Story Therapy

Summary

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Gettin’ Grown – “Story Therapy”

Date: September 23, 2025
Hosts: Jade Verrett & Dr. Keia Clarke
Network: Loud Speakers Network

Episode Overview

This episode, titled “Story Therapy,” centers on joy, reminiscence, and self-care for Black women living through “heavy times.” Dr. Keia and Jade ditch the usual routine to focus on sharing core memories that summon happiness, humor, and gratitude, providing listeners a gentle escape from negativity and anxiety. Special kitchen table guests Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson join to lend their wisdom on adulthood. The hosts introduce a “story therapy” game, diving into word association and storytelling—exploring everything from Halloween costumes to candy-fueled childhoods, while threading laughter, vulnerability, and cultural commentary throughout.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Acknowledging The Weight of The World (03:02 – 06:27, 15:18 – 17:30)

• Jade reflects on her birthday, feeling “enveloped in love like a quilt.”
• Both hosts discuss the importance of “quilt friends”—those who wrap you in secure, enduring support.
• They admit to feeling “heavy” in the face of constant bad news and grief, and intentionally seek moments of joy.
• Quote [03:13, Jade]: “I don’t want duvet friends. I want quilt friends.”

2. Advice from Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson: Letters to Our (30 and 40 Year Old) Selves

(Kitchen Table segment: 06:42 – 14:03)

On Your 30s

• Michelle Obama [07:44]:

  • Emphasizes there’s no “right answer” to life—it's okay to be uncertain and to make mistakes.
  • “Be easier on yourselves. As you enter this phase of life, you are just getting started.”
  • Values working hard, practicing compassion and empathy, and learning from failure.

• Craig Robinson [09:45]:

  • Advises prioritizing what you love over what pays most.
  • Urges not to become too rigid or afraid to try new things as you get older:
    • “Try as many things as you can. If you are a hard worker and a successful person, you’ll be able to bounce back from any kind of change.”

On Your 40s

• Craig [12:44]:
  • “Don’t stop working out because it’s hard to get going again once you stop.”
• Michelle [13:01]:
  • “Maintain your connections with friends…prioritize that.”
• Jade & Keia resonate with the importance of friendship and muscle-building with age.

Host Reflections

• The hosts note how freeing it is to know “it’s okay not to have it all figured out.”
• Quote [11:56, Jade]: “I don’t have to be a fully formed project. I’m more like a loft, you know what I mean? With concrete floors and slightly construction.”

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3. Introducing “Story Therapy” (17:11–19:11)

• The hosts decide to play a game where they prompt each other with words and share whatever stories come up—no deep lessons, just joy and nostalgia.
• Quote [17:24, Keia]: “No agenda, no deep lessons. Just the simple pleasure of remembering good times.”

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4. Story Therapy Game Highlights: Prompt, Memory, Connection

a. Halloween Costumes (19:12 – 21:44)

• Jade jokes about rejecting a brand partnership—“niggas know I don’t wear a jack-o’-lantern sweater.”
• Remembers “Trilloween” party, going as “a blood” in a brown jumpsuit with red hair.
• Keia recalls lazy group costumes in college—dressing as “hoes from different area codes.”
• Quote [21:27, Keia]: “We wrote our area codes and we were the hoes from different area codes.”

b. Sneakers (22:44 – 26:35)

• Keia’s story: hunting down “cool grey Jordan 11s” in college, traveling via branded “Valiant Express” bus for an early drop.
• “Coming back to campus with the sneakers the day before they were supposed to come out…it felt like a flex.” [25:51, Keia]
• Jade reminisces about her stint at Foot Action, “passing out sneakers like Nino Brown”—admitting to youthful sneaker “scamming.”
• Quote [27:07, Jade]: “When I worked at Foot Action, we was robbing them blind … I was passing out sneakers like Nino Brown. It was a good time.”

c. New Year’s Eve (28:31 – 30:47)

• Jade recalls a “super Puerto Rican” New Year’s in Teaneck, NJ—cocktail dresses, pernil, arroz con gandules, “way buying” through the streets.

d. Swimming Pools (30:54 – 33:43)

• Keia’s memories of her grandpa (DeeDa), a Black church pastor who was also a certified lifeguard—cannonballing into the parsonage pool.
• Both reflect on the age and timelines of their grandparents, how generational contexts shape expectations.
• Quote [33:43, Keia]: “My mom has never been my age and not had children … there are certain things she does not know what it’s like.”

e. Bodega Candy – Now & Laters, Sprees, Childhood Snacks (42:14 – 53:00)

• Jade: Now & Laters “will rip the back of my teeth off.”
• Classic bodega order: “Pickle, Mr. Goodbar, a roll of Sprees, and a Pepsi.”
• Deep-dive into regional chips (barbecue Dipsy Doodles, Crunch Taters) and Drake’s cakes.
• Keia: Butter crunch cookies, peach rings, sour Skittles—risked her childhood peanut butter allergy for Nutter Butters.
• Quote [52:03, Jade]: “I was a child who enjoyed candy like I was born in 1937 … give me those peanut butter bars.”

f. Clubbing, Parties, and Changing Chapters (55:01–62:34)

• Fond recollection of “club seasons”—dancing every Thursday at Desire in the Village or commuting from UConn for wild NYC weekends.
• Iconic moments: dancing with Special Ed, trying to escape Dougie Fresh in a club.
• Clubs like Bed and Duvet, “outside, teeth chattering, cold,” wearing bubble dresses and open toes in the snow.

