Dive into the shocking connection between meat and your mental state in this eye-opening episode of the Digital Social Hour with Sean Kelly! 🌱✨ Join the conversation with our captivating guest, John Lewis, as he unveils the hidden truths behind the f
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A
Your organs, we know, like, our organs. If you eat this food, it goes to your heart, it goes to your liver, it goes to all these organs. But for some reason, they don't think about the brain. The brain is an organ. For some reason, people think that they can only get, like, the. The macronutrients from the animal that they eat. They only get the protein, the carbs, the fat. They don't think they can get the diseases that the animal had. Like, and people really think that.
B
All right, guys, we got John Lewis here with his film called They're Trying to Kill Us. What a name, man. What a name.
A
Might as well keep it real.
B
Yeah. And you said it's a sequel to the first film you made, right?
A
Yeah. What? The health.
B
What the hell?
A
Yeah, it's a sequel to what? Yeah, this is on Netflix already.
B
And a lot of people watch that one, right?
A
A lot. It's actually been recorded as, like, the most viewed documentary on Netflix.
B
No way. The most viewed. Holy crap. What was the feedback on that one?
A
It was controversial, but it was like, it. It woke a lot of people up. Like, even if people didn't go necessarily vegan, they were just like, yo, we gotta change the way we eat.
B
Right?
A
You know what I'm saying? And I think it hit, like, right before the whole lockdown and everything. And people were just reflecting on all the bad habits and all the things that are allowed in this country as food. And I think they were like, yo, we need to change up. So I definitely got hit up a lot. I. I got a lot of emails after that one came out.
B
Dude, I don't buy meat in the grocery store anymore.
A
I was a butcher at one point. That's how crazy it is. A vegan that was a butcher. Like, imagine where at in St. Louis. I grew up in Ferguson, right. Where Mike Brown was kidding.
B
Just like, in a butcher shop.
A
Yeah. I was actually like, I would serve the meat per order. Like, literally, people coming to the butcher shop, I need ten pounds of that, three pounds of this, four pounds of that. And we would just cut all that up. Wow. And it was so funny. Our tactics were so horrible that me and my best friend, it's funny, he's vegan now, too. We did this in high school. We worked there in high school. But it was so bad that we would go, you know what? We're not buying any meat from here. Cause it's horrible. And we could go buy it from somewhere else. Like, it was that bad. Like, it was different. And it was the same practices all over, you know, Damn.
B
So you got PTSD from that stuff?
A
I do, definitely. Definitely.
B
So you went vegan shortly after that?
A
Nah, man. Actually, it took me a while. I didn't go vegan until my mom. My mom was diagnosed with colon cancer. And I remember talking to the doctors, like, you know, how'd this happen? What's going on? And the doctor was really like, frank with me, that's Frank. But, you know, he's like, you know, too much fried animal food, stuff like that. I'm like, wait a minute, it's not hereditary. He's like, no, this is a lifestyle choice. And so I started doing more research, you know, and I. Believe me, I wasn't trying to go vegan at all. Like, Philly cheesesteak was my jam, you know, saying. And I started looking at it and I was like, damn. I start seeing all this proof, especially in the African American community, like, how meat is just, like, tearing us apart, like, and just animal products in general. And so I was like, man, let me try this thing out, you know? And then, like, I actually got mad at first because I started feeling so good that I was like, damn, I'm not going there. Go that Philly cheesesteak. Like, no more of that. But then, like, the more and more I did it, man, I just. And I. I won't call myself an athlete anymore as a person who still wants to be athletic, but I'm not an athlete. I. I still feel like I'm able to, like, move like I did when I was in college.
B
Wow.
A
Still work out the same, you know? Like, I still go. I'm not as fast, don't get me wrong. But, like, I'm. I'm running a 5k tomorrow in LA. I'm leaving here, going to LA to run a 5k tomorrow. So I'm running all the time. I'm still lifting. And like I said, I feel like I'm still 27 and I'm 47 now.
B
You're 47?
A
47, dude.
B
You look like you're in your 20s. It's hard to tell what black people.
A
Yeah, they say black don't crack, but I know a couple that crack back, though. Yeah. Like, if you treat yourself, it's how you treat the body, man. If you treat it right, it'll. It's like I say, the human body is like the. The woman that karma was actually modeled after. If you treat it right, man, it's gonna treat you right. If you treat it bad, you gonna know real fast.
B
You and John Sally are onto something. Man, you guys both look good. And you said that's your mentor, right?
A
That's my mentor. Yeah. We go way back, man.
B
You met through hoops?
A
No, I met through. Met through social media, actually, like, 15 years ago.
B
Damn. What was that? MySpace at the time?
A
Yeah. Right. Black Planet. Yeah. And then we actually met in person at an event that they had both of us come out, too. And then we just hit it off immediately.
B
Nice.
A
You know, he's a clown. So me and him, we vibe and it's funny, he used to have a wine out and we're at. He was in Miami showing people the wine and giving them stuff, and he's like, hey, man, you here? Come on in. So I come in and I stand in the back while he's talking, and, like, without hesitation, he goes, oh, everybody, I want to introduce you to my illegitimate son, John. And the amount of people that believe that shit. Like, they. Like, people were coming to me after he got done talking, like, oh, my God, how is it that John. Sally, as a father, I'm like, he. He's just. With y'all, like, that's not. But yeah, we. We got that bond, man. Like, real. Like, anytime I'm in la, I'll call him up, let him know. Even if I can't see him, I'll let him know him in town.
B
Yeah, that's cool. Yeah, he was one of the first NBA players to go vegan, right?
A
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And I mean, it's. I mean, he's still, you know, old as. But. But he just a good dude, man. Like, and. And I think that prolonged him. And, like, he still does his yoga, he still works out. He doesn't work out, like, lifting heavy. But, I mean, he takes care of his body like crazy, bro.
B
He sent me that parasite Cleanse.
A
Yeah.
B
Oh, my gosh. Did he send you that, too?
A
Yeah. Well, yeah, I've known about it. Yeah.
B
Oh, my. He said that Cleanse has treated cancer.
