THE PEOPLE'S DONKEY

Summary

Donkey of the Day: "THE PEOPLE'S DONKEY"

Power 105.1 FM | May 1, 2026

Host: Charlamagne Tha God (with Envy, Mimi)
Overview:
In this episode of "Donkey of the Day," Charlamagne turns the mic over to listeners, giving “the people” a chance to nominate their own Donkey of the Day. Listeners call in to air out their grievances, roast the hosts, and offer candid critiques—sometimes even turning the Donkey award on Charlamagne himself. The central theme is community participation, honesty, and the show’s raw, comedic, but often real feedback loop between host and audience.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

[02:28] The People's Donkey Segment Begins

• Charlamagne introduces the concept: “You know, we give y' all the chance to call in and give somebody the credit they deserve for being stupid. You can give somebody the biggest he haw.”
  • Opens the phone lines to callers to nominate their Donkey of the Day.

---

[02:56] First Caller: Bonarine on the Michael Jackson Biopic Debate

• Bonarine nominates “everybody who is saying the Michael Jackson film was great” as Donkeys, claiming the movie “didn't do him justice. It did not do him justice at all... It was very superficial.”
• Charlamagne reveals he hasn’t seen the film: “I'm going this weekend, though.”
• Mimi disagrees, defending the biopic: “It showed his life… how his father used to beat him… why he loved animals… when he stood up to his dad. And a lot of his performances… I wouldn't say it's whack and trash.”
• Envy and Charlamagne keep it comedic:
  • Charlamagne jokes: “Isn't that how he invented the moonwalk? He stood up to his dad...and then he moonwalked behind. Is that... [true]?”
  • Mimi: “No, that is not true. Are you serious?”
• Playfully references internet memes and pop culture (Homer Simpson moonwalking into bushes).

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[04:55] [Caller: Catherine] – Turning the Donkey on Charlamagne

• Catherine calls to give Charlamagne himself the Donkey award for the way he handled a previous caller dealing with weight and insurance (Zepbound):
  • “Yesterday, when the lady called about Zepbound, you really dogged her out… and you always talk about mental health... You really go in on people… but, Charlamagne, come on.”
• Charlamagne tries to defend or clarify: “We talk to the people before, you know, we. We go live with them, man."
• Catherine accuses Charlamagne of being insensitive, especially regarding body issues and says his jokey approach could be harmful:
  • “You could have gone through trauma when she was younger… and you really go in on people.”
• The tension is played for laughs but the critique cuts deep:
  • Catherine: “You talk about people saying act or ask. You write books and you say liberry.”
  • Charlamagne: “I do.”
  • Catherine: “Library has an R in it.”

[06:24] Notable Quote:

"When you go to see the Michael movie... get your little step stool and... look in the mirror and make that change."
— Catherine, referencing “Man in the Mirror”, (06:24)

• Charlamagne takes it all in stride: “None of this offends me because it's true.”
• Catherine, with more sharpness: “You're a semi celebrity, you know, you just go all in on people and it's difficult for me sometimes to listen because of you.”
• Charlamagne says: “But you know what?”
  Catherine: “Tolerate it. But I don't like it.” (07:19)
• She admits she still listens: “And I do have a choice not to listen, but I still listen anyway and support because I love the show.” (07:22)

[08:03] Focus Shifts Back to Call Screening and Critique Handling

• Catherine is upset the hosts focused on the caller’s weight instead of criticizing the insurance provider (Blue Cross Blue Shield):
  • “Why aren't you all in on Blue Cross Blue Shield?... you ought to be a little more careful.”
• Charlamagne attempts defense: “the gist of the phone call yesterday was literally about us dogging Blue Cross Blue Shield, but your ears decided to focus on just the aspect of the call you didn't like.” (08:19)
• Catherine: “No, it wasn’t… you were all in on what’s your height, what’s your weight.”

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[08:47] Playful Jabs & Show Dynamic

• Charlamagne notes she’s only roasting him, not co-host Envy.
• Mimi: “because she love us… sir, this is your donkey criticism for you.”
• Catherine acknowledges the cumulative effect of Charlamagne’s style: “If it was just a sprinkle here and there, like Envy... I could tolerate that. But you... you even go all in on your employees… you, little man, you got a problem.”
• Charlamagne: “You’re right.”
• Catherine: “Napoleon syndrome.”
• Charlamagne (leaning in): “Nothing you said is wrong, and I’m not offended.”

