

  Julie Chrisley [01:40]: "Now, let's hold up. We can't just say you did a play on Broadway. Let's talk about that."

  Kandi shares her pride in producing shows like "Othello," which reportedly broke Broadway records.

  Kandi Burruss [02:14]: "That was our fourth time producing a show on Broadway... We actually broke records while the show was running, like the highest grossing week in the history of Broadway or something like that."

• Television and Film Ventures:

  The Chrisleys highlight Kandi's versatility, mentioning her roles as an actress and television star.

  Julie Chrisley [02:47]: "We can kind of scan the game. You're talking actor, producer, Broadway producer, television star. I mean, it just keeps going on and on and on, you know."

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Navigating Reality TV and Its Challenges

Kandi discusses her experiences in reality television, contrasting her controlled environment with the Chrisleys' more transparent approach.

• Reality TV Stress:

  Kandi differentiates her time on "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" from the Chrisleys' approach, emphasizing the lack of control and heightened stress due to constant filming.

  Kandi Burruss [08:06]: "That's true too, I think, and let's, you know, being real, like, doing reality TV... It always stresses me out when I'm in a situation where I have no say so, like, no control. I'm just in it."

• Impact on Personal Relationships:

  The group reflects on how being on camera intensifies personal disputes, making private arguments public.

  Julie Chrisley [09:17]: "It's like, because people don't realize it is a full-time job... it had to be, it was always."

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The Strength of Friendship Amid Adversity

A significant portion of the episode centers on the deep friendship between Todd and Kandi, especially in the context of Kandi's incarceration.

• Support During Incarceration:

  Kandi shares heartfelt moments about supporting Todd during his time in prison, highlighting the unwavering bond they share.

  Kandi Burruss [21:50]: "And when you came home, I was excited... I'm glad you went to jail, but I'm glad that greatness has come from."

• Maintaining Connection:

  They discuss the challenges of maintaining a friendship while one is incarcerated, emphasizing communication and mutual support.

  Todd Chrisley [28:05]: "Because we're all children of God... I'm calling your names."

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Addressing Racism and Systemic Inequities

The conversation takes a poignant turn as Todd and Kandi delve into issues of racism, particularly within the prison system, and the broader societal impacts.

• Racial Disparities in Sentencing:

  Todd highlights the stark differences in sentencing between individuals of different races for similar offenses.

  Todd Chrisley [50:37]: "When you look at, right now there's approximately 1.1.4 million pending cases of PPP fraud... a lot of black collars are getting charged."

• Inhumane Practices and Corruption:

  Discussing his experiences, Todd exposes corruption within the Bureau of Prisons and advocates for systemic change.

  Todd Chrisley [35:58]: "I worked with the Director, Director William Marshall, and the Deputy Director Josh Smith... every day I'm sending them information that I'm getting on other staff members."

• Legacy of the 13th Amendment:

  Todd points out that the 13th Amendment still implicitly allows for slave labor through the prison system.

  Todd Chrisley [55:53]: "Do you know what the 13th Amendment is? It is the only time that you can still have slave labor is in prison from incarcerated individuals."

• Personal Reflections on Racism:

  Kandi and Julie share personal anecdotes about experiencing and witnessing racism, reinforcing the ongoing struggles against racial discrimination.

  Todd Chrisley [50:36]: "If you are going to... people can't be erased because it's still happening."

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Empowerment and Advocacy

The episode concludes with a focus on empowerment, education, and advocacy for those affected by systemic injustices.

• Todd’s Mission Post-Incarceration:

  Todd emphasizes his commitment to helping incarcerated youth understand and navigate the complexities of the prison system.

  Todd Chrisley [48:54]: "19 people have come home... they have to come back in their heart."

• Educational Initiatives:

  Highlighting the importance of education, Todd discusses programs aimed at reducing recidivism and empowering inmates.

  Todd Chrisley [48:18]: "Education is power. And watching these young kids come in there, I mean, I made them go and shave their beards..."

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Product Promotions and Light-Hearted Moments

Interspersed with serious discussions, the episode includes promotions for Kandi's products and showcases the playful chemistry between Todd, Julie, and Kandi.

• Bedroom Candy Promotion:

  Kandi introduces her product, "Bedroom Candy," humorously addressing misconceptions and its benefits for seniors.

  Kandi Burruss [59:23]: "Bedroom candy is needed for all age groups, especially the seniors."

• Casual Banter:

  The hosts engage in light-hearted banter, demonstrating their camaraderie.

  Todd Chrisley [64:35]: "But yeah, no, it's doing really good. I mean, at this point now we've been going for what, 12 years is a long time."

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Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The episode wraps up with expressions of gratitude and mutual respect among the hosts, reinforcing the themes of friendship, support, and advocacy discussed throughout.

Julie Chrisley [62:38]: "Thank you so much for coming today. Thank you so much for just being a friend."

Todd Chrisley [63:08]: "You know, so many good things have come from this... we're living that."

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Kandi on Reinvention:

  Kandi Burruss [06:12]: "I think that's what it's all about, Right? We gotta try everything that you have a love for. You should try it."

• Todd on True Friendship:

  Todd Chrisley [19:51]: "Friends or a friendship is about so many layers in life. A friend should be there with you at the very high and the very low."

• Julie on Leaving Prison:

  Julie Chrisley [28:42]: "How long we've already been to see him one time."

• Todd on the Importance of Advocacy:

  Todd Chrisley [47:50]: "I work with the director... because I now know what my purpose is."

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Key Takeaways

1. Kandi Burruss’s Diverse Career: From music to Broadway and television, Kandi has maintained a versatile and successful career spanning decades.
2. Challenges of Reality TV: The pressures of constant filming and lack of control can strain personal relationships and mental well-being.
3. Power of Friendship: Todd and Kandi’s enduring friendship provides a strong support system, especially during challenging times such as incarceration.
4. Systemic Racism and Injustice: The episode sheds light on racial disparities in the prison system and the need for systemic reforms.
5. Advocacy and Empowerment: Emphasizing education and support programs can significantly impact reducing recidivism and empowering formerly incarcerated individuals.
6. Personal Growth Through Adversity: Both hosts reflect on how their challenging experiences have fueled their passion for advocacy and personal development.

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Conclusion

This episode of Chrisley Confessions 2.0 offers a rich and engaging dialogue between Todd and Julie Chrisley and their esteemed guest, Kandi Burruss. It intertwines personal anecdotes with broader social issues, providing listeners with both inspiration and a call to action for addressing systemic injustices. The heartfelt exchanges and candid discussions make it a compelling listen for both long-time fans and newcomers alike.

Transcript

[Candy Burruss]

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[Todd Chrisley]

Life is a workout and Smoothie King is here to help you power through. Whether you're crushing morning miles or sprinting through back to back meetings, give your body the energy, protein and power it needs to help you conquer your goals. Only at Smoothie King. Welcome to Chris the Confessions 2.0. I'm so excited today because I really have never had anyone really famous or more famous than me on the show. But today we have the one, the only one of the loves of my life, Candy Burruss. Welcome.

[Candy Burruss]

What's up, y'?

[Todd Chrisley]

All?

[Candy Burruss]

Thanks for having me.

[Todd Chrisley]

Thank you for coming.

[Julie Chrisley]

We're so happy you're here.

[Candy Burruss]

This is so sweet.

[Todd Chrisley]

All the way to Nashville. You drove all the way to Nashville to be here?

[Candy Burruss]

Oh, for sure. Because, I mean, well, I knew I wanted to link up with you, right? But honestly, I also love Nashville.

[Todd Chrisley]

Right.

[Candy Burruss]

It's great restaurants. It's just a cool town.

[Todd Chrisley]

It's a cool town.

[Julie Chrisley]

It's a cool town. It is.

[Todd Chrisley]

So how have you been doing?

[Candy Burruss]

I've been doing really good. Living my best life. Really?

[Todd Chrisley]

Clearly. Because even in when I'd be like surfing, you know, things I shouldn't be surfing, I would keep track of you and all the things that you were doing and all the awards that you win. Broadway. You did a play on Broadway.

[Julie Chrisley]

Now, let's hold up. We can't just say you did a play on Broadway. Let's talk about that.

[Candy Burruss]

Okay.

[Julie Chrisley]

So I just happened to find a little something here, not just Broadway. Highest grossing black female producer on Broadway, my friend. Congratulations, my friend. I mean, listen, she's bringing down Denzel. I mean, Denzel, Jake Gyllenhaal, I mean, that was amazing. Those are big names. Those are the biggest. Some of the biggest names.

[Candy Burruss]

It's been amazing. That. That was our. That was my fourth time producing a show on Broadway. And Othello, we actually broke records while the show was running, like the highest grossing week of. In history of Broadway or something like that, my friend. So this has been really above and beyond Amazing journey, you know what I mean?