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5. Finding Joy, Practicing Gratitude, & Black Womanhood (63:00–65:25)

• Both women reflect on how recalling stories helps process grief and sustain happiness.

• Self-care is not indifference—it’s “filling our cups first.”

• Quote [63:46, Keia]: “Yeah, life is hard, but it’s not all hard … We have lots of laughs, lots of good memories, lots of love.”

• Encouragement to Listeners:
  Play “story therapy” with loved ones, make your own rules, and reconnect through shared storytelling.

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6. Celebratory Moment: Student Loan Forgiveness (67:36–72:56)

• Keia announces, after working with The Student Loan Doctor community, her public service loans ($165k) were fully forgiven.
• Offers hope and resource info to others; the process took less than 60 days.
• Quote [69:44, Kia]: “I feel like I got a new job … Your colon is clear in many ways.”
• Reframes this as a divine, affirming miracle for Black women working within systems not built for them.

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7. Petty Peeves & Black Woman Realness (73:10–79:48)

• Jade on city construction ramping up at back-to-school: “Why do you decide the first couple weeks of school to bring out every crane?”
• Hilarious rant about people beefing with Tabitha Brown over career advice: “Go to cosmetology school. Go learn to clean grout.”
• Keia: lashes are $9 a pair and toothpaste is $10—“All I want to do is have healthy gums.”
• Quote [79:13, Kia]: “Everything is expensive. And I don’t understand what we’re supposed to do.”

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Notable Quotes

• [03:13, Jade] “I don’t want duvet friends. I want quilt friends.”
• [07:44, Michelle Obama] “Be easier on yourselves. As you enter this phase of life, you are just getting started.”
• [09:45, Craig Robinson] “Try as many things as you can.”
• [11:56, Jade] “I don’t have to be a fully formed project. I’m more like a loft…”
• [17:24, Keia] “No agenda, no deep lessons. Just the simple pleasure of remembering good times.”
• [25:51, Keia] “Coming back to campus with the sneakers the day before they were supposed to come out…it felt like a flex.”
• [52:03, Jade] “I was a child who enjoyed candy like I was born in 1937…”

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:02 – “Quilt friends,” birthday reflections, and safe spaces
• 06:42 – Introduction of Michelle Obama & Craig Robinson, letters to 30 and 40 year old selves
• 15:18 – Starting “Story Therapy” game
• 19:12 – Halloween costumes
• 22:44 – Sneaker flex stories
• 28:31 – New Year’s Eve memory
• 30:54 – Swimming pool childhood tales, generational context
• 42:14 – Bodega candy, chips, and snack nostalgia
• 55:01 – Clubbing and wild party memories
• 63:00 – On joy, grief, and self-care (“filling our cups first”)
• 67:36 – Keia’s student loan forgiveness announcement
• 73:10 – Petty peeves: construction, capitalism, Tabitha Brown
• 79:13 – “Everything is expensive” rant

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Tone & Style

• Warm, hilarious, and deeply Black—infused with cultural in-jokes and irreverence.
• Vulnerable but resolute in prioritizing Black women’s joy and sanity.
• Feels like a conversation among lifelong friends, constantly looping between roasting, affirmation, and practical advice.

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Takeaways for Listeners

• Storytelling as Self-Care: Recounting joyful personal memories provides escape and healing during challenging times.
• Adulthood Is Ongoing: Even Michelle Obama admits there’s no perfect path or age where things are “figured out.”
• Joy is Radical: Finding joy and laughter in Black womanhood can be a radical act of resistance and survival.
• Seek Help, Share Resources: Don’t be afraid to ask for help in navigating systemic issues—student loan forgiveness is possible.
• Community: Whether it’s through “story therapy,” club memories, or simply prioritizing friendships, nurturing your community is essential.

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“We have lots of laughs, lots of good memories, lots of love…and I’m grateful for our community, for this platform that’s afforded us opportunities that we never expected.” — Keia [63:48]

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Listen Next Week

Stay tuned for more “kitchen table” conversations, live show recaps, and special guests as Jade and Keia keep gettin’ grown and spreading Black woman joy.

Transcript

[Jeff Bridges]

Morning, Zoe. Got donuts.

[Dana]

Jeff Bridges, why are you still living above our garage?

[Jeff Bridges]

Well, I dig the mattress and I want to be in a T mobile commercial like you teach me. So, Dana.

[Dana]

Oh no, I'm not really prepared. I couldn't possibly at t mobile get the new iPhone 17 Pro on them. It's designed to be the most powerful iPhone yet and has the ultimate pro camera system.

[Jeff Bridges]

Wow, impressive. Let me try. T mobile is the best place to get iPhone 17 Pro because they've got the best network.

[Jade Verrett]

Nice.

[Dana]

Je free.