A
Yeah. Oh, yeah. I mean, let's be honest. I. I'm one of those people. I'm not the vegan that says vegan's going to end all, be all, no disease. But if you really look at, like, our. Our hospital industry, it's not full of people that's eating fruits and vegetables. Like, you know, nobody goes into the er and what happened? Oh, man, he had a salad today. It is hard to load it. Like, it's. It's the years and years of, like, turmoil that we do, and it's like, sometimes it's too far where you can't change it with just the food. But a lot of times, man, we. And I'm sure John could tell you too, we know so many people that have changed their life by just changing what they eat.
B
Yep.
A
I know a guy, literally, he owns a vegan restaurant in Fort Lauderdale called Green Wave, and he literally has stage four prostate cancer.
B
Geez.
A
Never had chemo, never had surgery. Just went raw and changed everything up.
B
Whoa. Just from eating raw food?
A
Yep.
B
Holy crap.
A
Yeah. Yeah. And this case is like, that all over the place. And I'm not saying, like, for everybody that's out there, like, the. The ultra meat, you know, that's all you eat thing. Sure. That might work for some people, too, but I know for a fact this stuff works. Like, you know what I'm saying? And it's helped me tremendously with everything in my life.
B
I bet there's also a spiritual component, too, when you're eating animal meat.
A
Yeah.
B
You know?
A
Yeah. I actually. It's a guy that reached out to me today. Real cool dude. And we always chat. And he was saying. He was like, man, I slipped up. I had meat. And he was like, man, I felt like. And he's. He's really into his religion. Really Christian. I'm not religious. I. But I don't knock anybody's religion. I'm like, do you. And if it makes the best person out of you, do it. And he was telling me, he's like, man, I just felt like it. It took me further away from, like, my spiritual beliefs when I ate the meat. And I was like, you know what? Maybe that was just a test for you, dude. Like, it's cool. Like, you know what I'm saying? Like, now go back to it. Go back to. You needed to get away from it to see how much you missed it. Now go back to the eating the fruits and vegetables and da, da. And now you'll be fine. But, like, it's definitely a spiritual component, man. Like, I. I ain't saying I was the most angry person in the world, but I definitely was a different dude.
B
Yeah.
A
Back.
B
No, there's. There's some generational drama within your community.
A
Yeah.
B
Like, people, like, hate on that statement, but it's definitely true.
A
Yeah. And it's. It's funny. Like, I just think the food in general affects our mental state. Like, for some reason, everybody will think about, like, your organs. We know, like, our organs. Like, if you eat this food, it goes to your heart, it goes to your liver, it goes to all these organs. But for some Reason they don't think about the brain. Your brain is an organ. So if, if you eat up food and it up that, why wouldn't it up your brain? Like, what about that part? Or like the people that think, like, for some reason people think that they can only get like the. The macronutrients from the animal that they eat. They only get the protein, the carbs, the fat. But for some reason they don't think they can get the diseases that the animal had. Like, they don't. And people really think that? Yeah, they just think they only get the, the good stuff from them. It's like, well, if you eat tainted food, it's gonna taint you.
B
Yeah. And a lot of the, A lot of the meat now is vaccine too.
A
That in my documentary we talk about. The funny part is, you know, a lot of people were like, anti vax. I'm not, I'm not telling anybody. Do it or not do it. I'm just saying that to the people that were anti. But they eat meat, I'm like, you know, you would still get the vaccine, you know, getting some kind of vaccination.
B
Yeah.
A
So Dr. Reyes, that's in the film, he talked about how the United States is the number one consumer of pharmaceuticals in. Of any country in the world. There's only two countries that allow pharmaceutical advertising. Of course, we're one of them. And the crazy part is that people don't know. Is that. Quick question for you. What would you. What would you think is the largest demographic of pharmaceutical users in. In the United States by race? Just. Just general. Just anything. Any group. Any group.
B
I'd say older, right. Old people.
A
No. Really, no animals.
B
What?
A
Animal agriculture. Really? Look at the conditions they got them in. They. They dump more pharmaceuticals in the animal agriculture to keep them from getting sick and dying early. They live in conditions that are crazy. In the film, I actually go to a hog farm. And like, that was just. That was another level. It was crazy. But he was telling me, like, all the vaccines and pharmaceuticals that they got to give them just to keep them from dying early.
B
Oh my God.
A
He. He's basically like a holding cell. He gets the pigs at five weeks, feeds them for 20 weeks and gives them to the slaughterhouse at 25 weeks. And they don't see daylight the whole time.
B
What?
A
Yeah, they don't. When people be like open range and this and that, they have to tell, like, yeah, it's open inside in a hut. Like, so basically got slats on the floor. So when they piss and defecate and all that, it just goes on the floor. And so he has these things called. Oh, man, I got the word wrong. So basically all that stuff goes in there, and then they have pools outside. So they have three of these, basically, lagoons. So they hold all the piss and cheese, all this one. Now, this is one hog farm in North Carolina. Now, mind you, North Carolina has more pigs. In the state of North Carolina that has humans.
B
Wow.
A
That's how much. And that's just one farm. I mean, that's just one state. Imagine all the states that do chicken, beef, all this. So that's why we got such a big problem. So another thing is that it's not just harming the people that eat the meat. It also dives into. So you got these lagoons of pretty much. Right. I don't know what my cursing level is. I probably hit it already, whatever it is. But if you think about it, so you got all these lagoons that's holding these feces. So at one point in the film, we're standing on top of one of them. They got, like, these tops that you. They're supposed to be reinforced. And I told my co director, I said, man, if I fall in here, don't bring me back, dog. Just let me go. Just like, don't even try to bring me back. I don't even want to live with that embarrassment. So I asked him, like, how many? Like, what are we standing on? He's like, oh, we're standing on 6 million gallons of hog feces.
B
What?
A
That's one lagoon. He's got three of those.
B
That's the way they bury the shed, just in a lagoon.
A
No, that ain't even how they bury it. That's where they hold it.
B
So what do they.