[Todd Chrisley]

But, you know, you have gone from not just being an amazing recording artist, but actress. You're an actress.

[Julie Chrisley]

We can kind of scan the game. You're talking actor, producer, Broadway producer, television star. I mean, it just keeps going on and on and on, you know.

[Candy Burruss]

And I started in music.

[Julie Chrisley]

Absolutely. And what, 19, what, 92. 93. 93.

[Candy Burruss]

Was that first song just kicking it dropped in 93. An album.

[Julie Chrisley]

And you know, we have, have been in television as well and in prison.

[Candy Burruss]

But y' all got me beat.

[Julie Chrisley]

No, girl, the career that you have and continue to have and the longevity is something that is just, you know, it's unheard of today. I mean, when you start talking about, okay, my first hit, 1993. I mean, I was just getting out of high school and you were just a baby.

[Candy Burruss]

Well, I was still in high school too. I graduated in 94. But it was pretty cool to still be in high school and having a hit song on the radio. My group escaped. That was our first album that came out. So we dropped our single, Just Kicking it the summer before my senior year. And it was so crazy because you know how you can speak. You always say you want to speak things into existence or you write it down and make it plain, you know. So I used to pray about it every single night because we started when I was in the ninth grade and I used to pray, God, please get us a record deal and let us have a hit song before I graduate. I used to pray that every day and for it to happen that way is just amazing.

[Julie Chrisley]

And now to still be on tour.

[Candy Burruss]

Yes. I mean, yes. We just had a show this past weekend. I know.

[Julie Chrisley]

Which is just. It's crazy, you know, I mean, I mean, thank goodness. You know, they say like the news, everything's cyclical, everything comes, comes back around. I don't feel like you've ever had to come back around because you've never left.

[Candy Burruss]

Well, you know what, people say that, but honestly, I feel like just like everybody else, I've had roller coaster career. You know, when our group, you know, we were doing great, we had three platinum albums. But then we started really falling out with each other in the process of doing the third album. So after that, I was kind of unsure where my career was going to go. Like, as we were recording the third album, I'm like, okay, I know we're breaking up after this album, so what am I going to do? How am I going to pay my bills? You know? And so then I started writing songs and that Took off. And that just made me feel like, okay, if you've never been in a group, I don't know how you know.

[Todd Chrisley]

I was in a group one time, you know, when I was, like, 19, but that was in the bedroom. Oh, yeah.

[Candy Burruss]

We can talk about that later. Tell me more. No, but what I mean is, like, you know, being in a scene group, it's like, especially when you start out that way, you kind of feel like, okay, you don't really know success outside of that. So when that falls apart, you kind of, like, scared, like, well, what am I gonna do?

[Todd Chrisley]

Because it's what, you know.

[Candy Burruss]

Yeah. And then I see all these other artists that are like. Because, I guess if, you know, me being still in high school, that's considered a child star, right?

[Julie Chrisley]

Yeah.

[Candy Burruss]

And you see so many child stars grow up to be broke.

[Todd Chrisley]

Right.

[Candy Burruss]

You know, so I was like, oh, God, please help me. Like, you gotta help me figure this out. And I'm just glad that I've been able to continue to reinvent myself and continue to switch things up and find success in other areas.

[Todd Chrisley]

Well, do you think that the reason that you are so capable of reinventing yourself is it's because you're constantly striving to be better or to do something different?

[Candy Burruss]

Oh, for sure. I think that's what it's all about, Right? We gotta try everything that you have a love for. You should try it.

[Todd Chrisley]

Absolutely.

[Candy Burruss]

That's just how I look at it. And I just feel like it's worked for me, just genuinely doing what I.

[Todd Chrisley]

Love and being you.

[Julie Chrisley]

Yeah.

[Todd Chrisley]

Being authentically you.

[Julie Chrisley]

Right.

[Candy Burruss]

Yeah.

[Todd Chrisley]

Yeah.

[Julie Chrisley]

But so you've had the songwriting, the performing, you've had television, you've had Broadway, you've had movies, you've had. What is your passion? What. What of those things? If somebody. If somebody said to you, which I am now, what fulfilled you the most?

[Todd Chrisley]

Being friends with Meg.

[Julie Chrisley]

Other than that. And I'm not talking about a marriage, not talking about kids, but you.

[Candy Burruss]

Well, you know, it goes back and forth. Like, I think I truly love creating. So whatever that may be, whether that's creating songs and, you know, like, I love writing songs and hearing the outcome or whatever.

[Julie Chrisley]

Right.

[Candy Burruss]

Or, you know, creating new projects. You know, whether it's putting together the, you know, stage play or, you know, TV shows. You know, it's like, I like the ideas, seeing it come to life and that come together.

[Julie Chrisley]

Such a blessing to be able to do that. Because I don't know about you, but I know we've been in the position that sometimes the things that really feed your soul are not what feeds your pocketbook. So you get stuck in this. In this grounds of, okay, I don't really want to do that. But it's a great means to an end. So to be able to feel like you can do what feeds your soul and be successful at it, I mean, it's such a blessing. Blessing.

[Candy Burruss]

That's true too, I think, also, I mean, and let's, you know, being real, like, doing reality tv, I think I. The reality TV that I was a part of is totally different than what you guys do because y' all have more control.

[Julie Chrisley]

Yeah.

[Candy Burruss]

You know, the reality show that I was a part of forever, real. Real Housewives of Atlanta, we have no control in that. And it's always. I don't want to say I'm a control freak, but. But it always stresses me out when I'm in a situation where I have no say so, like, no control. I'm just in it.

[Todd Chrisley]

And when you know where this is heading.

[Candy Burruss]

Yeah, I know it's gonna be a mess. I know it's gonna be a constant battle or argue. You know what I mean? So. But at the same time, it was.

[Julie Chrisley]

A means to an end.

[Candy Burruss]

We was making some good money. You know what I mean?

[Todd Chrisley]

That's it.

[Candy Burruss]

And then I found myself doing that to the point where I felt like I wasn't going to the studio as much anymore. I wasn't. Not that. Because now, mind you, I made great money writing songs. But you have to be in a creative space. You have to want to, you know.

[Todd Chrisley]

You gotta be in the mood for that.

[Julie Chrisley]

Right.

[Candy Burruss]

It's like, I got to the point where, like, I don't even want to go to studio. I just want to chill the few times that I had time to myself.

[Todd Chrisley]

Right, Right.

[Julie Chrisley]

Yeah. So it's like, because people don't realize it is a full time job. You know, I can remember early on when Chasing Savannah, when we. When we started filming, and especially when we got to, you know, 28, 26 episodes a season, and we were doing a season and a half in a calendar year. And you know, people on social media would be like, well, these kids don't even have a job. Like, they don't even have a job. And I think people don't realize it is a full time job.

[Candy Burruss]

Right. I mean, that is so true. I mean, just like you. Well, you know, Housewives, you know, at Rhoa at one point we were doing 20 something episodes, but then I also would be doing another show in the same calendar year.

[Todd Chrisley]

We had.

[Candy Burruss]

So I'll be doing double.

[Todd Chrisley]

We did. Did Chrisley knows best, 26 episodes a season. Then was down two weeks and jumped over to growing up Chrisley.

[Candy Burruss]

Yeah.

[Todd Chrisley]

For 10 episodes.

[Candy Burruss]

Yeah. So for me it would be Candy and Ty's Wedding, the escape show. It would be, you know, whether Candy go ski trip. You know, it was so many other Candy Factory. Like you said, Old Lady Gang. I mean Candy and the gang.

[Julie Chrisley]

Excuse me.

[Candy Burruss]

It was a lot of other shows happening every single year. So a lot of times I went back to back non stop.

[Todd Chrisley]

Yep.

[Candy Burruss]

I know filming and that can be stressful.

[Todd Chrisley]

It's stressful and it's also for me it was emotionally draining at times because you know, you're sitting here fighting with other women that when you get, when you leave, they're going to their home, you're coming to yours. I'm sitting here sometimes fighting with kids that are still in my home.

[Candy Burruss]

And I totally agree because like that's how I felt when we did Candy and Ty's Wedding or you know, even that Old Lady Gang show. It's like people don't understand when you having family arguments in this room. It's still happening when the camera.

[Todd Chrisley]

Exactly.

[Julie Chrisley]

For sure.

[Candy Burruss]

Yeah. It's like we're still going at it all off season.

[Todd Chrisley]

Exactly.

[Julie Chrisley]

Yeah.

[Todd Chrisley]

There is no off season because this shit keeps going and going and going.

[Candy Burruss]

Right.