[Jade Verrett]

You heard them.

[Jeff Bridges]

T mobile is the best place to.

[Jade Verrett]

Get the new iPhone 17 Pro on us with eligible traded in any condition.

[Jeff Bridges]

So what are we having for lunch?

[Dana]

Dude, my work here is done.

[T-Mobile Announcer]

The 24 month bill. Credits on experience beyond for well qualified customers plus tax and 35 device connection charge. Credit send and balance due if you pay off earlier, Cancel Finance agreement. IPhone 17 Pro 256 gigs 1099.99 A new line minimum 100 plus a month plan with auto pay plus taxes and fees required. Best mobile network in the US based on analysis by Oklahoma Speed Test Intelligence Data 1H 2025 Visit T mobile.com I'm.

[Kia]

Gonna put you on, nephew.

[Jade Verrett]

All right.

[Kia]

Welcome to McDonald's.

[Dana]

Can I miss?

[Kia]

I've been hitting up McDonald's for years now. It's back. We need snack wraps.

[Jade Verrett]

What's a snack wrap? It's the return of something great. Snack wrap is back. It's so funny running into you.

[Kia]

Come on, Dave Hollister.

[Jade Verrett]

It has to be 3 inches since we've last seen each other.

[Kia]

Yep.

[Jade Verrett]

Many flashbacks come to mind. That's good. Of the wild and crazy times we used to have with one another.

[Kia]

Yep. Yep.

[Jade Verrett]

We absolutely didn't care. We would do it anywhere.

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

Eye contact and it was over. That's when I was wilding out. I couldn't care less about someone getting hurt.

[Kia]

I done my shoe and dirt.

[Jade Verrett]

I'm different now.

[Kia]

See.

[Jade Verrett]

All the times I used to beat it up, Dave. I would do it again. But I can't because my dick won't get hard. Everything is pretty bad. And my man does not like to stay in bound. Had no choice.

[Kia]

I did no choice but to become.

[Jade Verrett]

A one woman man. Cause she's the only one on the deal with me and my baby.

[Kia]

Wow.

[Jade Verrett]

Shout out to llama.

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

Shout out to llama.

[Kia]

That was for you, Llama.

[Jade Verrett]

That was for you, Llama. Our sound engineer.

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

Okay. I love everything about it. Praise the Lord.

[Kia]

Yes. Praise the Lord. And welcome back to the kitchen table. How are you, sis? I'm here post birthday.

[Jade Verrett]

Post birthday. Yeah, it was a beautiful birthday. I was been enveloped.

[Kia]

Enveloped. Enveloped in love.

[Jade Verrett]

Enveloped like a quilt.

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Jade Verrett]

Not like a duvet.

[Kia]

Not like a duvet.

[Jade Verrett]

I don't want duvet friends. I want quilt friends.

[Kia]

Okay.

[Jade Verrett]

You know what I'm saying? I want quilt love. Give me that quilt love. Give me that heavy winter time.

[Kia]

Yes. And ask it. Wrap me.

[Jade Verrett]

Exactly. Wrap me up. Wrap me, swaddle me, nigga.

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

I feel swaddled in love.

[Kia]

Of course.

[Jade Verrett]

So, yes, I am very grateful for that. I love that. And how are you doing?

[Kia]

I'm hanging in. You know, it's just the world work and all of that. But you know what we say I'm safe and I have what I need.

[Jade Verrett]

That's really it.

[Kia]

And I am just doing the best I can.

[Jade Verrett]

Yes.

[Kia]

With what I got. Come on, Mariah.

[Jade Verrett]

Because you're a one woman man.

[Kia]

That's it.

[Jade Verrett]

Shout out to our sister.

[Kia]

Yes. Thank you, Chrysalis Jeans, for joining us last week.

[Jade Verrett]

What a good conversation. It's always good when. When we get to link up.

[Kia]

Oh, my God, I love it. And shout out to Franiquo. She was supposed to be with us, but, you know, some things came up. But either way, we were able to hang out with her in celebration of your birthday.

[Jade Verrett]

Me and all my niggas.

[Kia]

All of us. Okay.

[Jade Verrett]

All my niggas in the whole wide world. Listen, I'm just. This shit is for us.

[Kia]

I'm excited.

[Jade Verrett]

I'm just really. That's really the best part of all of this.

[Kia]

Absolutely.

[Jade Verrett]

So I'm feeling grateful. And yes, we missed our friend Neuqua at the recording session. But it won't be the last time. No. You know what I mean. How are you doing?

[Kia]

I'm okay. I'm excited to get into today's conversation. As we have been talking about, you know, the world is worlding and it's so easy to feel inundated with all of the negativity. And so we're gonna play a little game today.

[Jade Verrett]

Yes.

[Kia]

And escape. We're gonna escape.

[Jade Verrett]

Escape. I love escape. You know, I love escape.

[Kia]

We're going to escape.

[Jade Verrett]

Yes.

[Kia]

And, you know, we've played the word association game in terms of songs that come to mind. But I thought it would be a good use of our time to literally do a deep dive into our own core memories, the things that bring us joy and make us who we are. So we're gonna play a game that I think I wanna call, like story therapy.