A
It gets worse than that. So they have what they call spray fields. Now, remind you, this is a hog farm now, mind you. Got pigs, chickens. All these other industries do the same thing. So they. Nobody's buying hog. Yeah, nobody. Nobody's like, hey, I'm in the industry. You know, Can I get some? So they have what they call spray fields. And with the spray fields, what they do is they spray the hog feces over these fields to basically put it back into the ground so it pollutes the water. So basically, if a breeze comes through, it's just gonna blow it. And all these. Majority of these hog farms, cattle farms, pig whatever it is, chicken, they're located in communities of color. And what happens is all this hog waste goes into these people's houses. Mind you, you can smell the Hog waste from five miles away.
B
Oh my gosh.
A
That's how strong it is. So we had Johns Hopkins actually check out. Sorry about that. We had Johns Hopkins check out and basically do a sweep of he was houses. So they swabbed the kitchen, the toys, the furniture all came back with hog waste.
B
No way.
A
Just living in their house.
B
Oh my God.
A
In fact, Ruby, beautiful lady that we interviewed, she actually died from complications after we interviewed her. Jesus. From living in that and it. And literally we're at her house on her front porch, and you can smell hog.
B
That is terrible. Dude.
A
Crazy. But people don't think about that when they're like, oh, but I gotta have a bacon. It's like, all right, you're still supporting that too.
B
Wow.
A
Yeah, it goes deep, man. And that's why the film really got blackballed. Because we, we, we tell everybody where the money's coming from. Who is going to. This CEO was working for this pharmaceutical company. Now he's working for McDonald's. We break it all down.
B
Yeah.
A
So I think that's why a lot of people were like, afraid of this. For real.
B
So you saw all the big companies, you were able to link them together. Like big pharma, big food, big agriculture.
A
Yeah. And you know when, like I said, when we met up with the own network and they pretty much told us that this is the best documentary they've ever seen. They wanted, they want to purchase it to help heal the black community. And we do. We dove into like some more logistics and then that's when they were like, yeah, but we got to cut 30 minutes out. Like, why you gotta cut 30 minutes out? They're like, yeah, cuz, you know, even though we had the, the lawyers fact check everything, it goes right after our main advertisers and we can't have that. And I'm like, well, damn, that's a slap in the face because like you just told me it was the best thing. But you're scared of these people too. And like we even talk about how like the, the insurance companies have over like $1.9 billion invested into Fast food industry.
B
Wow.
A
So they double dipping.
B
Damn.
A
And it's all fact check. You can just like. I mean, the thing is, it's not a secret out there, but nobody's going to look for it. They just like, yo, this tastes good. So I'm just gonna keep eating it. And it's addiction. That's what it is. Like, it's called the FDA for a reason. Because food is a drug. It's the most addictive thing you'll ever put in your body, but you don't pay attention to it, and you'll just keep doing it. Because that commercial look good.
B
Yep.
A
You know, I remember I got my undergrad degree in marketing. I never forget when I graduated. And now I said, I'm 47. So long ago. I never forget my marketing teacher, she told us, good luck, you know, find a job. We're like, well, you could have told us that before we got a major. But then she goes, she goes on and she says the reason why is because they're hiring psychologists now for marketing. So, like, when you watch that, that pizza commercial and you see the steam come off the pizza after five seconds, that's like, that's psychological. They're looking at how the brain reacts. And then they wait another 15 seconds, and then they pull the cheese. And you see the cheese. So it triggers you the whole time. You're like, damn. You're like, man, this is how bad we are in America. We could be literally eating food, watching a food commercial and going, damn. Because we all do it. Like, you laugh. Cause you think about it.
B
I've done that.
A
We actually do that. We'll be eating breakfast. Like, yo, what we having for lunch today? Facts.
B
Every meal.
A
Every meal. Like, I'm like that too. Even vegan. They're like, yo, man, I can't wait for dinner. It's breakfast.
B
That's so facts. They're so good with the subconscious marketing.
A
They're good.
B
And the coloring and the letters.
A
Coloring, the. The sauce. Oh, oh, wait. Make sure that mayonnaise drops off the side of the sandwich right now. 15 seconds. They lost interest. Go back. Yeah, and that's why basically, people don't even notice. And you probably never. You probably won't hear anybody say this. Well, you probably say it afterwards, but nobody thought about it. Food commercials was the first. Tick tock. Yeah, they knew. They knew. Your attention span ain't like, oh, we lost them all right. Drop something. Oh, we lost some steam coming off the burger. Oh, we lost them. Bite the burger.
B
Right.
A
You know what I'm saying? And then think about that, too. How many fast food commercials have you seen a morbidly obese person?
B
None.
A
But how many morbidly obese people eat fast food?
B
Almost all of them.
A
They don't. Keep it real. They're not gonna tell you that.
B
Nope.
A
Yeah. And the CEO of McDonald's, guess what? He not eating fast food. McDonald's, that's like the CEO of cigarette companies. They don't Smoke?
B
Yeah.
A
They know better, but they'll give it to us in a heartbeat.
B
I've never seen Warren Buffett drink a Coke.
A
Exactly.
B
He's an investor in them.
A
Exactly. They know.
B
They know.
A
They know. Don't get half your own supply.
B
Yeah.
A
They're the biggest drug dealers there is out there. They know it.
B
Yeah. Costs a lot of money to own a McDonald's.
A
A lot.
B
Millions.
A
People don't realize the franchising fee. It's all these different things that go into it.
B
Yeah.
A
And they just sitting back getting fat off of it. Well, not fat off McDonald's food itself, but.
B
Yeah, they got me good on the Beyond Meat marketing, dude. I started eating that shit at first, and then I found out what's in it.
A
Yeah. To be honest, I mean, I. I know the guy that owns Beyond Meat, so it's no knock on him, but I. It is funny because I get people on my page always talking shit like, yeah, but you're eating this. And I'm like, dude, when have you ever seen me post about me eating this? I don't even eat it. But it's just. People just associate veganism with all the processed stuff now.
B
Yeah.
A
And I tell people, like, yeah, you know, veganism can be expensive. But it's like, it's expensive and it's bad when you're eating all the junk. It's still junk food at the end of the day. You know what I'm saying?
B
Yeah.
A
You're not supposed to eat junk food probably ever, but definitely not every day. You know what I'm saying? Like, now, don't get me wrong. Am I traveling and I'm like, at some vegan restaurant and they got a vegan burger? Yeah, I might try it, but I'm at home. None of that shit's in my house.
