DONKEY: Florida Man Sets Ex-GF’s Apartment On Fire After Threatening Her During FaceTime Call

Summary

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Donkey of the Day: Florida Man Sets Ex-Girlfriend’s Apartment on Fire

Podcast: Donkey of the Day (The Breakfast Club, Power 105.1 FM)
Host: Charlamagne tha God
Date: May 21, 2026

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Episode Overview

On this episode of "Donkey of the Day," Charlamagne tha God awards the dubious honor to Jermel Freeman, a Florida man who set his ex-girlfriend’s apartment on fire after threatening her during a FaceTime call. Charlamagne delivers his signature blend of humor, pop-culture references, and candid social commentary to unpack why Freeman’s actions warrant public ridicule and reflection.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Florida’s Reputation for Wild Stories

• Charlamagne’s Ongoing Theme: Once again, Charlamagne reminds listeners of his long-held theory:
  • “The craziest people in America come from the Bronx and all of Florida.” [02:00]

2. What Happened: The Report

• Incident Recap:
  • Freeman allegedly set his ex’s apartment ablaze after threatening her over FaceTime—he showed her the oven with a blanket inside and warned her he’d start a fire.
  • The victim was not home, but had previously reported other threats, including Freeman threatening her with a knife and vowing to harm her friends.
  • “Florida man is accused of setting his ex girlfriend's apartment on fire after allegedly threatening her during a FaceTime call now being held in Franklin County Jail.” [02:57 – Lauren LaRosa report]

3. Analysis: Relationship Rejection and Toxic Masculinity

• Literal vs. Metaphorical:
  • “Damn. You do know when Usher said let it burn, he didn't mean that literally, right? It's a metaphor, okay? Letting it burn refers to the painful but necessary release of watching a relationship completely die out...” [03:38]
• Advice to Men Dealing with Breakups:
  • Charlamagne questions why some men can’t handle rejection healthily, referencing motivational quotes about moving on.
  • “The great black philosopher Gucci Mane once said, girls are like buses—miss one, next 15 one coming.” [03:59]
  • Calls out toxic escalation: “When a woman breaks up with you, then you do something like set her apartment on fire. All you doing is confirming that she made the right decision.” [04:28]
• Emotional Regulation:
  • Contradicts stereotypes about women being more emotional, insisting all humans grapple with emotion, not logic:
  • “This is why I don't like when people say women are emotional creatures. No, human beings are emotional creatures...We are not creatures of logic. We are creatures of emotion.” [05:10]
• The Importance of Moving On Productively:
  • Suggests men should focus on self-improvement post-breakup:
  • “Go out there and get in the best shape, physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally. Let her be scrolling the 'Gram this time next year and be like, damn, when she sees your glow up...” [05:48]

4. Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Missed Red Flags:
  • “I'm not the highest grade of weed in the dispensary, but those are grounds to break up with somebody. Okay? Thank God that young lady wasn't home, because that could have been very bad.” [04:53]
• On Self-Destruction as Confirmation:
  • “Once again, you proved exactly why this woman should have been left you, okay? Rejection doesn't create character. It reveals it.” [06:03]
• Classic Sound Effect:
  • Ends with the classic “biggest he-haw” sound effect for dramatic emphasis. [06:11]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:49] — Charlamagne’s Florida Man intro & setup
• [02:57] — Lauren LaRosa news report on the incident
• [03:38] — Charlamagne’s metaphor breakdown (“let it burn”)
• [03:59] — Referencing Gucci Mane, managing rejection
• [04:28] — On violent outbursts confirming breakups
• [05:10] — Commentary on emotional regulation
• [05:48] — The importance of self-improvement after a breakup
• [06:03] — The “leaving was the best choice” observation
• [06:11] — “Hee-haw” sound effect wraps the Donkey award

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Tone and Style

Charlamagne’s delivery balances comedy with seriousness, using pop culture and real talk to drive the lesson home. He maintains his trademark brashness but emphasizes understanding emotions and handling breakups like “grown folks,” calling for maturity and less drama, particularly from men.

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Takeaway

Charlamagne uses this outrageous Florida man story to spark wider discussion on how to handle heartbreak, reject toxic behaviors, and recognize red flags—and he leaves listeners with the reminder: “Rejection doesn’t create character. It reveals it.” [06:03]

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Transcript

[Podcast Host]

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[Charlamagne tha God]

Oh, no.

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Hey, guys, it's us, the Jonas Brothers.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I'm Joe. I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called hey Jonas. We invented a podcast. Well, we didn't invent it, we just contributed to it.

[Jonas Brothers]

We're the first people to do podcasts.

[Charlamagne tha God]

We get to ask other people questions. Cause we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it, but you know, tired and sick. Tired and sick.

[Jonas Brothers]

Listen to hey Jonas on the iHeartRadio

[Charlamagne tha God]

app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it.

[Robert Smigel]

Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy not quite on Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you famous. Funnier. This week, my guests, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an acapella band with their between songs banter.

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We do some retirement homes.

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Those people are starving for banter. Listen to Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Make sure you tell them to watch out for Florida, man. The craziest people in America come from the Bronx and all of Florida. Yes, you are a donkey.