---

[09:18] Weight Loss Drugs vs. The Gym

• Mimi on Ozempic and Zepbound: “A lot of people do use [them] as alternative to actually going to the gym... for a lot of people, it is an easy way out… not everybody, but for a lot of people.”
• Charlamagne: “Yesterday we actually told the woman she wasn’t fat… we actually told her she was not back.”
• Caller and hosts clarify the technical aspects of call screening that led Catherine’s call to be aired without pre-screening.

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[10:03] Wrapping Up the People's Donkey Segment

• Charlamagne: “Alright. That was the people’s donkey. We do that every Friday. You can call in and give somebody the credit they deserve for being stupid, even if it’s me…”
• Mimi: “And you got to watch Charlamagne just because when the lady says something about me, he goes, why you ain't going in on Envy?”

[10:32] Notable Quote:

"Jokes are a part of having healthy mental health."
— Charlamagne Tha God (10:32)

• Mimi agrees: “You can take it. That’s right.”
• Charlamagne highlights the unique dynamic with the show's fanbase:
  • “The people that call into this show... the same way that woman could give it to me, right? I can dish it. I can take it. That's the beauty of the Breakfast Club. That's the relationship we have with our listeners.” (10:36–10:48)

---

Notable Quotes

• "You got to get your little step stool and... look in the mirror and make that change."
  — Caller Catherine (06:24)
• "You talk about people saying act or ask. You write books and you say liberry. Library has an R in it."
  — Caller Catherine (06:09–06:19)
• "You're a semi celebrity, you know, you just go all in on people and it's difficult for me sometimes to listen because of you."
  — Caller Catherine (07:12–07:18)
• "You, little man, you got a problem."
  — Caller Catherine (08:53)
• "Jokes are a part of having healthy mental health."
  — Charlamagne Tha God (10:32)
• "The same way that woman could give it to me, right? I can dish it. I can take it. That's the beauty of the Breakfast Club. That's the relationship we have with our listeners."
  — Charlamagne Tha God (10:36–10:48)

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Memorable Moments & Dynamics (with Timestamps)

• [02:56–04:39]: Lighthearted debate over the Michael Jackson biopic, jokes about moonwalking and family drama.
• [04:55–08:53]: Candid caller turns the Donkey award onto Charlamagne, calling out his insensitivity with humor and some sting.
• [09:18–10:00]: Hosts discuss the social complexities around weight loss drugs and the importance of honest conversation.
• [10:03–10:49]: Reflection on caller-host relationships, defending the show’s style, and the tradition of playful roasting.

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Takeaways

• The "People's Donkey" format fosters a participatory, raw, and entertaining connection with the listeners.
• The show leans heavily on humor and “clowning,” but real audience critiques—especially about sensitivity and mental health—land meaningfully.
• Charlamagne’s willingness to receive criticism, laugh at himself, and keep the energy light underscores the Breakfast Club’s enduring bond with its often brutally honest fanbase.
• Listeners feel empowered to call out even the hosts, keeping the conversation authentic and the comedy cutting but communal.

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Missed the episode?
Expect candid listener participation, sharp (sometimes biting) humor, hot takes on pop culture, and a rare unfiltered look at how the hosts manage real feedback—spotlighting the Breakfast Club’s raw, community-first approach to radio.

Transcript

[Podcast Host]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

it's your time to nominate a donkey of your own. Remember now, that is how they choose call in now. 800-585-1051. Donkey of the Day for Friday, May 1 is the People's donkey. You know, we give y' all the chance to call in and give somebody the credit they deserve for being stupid. You can give somebody the biggest he haw. So. Good morning. Who's this?

[Envy]

What's up?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

This Bonarine Bonairine, who you want to get a biggest he haw to? Born Irene.

[Envy]

I want to give the donkey to everybody who is saying the Michael Jackson film was great. Donkey. Donkey. All of them. All of them.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I haven't seen it yet. I'm going this weekend, though.

[AT&T Advertiser]

It is great.

[Mimi]

I loved it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Nah, nah, it's not. It's not great.

[Envy]

It's like y' all forgot who Michael was. Yo, y', all. Y' all was here when Michael was here.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Who was Michael?

[Envy]

That film was not great.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Tell me what you mean. Nobody. What do you mean we forgot who Michael was?