B
I feel that.
A
Yeah.
B
Must be tough to eat off you.
A
Not really, man.
B
Really?
A
Nah. I'm very hard on myself, though. Like, there's actually a vegan donut shop here in Vegas. It took a lot not to go.
B
It took a lot this morning, dad.
A
Oh, yeah. Well, because they close it, like, it's called Ronald's Donuts. I think it closes shout out to Ronald's Donuts. You just gotta plug. But I think. I think they close like, noon or something.
B
Damn, that's early for a donut.
A
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So, like, they close very early. They, like, open early, though. I think they open like 5, 5am people going to work, whatever, but then they close at, like, noon.
B
Okay.
A
So I was going to go But I was like, you know what? I've been doing real good. Let me just. Let me just.
B
Yeah, you got a 5k tomorrow?
A
Yeah, I got a 5k tomorrow. But I'm averaging right now six and a half miles, three days a week.
B
Geez. So, yeah, that's impressive, man.
A
And. And I. I tell everybody I'm Team Sloth, man. I'm not. Like, I'm not. I'm a professional jogger. I'm not a runner. I'm like, I'm not out there to win. I'm not out there to beat anybody. I just want to finish.
B
You're just doing your thing.
A
Yeah, I was. We were talking in the back and I was telling people, Rich Rolls, a real good friend of mine.
B
Yeah.
A
And one time, both of us were doing a 5k together. And so they put teams out there to get people, like, more hyped to do it. And they were like, you can sign up under Team John or Team Rich. And I'm like, who's going to sign up under me? That's Rich roll. We run 100 mile races. You know what I'm saying? Like, and the crazy. A lot of people don't know. He'll run those races with no headphones, nothing. What?
B
100 miles?
A
100 miles? Yeah. Like, crazy.
B
The mental discipline.
A
Yeah. Like, I'm not there. I will never be there. And I'm okay with it. But I told everybody I made a video, and I was like, anybody wants to sign up with me, we are Team Sloth. We're not out here to win. We are here to have a good time, finish, get done. Like, that's what I do. I do it for, like, mental clarity, man. But I still have my headphones on. Might be a podcast, might be music, whatever. But I will say, I get so many ideas when I'm out running. It is a mental thing. You get to run as high. For real. No matter what the pain is. You just. Your. Your mind goes somewhere.
B
Some of my best ideas are on walks or runs.
A
Exactly. And it. And. But I think you have to go past a certain point because it's gonna be pain at the beginning. Like, and I'm not talking about, like, past a certain point in that run. I'm talking like, you gotta go past a month of doing it, past two months of doing it. Because in first months, it's like, why am I out here? Like, I don't understand. I was here for the Wu Tang concert back in. Was that March.
B
I think I heard about it. Yeah.
A
And I did, like, A five mile run here. And I was like, what am I doing? Like, it was. It was so hot. I was like, why am I here? Like, and like, it's a different run. Like, I was drying out. My lips were chapped. It was like skin, like, flaking up. It's so different.
B
Vegas heat. Don't mess around.
A
I wasn't even sweating anymore. That's the crazy thing. Like, like, my body just stopped perspiring. I don't know what to do at this point.
B
It overheated.
A
Yeah.
B
Oh, man. Were you on a dating show?
A
Yes. Oh, you did your research.
B
I did. Can you only date a vegan or what? What's your criteria?
A
Nah, man, nah. I, you know, my wife, like, she's vegan now, but when we met, she wasn't vegan.
B
Oh, wow.
A
Like, I believe I. I believe in meeting people where they're at and then we see where their heart is and where their head is.
B
Okay.
A
You know what I'm saying? Like, and now, mind you, to date, whatever. I mean, you go date that you get to learn somebody. Cause somebody can not be vegan, but be, like, compassionate and be, like, looking or interested in it. But, like, if you got somebody that's talking shit about your lifestyle all the time, that's not going. You know what I'm saying? Like, yeah, but the dating show was. That was funny. That was interesting. I was vegan on the dating show, actually.
B
Oh, yeah?
A
Yeah.
B
You're probably getting some heat for that.
A
Oh, I was.
B
Because back then it wasn't as, like, accepted.
A
It still ain't. Like, everybody thought I was crazy back then, but I'm like, yeah, everybody still think I'm crazy, so I guess it really don't matter.
B
Yeah, well, Brian Johnson's vegan. I like that dude.
A
Yeah.
B
You know Brian?
A
Yeah. I don't know him personally, but yeah.
B
Yeah, yeah, I. I think he's doing really good things for health.
A
Yeah, yeah.
B
You got to get him on the next documentary.
A
Yeah, yeah, you hook it up.
B
I hope you get picked up, though. Dude, I really want to watch this thing, man.
A
I, you know, it's so crazy just to see, like, when we made this film. I'm very critical of my work, like, whatever I do. Like, I was an obese kid too. So, like, I always think I'm at, like, 25% body fat no matter what I'm doing.
B
That's high.
A
Yeah, it's crazy, but I was 3:15 as a freshman in high school.
B
Holy crap.
A
Yeah. And I wasn't six. Six. I was like, Five, six. Jeez. I was a tall freshman, don't get me wrong. But you know, just the. The Sad American Diet. You know, the Standard American Diet. And so I'm always just critical of my work. So I didn't know. But every time somebody sees the documentary, like, dude, this is crazy. And like I said, I got. I got Billie Eilish and Chris Paul as executive producers.
B
Yeah.
A
And networks are still like, ah.
B
I didn't know Billy was vegan.
A
Yeah. Yeah. Billy been vegan for a long time. About seven years now.
B
Wow.
A
Seven, eight years.
B
Yeah, yeah, I know. I knew CP was.
A
Yeah. Actually watching what the Health is what actually helped him go vegan.
B
Really. Holy crap.
A
Yeah. And then, like. Yeah. And I'm actually working on some more stuff with him to come out. We're working on, like. I don't know if you've ever seen, like, MD Motivator.
B
I've seen him. Paul, right?
A
Yeah.
B
Yeah.
A
So we're working on some content like that.
B
He's a carnivore, though, right? Or is that someone else?