[Jade Verrett]

Yeah.

[Kia]

And just like, you know, leveraging our own memories and experiences to reconnect to, you know, ourselves and find joy and practice a little gratitude and remember that even though the world is worlding, we still have. Yeah. We still have love and light.

[Jade Verrett]

Absolutely.

[Kia]

And we can look around and see God's goodness and remember how, you know, we've been. We. We've always been taken care of and we take care of each other.

[Jade Verrett]

Honestly, don't nobody bring me no bad news.

[Kia]

Come on. No.

[Jade Verrett]

That's the point. So we just had to, like, take a break, take a respite from all that is being flung at us like a batting cage on a daily basis and be able to go back in time a little bit.

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Jade Verrett]

And just reflect on different. Nothing of. Of like substantial. No, it's just like memories, you know what I'm saying? Like the corners of our minds so that it's a good time and join us at the kitchen table. In the meantime, in between time, make sure you check out the Patreon where you get the video version of this podcast. And it's the best way to support us here at getting grown. So shall we head over to the kitchen table?

[Kia]

Let's do it.

[Jade Verrett]

All right. Michelle, Maibel and Craig.

[Kia]

Oh, my gosh. First of all, what an honor. Being grown is super excited to be connecting with the IMO podcast featuring the legendary one and only our fave and my play cousin, Michelle Lavar Robinson Obama and her brother Craig.

[Jade Verrett]

Everybody's. Who's Black's cousin, Craig Robinson? Because I feel like everybody Black has a cousin named Craig. I certainly do, period. We're here to ask you all two questions that we think would be very beneficial to our audience and to yours. You want to give them a little context, sis?

[Kia]

Sure. So a few years back when we first started our podcast, I believe it was like 2018, we had an episode entitled Letters to Our 20 Year Old Selves and it was a hit. People really enjoyed the opportunity to reflect and think back on the advice we wish somebody would have told us. So we thought it would be cool to pose the question to you guys, but we're gonna do it with a bit of a twist.

[Jade Verrett]

We want to know what advice you would give to your 30 year old self.

[Michelle Obama]

Hey, Kia and Jade. Oh, thanks for the question. We get this question a lot. What? What is one piece of advice that I give my 30 year old self? I'd be like, the main thing would be, it's okay, girl. You can get a whole lot wrong. You know, do not be afraid of. Of Having the right answer. Because guess what y', all, there isn't a right answer to most things. I mean there are right answers to the basics. You know, yes, it is important not to be a liar. Yes, it is important to be loyal. It's important to work hard. It's important to lead a life with compassion and empathy. I mean I think that there are some big over overarching, more moral based kind if you, if you don't practice that stuff I think doesn't serve you. But when it comes to just basic stuff, you know, like what your major is in college, whether you're on the perfect career track, whether the person you are dating right now is the right person, all of that, you know, there, there's room to for error in a lot of life's challenges that we face. And I tell my girl, be easier on yourselves. As you enter this phase of life, you are just getting started. There are many, many chapters and you're gonna learn a lot from your failures and your challenges. Just don't back down from them, embrace them and then grow from them. You try to make mistakes a couple of times, but try not to repeat the same patterns. Those would be some of the pieces of advice that I would give myself and I'm still trying to live by those, those pieces of advice right now. What does my big brother have to say who is far older and wiser than me?

[Craig Robinson]

First of all, Kia Jade, thanks for the question and congrats on all your success and really happy for you. And if I had to go back in time and talk to my 30 year old self, I would be first and foremost happy to be able to go back in time and be my 30 year old self. That would be fantastic. But what I would tell my 30 year old self is a couple of things. First, figure out what you love doing rather than how much you want to earn. Because if you can figure out something you love doing and find that the earlier you find that out, the better it'll be for you emotionally and psychologically as well as financially. And then the second thing which is sort of connected to the first thing is do not, and I repeat, do not be afraid to try new things as you get older. Because we are programmed as humans as we get older to get more conservative and to figure out, all right, we need to figure out what we're doing, what we wanna and then stick with that. And if I was Talking to my 30 year old self, I would say try as many things as you can. If you are a hard worker and a successful person, you'll be able to bounce back from any kind of change or any kind of altering that comes in your life. And I'm happy to say I've learned that. It took me a while, it took me being a little bit older to learn that, but if I could have done that earlier, I think it would have benefited me greatly. So really appreciate the question and keep up the good work.

[Jade Verrett]

Michelle, this is why you are who you are. Craig. This is why you are who you are. Because I don't have anything figured out.

[Kia]

And what a gift, right, to know like that. It just takes the pressure off because there's much so there is that constant expectation that you are finished and settled and that's just not.

[Jade Verrett]

I'm okay. I don't have to be a fully formed project. No. I'm more like a loft, you know what I mean? With concrete floors and slightly construction.

[Kia]

Lots of possibilities.

[Jade Verrett]

Exactly.

[Kia]

The room can go in any direction.

[Jade Verrett]

But thank you all for that.