[Julie Chrisley]

So well, people you have asked me and I'm like, you know, yes, the show, there were so many blessings to come from it. But also, you know, imagine you as a person going to work every day with your spouse, with your kids, with your young kids, your adult kids, your mother in law. That's every day. You know, whereas other people out here, you have a fight with your husband, you know, I'm going to work, he's going to work. We got eight hours till we have to reconvene and cool off. You don't have that. People don't realize that.

[Candy Burruss]

Right.

[Julie Chrisley]

You know that it's a lot.

[Candy Burruss]

And then we have to go through it three times. You go through it when you film, you go through it at reunion and then you go through it when the people see it in the air. Tv.

[Julie Chrisley]

Right.

[Candy Burruss]

So it's just kind of like you keep reopening the wound and.

[Todd Chrisley]

And the thing about it is is that, you know, our show aired on usa, then the rerun was on E the following night and then it went to Bravo. Our stuff just, it was on all the time. So it's not like you could have a situation in an fix it, but it had to, it was, it kept.

[Julie Chrisley]

On all the time I was in person that people be like, julie, come here. The TV room, you're on. You know, and I'm like, oh my God.

[Candy Burruss]

And they want you to watch it.

[Julie Chrisley]

They want me to watch it. Come here, let's watch.

[Todd Chrisley]

We live that. We live that.

[Candy Burruss]

Yeah.

[Todd Chrisley]

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[Julie Chrisley]

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[Todd Chrisley]

Does it feel now that Riley is on a very popular show?

[Candy Burruss]

Oh my gosh. So it's like a little bit more stressful because, you know, it's my baby, right? You know, so my thoughts are, you know, I'm obviously more protective and it's like bothering me when she gets upset because of comments that are online or anything like that or, you know, she.

[Julie Chrisley]

Always calls me mom, this happened.

[Candy Burruss]

And then it's like you almost sometimes if I do feel like she's wrong, then she's looking at me. Why? You're supposed to have my back. So I can't disagree with You. Because I'm gonna get in your feelings, right? It's just.

[Julie Chrisley]

But I do love you said not too long ago, I'm gonna always have her back.

[Candy Burruss]

Oh, for sure.

[Julie Chrisley]

I loved that. That. I think it was a post, I don't know, post story, whatever. But you said, no, I'm gonna always protect my child. I'm gonna always be there for my child, you know, no matter what. Doesn't matter.

[Candy Burruss]

And I told her that before she started filming. I was like, hey, just go in there and genuinely be you, okay? And if you do something or say something that is crazy or whatever, just own it. Just don't let them rewind the tape on you, okay?

[Todd Chrisley]

That's it.

[Candy Burruss]

Just own whatever you said. If you later on you feel like you was wrong, you can always apologize. If you don't, fine. And I'm gonna rock with you either way.

[Todd Chrisley]

That's it.

[Candy Burruss]

It doesn't matter what you do. You still my child and we still gonna.

[Todd Chrisley]

That's it. But you that used to always. Cause I didn't watch the Housewives. I did watch them. She was a loyal, you know, viewer. But I would watch some of it and I would hear the trash talking. And then you come out to this reunion show acting like you brand new and never said shit, knowing that they gonna out you with these clips.

[Candy Burruss]

That's what I don't understand why people just sit up and lie all the time on the show.

[Todd Chrisley]

Cuz some people don't.

[Candy Burruss]

You said this on tape, right?

[Julie Chrisley]

Right.

[Todd Chrisley]

I. I have found that when like that, the reason that they ride that to the wheels come off is because they believe their own bullshit.

[Candy Burruss]

Well, that and then some people feel like that they're the edit. They. They can control the edit. Meaning. I've seen situations where, you know, say for instance, people will do something and they know it's whack and they know, they don't want people to talk. So they'll refuse to talk about it in scene thinking that because they didn't.

[Todd Chrisley]

Give them anymore, they don't have enough to work with.

[Candy Burruss]

They don't have enough to work with so that they're not going to use it.

[Todd Chrisley]

It's tv, baby. They know how to be creative.

[Julie Chrisley]

But really Riley has the best teacher. Not even teacher we're talking about, professor. Because you did just that. I mean, you owned your stuff when you did Housewives. You owned it. Those reunions, you owned it. And I loved that. Like I love that she would come.

[Todd Chrisley]

And say, she would come and say to me, she'd say, you Don't. Have you been online? And I said, for what? Cause I don't go online. And I said, for what? And she goes, they were hard on Candy yesterday, but this is my thing.

[Julie Chrisley]

You were unaffected.

[Todd Chrisley]

You were unaffected, but you were not unaffected.

[Julie Chrisley]

I love that. But to them you were. And to the camera you were. And unfortunately, in this world of reality, that's what you got to do.

[Candy Burruss]

Yeah, well, I mean, the thing about me is I'm a true Taurus, bullheaded. And if I feel like I'm right, I don't care. You can have a million people tell me I'm wrong if I know what I know, I don't care what you say.

[Todd Chrisley]

That's it.

[Candy Burruss]

It does not matter. And then, like, I mean, I do. I got a lot of families, so if nobody wants to talk to me, I got family.

[Julie Chrisley]

Right.

[Todd Chrisley]

That's it.

[Candy Burruss]

And I got a lot of friends.

[Julie Chrisley]

I think you always looked at it as a job. You always knew it was a job. You know, and I think you, you were able to connect when you needed to connect, but you were also able to, you were able to step back.

[Candy Burruss]

I think at the beginning I did try to genuinely make friends on the, on the show, I. Well, actually I did, you know, and then some of those friendships really came back to bite me later.

[Todd Chrisley]

Well, you know, again, and I say this to our children, I just had this conversation with one of my kids yesterday. Friends or a friendship is about so many layers in life.

[Candy Burruss]

Yeah.

[Todd Chrisley]

It's. A friend should be there with you at the very high and the very low. If it's a true friend, they're going to ride with you in the good and the bad, whether it's a cab or a limo, they're going to ride with you.

[Candy Burruss]

I agree.

[Todd Chrisley]

And you know, being in this industry and the money that's made and the money that's thrown at these young kids, there's a lot of hanger ons. And you know, my kids have been a victim to that.

[Candy Burruss]

Yeah.

[Todd Chrisley]

And they have such a giving heart that when this person doesn't have, they give it. But what happens is, is that this person that you just gave it to, now you've said to them, I can do this, so they don't have a problem asking you again and again and again.

[Julie Chrisley]

Yeah.

[Candy Burruss]

You don't want to leech.

[Todd Chrisley]

No, no, I don't have that.

[Julie Chrisley]

No. And you can. And as I've said to the kids, you can't expect people to have your heart.

[Todd Chrisley]

That's it.

[Julie Chrisley]

You know, the same heart and Intentions that you have, you can't expect everybody else to have that, because they just don't.

[Candy Burruss]

Yeah.

[Julie Chrisley]

And especially in this world, they don't.

[Todd Chrisley]

And, you know, being a friend, you're supposed to bring joy in your friendship.

[Candy Burruss]

True.

[Todd Chrisley]

You know, I understand that not every day is going to be a holiday, but, you know, you should. When you call your friend, hey, how are you? What's going on? Yeah, I just wanted to check in with you before you start saying, hey, oh, my God, I got to tell you what's going on in my life. Ask about their life first to know if they're in a place to receive the shit you're getting ready to dump on. And, you know, a lot of people don't do that. And, you know, I wanted to get on this, and the friendship thing segued into it. You took a lot of heat about our pardon.

[Candy Burruss]

Yeah.

[Todd Chrisley]

And I felt so bad for you. And I went to Julia and I said, my heart actually breaks for her because she just will not bend on what her convictions are.

[Candy Burruss]

No.

[Todd Chrisley]

And I said, so she's. I said, so. She's gonna have to ride this wave right now.

[Candy Burruss]

And I. I mean. And to your point, I feel like a true friend. That's what you're supposed to do, right?

[Todd Chrisley]

That's right.

[Candy Burruss]

And you and I go way back. I don't even know if you remember when we first met.

[Todd Chrisley]

I'm not good with that.

[Candy Burruss]

2014, y'.

[Julie Chrisley]

All. Oh, my God.

[Candy Burruss]

No. 2014. I still got the picture. We met it up front.

[Julie Chrisley]

Okay.

[Candy Burruss]

Years ago.

[Todd Chrisley]

Yes.

[Candy Burruss]

And we kept in touch after that. And, you know, like, even when I would come back here to do concerts, you came to my shows and stuff like that. So I always enjoyed talking to you. We always had a great friendship. Even when you were going through what.

[Todd Chrisley]

You were going through, you and I were constantly communicating.

[Candy Burruss]

Yeah, we were constantly communicating. And I even sent a letter.