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[Charlamagne tha God]

The Breakfast Club donkey of the day. When Charlemagne a God. I don't know why y' all keep Letting him get y' all like this. Well, little Duvall, donkey of the day for Thursday, May 21, goes to a Florida man named Jermel Freeman. Okay, what does your Uncle Charlotte always say about the great state of Florida? The craziest people in America come from the Bronx and all of Florida, and today is no exception. Now, Jermell has been charged with aggravated arson because he decided to bake a blanket. Okay, yes. This man put a blanket in the oven, and it wasn't even a pig in it. Now, I know what you're thinking. If Jermell wanted a heated blanket, they like 39. $39.99 on Amazon. Okay. Good Housekeeping is an amazing brand. Why didn't he just buy one? But that's not what he actually put the blanket in the oven for. Okay, what did he put the blanket in the oven for? Let's go to Lauren LaRosa for the report, please.

[Podcast Host]

Florida man is accused of setting his ex girlfriend's apartment on fire after allegedly threatening her during a FaceTime call now being held in Franklin County Jail. Columbus fire crews responded April 10 to an apartment fire on Belcher Drive in north Columbus. The victim told investigators she was not home at the time, but said her ex boyfriend, Jamel Freeman, FaceTimed her and turned on her oven with a blanket inside, telling her he was going to start a fire. The victim had previously reported other threats to Columbus police, including that Freeman threatened to stab her with a kitchen knife and kill her friends. I got your knife. Freeman is alleged to have said to his girlfriend, I told you I wasn't playing with you. Witnesses told investigators that Freeman was trying to find a return flight home.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Damn. You do know when Usher said let it burn, he didn't mean that literally, right? It's a metaphor, okay? Letting it burn refers to the painful but necessary release of watching a relationship completely die out. Okay? It's about facing the agonizing grief of a breakup because you know it's the right thing to do. It's not about setting your ex's, you know, apartment on fire. Okay, my brothers, why can't y' all just deal with rejection? The great black philosopher Gucci Mane once said, girls are like buses. Miss one next 15, one coming. Okay, do we not remember great quotes like, there are plenty fish in the sea? Nowadays, it's more like, there are plenty of butt naked women on ig. Okay, Jamel, Even if you felt like, there are plenty fish in the sea, but she's the only one for me. Hey, man, if you love something Let it go. If it comes back to you, it's yours. Okay? What I don't understand about men like Jamel is when a woman breaks up with you, then you do something like set her apartment on fire. All you doing is confirming that she made the right decision, okay? Jermell allegedly already threatened to stab her like Lauren just said, and harm her friends. Now, I'm not the highest grade of weed in the dispensary, but those are grounds to break up with somebody. Okay? Thank God that young lady wasn't home, because that could have been very bad, all right? This dude was clearly moving off emotion. And this is why I don't like when people say women are emotional creatures. No, human beings are emotional creatures, okay? We are not creatures of logic. We are creatures of emotion, and we do not care what's true. We care how it feels. And Jamel felt hurt, okay? And instead of going to therapy to learn how to regulate his emotions, he decided he wanted to project that pain onto this young lady. Artist Young lady's apartment just because the young lady didn't want to be with him anymore. Okay? My brother's rejection is a part of life, all right? Okay, what happened to, you know, when a girl breaks up with you, you decide to better yourself, right? Go out there and get in the best shape, physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally. Let her be scrolling the gram this time next year and be like, damn, when she sees your glow up, okay? That's why you don't block none of your exes, all your haters. You gotta let them see you winning, okay? You gotta let them see you shining. But no, Jamel, you want to be dusty dull, okay? Once again, you proved exactly why this woman should have been left you, okay? Rejection doesn't create character. It reveals it. And people gotta stop ignoring red flags the first time, okay? Because if somebody responds to losing you by trying to destroy you or destroy something of yours, then leaving them with the smartest thing you ever did, please give Jamel Freeman the biggest he. Huh?

[Co-host/Producer]

All right, Charlemagne. Thank you for that donkey today.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Yes, indeed. Up next is diarrhea burning. Yeah. Okay. Just. Just ran out. Whenever Jess runs out like that, you know?

[Co-host/Producer]

Yeah, she went off quick, too. Yeah, man, but up next is just

[Charlamagne tha God]

fix my Come back fast, too. That's what's weird about it. You don't ever notice that.

[Podcast Host]

Well, I mean, it runs out faster.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Yeah, but that's. Yeah, but what about the cleaner? You know what I'm saying? Cleanup should take a little longer.

[Co-host/Producer]

I gave her dude wipes the other day. So she maybe she got that.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I'm thinking y' all ain't self cleaning.

[Podcast Host]

All y'.

[Charlamagne tha God]

All. Lauren.

[Podcast Host]

No, you use the wipes. Okay, just making sure y' all ain't self cleaning.

[Co-host/Producer]

But up next is Jess fix my mess. After she fixes her mess. 800-585-1051. So if you having some relationship issues or any type of issues, Jess will fix your mess as soon as she gets back from the bathroom. Hopefully she washes her hands.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Damn.

[Co-host/Producer]

It's the Breakfast Club.

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[Liberty Mutual Insurance Spokesperson]

and Doug, there's nowhere I wouldn't go to help someone customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual. Even if it means sitting front row at a comed.

[Liberty Mutual Insurance Co-Spokesperson]

Hey everyone. Check out this guy and his bird. What is this, your first date?

[Charlamagne tha God]

Oh, no.

[Liberty Mutual Insurance Spokesperson]

We help people customize and save on car insurance with Liberty Mutual. Together we're married. Me to a human, him to a bird.

[Liberty Mutual Insurance Co-Spokesperson]

Yeah, the bird looks out of your league.

[Liberty Mutual Insurance Spokesperson]

Anyways, get a [e-mail] or with your local agent.

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[Podcast Host]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.