[Kia]

And since my sis Jade is turning the big four zero this year and since I'm already in my 40s, it's a bit of a different era for the girls and our listening audience includes those girlies too. So we also would love if you can think, what advice would you give your 40 year old self? What are some of the things that you wish you would have somebody would have told you as you were on the precipice of your 40s as well.

[Jade Verrett]

My mother said it was the best time of her life. But I'd like to know what Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson have to say about that.

[Kia]

Absolutely.

[Craig Robinson]

If I had one piece of advice to give my 40 year old self, it would be don't stop working out because it's hard to get going again once you stop. So no matter what's going on with life, keep the workout routine going.

[Michelle Obama]

I would say maintain your connections with friends in your 40s. You're probably at the time of life where you're starting a family. Maybe you're in the peak of your career and it's easy to let relationships with friends and family slip. So prioritize that.

[Craig Robinson]

Beautiful.

[Kia]

Listen again. Major keys, spot on advice, the best of advice and it's so true, especially for women. Strength training as you age becomes more and more critical. We heard Dr. Wendy say that when we were in Chicago.

[Jade Verrett]

Absolutely.

[Kia]

And it's something that's very true and current like you can't forget to move your body, you can't forget to build your muscles and also prioritizing your friendships.

[Jade Verrett]

I love that you said that, Michelle, because you already know how we feel about friendship and sisterhood. Like friendships are their chosen family. This is sacred. So I really appreciate that. That's something that I would have given and so to receive it from somebody, somebody's as great as we did, I'm just. I'm over the moon. Thank you all so much. What a flex.

[Kia]

Love it for us. Make sure you check out the IMO podcast everywhere you get your podcast. And make sure you keep checking out. Getting grown.

[Jade Verrett]

That's right.

[Jeff Bridges]

Morning, Zoe. Got donuts.

[Dana]

Jeff Bridges, why are you still living above our garage?

[Jeff Bridges]

Well, I dig the mattress and I want to a T mobile commercial like you teach me. So. Dana.

[Dana]

Oh, no, I'm not really prepared. I couldn't possibly at t mobile get the new iPhone 17 Pro on them. It's designed to be the most powerful iPhone yet and has the ultimate pro camera system.

[Jeff Bridges]

Wow, impressive. Let me try. T mobile is the best place to get iPhone 17 Pro because they've got the best network.

[Jade Verrett]

Nice.

[Dana]

Jeffrey, you heard them.

[Jeff Bridges]

T mobile is the best place to.

[Jade Verrett]

Get the new iPhone 17 Pro on us with eligible traded in any condition.

[Jeff Bridges]

So what are we having for launch?

[Dana]

Dude, my work here is done.

[T-Mobile Announcer]

The 24 month credit is on experience beyond for well qualified customers plus tax and 35 device connection charge credits ended balance due if you pay off earlier. Cancel Finance Agreement. IPhone 17 Pro 256 gigs $1099.99 and new line minimum 100 plus a month plan with auto pay plus taxes and fees required. Best mobile network in the US based on analysis by Oaklove Speed Test Intelligence data 182025 Visit T mobile.com.

[Kia]

Welcome back to the kitchen table.

[Jade Verrett]

Oh.

[Kia]

So I figured play a little game today.

[Jade Verrett]

Okay. Oh God, my. My spirit needs it.

[Kia]

Thank you. Same big, big, big, big, same. The truth is like, you know, we're just feeling heavy. Heavy times.

[Jade Verrett]

Truth is I'm tired.

[Kia]

Exactly. Thank you, Tamlin. Hello.

[Jade Verrett]

Yo. Wait, hold on. That's the light skinned lady from the Tyler Perry plays, right?

[Kia]

Yes. Well, she has a career outside of that, but. Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

What's the career outside of that?

[Kia]

She's been a singer for like. Like she sung. She was the original member of Kirk Franklin and the family.

[Jade Verrett]

Oh, but still gospel.

[Kia]

Oh, yes.

[Jade Verrett]

Okay. I thought you meant so well.

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

I saw a photo of her a while back. She had on like a body con. I was like a bad bitch. Like this is not the lady from those plays that I've seen before.

[Kia]

Correct. She has been down to the Weight Watchers and working on her fitness. And, you know, now she's outside. She got a shapewear line. Oh, okay.

[Jade Verrett]

Okay.

[Kia]

All right. And she's. She's also a really good cook. She has a cooking show on behalf of ET Pl.

[Jade Verrett]

What's a really good cook? Cuz I watched the Clark sister desecrate some yams, and I was like, you know, y' all desecrate a song in the best of ways. You ruin those yams.

[Kia]

Not desecrate in the best of ways.

[Jade Verrett]

No, I mean, you know, like, they tear it down.

[Kia]

Oh, nasty work.

[Jade Verrett]

But, like, so good. But the yams sister, I did not see that. Yeah, and you shouldn't, because.

[Kia]

So I will say of what I have seen, it looked like good food.

[Jade Verrett]

Okay, all right.

[Kia]

I'm not just saying that. That she's a good cook because other people have said it. I watched her make.

[Jade Verrett]

It looks right. Yes.

[Kia]

I watched her make chicken and rice. You know, I love a chicken and rice. Number one.