[Todd Chrisley]

Yes. To the judge. Yes, that's right.

[Candy Burruss]

And so people don't understand that we actually have a friendship.

[Todd Chrisley]

That's right.

[Candy Burruss]

And so my thing is, people always try to make it about race or they make it about political affiliation or whatever. We don't have to have the same political affiliation. We don't have to be the same race. If I'm your friend, I'm your friend.

[Todd Chrisley]

That's it.

[Candy Burruss]

And, you know, it doesn't matter. I'm supposed to have your back. Right. Meaning I don't necessarily have to know the details of whatever was going on. It's like, at the end of the day, I Want what's best for you.

[Todd Chrisley]

That's it.

[Candy Burruss]

You know what I mean?

[Julie Chrisley]

Right.

[Candy Burruss]

And when you.

[Julie Chrisley]

And that has nothing to do with anything else, with politics, with race.

[Candy Burruss]

Yes. So when you came home, I was excited.

[Todd Chrisley]

Right.

[Candy Burruss]

And I definitely put in the comments, yay, congratulations. Because I'm excited and I didn't. I'm not gonna let anybody make me feel bad.

[Todd Chrisley]

Right.

[Julie Chrisley]

Right.

[Candy Burruss]

Well, I'm not gonna let anybody make me feel bad because, my friend, that we've been kicking it since 2014, you're not gonna make me feel bad for that.

[Todd Chrisley]

No. And, you know, I think. But I felt bad because I love you so much.

[Candy Burruss]

I know you reached out to me.

[Todd Chrisley]

And I. I said to Julie, I said, my heart breaks for her because I don't want my friends to ever be in a position to have to defend me because I don't want to bring that burden on into the friendship. I want to bring joy into your life. I want you to know that you have a comfort in knowing that if you tell me something, it starts and stops there. That if you are in need and I have it, I'm going to give it to you. That's the kind of friend I want to be. But my friendships have never been based on color. And the sad part about it is, is that I've had to learn a lot in the last 28 months. But the thing that we never really had was we never. Our kids were never. Race was never an issue for us. My mother, who was 81 years old in September, my best friend was. Was a black girl that I went to school with, Sonya Jenkins. My whole life still is to this day, you know, still to this day, my mother never said. In a small, rural country town that I grew up in, my mother's never said, you can't be friends with her.

[Candy Burruss]

Right.

[Todd Chrisley]

Never. We never had that.

[Candy Burruss]

Yeah. Every family doesn't, you know, base things on, you know, what some people in the world like to separate people for.

[Julie Chrisley]

Right.

[Candy Burruss]

You know what I mean?

[Julie Chrisley]

Yeah.

[Candy Burruss]

They want to separate us for so many different things and then. But everybody didn't grow up with a family that encouraged separating.

[Todd Chrisley]

No. No, we didn't. Neither one of us did. And.

[Julie Chrisley]

And my best friend. My best friend in this world is a black woman who does not share my same political views.

[Todd Chrisley]

Amen.

[Julie Chrisley]

Now I trust her with my life, with our children, with my children. If I needed something, she is there. And if she needs something, I'm there.

[Todd Chrisley]

And she was there at that visitation when you were there, too.

[Julie Chrisley]

She visited me in prison.

[Todd Chrisley]

She Came to court for all the way from Atlanta.

[Julie Chrisley]

And that she and I have been friends for 20 years. We were pregnant with Grayson and her daughter at the same time we met. So they are 19 years old. We. So you might as well say a 20 year friendship. So. Has nothing to do with any of that, you know, and it's. It's so sad that. That it causes people to. People love to find joy in the division. They love to find comfort in a division that just doesn't have to be there. You know, like I said, my very best friend, we don't share the same political views, but she was there to support me in court. Had nothing to do with my political views. She was happy when I came home from prison. She don't give a. Who got me there.

[Candy Burruss]

Yes.

[Julie Chrisley]

It's just the fact that I got there.

[Candy Burruss]

Right. And that is. That is how I felt. I felt like, you know. Yeah. Okay, so politics played its part in getting you home. Okay. But that had nothing to do. While I'm excited about you.

[Julie Chrisley]

Exactly.

[Candy Burruss]

I'm just excited that you own.

[Julie Chrisley]

Exactly.

[Candy Burruss]

That's it.

[Todd Chrisley]

Again, you're watching that. You're reading some of the comments and stuff, you know, and knowing that you were taking that heat, I said, I've never wanted to cause that for anyone. And Judith says, todd, if anyone can handle it, candy can. Yeah, that's what she says. She says, if anyone can handle it, candy can. And so I think that for me, when you talk about the political aspect of it, I am very socially liberal, fiscally conservative. But my love for you is not governed by who's in the White House.

[Candy Burruss]

Thank you.

[Todd Chrisley]

My love for you is not governed by who is in Congress or in Senate or town council or whatever. I love you because of the woman that you are. I don't even think about, oh, well, she's a black woman and I'm a white man. I don't think about that. And my kids don't think like that. And I'm grateful to God that we don't. But I also believe that when you. I believe that our country is not as divided as what people want to see, to think. I believe that we all want good for people, that we all want, you know, humane conditions for people, that we. That we should all want to help our brothers and sisters when they're down. We should try to elevate them, not to stomp them and kick them and keep them down. Because if I'm doing great and you're struggling, my greatest accomplishment is to help you to where you're not struggling so that you can help the person behind you. That's coming up.

[Candy Burruss]

Right, right.

[Todd Chrisley]

And. And I've tried to do that. No one can ever say that I've not done that.

[Candy Burruss]

Right.

[Todd Chrisley]

But I think for me, that friendship means something to me.

[Candy Burruss]

It means something to me. Well, clearly it means something to me. And I feel like friends are supposed to show up for each other.

[Todd Chrisley]

Absolutely.

[Julie Chrisley]

That's right.

[Candy Burruss]

So.

[Julie Chrisley]

That's right. And it doesn't mean you got to speak every day. It doesn't mean you got to text every day. But a true friendship is being able to pick up after 28 months. I'm glad you're home. I'm so good. I'm so glad to see that you are success out of this world and continue right on.

[Todd Chrisley]

And, you know, when you sent me the message, you know, Todd, what's the chances of you coming on my podcast? I had literally turned down how many that week.

[Julie Chrisley]

Well, Aaron knows quite a few.

[Todd Chrisley]

All these requests was, you know, we want Todd on our podcast. Can he come out? And I had said no to everything. And you sent that message, and I was laying in bed with Julie, and we're watching tv, and you said, what's the odds of me getting you on my podcast? And I said, for you, they're pretty high.

[Candy Burruss]

Yeah, you do.

[Todd Chrisley]

Because I had turned down everything else, and it was a safe place for me with you. And it was. It was like coming home. Coming home to that friendship and to someone that had stood. That had. That had stood the test of time. And so the odds were great that that was happening. And, you know.

[Julie Chrisley]

You know, I read. I read many, many things when I'm in prison. So it's true what they say, you know, you just read all the time and do whatever, and that's what you do.

[Todd Chrisley]

Well, there's other things you can do.

[Julie Chrisley]

Well, I was doing what I was supposed to be doing.

[Todd Chrisley]

What was you doing?

[Julie Chrisley]

I was reading a lot.

[Todd Chrisley]

I was. I was being a thug.

[Julie Chrisley]

A thug. But I read something, you know, that you know at the end of your life. And I say this to my kids all the time. Nobody's gonna care who you voted for. Nobody's gonna care what color your skin is. Nobody's gonna care what kind of bag you're carrying. But it is how you make people feel. It's. It's the impression that you leave on someone else's life that you don't even. Maybe you don't even know that you've left.

[Candy Burruss]

That's true.

[Julie Chrisley]

And I try to Preach that into my kids all the time. Because after being in prison for 28 months, we. We were able to see the broken of the. The brokenness of just people and. And.

[Todd Chrisley]

And the disparity which we'll get into.

[Julie Chrisley]

And just, you know, so. Even more so. You know that when I walked out. Out of those doors, I wanted people to. To know she gave me something good. She left me with something. I'm better than I was before I knew her. And being the ultimate friend is.

[Todd Chrisley]

Amen.

[Julie Chrisley]

That. That you are. You made someone's life a little bit better. Because listen, this life's a shit show. It really is.

[Todd Chrisley]

And we. And we have starred in it for 28 minutes.

[Julie Chrisley]

Yeah.

[Candy Burruss]

I just can't see you in jail. I'm sorry. Me neither one of y'.

[Julie Chrisley]

All. I did.

[Todd Chrisley]

I ran my block.

[Candy Burruss]

Candy.

[Julie Chrisley]

I'm gonna tell you.