[Envy]

I mean, like, the film just didn't do him justice. It did not do him justice at all. I mean, I heard when Laura. Yeah, my bad. Lauren. Lauren LaRosa, when she was saying that, you know, there was some trials and tribulation that they couldn't do some stuff, which makes sense. That's probably why the movie was whack. They had to, you know, get rid of a lot of stuff. But I feel like it was a montage of like a music video or someone in reenacting his music videos. That's what it felt like. Well, it was very superficial.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Well, I'm gonna go this weekend. I haven't seen this yet. I'm gonna go this weekend, though. But I mean, yo. It. Everybody that I know that has seen the movie, they thoroughly enjoyed it. But I mean, I. I think it is hard to capture a larger than life character like that on screen.

[Mimi]

It was. I don't think it was a montage. I think it showed his life to a certain aspect. It showed to the 1988. It showed him as a kid growing up how his father used to beat him. That had nothing to do with videos. It also showed why he loved animals and why he moved the way that he moved, what he. The moment where he stood up to his dad. It did show a lot of his performances and a lot of his music. How he created the beat it. How he created and got the ideas for some of the songs. So I wouldn't sayin is whack and trash. That's a stretch.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Isn't that how he invented the moonwalk? He stood up to his dad. And then Joe really got bucked and said, I'll beat your ass. And then he moonwalked behind. Is that. That's not true, yo.

[Mimi]

No, that is not true. Are you serious?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He was about to get beat and then just started sliding back.

[Caller - Catherine]

Yo.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's what somebody told me. I don't know. I didn't see the movie. I'm going this weekend.

[Mimi]

That is not true. I think Michael was really a clown, yo.

[Envy]

He played, too. What are you doing?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

My bad, dad. You know, Homer Simpson was moonwalking, too, when he walked back into them bushes. You remember that?

[Mimi]

Shut up, man.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Good morning. Who's this?

[Caller - Catherine]

This is Catherine.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Hey, Catherine. Who you want to get the biggest he hawk to?

[Caller - Catherine]

I want to give the biggest donkey to you, Charlemagne.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, Lord, what I do?

[Caller - Catherine]

Yesterday, when the lady called about Zepbound, you really dogged her out. And, you know, you asked her. You know about her. Well, one of you guys asked her about her height and her weight, and you always talk about mental health and all of that. And this lady could have been. She could have gone through trauma when she was younger. She could have been teased when she was younger about her weight, and she called to talk about not getting the help that she needed from her insurance company. Charlemagne. And you really go in on people. I don't know if you guys have people call in and, you know, make crank calls so you guys can dog them out, but Charlamagne, come on.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I don't think she had a problem with it. We were going back. It wasn't even.

[Caller - Catherine]

I think she had a problem with it because she didn't want to get embarrassed on the phone, but when she got off that phone call, you don't know what she could have went through. Charlemagne.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

We talk. We talk to the people before, you know, we. We go live with them, man.

[Envy]

And.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, you might not have been worth talking to. And I'm just playing. I just said that. I just said that because you say I'll be dogging people out.

[Caller - Catherine]

That's all I need to go all in on you?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yes, ma'.

[Caller - Catherine]

Am.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I do, actually.

[Caller - Catherine]

Okay, look, you talk about people saying act or ask. You write books and you say liberry.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I do.

[Caller - Catherine]

Library has an R in it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay, you're correct. Come on, girl. You gotta get.

[Caller - Catherine]

You haven't seen the Michael movie, but the pastor just came on this morning and talked about change and being forced to change. And so when you go to see the Michael movie, I think you need to get your little. Get your little step stool and when you go to the bathroom in the morning, get up on it and look in the mirror and make that change.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, okay. You're right.

[Mimi]

The man in the mirror, that was a good one.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It was a little stumbling. But here's the thing. None of this. None of this.

[Caller - Catherine]

I got the main look. Not the main look. She got the morning show. And I have gone all this time and never called in because I love listening to Jess. Mimi, envy. I love it. You, not so much. You're a semi celebrity, you know, you just go all in on people and it's difficult for me sometimes to listen because of you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But you know what?

[Caller - Catherine]

Tolerate it. But I don't like it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Well, listen.

[Caller - Catherine]

And I do have a choice not to listen, but I still listen anyway and support because I love the show.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Thank you.