[Jade Verrett]

I love a chicken and rice. We don't need to be doing all of that.

[Kia]

Sometimes you just need a good. A basic. A good.

[Jade Verrett]

Yes.

[Kia]

I mean. But flavorful.

[Jade Verrett]

Yes.

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Jade Verrett]

I mean, me and Mary were talking about that the other. Actually, you know what? I'll wait. Because that might actually correlate into our episode.

[Kia]

We're actually already playing it.

[Jade Verrett]

We're doing it already.

[Kia]

I love it for us. Okay. Yes. So what was I gonna say? So I thought we would try something different today. We're gonna call it story therapy.

[Jade Verrett]

I like that.

[Kia]

Basically, it's a word association game where we're going to prompt each other with different words and see what stories come up.

[Jade Verrett]

Okay.

[Kia]

No agenda, no deep lessons. Just the simple pleasure of remembering good times and sharing them with each other and with our audience.

[Jade Verrett]

We need that.

[Kia]

We do. Because I feel like we're all inundated with all this negative narrative news cycle and just commentary. And I personally, I'm closing the door. I'm very much saying, no, thank you.

[Jade Verrett]

And I'm protecting my neck. Well, Jesus, that was a reference to a song, okay?

[Kia]

It totally was. It totally was. But, yes, we are. So, yeah, I'm saying no, and I'm being intentional. This is also, like, you know, we're both grieving and we have to put some parameters on our thoughts, sometimes some boundaries, and focus on the things that give us joy. Okay. And help us remember who we are. So here we have a few rules. We're gonna take turns giving each other a word or a short phrase. Okay? Whatever memory or Story comes to mind first. That's what we'll share. Okay. No overthinking. No perfect. Stories. Literally, just like when we play the word association and we think of songs, the first thing that comes to your mind when I say Bears of Paradise. Oh, okay.

[Jade Verrett]

Okay. All right.

[Kia]

So it can be anything.

[Jade Verrett]

All right?

[Kia]

It could be funny, sweet, random, recent, or from childhood. There's no judgment. So whatever story comes out, that's the story that comes out. Okay. And if a story leads to another story, Kind of like how we was talking about this game, then we was talking about table of. Mandy was talking about chicken and rice.

[Jade Verrett]

Yes. So, you know, essentially, this is just a 10 episode of Get Grill.

[Kia]

Got it.

[Jade Verrett]

Okay.

[Kia]

The goal is to just remember good stuff together.

[Jade Verrett]

All right?

[Kia]

Okay. So I am gonna go first. Okay. And I'm gonna ask you the first thing or what comes to your mind first when you hear Halloween costume.

[Jade Verrett]

Oh, Halloween costume. Probably, you know. Cause Halloween is fine. It's two things that come to my head immediately. One is a brand partnership.

[Kia]

Okay.

[Jade Verrett]

Where they asked me a while. This is many years ago, but they said, you know, we want you to do our Halloween line. And I've done some work with them, and I really enjoyed working with them. But I said, you know, I got a lot of respect for you all, and I like to get paid, but niggas know I don't wear a jack o' lantern sweater. And if they see me in a jack o' lantern sweater, they're gonna be like, something's up. What the fuck is she doing?

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Jade Verrett]

Like false advertising.

[Kia]

Yeah. So that is probably the.

[Jade Verrett]

Probably the first thing. The second thing would be Fury's trilloueen. Yes. And I was being forced.

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

You know, they were like, jade, you must dress up.

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

And so I wore all brown jumpsuit, boots, shirt, sweater, or whatever, and my hair was a red, like, fro. And I said, I am a blood. That's correct. That's probably the two things that come to mind. I was like, this is the lit end, and then the rest is the blood. Nothing but consistent.

[Kia]

The trillo Ween.

[Jade Verrett]

Trilloween.

[Kia]

I've been to the Trilloween. I've never dressed up.

[Jade Verrett]

You did not.

[Kia]

I think everybody knows. I mean. But I will say in college, we, a group of friends, we lived in a suite. We would do group costumes, and it was just the beautiful, the perfect blend of lazy and genius.

[Jade Verrett]

Okay, so what was it?

[Kia]

So we all wore. So one year, we did, like, Black Panthers and we got berets and Leather gloves. And we just.

[Jade Verrett]

You know, that was very easy. I've done that. I think I did that. At another Trilla week, another year, we.

[Kia]

All wore, like, white tees and jeans and jean jackets, and we had, like, white head wrap, and we wrote our area codes, and we were the hoes from different area codes. Stop. I got hoes.

[Jade Verrett]

Hey, I got hoes.

[Kia]

Come on, Nate dogs.

[Jade Verrett]

Different area codes. Area. Area codes. Hoes. Yes, Hoes.

[Kia]

Sing, Nate doll. I miss him. I miss him.

[Jade Verrett]

Wait, why did. Noah asked me the other day on the way to school, can we listen to Ludacris Chris today?

[Kia]

Of course I can.

[Jade Verrett]

Back for the first time or.

[Kia]

What do you want to listen to? Do not threaten me with a good.

[Jade Verrett]

Time, girl that hoes. Hoes.