[Candy Burruss]

Talk about he ran his block.

[Todd Chrisley]

Ran my block.

[Julie Chrisley]

I'm gonna tell you.

[Todd Chrisley]

You gonna see that on my new show called the Todd Fox Father out.

[Candy Burruss]

You are hilarious.

[Julie Chrisley]

I did hard time. I adhered to the rules. Now keep in mind, I was in a place where there was no air conditioning.

[Todd Chrisley]

I forced them to have.

[Julie Chrisley]

No, you are in a camp. No, because we were at a camp.

[Candy Burruss]

Oh, you were in a cab. You need to understand, we was in.

[Todd Chrisley]

Like some busted inner city school camp or something.

[Candy Burruss]

Wait, did they have you picking up trash on the side of the road?

[Julie Chrisley]

No.

[Candy Burruss]

What?

[Todd Chrisley]

I went there to do time, not chores.

[Julie Chrisley]

That.

[Candy Burruss]

You know the people that say, that's.

[Todd Chrisley]

Like state prison State. That's not fast.

[Julie Chrisley]

Yeah, that's like state.

[Todd Chrisley]

We are white collar, high dollar people.

[Julie Chrisley]

That's not true. But I did work. He didn't.

[Todd Chrisley]

I refused.

[Candy Burruss]

What type of work did you do?

[Julie Chrisley]

I worked in the commissary cuz I wanted to make sure I could order like my shampoo and body wash and makeup.

[Candy Burruss]

Did you learn how to make the gel makeup?

[Julie Chrisley]

No. We could get makeup.

[Todd Chrisley]

Yeah, I had all my stuff brought in.

[Julie Chrisley]

I'm an. You know, it wasn't Mac, but you know, we could get the COVID girl to maybelline the wet and well.

[Candy Burruss]

You still was cute in there.

[Julie Chrisley]

So we went back to the wet and well. I don't know about that because I didn't. Couldn't bleach my hair. So that was a whole nother situation. Oh, but there was. Yeah. Girl, if I told you, what? You would walk down the hall and somebody would have on fake lashes? Fake hair. They was more weaving.

[Candy Burruss]

All right. Did anybody ever hit on you?

[Julie Chrisley]

No. Hit on me? Yeah. No, no, they really didn't.

[Candy Burruss]

Oh, okay. Okay.

[Julie Chrisley]

Let's be real.

[Todd Chrisley]

I always wondered if she was pull up in there.

[Candy Burruss]

No, but I'm saying you were supposed to be in there for seven years originally, right?

[Julie Chrisley]

Yes.

[Candy Burruss]

And you were supposed to be in there for 12. That's a long time. Because when that happened, I was like, what I was scared for, right?

[Julie Chrisley]

No, it really wasn't. You know, I think you was willing.

[Candy Burruss]

You was ready to go the whole seven years, the whole 12 years with nothing.

[Julie Chrisley]

Absolutely. Absolutely. Never crossed my mind. Never crossed my mind. Never crossed my mind. Never crossed my mind. I can say that it never crossed my mind. You know, and I think people, because of the show, they had this. You know, she's everybody's mom. She's. She's the mom. She's the mom from the show. So it played to my advantage because, you know, the girls felt like I was their mom in there. You know, I was. You know, they were on their best behavior.

[Candy Burruss]

They were being sweet to you, that.

[Julie Chrisley]

Everybody was sweet to me.

[Todd Chrisley]

I just went back with her shit.

[Julie Chrisley]

I just said earlier. Whoo. They was nicer to me than some of these are out here.

[Todd Chrisley]

But, you know, we just went to visit some of the women at her prison last week.

[Julie Chrisley]

Yep.

[Todd Chrisley]

And they missed you. They did. I mean, we walked in, they. They all flooded us.

[Julie Chrisley]

Well, there was a lady there, a friend of mine. She was 70. She is 77 years old. So she'd been in prison for 10 years and never had a visit. So I had said, when I get out, if I get a pardon, because I knew I couldn't come back if I just got out of prison. But I said, if I get this pardon, I'm going to come see you. I promise you. And so I made. You know, I wanted to come back and see her. So she got her first visit in 10 years.

[Candy Burruss]

Oh, that's nice. Yeah, that's nice.

[Todd Chrisley]

You know, the men's prison runs obviously very different than women, because men, they are going to make their shit happen to where women. You know, she's there in this prison, and no one had phones.

[Julie Chrisley]

No.

[Todd Chrisley]

I mean, where I was, it was at. And t. I mean, they did.

[Julie Chrisley]

I mean, y'.

[Todd Chrisley]

All.

[Candy Burruss]

Oh, yeah. They were your phones in where you were.

[Todd Chrisley]

I had staff bringing mine in.

[Julie Chrisley]

There was, like, two people in trouble.

[Candy Burruss]

You know that, right?

[Todd Chrisley]

Cause I don't tell on them.

[Candy Burruss]

You said you had staff. They're gonna start narrowing down who that was.

[Todd Chrisley]

Do you understand how corrupt the BOP is?

[Candy Burruss]

Yes, I do.

[Todd Chrisley]

So we got. So if we got a hundred. If we got a hundred staff member. 98 of them's corrupt. Y' all figure out which one of those 98 was doing it?

[Julie Chrisley]

Yeah, it was different. It was a different.

[Todd Chrisley]

They did my Walmart run once a month.

[Candy Burruss]

I can't.

[Todd Chrisley]

Yeah, did my Walmart run.

[Julie Chrisley]

I'm over there. I never had one ounce of outside food. I never saw a cell phone, never talked on a cell phone. This one over here, whole another over.

[Candy Burruss]

Being out of pocket. Now, when I.

[Todd Chrisley]

She was pulling pockets, I was out of pocket.

[Julie Chrisley]

Shut up.

[Candy Burruss]

You are hilarious. So I went at 15 years old, like one of my relatives. That's like a brother to me. He went into prison for a long time. So I've been visiting prison since I was 15. So, you know, and every time I'm on tour, I stop at the prison just so I go see. I don't been to multiple prisons across the country.

[Todd Chrisley]

Right.

[Candy Burruss]

Just to visit family and close friends. Right. So I know a lot of guys that was getting phones in there, texting, doing all that stuff, and your ass was in there. And now you over here telling. And they gonna get the people in trouble.

[Todd Chrisley]

No. First of all, I closed my camp down.

[Candy Burruss]

Oh, you did?

[Julie Chrisley]

Yeah.

[Todd Chrisley]

Yeah, it's closed in September 5th. I'm actually going back August 14th to speak at the last graduating class for RDAP there.

[Candy Burruss]

What?

[Todd Chrisley]

I had 19 people escorted out of there for racial disparity, for not giving kids of color the ability to get their ged, not putting him. Them in refusal status for their FSA qualifications, which reduces their prison time. So I outed all that.

[Candy Burruss]

What I will say is that even though I know it was a horrible situation y' all had to go through, everything happens for a reason.

[Todd Chrisley]

Amen.

[Julie Chrisley]

Amen.

[Candy Burruss]

You know what I mean? And Amen. It's a. It was. It's a wonderful thing that you are making it a true purpose for you to go back and help people that you met while you.

[Todd Chrisley]

Because these are. You know, I view these men almost as like, brothers that I never. That I just wasn't raised with that. It's almost like a reunion of. Because all of these men are not bad people. They made bad choices, and some of them are there for making no choice at all.

[Candy Burruss]

Right?

[Todd Chrisley]

So when you start looking at. You know, I have. Like I said, I have this new show coming out. It's called the Todd Father. All of the young, the younger kids, the staff would bring to me, and I would tell them, go, we're going to the barbershop.

[Candy Burruss]

I'll Be on day one.

[Todd Chrisley]

Yeah, I went in, I went to the laundry and picked up my uniforms, came in to my pod and then I had all of my stuff, was already laying on my bed. My sweats, my tennis shoes, all of stuff.

[Julie Chrisley]

Now keep in mind that's stuff that you have to buy in the commissary.

[Candy Burruss]

So you had people in there.

[Todd Chrisley]

When I got there, this guy, he comes to my room. His name was Jedi and he had the full grill.

[Julie Chrisley]

And keep in mind, you know, you. You read or. We did. We're trying not to read too much, but you know, like real prison as, like, you know, you don't take anything from anybody because they want something in return.

[Candy Burruss]

Right.

[Todd Chrisley]

You know, and I mean, they trade ass for honey buns. So, I mean, I. You couldn't get me for a honey bun? No, it was a case of what.

[Candy Burruss]

Can they get you for?

[Todd Chrisley]

Had to be soda and a Henny bun.

[Julie Chrisley]

Yeah. So he had all his stuff when he got there. Tell me about Jig. He was there.