A
No, MD Motivator is the guy. Like, he'll go and be like, hey, I'm sorry, man. You got a dollar so I can catch the brush?
B
Oh, no, yeah, that's. I'm thinking of Carnivore md.
A
The Carnivore md. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know what's funny? I had to block him, but not because. Really? No, not him. It was because all the vegans kept tagging me on all his shit. And I'm like. And for a while, I think he thought I was having these people tag. I'm like, dude, I'm not. I'm a big believer in post whatever you want on your page. Yeah, whatever you want. Whether it's. I might not agree with it, but that's your page. I'm not gonna come in your house and tell you what to do. Same thing with my house. Like, when people come on. Like, I always laugh when people come to tell me what to do on my page. I'm like, you're literally telling me what to do while telling me I shouldn't tell people what to do.
B
It's ironic.
A
It's ironic, but they don't look at it like that. Yeah, yeah, but. Yeah, so. But we're working on some content like that to where we're, like, going to help people out and, like, being genuine about it. You know what I'm saying? Like, yeah, it's gonna be on film. Cause I, you know, it's that catch 22. Like, do you really want to show on film, but I think the more positivity you show, the more people are inclined to do it.
B
Absolutely.
A
If you hide all the positivity and you just let the negativity run people, like, yeah, you know what? I don't care about nobody else either.
B
Yeah.
A
And that's. That's what we're seeing pretty much a lot right now in the world.
B
Yeah. I think there's a movement, though. I think the truth is getting out there more and more.
A
Yeah. Yeah. And that's what we need, man. We need more kind people, man. Like, it's enough. I think we got enough. We. We reached our limit. The cup is overflowing with, like, we need more kind people out there.
B
I love it. You see this Ryan Garcia stuff, dude?
A
I just. I was in the Uber on the way over here. I'm like, what the.
B
Like, yeah.
A
And I. Whoever made the post, I put a comment. I said. I said, how to lose your career in 60 seconds. Like, this is literally. He is writing the book on how to just ruin your career. Yeah, but, I mean, it's ruining other people's lives. But I'm like, man, what are you doing?
B
Like, I thought it was a show for the Haney fight, but then he kept it up after, and I'm like, what the heck?
A
And what do we say? Mental health is like, it. What I'm not saying is exactly what he eats, but it's so overlooked.
B
It definitely plays a role. You can't argue that.
A
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, getting hit in the head didn't help a lot, but, you know, I'm saying, like, it's so crazy when I. I heard that he had done some stuff, but then when I actually heard what he was saying, I'm like, yo, this is crazy.
B
So he said the N word. I didn't see.
A
Yeah, yeah. Damn it. It's like, wow. And then he, like, doubled down, like, on Twitter. He deleted the tweet. But, you know, everybody once is out there, it's out there. And, yeah, he doubled down on it, man. Like, it was crazy.
B
Holy crap.
A
Yeah, man.
B
He's not black, right? Like, he's Spanish.
A
No, he's Mexican.
B
He's Mexican.
A
Yeah, he's Mexican. In fact, I saw some people on that post were like, I'm Mexican. I'm Mexican. And we don't claim him. This is not us, dude.
B
Like, holy crap.
A
They basically were like, he. He's not like us.
B
Damn, man.
A
You can hear Kendrick Lamar playing in the background as I was reading.
B
I just saw that video yesterday.
A
Oh, yeah. He.
B
Man, that might be the best diss track of all time.
A
And I. And I'm. I'm big on diss tracks, but that one there.
B
Yeah, man, that's a career, like. Yeah, Ender.
A
Like, I mean, it's still. It's still Drake. So he gonna come back in some kind of way. Yeah, but I think it's. It's basically what he did to Meek Mill. It's what Drake did to Meek Mill happened to him. It's like the bully got bullied and like, he didn't know how to come back from it.
B
Yeah.
A
And I think being silent, I think somebody in his camp finally said, hey, man, just. Just let this one go, dude. Like, it's not working for you.
B
Yeah.
A
So. Yeah, I hope he. Maybe one day he'll come back. We'll see. Because, I mean, Drake got some tracks out there that's dope.
B
Yeah.
A
But I think he. I think he'll take a little break for a little while.
B
He needs to, man. He's got to fly to, like, Barbados or something. Hang it up for a year.
A
Yeah, chill. Start doing community service like that. That's going to help him out.
B
He had a good run, though, man.
A
Oh, man. Like I said, career not done.
B
It's not over, but he just gotta.
A
Watch what he does.
B
Yeah. It's tainted, though. Like, I don't think this will be forgotten.
A
No, no, no, no. Any song. Any song where he's talking is gonna be. He just gotta keep it at Love Balance. Like. Like Kendrick said, you know, I like you when you're doing the balance, dude. Like, as long as he does that, he's good. It's when he tried to. And he does, like, sometimes when he does all the gangster, I'm like, I don't look at Drake and think gangster. Like, oh, you know, just. Just keep it in the. The. Cool. I'm a winner. That's cool. But, like, when he keeps into the. The winter and he starts using, like, the Jamaican accent, you're like, yeah, you take it a little bit. But I love his music. But like you said, just keep it a certain way. Yeah, but I've always been a. A bigger Kendrick fan than that. Like, he's got a song called Black of the Berry.
B
I haven't heard that one.
A
Oh, man, it. It. It's like an anthem to, like, really? It'll put you in a rage mindset, though, really? Oh, dude.
B
So it's like, what's that? Dmx.
A
Yeah, dmx type of vibe. Yeah.
B
I listen to DMX before my basketball games gets me so pissed.
A
Yeah, DMX is not like something you listen while you dropping your kids off.
B
No, no.
A
Unless it's that Reading Rainbow remix. You ever heard that one?
B
No, I haven't.
A
They got it. There's a remix out there where some. This is years before, like AI really took off. But it's like literally got like a remix of him with the Reading Rainbow theme song, but like DMX hyping it up the whole time.
B
That's hilarious. I gotta check that out. Yeah, that's too funny. Are you working on another film right now?
A
Yeah, we got some ideas out there. We got one that we, we want to start doing, which is basically talks about the disparity of like financial income between races. And basically it's like a, like a black mirror Twilight Zone mixed with. Remember Watchmen? That was on hbo.