[Kia]

Yes. Oh, my God.

[Jade Verrett]

It's my favorite vocalist.

[Kia]

The people. Don't they play on they dog's top?

[Jade Verrett]

They really do. And while ain't no fun, is still is. You know, in context.

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

It's still a jail. Somebody's about to be so mad at me right now, they'll be like, jerry, that is problematic.

[Kia]

We are a people in process.

[Jade Verrett]

We are. We are. Okay, give me a word. Okay. All right. A word for you. Sneakers.

[Kia]

The first thing that comes to mind, of course, is Jordans, but I have a story.

[Jade Verrett]

Okay.

[Kia]

When we were in college, again, this was the first re release of the Gray Elevens.

[Jade Verrett]

Oh, okay, wait, hold on. Can we just pause for a second?

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

The Gray Elevens were gorgeous when they came out, because remember, the originals were the black and whites.

[Kia]

That's right.

[Jade Verrett]

Black and white 11s came out then. They came out with the black and reds. I didn't have the black and whites. I had the black and reds.

[Kia]

The black, white and reds. Black, white and reds. Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

Then they came out with the Carolina. The all white and Carolina Blue 11s. That was the third release. And when them grays dropped, I said, this is nasty.

[Kia]

The cool grays.

[Jade Verrett]

Ooh, the cool grays with that gray patent leather and the. Oh, I just had to give a moment to that sneaker.

[Kia]

At that time, I had a gray north face. So it was like, I have to get these sneakers by any means necessary. Hello. So I was. We were in college, and this was before, like. Yeah, I had to be, like, 18 or 19. I got on the bus. Me and Toya got on the bus. The Manhattanville. We had a. So there was the city bus that came to campus, and then there was a branded bus that would run in and out of the city like, every hour. And the Nearest city to where we went to school was White Plains. So it would take to the mall, go to the Westchester, go to the Galleria.

[Jade Verrett]

What is that, the cross section? The cross, whatever. Is that the mall out there?

[Kia]

Oh, the Westchester.

[Jade Verrett]

Yeah.

[Kia]

Or the Westchester and the gallery. Oh, cross county.

[Jade Verrett]

Oh, I'm thinking of the cross country.

[Kia]

You think? Of course. That's in Yonkers.

[Jade Verrett]

Yeah.

[Kia]

So. Yes. So me and Toya and so I. The branded bus that would take us to White Plains was called the Valley and Express. Okay. So we. Manhattanville College and now it's Manhattanville University. But Manhattanville. I know, uppity. Hello.

[Jade Verrett]

11. University.

[Kia]

University. So at the time it was Manville College. And there's a big castle, like a Gilded Age like castle. So the castle was on the side of this. It was a big red school bus with a castle on the side. Me and Toya on the Valiant Express. Cause we got to get these sneakers. Yeah.

[Jade Verrett]

Yes.

[Kia]

So we, you know, this was a time, this was before the Internet when we were getting, you know, shopping on the Internet. We had to go and stand in line.

[Jade Verrett]

Just stand on the line to get your shoes.

[Kia]

You know, the young people haven't been through anything.

[Jade Verrett]

No, they haven't.

[Kia]

You see what I'm saying?

[Jade Verrett]

Because they don't even. They were not there there for the original releases before they were ever called retros.

[Kia]

This is what I'm saying.

[Jade Verrett]

This is another full conversation. Don't play with me.

[Kia]

So we. There was a sneaker shop on Mamaroneck Avenue we found. And let's say they were supposed to come out. Let's say they was coming out on a Saturday. Toya knew somebody that worked at this sneaker shop. He had them already. We could go on Friday.

[Jade Verrett]

Okay.

[Kia]

So we got on the Valiant Express to get them sneakers and I just. There was just, just coming back to campus wearing the sneakers the day before they were supposed to come out. It felt like it was a fl.

[Jade Verrett]

It's the equivalent of walking into school late with your fast food for your lunch. You know what I mean?

[Kia]

Exactly, exactly. Like Whether you coming back from a doctor's appointment, your mama let you stop at the McDonald's drive thru. You coming back in with your McDonald's bag and all the girls in your.

[Jade Verrett]

Are you enjoying your square pizza? Exactly. Do you like your Elios, your pouch of.

[Kia]

Do you like your oatmeal Spunky Meyer cookies? Are you enjoying those?

[Jade Verrett]

What about those dry. Famous.

[Kia]

Famous. So yes, when I think of a sneaker, that's the story we got. And just Coming back to campus and us walking around, and I had my gray north face and those gray, cool grays. I mean, those cool grays. I just felt like a woman on top of the world. You could tell me nothing.

[Jade Verrett]

Sitting on top of the world.

[Kia]

It was just a beautiful time. I had some straight. I had some straight back. Yes. What is it when they add the hair? Not at the feed in.

[Jade Verrett]

Oh, feeding.

[Kia]

Oh, I had some feed in feeding.

[Jade Verrett]

Okay.

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

Which. I don't think we called them that then.

[Kia]

We didn't call them that.

[Jade Verrett]

It was just cornrow.