[Todd Chrisley]

Jig comes walking in and he's. And jig's about five feet tall. Five, five and just jacked.

[Candy Burruss]

Yes.

[Todd Chrisley]

And he goes, Mr. Chrissy, you got everything you need? And I said, yes, sir. And he goes, yes, sir. He goes, all you got all your stuff? And I said, did you bring that? And he goes, because again, all we knew was, don't take from me anything from anyone. And he goes, yes. I said, I'm good. I says, I can buy my own stuff. He said, that was taken care of you. That didn't come from me. That was taken care of for you.

[Candy Burruss]

Oh, men.

[Todd Chrisley]

And I'm basing this off of just mine and her experience. Our prison ran different now. We had a shitty ass warden who was just, literally, she was just the sorriest piece of garbage by the way that she treated these men. Now she did not come at me sideways like that. That. Because I. I read her every time she tried that. And so I didn't have that.

[Candy Burruss]

You do realize that's your privilege though. You do understand that, right?

[Todd Chrisley]

Told that in an interview. I said, let me explain this to you when I say that she called me to. Up there to her office and my first interaction with her was. And she was this little. She was a short, very thin black lady. And. And she came as the warden there after I'd been there for about maybe eight months, nine months. And I passed her on the sidewalk and I didn't speak. Well, I don't know who you are. I don't owe you that. And so privilege. I go on about. I go right on about my business. And so she calls me up to the office, and her biggest thing was she said, I passed you on the sidewalk. She says, and you didn't even acknowledge my Gucci belt. And I looked at. And I said, because it wasn't real. And she said, excuse me. I said, that was fuchi. That wasn't Gucci. And so she.

[Candy Burruss]

You were able to do that because she was a fan 100.

[Todd Chrisley]

And so the sis guy was sitting in the room with us when I said this, and I said, he's like the police. And so I said, but you do have on zero grand. So. And she goes, yes, I have, like, 20 pairs. So then I know at this point, you're just trying to suck up. So then. But she hated her own race. She talked to these young black men like they were garbage. She would go in and tear their room apart. She would take their underwear, you know, their phones. Well, they got phones, but that didn't stop us. I mean, you take one phone Today, there was 12 more coming in that afternoon. You not stopping that.

[Candy Burruss]

Yeah, but sometimes people can get extra time for that.

[Todd Chrisley]

41 days is what you're getting.

[Candy Burruss]

I'm losing 40.

[Todd Chrisley]

Losing 41 days. You'd take 41. Good.

[Julie Chrisley]

I ain't losing a day.

[Todd Chrisley]

Yeah, okay, Well, I. Sometimes you got to risk it to get the biscuit. But at any rate, you know, she was just. She just was not a good person, and she has since been removed from her position. But you talk about privilege. My room wasn't being torn apart. But if it was a room of Hispanic or African American, those rooms were being trashed every day. Every day. Because you're supposed to have team meetings, you know, once a month. You're supposed to be able to go in there and talk to your counselors on certain days of the week. I never had an appointment.

[Candy Burruss]

It.

[Todd Chrisley]

I walked straight in. But if you were of color. But 100. 100%. But if you were of color, that line could be lined for around this block.

[Candy Burruss]

So is that. That's what you did you learn. Is that where you really saw the difference of, you know, privilege?

[Todd Chrisley]

Yes, because I had never been around that. I had never been around seeing anyone treated poorly, you know, because of their color, because that was not the group that I was in. It was not what the. The company we traveled in. And I mean, and our friend group is so diverse that no one ever.

[Candy Burruss]

Treated anyone that way, you know, And I'm just, you know, I'm Your friend. I'm just gonna say this. You guys are wealthy as well. So I think the level of what you may see at the status that you're in, so you're coming across other people, even when you come across people of color, a lot of times there, you know, can move in your circles as well.

[Todd Chrisley]

So.

[Candy Burruss]

And not to say that they're not in situations where they get discriminated against, it's not going to happen. As much as you see people who have status or who have. Do not have the financial level that you guys are normally in, I have. So when. When you got brought to that prison, you got brought down to the level that seeing that type of discrimination all.

[Todd Chrisley]

The time, it was the norm.

[Julie Chrisley]

That the only. One of the only positive things about prison is that it's. It's.

[Todd Chrisley]

It's the greatest equalization that you have in the country because you have the same spending limit. Well, I mean, if you abide by the rules, you have the same spending limit, which is $360 a month. You wear the same clothes. You are supposed to eat in the chow hall. I never ate one meal in the chow hall. And so everyone's supposed to be equal. And everyone is as far as that part of it goes. But when it comes to the treatment of people, that is as. That is from one continent to the other, different. And when I started witnessing this, I said, because this is Chloe, right? I'm now, this. This is my. This is my daughter. So, no, I'm not doing this. So I started writing, figuring out their calculations, because a lot of these young men in there don't have the education to understand how to calculate their time correctly, how much they get off at the front, which is 15%. And then if they are programming and are FSA qualified, then they can get up to 48% off of their sentence. But you have to understand this and know how to do it. And the BoP talks about, we want to lower the recidivism rate. We want to help these young men and women to go out into the community to become good neighbors. But, no, they don't. Once you go in that system, they're contending, keeping you in that system. And you know yourself, Candy, because you've experienced racism in your life. You know yourself that if someone. If they can get one leg up on you, the next one's going on your neck. And so I watch that. And so, you know, like, they called me. They called me thug. A hug because. Because all of these young kids would come to the chapel because I'D make them come to church. And I said, if you want me to help you with your fsa, then you gotta come to church. So they said I was running a thuggahug program.

[Julie Chrisley]

Well, I think people had this preconceived notion that, okay, Todd's coming in, he's white man, white collar crime, he's going to stick to his own, you know, when you get in there. And it was the complete opposite. You know, it was. It was just. That's not who his people were. You know, he had those people, but.

[Candy Burruss]

They were not his people who don't really pay attention to who you are. I mean.

[Julie Chrisley]

Right.

[Candy Burruss]

I know. Me and you, before you got in that mess, you know, we would sometimes talk about some of the people you said to go off on because they were saying things about your daughter that, you know, that you're raising. Chloe.

[Julie Chrisley]

Yeah.

[Candy Burruss]

And. And that's what made me love you more. Because you would go all the way in on anybody who had anything to say about you loving your daughter and uplifting her.

[Todd Chrisley]

You know, I look at it, that's a child.

[Julie Chrisley]

And not just a child. She's my child.

[Todd Chrisley]

Right.

[Julie Chrisley]

Which makes me more.

[Todd Chrisley]

But, you know, that is a child of God. And you are literally, we're all children of God. So if I hurt you, I'm spitting in God's face because I'm hurting one of his own.

[Candy Burruss]

Yeah.

[Todd Chrisley]

We don't all have to do the same thing, eat the same foods, dress the same way. None of those things change that. We're a child of God.

[Candy Burruss]

Right.

[Todd Chrisley]

And so I had so many of these young kids, I mean, Candy, so many of these young kids, they don't. They don't have families that can put money on their books.

[Candy Burruss]

Right.

[Todd Chrisley]

And, you know, and so here. So you're wondering why they're trying to smuggle cigarettes into sale, or you're wondering why they're trying to get a phone brought in so that they can sell that phone and make a hundred dollars. You know, when you change that disparity and, you know, it's almost like that when the tide goes out, the boats, they get stuck on the onshore. But when the tide rises, all of the boats rise at the same time. So if we as a people, as a country could ever get to a place to where the tide lifts everyone, then we live in a wonderful world. And that's not what the Bureau of Prisons is set up for. They're there to punish you, but that's not what the Bureau of Prisons is for. Your punishment is the time that that judge hands down that sentence, that is your punishment. You're not to be abused once you go into incarceration.

[Candy Burruss]

Well, I think a lot of them, the people that work there, they need to get their memo.

[Todd Chrisley]

Well, let me. Let me explain to you right now. I'm working with the Bureau of Prisons right now. Every day. I work with the director, Director William Marshall, and the Deputy director Josh Smith. Every day I'm on the phone with them and I'm out in corruption. Every day I am sending them information that I'm getting on other staff members, that this is what they did to this kid here, Candy. When I tell you I'm busier today than I have ever been, all because I am now, I now know what my purpose is. Television was not my purpose. It's something that I do, but it was not something that fulfilled me to the level that I'm fulfilled today.

[Candy Burruss]

Right.

[Todd Chrisley]

So when you give a kid who's. Who's reconciled in his mind, whose parents. Parents are a. A lot of them are now not in their lives and haven't been since they were children, you sit there and you see the hope.

[Candy Burruss]

Yeah.

[Todd Chrisley]

You got to come back in their heart.

[Candy Burruss]

And information.