B
I didn't see that one.
A
It's like a superhero film, but it involved actual events that happened. So it had a fiction and non fiction part to it.
B
Got it.
A
So basically, like, what would happen if a family, a black family was in charge of all the money in the world, but they had to keep the secret, and so they had to live broke just to keep the secret. But then when the grandmother passed, she told the granddaughter the secret and the granddaughter's like, well, fuck that. I'm going to give the money to the black people.
B
Yeah.
A
And so basically it's like, I don't know, I want to say $100 million just as an example. There's 100 million black people in the world and every black, every black person in the country got a million dollars.
B
Oh, wow.
A
To even it out. But it also shows the good and bad, though. Like some people can't handle getting that much money and they try drugs and they start kicking and they spend all the money some people use responsibly. But it's just, even in the playing field out to like, okay, if. If these people have generational wealth because of what happened in the past, what about the generational trauma that's passed down too for the other generations? And it's just evening it out. But it, but it shows like the good and bad. It's got some comedy to it too, but we're working on that. We're putting the whole plot together and everything.
B
That'd be cool. I always see that comment on online where it's like, if Jeff Bezos gave everyone a million dollars, it wouldn't affect him.
A
Yeah, it wouldn't. It wouldn't. He was sneezing that shit.
B
But it's also not as easy as that though.
A
It's not, you know, it's not because everybody's not gonna use it responsibly either.
B
It would just funnel back to him eventually.
A
Yeah, exactly. Everybody's going to am after they get.
B
I be shopping non stop on Amazon.
A
Packages, is at the door like, he's like, yes, thank you, thank you.
B
People think like money will solve everything, but if they got a million tomorrow.
A
Education, education gotta come with it. And, and I think that's where like social media literally does have the good and bad. Social media can be educational. It's got its bad stuff, but if you use it right. Because I get it on my post a lot of times like when I'm like, well we gotta change this. If we do this and I give like nutritional information this and that and people like, yeah, but people aren't changing because they're not getting it from, they're not getting the education. I'm like, well that's what this is. Education doesn't mean you got to have 12 degrees hanging on your wall. I, I know some people that are rich as hell and don't have one degree same. You know what I'm saying? That's not what it's about. It's about learning, education. Nowhere in the definition of education does it say university. An example might be used for university, but it doesn't say university. Yeah, education is everywhere.
B
Someone needs to make a documentary about colleges and universities.
A
We thought about that too. Especially the like the HBCUs and how they were founded and like where they came from, where they stem from.
B
I don't know much about that.
A
Yeah, yeah, it's a lot. I mean the funny part is a lot of them were, were funded by the white education.
B
Really?
A
Yeah.
B
Why would they do that?
A
Well, because in certain circumstances there are good white people out there.
B
So.
A
And they, and they felt like, you know, they need to have their own. Because you gotta remember it was, it was so segregated for so long that a black person couldn't just go to Yale, couldn't just go to Harvard. So they needed their own avenue. And it was funny because somebody was talking to me about, I made a post yesterday, you know, about like, I really don't celebrate fourth of July because there was, people were still enslaved on the 4th of July. So why would I support that? People like, you're living in the past. I'm like, you're celebrating the past? Like, how am I, how am I wrong? I was like. And I told him I said, if people stop telling lies, I'll stop telling the truth. We're even, like. And the thing is, I don't say it with anger. People think I make posts, and I just sit there waiting to come back. I make posts that go on my life.
B
Like, you're one of the most positive people I met, to be honest.
A
So that I feel like you got to be positive, man. Like, it's so much negative shit out here.
B
Yeah. They are starting to question a lot of the past. They're. They're going after the Holocaust now. I don't know if you've seen this.
A
Really. Yeah, I'm seeing.
B
A lot of people are questioning what exactly happened.
A
Got you.
B
Yeah, it's pretty wild.
A
Dude, that's crazy.
B
Yeah.
A
I would love to see, like, what they come up with on that.
B
I mean, with 9, 11 and all this stuff, it's. It's interesting time we're in. A lot of new information's coming out.
A
Yeah. I mean, you know, it's. The funny thing is, it's new to us. Somebody. Somebody this whole time is known, you know, saying somebody this whole time is knowing what's going on, and we're just like, really? That happened? They're like, yeah, but trying to tell you, like, because I. I don't believe in every conspiracy. I don't. But I believe just to be vegan, you got to believe in a conspiracy. Like, you got to, like. You know what I'm saying? Like, and conspiracy doesn't mean lie. Conspiracy just means it's somebody's conspiring to do something. All right, let's go check it out. That's it. And. And do I believe everyone? No, but there's some out there you like. Oh, that makes sense.
B
A lot of them. Yeah. A lot of programming. Now that. Now that I know of the programming, I could see a lot more of these being possible. But before, I was, like, believing everything on the news, so I didn't believe.
A
In them or like, it's when my mom was still here, rest her soul, is so funny. I would tell her certain things, and it was because of the source that she wouldn't listen to it. She changed my fucking shitty diapers. So she's like, dude, I'm not listening to you. I never forget coconut water. I'm not even exaggerating. I was like, mom, you know, you need to hydrate more coconut water. Try that out. Nah. Ooh, coconut water. I'm not doing that. I never forget. She sends me an article, Yo, I read this article about coconut Water. I've been drinking it lately. It is amazing. And it was like a year later. I'm like, mom, do you remember me telling you that you never told me about coconut water. I'm like, really? But I really. I think it depends on the source. Like, put this way, we're living in a world right now. Presidential debates about to come. Presidential candidates are coming out. Whether they, like, one candidate or the other one. If one candidate says something, no matter how true it is, if they hate that person, it doesn't matter, right? It doesn't matter. And we. We live like that throughout life, period. Like, if a certain person says it, like, trying to think of Mayweather. Mayweather's always under the gun because he's flashy. So he might give great advice one day, but, like, man, I hate how flashy he is. He just told you how to make money. But he, like, I'm not listening.
B
Select the bias. Yeah, you see it with Mr. Beast. He'll cure a hundred blind people. The comment on Twitter will be like, why do you do that?