[Caller - Catherine]

You need to make that change. Charlamagne.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Well, listen, none of this offends me because it's true. You said I'm short. Okay, she said ugly. You said. What else? You said. What else you said about the last.

[Caller - Catherine]

You say library.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Library.

[Caller - Catherine]

I mean, listen, I will order one of your books just to read it for the content to see if there's typos in it. Not really for the content because I'm not really interested in it. But I love to read it, you

[Charlamagne Tha God]

know, but this is my thing. None of this offends me because it's true. Just like if somebody calls up here and tells us that they're on a weight loss medication and then we ask them they height and weight and they tell us that's true truth.

[Caller - Catherine]

I mean, why would you do that? Why aren't you all in on Blue Cross Blue Shield? I work in corrections. And Blue Cross Blue Shield just made a huge change that affected a lot of people's lives. So you ought to be a little more careful. And you know,

[Charlamagne Tha God]

but the gist of the phone call yesterday was literally about us dogging Blue Cross Blue Shield, but your ears decided to focus on just the aspect of the call you didn't like.

[Caller - Catherine]

No, it wasn't. Yes, it wasn't for that. You, you, you on the butt end of the phone call said, oh, Blue Cross Blue Shield. No, you were all in on what's your height, what's your weight. Oh, and Envy, you said, oh, there is the gym. And yes, there is a gym, but some people need help on the beginning part of that to temper crazy.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So why you not mad at Envy? You ain't got no. You don't got no criticism for Envy

[Mimi]

because she love us. Mrs. Donkey of the day, sir, this

[Caller - Catherine]

is your donkey criticism for you. Because you. If it was just a sprinkle here and there, like envy, you know, that would be. I could tolerate that. But you are. You even go in all in on your employees. And that might be yalls relationship and yalls us. But you, little man, you got a problem.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You're right.

[Mimi]

Thank you, Mama.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Nothing you said is wrong.

[Caller - Catherine]

Napoleon syndrome.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Nothing you said is wrong, and I'm not offended.

[Mimi]

I will say this, though. Yes, I think a lot of people do use Ozempic and that a Z pound as alternative to actually going to the gym. I think for a lot of people, it is an easy way out. A lot of people will not go to the gym. And because that shot is available, they'll take that shot even when they don't necessarily need to lose that much of a weight. So I do feel like the those shots for a lot of people. Not everybody is a cop out. And Charlemagne doesn't know what he's talking about. Yes, we do screen the calls today. You got through without us screening because our producer.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, they not here.

[Mimi]

And another one woke up late. So that's the reason why. But yes, we do screen the calls and speak to the people before. You just got through because two producers weren't here.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And I also would like to say that yesterday we actually told the woman she wasn't fat when she told us her height and her weight. I just want to throw that out there. We actually told her she was not back.

[Caller - Catherine]

Right. She was just trying to get snatched.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's right. All right. That was the people's donkey. We do that every Friday. You can call in and give somebody the credit they deserve for being stupid, even if it's me. Okay, so 1-800-585-1051. Remember that for next Friday.

[Mimi]

And you got to watch Charlemagne just because when the lady says something about me, he goes, why you ain't going in on Envy?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Just me don't be in it because she said it. She said that in Envy going, say that that girl need to go to the gym. So I'm just trying to figure out why you ain't got no smoke fan

[Mimi]

feeding because you miss the mental health, she said.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And jokes are a part of having healthy mental health.

[Caller - Catherine]

That's true.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay? The people that call into this show the same way that woman could could give it to me, right? I can dish it. I can take it. That's the beauty of the Breakfast Club. That's the. That's the relationship we have with our listeners. Okay.

[Mimi]

You can take it. That's right.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

All right. We clown each other in the street. You got to sit. You know, people walk with me at the Black Effect Festival with jokes.

[Mimi]

Me, too.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You see what I'm saying?

[Mimi]

I'm not Dominican, by the way. Everybody out there, Black Effect Festival.

[State Farm Advertiser]

Why are you here?

[Mimi]

You Dominican? No, I'm not Dominican, by the way.

[Caller - Catherine]

Yes.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You think it hurts me to hear? Man, I thought you were six feet tall. You sound six feet tall on the radio.

[Kel Penn]

I'm short.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I don't care.

[Mimi]

It's all right. When we come back, RZA will be joining us. He has a new movie called A Spoon of Chocolate. We'll talk to him about it when we come back. So don't go anywhere.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[Podcast Host]

this is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.