[Todd Chrisley]

Yes. And education is power.

[Candy Burruss]

Yeah.

[Todd Chrisley]

And I've said that to our children their whole life. I said, people can take physical things from you, but they cannot take what you learn.

[Candy Burruss]

Right.

[Todd Chrisley]

And watching these young kids come in there, I mean, I made them go and shave their beards. I said, if you're gonna keep it, you're gonna keep it on number two. You're not gonna have that shit hanging down. We're not gonna be doing no tattoos up in here. I said, you've got enough already. I said, when you get out, you need to get some of that shit off. I said, you're gonna call your mother. I says, if not every day, you're gonna call her every other day. You're gonna be in that chapel. You're gonna learn the word of God. And I says, and in exchange for that, you're gonna learn that Todd can help you. And that's what I did, and it's what I continue to do.

[Candy Burruss]

Do.

[Todd Chrisley]

Since I have been home May 28, 19 people have come home.

[Candy Burruss]

Wow.

[Todd Chrisley]

19. 19 of those kids have come home. I had one moved from Pensacola to Kentucky so that I can. Jude and I can go and visit him because he's got a longer sentence. So it's.

[Julie Chrisley]

How long we've already been to see him one time.

[Todd Chrisley]

Yeah. And so that's what, four and A half hours. Five and a half hours.

[Julie Chrisley]

Yeah.

[Todd Chrisley]

Four and a half, five hours from us. So we drive up, we've gone our first time now, and I will go see him once.

[Candy Burruss]

That means a lot, though, because you changed in changing a lot for him.

[Todd Chrisley]

Yes, that's right.

[Candy Burruss]

Just to be able to have support, you know, people coming to visit you, you're gonna make that time go a little bit faster for him.

[Todd Chrisley]

And I have set it up now with our, you know, with our accountants that I'm setting up a program that will help these young kids with their commissary. Yeah, because that means something. It means something when a kid can go and get the things. Just the bare essentials of what need. It's degrading for a young man to have to constantly go to another man and ask, can I get a pack of tuna fish?

[Julie Chrisley]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Todd Chrisley]

So.

[Candy Burruss]

And it puts them in a situation where he has to compromise himself sometimes.

[Todd Chrisley]

Exactly. And I don't, I want to limit is I can't do it all, but I can do what I can do. And if I do what I can do, that's the best that I can do. And that's all that can be expected of me. But because I know so many people, if we can adopt kids from another continent and send in $8 and something a month, we can send in $8 a month to a kid here in prison. Yeah, we can do those things. And so, you know, we live in the wealthiest nation on earth, but yet our people suffer as if we're a third world country.

[Candy Burruss]

True.

[Todd Chrisley]

If you are going to. And listen, this is. I'm not. This is not going to be a political conversation. I don't want it to be. But if you look at, you've got kids in here, a prime example, there was a kid there with me, white, he was caught for marijuana. And another, another one of my kids from Memphis of color was caught for the exact same amount. The exact same amount. The kid from Memphis got 120 months. My white kid got 28 months.

[Candy Burruss]

Damn.

[Todd Chrisley]

So he was charged in Pensacola. This kid was charged in Memphis. How do you, how are we as a country not seeing sentence disparity?

[Candy Burruss]

I mean, it's obvious, though.

[Todd Chrisley]

And when you look at, you know, right now there's. Right now there's approximately 1.1.4 million pending cases of PPP fraud. 1.4 million cases that are there to be tried right now.

[Candy Burruss]

Oh, that's crazy.

[Todd Chrisley]

I didn't know that the prison System can't hold 1.4 million people, it's not. It's not built for that.

[Julie Chrisley]

No.

[Todd Chrisley]

But do you know the majority of those loans, what the color of the skin is that's pending?

[Candy Burruss]

A lot of them is black people. There you go. Yeah, there you go.

[Julie Chrisley]

I mean, when I left prison, there was a mother in there, African American, black woman in her 70s, that had just gotten sentenced before I left. Her daughter came in. So her mother and her daughter. And that's what it was from.

[Todd Chrisley]

And you know, you want to be. I told you. And it is one of the saddest things that we. It emerges. Infuriates me when I hear on.

[Candy Burruss]

So does that. Wait, does that considered to be white collar crime?

[Julie Chrisley]

Yes. Yes.

[Candy Burruss]

Oh, okay.

[Todd Chrisley]

Yes, it's white collar crime, but it's a lot of black collars that's getting charged.

[Candy Burruss]

Yeah, but just because it.

[Julie Chrisley]

But not everything in. Not every person in prison is for a white collar crime, even at a camp. And that's realized.

[Candy Burruss]

That was in the camp.

[Julie Chrisley]

I remember. I, you know, I. I'll never forget one of my attorneys. After we were sentenced, we had. We sentenced. We went upstairs or found guilty before we ever sentenced. We had to go upstairs and get our ankle monitor on. And I remember he came out there and he said, Ms. Chrisley, it's gonna be okay. You're going to a camp. People just like you, you're going to a camp.

[Todd Chrisley]

I'm grateful that my people were not like me too.

[Julie Chrisley]

And I think back there and. And at first when I got to the camp, I was like, okay, these people are not like me. But the longer I was there, the more I was like, how much you.

[Todd Chrisley]

Had in common with these people?

[Julie Chrisley]

These people are just like me. Yeah, just like me. And most of them were in there for dealing drugs. Most of them were in there. That. That was. The majority of the women at my camp were dealing drugs. They had been behind the fence in real prison and had worked their way to a camp. But. But at the end of the day, yeah, we were all the same.

[Todd Chrisley]

You know, I think that I'm so.

[Candy Burruss]

Glad y' all went to jail.

[Todd Chrisley]

But listen, I said this the other day, you know, when we were talking and I looked at Julia and I said, I don't want this to come across in a bad way. But I said, I would not trade these 28 months. I said, because God placed me in the belly of the beast. And without being in the belly of the beast, I would have never known what's going on.

[Julie Chrisley]

Because, you know, if it doesn't affect.

[Todd Chrisley]

You, it doesn't affect you, you don't think about it.

[Julie Chrisley]

I never knew anybody, I never had known anybody that even been to prison. If it just doesn't affect you, you don't think about it. You know, I didn't think about every day, you know, they're sitting in there and there's people that don't get money, that their family either can't afford it or they, you know, the bridges have been burned, you know.

[Candy Burruss]

Right.

[Julie Chrisley]

You don't, you don'. About that. You know, there's people in there that are not going to see their kids grow up. You know, there's people. I mean, it's just you don't think about it until you become a part of it.

[Todd Chrisley]

And I will say, and I will say that in working with the director, Director Marshall, and the Deputy Director, Josh Smith, that for the first time, because I was there for 28 months, I know how this BOP runs, that it's some of the lowest educated people working for the bop, some of the least motivated, lazy as hell, beating the system every day, what they steal from the federal taxpayers and the federal government. Every day as a correctional officer, people are in prison doing time for less than what the hell those people have done. But, you know, going back to what we were talking about, one of the things that really irks me today is that we have all of these people saying that, you know, let's get past slavery, let's get past racism, let's do this, let's do that. We could get past it if it wasn't still prevalent.

[Candy Burruss]

Yeah. I don't like when people try to erase history.

[Todd Chrisley]

Well, and my thing is, is that you're not erasing it because it's still happening. Do you understand that the 13th Amendment of the Constitution has been abolished for the. There's only one act that still keeps it, the 13th Amendment. Do you know what that is? It is the only time that you can still have slave labor is in prison from incarcerated individuals.

[Candy Burruss]

Oh, no, I didn't realize it.

[Todd Chrisley]

Yes, it's the only thing left. The only way you can have slave labor in this country now is through the prison system. Now, when you get rid of that, you get rid of some of the abuse. Stop saying that there's no such thing as racism. When my daughter comes home from a private school and is crying because someone has made fun of her hair and that she can't be a mermaid in a play because she's a unicorn because she doesn't have the right hair. So don't tell me that that Stuff doesn't exist. Don't tell me it doesn't exist when I've got a black kid here that's 24 years old that's begging you to explain to him, sir, tell me what I need to do to shorten my sentence. Get out of my office. Did I tell you to come in here? Read the notice. Lord, that's. And you say that racism's dead. When I walk up and open the door and say, mama, I need to talk to you. Come on in. How is it dead?

[Candy Burruss]

No, racism is definitely.

[Todd Chrisley]

It's alive and well.

[Candy Burruss]

It's definitely.

[Todd Chrisley]

You got these out here throwing rocks and hiding hands. No, I'm gonna call you out. Yeah, I'm gonna call you out. I'm gonna put you on YouTube, I'm gonna put you on this podcast. I'm gonna put you on television. I'm calling your names.