A
And that's shout out to Mr. Beast. Never met him in person, but definitely a huge supporter of what he does because that was kind of like, the whole foundation of, like, doing this thing with Chris Paul and his team in order to, like. Yeah. Show on camera what you're doing to help people. Like, if people get mad at you for showing good shit, that's on them. That's something internal that they gotta take care of. Like, if some. If you see good deeds and you get pissed, something's wrong with you. How dare he do good things on camera? Like, what? Like, my bad. Like, you need to go check that out, though. That's medical.
B
Yeah, that is, dude. You should be happy.
A
You should be happy. But that's. And. And. And I get people all the time, they'll ask me, like, why? How do you so positive. I'm like, look, man, I tried the angry, dismissive, hate. Hateful. You know, just angry at everything. And you only realize how painful that is until you start living happy. It's a painful experience, man. Everything's gonna trigger you. Everything's gonna piss you off. Everything's gonna make you go, well, why not me? But if you start just looking at the little things and being happy, do I ever get mad? Yeah, I'm still human, but just don't last as long.
B
Yeah, and.
A
But it's a. It's happiness. And this is one of my quotes I came up with. I'm always coming up with quotes. I'm not Saying they're great quotes, but I come up with quotes all the time. And I say happiness is a learned art. It's a skill. You got to practice it every day if you want to have a good jump shot. What you got to do every day? Two jumpers. You want to be happy. Every day you got to practice being happy. But people think you're just gonna wake up happy and, like, you're just gonna last all day. No, it's literally gonna be something to trigger you all day.
B
Yeah.
A
And you got to be practicing to the point of where like, that don't even phase you.
B
Absolutely, dude.
A
To the point is comedy.
B
Yep. A good way to know someone is bringing them to pick up basketball. Some people get so pissed.
A
So pissed. I actually. I stopped playing. I'm not gonna lie. I think that actually helped me.
B
You were one of those guys.
A
It wasn't that. It's just like, I can't stand and I'm sorry. Out to all the pickup players that, like, I played college, semi pro, travel ball, all that. And like, the people that never play organized ball past, like, little leagues that swear to the best player in the world.
B
Yeah.
A
And they're talking shit to you. And I'm like, dude, like. Or like, you go set a screen and they're like, why are you setting the screen? Like, dude, that's how you play basketball. Like. Like, they're waving away picks. Like, dude, you're not getting open. Like, so I think that's the part. And then, like, the people that just foul, like, crazy, crazy, crazy. I'm like, dude, you literally could have killed that dude. Like, not injured him like you could have if he would have fell the wrong way, you know? So, like, that was. My anger, was like. Cause you. If you think about basketball and most contact sports, you don't get injured by yourself. Is somebody undercutting you? Is somebody bumping you when they shouldn't have? Like, no. Like, you're in the air and they're just like, oh, you're not dunking on me today. So now they're going to do ego. Yeah, Ego.
B
Yeah.
A
So, yeah, I've been much happier since I stopped basketball.
B
I feel like I just. I just don't involve myself. And, like, I'll play, but I don't. I don't talk.
A
It's hard. I've never was a shit talker, though. Yeah, no, the thing was, I never talked back. It's just for some reason, it would get me to where, like. And I think a lot of people, they don't like, the guy that doesn't talk back. They probably want to fight you more because you don't talk facts. I used to get more people wanting to fight me because I never said nothing. And one of my best friends, the guy that was the Butcher with me, shout out to Craig. Not Craig from Friday, Craig. He would talk shit for me, and it made it worse. I never get. There's a kid I dunked on our senior in high school. I grew up with the kid. But our teams were playing each other in the Normandy Christmas tournament, which is like the biggest Christmas tournament in St. Louis. And he. I was the tallest point guard in the conference. And so he tried to do a half court. He waved away to pick. I never get looking at him like, really? Like, you really think you about to take me? I'm like, okay. And he tried to cross over. And I remember picking him, and I remember going to the other end. I was like, I'm just gonna lay it up. And then something told me, like, ah, fuck it. And I cocked him back, and I didn't know he was coming. I didn't know he was coming. And when I cocked it back, here he comes. And it was just. It was horrible. To the point his dad. I'll never forget. I saw his dad after the game, and I went up to him like, hey, mister, I'm not gonna say the name on it. I'm not gonna embarrass him. I'm like, hey, man, what's going on? He was like, don't talk to me.
B
Damn.
A
He's like, you did that to my son? Do you think you can talk to me? And I was like, dude, I'm. I'm 17 years old, dog. Like, why are you mad at me? Like, I was like, wait a minute. Your son tried to cross me over. If he would have crossed me over, you was cool with that, but because I picked him and dunked on him. But my best friend, Craig, I'm not. I'm not exaggerating. If we're ever in the same vicinity, Craig brings it up. Craig will bring it up, man. Remember when John. You remember when you dunked on him? I'm like, craig, we grown men, dog. You gotta let it go. We got like, he hates me to this day. And I. It was just one play.
B
Damn.
A
And he hates me to this day. But Craig is like that. He'll talk trash to anybody no matter what I'm doing. I'm like, craig, it's cool, man. Like, let it go. It's okay. Let it go.
B
Funny, dude. I love it.
A
Yeah.
B
Well, John, where can people find you and can they watch the film anywhere?
A
Yeah, right now it's on Tubi. Me and Sean working on some other stuff. We're gonna give it. Get in some other places. But to be. It's on Tubi under. They're trying to kill us. You can find me on Instagram, Twitter. I'm even on, like, Eventbrite. Anything. Anything I can get my name under because. Well, I do that on purpose too, because I know people take names and then, like, you never know what's on.
B
Yeah, yeah.
A
Did you ever hear the story about, like, Holly Berry?
B
Holly Berry? No. What happened?
A
So back in the day when websites were, like, first starting out, and I. Hollyberry might not be the right name, but it was one star. But I'm using Halle Berry as a reference. And basically these dudes just go buy up names, but they would put, like, porn on it.
B
Oh.
A
And so these stars couldn't have that. And so they end up buying the website for, like, millions of dollars. Because people like, now you can't have. Unless you give me a million dollars.
B
Damn.