[Candy Burruss]

Yeah. You know, it's a crazy world we live in right now.

[Julie Chrisley]

It is. But tell us, what is next for Candy?

[Candy Burruss]

Oh, y' all don't made it so heavy. And now y' all want to talk about it.

[Todd Chrisley]

We'll make it lighter. I'm gonna get you to donate to my phone.

[Candy Burruss]

We gotta like, I like, I love the fact that y' all white and y' all going so hard for it against the racism.

[Julie Chrisley]

I'm like, I'm black and I' with.

[Candy Burruss]

Racism since I was little, you know.

[Todd Chrisley]

And I told that to Chloe the other day we were talking and I said, I said. She said something. And I said, chloe, but honey, you need to understand that your mother is black.

[Julie Chrisley]

And I said, biological mother.

[Todd Chrisley]

Yeah, I said, your biological mother is black. I said, so you need to understand that just because you're not experiencing this right now doesn't mean that another child of color isn't experiencing it.

[Candy Burruss]

Yeah.

[Todd Chrisley]

I said, your zip code changes how you're treated, for sure. And I said, but you need to understand when you're 16, 17 years old, riding around in that Range Rover and they pull you over, they're radioing in a 16 year old black girl. And so I have to tell her that every day. And I don't want to have to tell her that. Yeah, I never wanted to have to raise her that way, but I now know that if I don't, she's going to be a statistic autistic.

[Candy Burruss]

It's just, it's very unfortunate. Especially when she moves out on her own. She's gonna experience it at some point.

[Todd Chrisley]

Yes.

[Candy Burruss]

You know, it's inevitable. But yeah, it's. It's really heavy, you know, Then lighten.

[Todd Chrisley]

It up for us. I mean, you know, tell us something about all the, you know, things that you've got going on. Like tell me about your. Your. What is the product that you have that I want you to send to my bedroom Candy?

[Julie Chrisley]

I know mad.

[Candy Burruss]

I meant to bring you a gift bag today.

[Todd Chrisley]

I told my mom, I said, I'm gonna have you on Candy's bed on her pod so you can talk about bedroom candy. And she goes, what is that?

[Candy Burruss]

Oh, I said, mama, I'm hook your mama up.

[Todd Chrisley]

I said, mama, is this going to change your life? It'll make your teeth chatter.

[Candy Burruss]

Hey, listen, Ma and Nora said that, you know, it's really for them. My mom says it too. For women of a mature age. Because you got to think a lot of men, once they get to a certain age, they can't get it up.

[Todd Chrisley]

Like packing bubble gum.

[Julie Chrisley]

Yeah.

[Candy Burruss]

So. So they need. Bedroom candy is needed for all age groups, especially the seniors.

[Todd Chrisley]

And that'll cut down on all the STDs because know the STDs. The highest age group is seniors.

[Candy Burruss]

Crazy, right?

[Todd Chrisley]

And they won't talk about us being hoes.

[Candy Burruss]

It's because. Well, it's because these old men getting that blue pill and they around here trying to put their thing and everything.

[Julie Chrisley]

Everything.

[Candy Burruss]

Everything.

[Todd Chrisley]

That's all right. You going to stop some of that? You're going to stop some of that with bedroom candy.

[Candy Burruss]

So bedroom candy is doing really great. We have now you can get everywhere. You can get on Amazon now. It's so funny. Yeah, it's pretty cool because when it.

[Julie Chrisley]

First started, you had to like have a representative like you had.

[Candy Burruss]

Yeah, we still, we still have the representatives. We have representatives across the country.

[Todd Chrisley]

Because you was running this like you was running this like Avon, but dicks.

[Candy Burruss]

Yeah. But now we have more products. Now we have bath and body products. So now we kind of put that under the candy coated cosmetics umbrella.

[Todd Chrisley]

Right.

[Candy Burruss]

Because you know if you say bedroom candy, they automatically think it's a toy.

[Todd Chrisley]

Right, right.

[Candy Burruss]

Which is a great thing.

[Julie Chrisley]

Yeah.

[Candy Burruss]

Okay. It's the gift that keeps on giving.

[Todd Chrisley]

Right. As long as you got power.

[Candy Burruss]

Yes. I mean, we re. And it's rechargeable.

[Todd Chrisley]

There you go. Pay your power bill.

[Candy Burruss]

But yeah, no, it's doing really good. I mean, at this point now we've been going for what, 12 years is long time.

[Todd Chrisley]

A long time. And I think that goes back to what we started out with is just about everything you do has longevity to it.

[Julie Chrisley]

Yeah.

[Candy Burruss]

I'm Thankful for that. Yeah, I'm thankful for that. Yeah. It's. I mean, it's a lot, but yeah. And then we still have our old lady gang restaurant on Camp Creek, right? It's doing good.

[Julie Chrisley]

I know. I have to tell you a quick story about that. So it was literally during our trial, and I made Todd go by there cuz I wanted to go eat there. And we were at our trial. We were during the trial, cuz we were in Atlanta.

[Candy Burruss]

Oh, that's right.

[Julie Chrisley]

But y' all were. It wasn't open. Whatever the time was.

[Todd Chrisley]

She was so mad and you were open.

[Julie Chrisley]

But he's like, like, julie, we can't. I don't know. We don't need to be going in that. I was like, I want to go eat here. That might have been my last meal.

[Candy Burruss]

Oh, my goodness.

[Todd Chrisley]

Well, according to you, it was your last street meal.

[Candy Burruss]

It would have been po, baby, but. And then we have. I have some more Broadway productions coming, but I can't talk about. Okay.

[Julie Chrisley]

Okay. I'm sure they would knock on your door.

[Todd Chrisley]

Now, I will be at this great one's coming when this one. When these come. I will be there.

[Candy Burruss]

You going to come?

[Julie Chrisley]

Yes, we will be there. It's a day. It's a day date. It's a date.

[Candy Burruss]

That'd be awesome.

[Julie Chrisley]

Yes. Well, thank you so much for coming today. Thank you so much for just being a friend. Thank you for. Yes, everything. So we appreciate it.

[Candy Burruss]

Well, I love y'. All.

[Julie Chrisley]

Yeah.

[Todd Chrisley]

I love you.

[Candy Burruss]

And I was just joking about. I'm glad you went to jail, but I'm glad that greatness has come from.

[Julie Chrisley]

It wasn't in vain.

[Candy Burruss]

No, you know what?

[Julie Chrisley]

No matter how bad situations are, if you learn something from them, if you're better because of it, it.

[Todd Chrisley]

You know, listen, as I said, we would not know what other people have to endure had we not endured it. And how can you ever have someone make. Effectuate change who hasn't experienced it?

[Candy Burruss]

Yeah, exactly.

[Todd Chrisley]

And so, you know, so many good things have come from this. I mean, you know, Savannah. I mean, Savannah is going to run for public office now. Now that's not. It's not something that.

[Julie Chrisley]

That.

[Todd Chrisley]

That we would want. But, you know, I think she's so just numb to other people's opinions, you know, and so she is such a warrior. And she fought long and hard to get us here on this sofa right now. And, you know, she didn't stop. She knew that our trial was corrupted. She knew that the prosecutors were corrupt. And we just got word last week that a. That they're being investigated now. And those, those prosecutors have been. They're no longer with the U.S. attorney's office.

[Julie Chrisley]

Office.

[Candy Burruss]

Oh, wow.

[Todd Chrisley]

And they're also.

[Candy Burruss]

Because of your situation or other stuff that they're doing.

[Todd Chrisley]

I think it was hours, but I think ours led to other things and.

[Candy Burruss]

They find out about other things.

[Todd Chrisley]

And then the key witness in our case, they have placed him under federal investigation now as well. So I think that God has used us in a way that is going to bless so many people. Thank you so much. I love you and I hope you'll come back soon.

[Candy Burruss]

Thank you.

[Todd Chrisley]

Thank you.

[Candy Burruss]

I love you too. It.

[Julie Chrisley]

O.

[Candy Burruss]

What you eating?

[Todd Chrisley]

The new banana split cookie from AM.

[Julie Chrisley]

Pm All freshly baked with real butter with banana, chocolate and strawberry flavors.

[Candy Burruss]

Wow, that sounds amazing. Can I have a bite?

[Todd Chrisley]

I'm sorry, but no. But you can't split the banana split.

[Candy Burruss]

Not even a little?

[Todd Chrisley]

Not even a crumb.

[Candy Burruss]

What if.

[Todd Chrisley]

No, please. Mine when it's too legit to split. That's cravenience. Get a 3 pack for 99 cents with our app ampm. Too much good stuff plus tax where applicable. Prices and participation may vary. Terms and conditions apply.