A
Because they bought it first. And so, like. So I always, like, whatever new platform comes out, I get my name immediately.
B
Smart.
A
Just in case somebody does something stupid, I'm like, I'm not giving you a million dollars for it.
B
And John Lewis is pretty common name, so.
A
Yeah. Yeah.
B
Makes sense. We'll link all your stuff below. Thanks for coming on. Yeah. Thanks for watching, guys. Check out the film and I'll see you guys tomorrow.
A
Facebook.
Digital Social Hour: The Shocking Connection Between Meat and Your Mental State | John Lewis DSH #865
Release Date: November 6, 2024
Host: Sean Kelly
Guest: John Lewis
Platform: Tubi (Documentary available)
Social Media: Instagram, Twitter, Eventbrite
In episode #865 of Digital Social Hour, host Sean Kelly engages in a compelling conversation with filmmaker and vegan advocate John Lewis. The discussion centers around John's impactful documentary, They're Trying to Kill Us, which delves into the intricate connections between meat consumption, mental health, and broader societal issues.
John Lewis introduces his documentary, They're Trying to Kill Us, a sequel to his first widely-viewed Netflix documentary that explores the detrimental effects of meat consumption on health and society.
Controversial Yet Influential:
"It was controversial, but it was like, it woke a lot of people up. Like, even if people didn't go necessarily vegan, they were just like, yo, we gotta change the way we eat."
(00:49)
Record Viewership:
"It's actually been recorded as, like, the most viewed documentary on Netflix."
(00:42)
The documentary resonated deeply, especially as it premiered before the global lockdowns, prompting viewers to reassess their dietary habits and consider the broader implications of their food choices.
John shares his personal transformation from a butcher to a vegan, highlighting pivotal moments that influenced his decision.
From Butcher to Vegan:
"I was a butcher at one point. That's how crazy it is. A vegan that was a butcher."
(01:23)
Health Catalyst:
"I didn't go vegan until my mom... my mom was diagnosed with colon cancer... too much fried animal food... this is a lifestyle choice."
(02:07)
John's mother’s diagnosis and the medical advice he received spurred him to research and ultimately adopt a vegan lifestyle, leading to significant improvements in his physical and mental well-being.
A significant portion of the discussion focuses on how meat consumption affects both physical and mental health, emphasizing the brain's vulnerability.
Brain and Diet Connection:
"Your brain is an organ. So if you eat up food and it up that, why wouldn't it up your brain?"
(07:58)
Pharmaceuticals in Animal Agriculture:
"They dump more pharmaceuticals in the animal agriculture to keep them from getting sick and dying early."
(09:56)
John highlights how the overuse of antibiotics and vaccines in animal farming not only impacts the environment but also poses health risks to humans consuming these products.
John provides a harrowing account of the environmental degradation caused by large-scale animal farming, particularly focusing on hog farms.
Pollution and Health Hazards:
"They have three of these lagoons holding hog feces. And the waste pollutes the water, affecting nearby communities."
(12:09)
Impact on Communities of Color:
"Majority of these hog farms... located in communities of color. Hog waste goes into these people's houses."
(13:04)
The documentary showcases the disproportionate environmental burdens placed on marginalized communities, leading to severe health consequences, including fatalities.
The conversation sheds light on the manipulative marketing strategies of the food industry and its parallels with the pharmaceutical sector.
Addictive Food Marketing:
"It's called the FDA for a reason. Because food is a drug. It's the most addictive thing you'll ever put in your body."
(14:56)
Fast Food Industry Critique:
"The CEO of McDonald's... he doesn't eat fast food. They'll give it to us in a heartbeat."
(17:19)
John criticizes the fast-food giants for promoting unhealthy eating habits through sophisticated marketing techniques designed to manipulate consumer behavior, likening them to major drug dealers.
John explores the spiritual dimensions of diet, suggesting that meat consumption can inadvertently affect one's mental and spiritual state.
Spiritual Disconnect:
"He had to be on a dating show... slipped up and ate meat. Felt like it took him further away from his spiritual beliefs."
(07:50)
Generational Trauma and Wealth:
"What about the generational trauma that's passed down too for the other generations? And it's just evening it out."
(30:25)
The discussion emphasizes how dietary choices are intertwined with cultural, spiritual, and generational factors, influencing not just individual health but also community dynamics.
John shares personal stories about his athletic pursuits, relationships, and lifestyle adjustments since adopting veganism.
Athletic Performance:
"I'm no longer an athlete, but I still feel like I'm able to move like I did when I was in college."
(03:17)
Positive Mindset:
"Happiness is a learned art. It's a skill. You got to practice it every day if you want to have a good jump shot."
(37:58)
John discusses how embracing veganism has enhanced his physical capabilities and mental clarity, underscoring the importance of a positive mindset in achieving personal goals.
Looking ahead, John discusses upcoming projects that continue to address societal disparities and promote positive change.
New Documentary Concept:
"We're working on a film that talks about the disparity of financial income between races... what would happen if every black person in the country got a million dollars."
(29:34)
Educational Advocacy:
"Education doesn't mean you got to have 12 degrees hanging on your wall. Education is everywhere."
(32:31)
John emphasizes the need for educational initiatives and documentaries that tackle systemic inequalities, aiming to foster a more informed and equitable society.
"It's the human body... if you treat it right, it's gonna treat you right."
(03:39)
"Food is a drug. It's the most addictive thing you'll ever put in your body."
(14:56)
"Happiness is a learned art. It's a skill. You got to practice it every day."
(37:58)
"We're living in a world right now... if one candidate says something, no matter how true it is, if they hate that person, it doesn't matter."
(34:08)
Sean Kelly and John Lewis conclude the episode by reiterating the profound impact of dietary choices on individual health and societal well-being. They advocate for increased awareness, education, and positive community actions to address the complex issues surrounding meat consumption and its broader implications.
Where to Watch:
John Lewis's documentary, They're Trying to Kill Us, is currently available on Tubi. For more information and updates on future projects, follow John on Instagram, Twitter, and Eventbrite.
Stay tuned to Digital Social Hour for more insightful discussions with industry experts, entrepreneurs, and thought leaders shaping our world.