[Kia]

We call them cornrows. Yeah, but it was like the feed ins with the knot up here, or no knot. So these were like knotless cornrows.

[Jade Verrett]

Okay.

[Kia]

But we call them feed ins because.

[Jade Verrett]

Nobody has time for that.

[Kia]

Nobody has time for that.

[Jade Verrett]

Nobody has time for them nasty Tyler Perry microphone knots at the top of your fucking braids. No, but.

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

Yeah, that was a flex. That's a flexi kind of.

[Kia]

That was a good memory.

[Jade Verrett]

That's a flexi kind of.

[Kia]

That's a good memory, and I'm grateful.

[Jade Verrett]

Okay. I love that.

[Kia]

Yes. All right, let me give you a.

[Jade Verrett]

I was the sneaker hookup.

[Kia]

Oh. Cause you went down for the Foot Locker foot action. Foot action.

[Jade Verrett]

And, you know. Sorry. Foot action. Statue of limitations is fully up. Has been for some time.

[Kia]

Okay. But.

[Jade Verrett]

But that's why I be looking at these young people on TikTok and stuff where they be like, let me show you how you can scam American Express.

[Kia]

You guys are not bright.

[Jade Verrett]

I'm like, first of all, you all are not bright. Second of all, you live in a terrible time where surveillance is all over the place. Because when I worked at Foot Action, we was robbing them blind. Do you hear me?

[Kia]

Good times.

[Jade Verrett]

We were robbing them blind. And niggas all over the place had had their clean, crispy uptowns.

[Kia]

Oh, yes.

[Jade Verrett]

Because you know what I'm saying. I was passing out sneakers like Nino Brown. It was a good time.

[Kia]

It was a good time.

[Jade Verrett]

There's about to be a news thing. They're like. Podcast host Jade Verrett has been banned from every foot action through America for.

[Jeff Bridges]

The rest of her life.

[Jade Verrett]

Like, y', all, I don't even want to go anyway. Shop online. Okay, word.

[Kia]

Let me see. I'm gonna do New Year's Eve.

[Jade Verrett]

New Year's Eve. Ooh, that's a good one. New Year's Eve. A memory from New Year's Eve. A memory.

[Kia]

Or anything that comes to mind for New Year's Eve.

[Jade Verrett]

I why is this so. This is a super random. I don't think there's anything that's like. I had a really Puerto Rican New Year's Eve, I don't know, 15 years ago.

[Kia]

Okay.

[Jade Verrett]

I went to my cousin's boyfriend's parents house.

[Kia]

Okay, okay, okay.

[Jade Verrett]

In Teaneck, New Jersey.

[Kia]

Oh, boy, what a time.

[Jade Verrett]

By way of the Bronx. Obviously, you know, because it's Teaneck. You already know depending upon where you already know what it is. So. Went to a very Puerto Rican New Year's. They were like, dress up. And I was like, but we're coming to your house. Like, but we had to dress up.

[Kia]

Like dresses. Like cocktail.

[Jade Verrett]

Cocktail dresses.

[Kia]

Wow.

[Jade Verrett]

Cocktail dresses. So we could wipe out in the basement. Come on. But it was a spread. It was a spread. I'm talking Pernil. I'm talking arroz de cantulo. I'm talking Puerto Rican potato salad, which is very different from black American potato salad. But I do enjoy it with the arroz yandules. You know what I'm saying? It was just a spread of delicious food. You know how my eye. You know me. So when I walked in and I'm like not super excited about having to wear this dress. And I met my boyfriend. I mean, my boyfriend, my cousin's boyfriend's parent. I'm like, okay, this is so random, but I'm here. I had a boyfriend with me. Oh, this wasn't 15 years. This is longer than that. Had a little boyfriend with me that I don't. We had a good time, but it was just a random night. And my cousin, another cousin. But we go. My eyes lit up like Christmas lights over this spread of food. And I said, who are you all?

[Kia]

Thank you for having me. New Year's. Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

And then we just. And we wait by through the streets. They did a. They did a line through the streets. We was way buying through the streets. And Teaneck, New Jersey. And that's the only. The only New Year's I ever spent in New Jersey, because New Jersey. But it was a really good one. I don't know why that. And I never think about that, but you just had me think about that.

[Kia]

See, I love this game.

[Jade Verrett]

I love that. Okay, a word for you.

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

Huh? Swimming pool. That's two words.

[Kia]

Yes. Okay. We had a swimming pool. So my grandparents stayed at a. Well, we stayed in a parsonage because, you know, my grandfather pasted the church and the parsonage had a swimming pool.

[Jade Verrett]

Okay.

[Kia]

It was closed most of the time because, you know, it Very much gave, like, y' all not gonna get in that pool. So they just never.

[Jade Verrett]

Yo, black people get on my nerves.

[Kia]

But I do have some memories of, like when we were younger and they in the. In the pool. You know, we would open the pool every year and Dee Da loved to swim.

[Jade Verrett]

Oh, Dee Dah.

[Kia]

Okay. DDI was a lifeguard. Really?

[Jade Verrett]

Yes. Not me over being low key racist. I'm like, dee Da can swim. That's so terrible. My grandfather can't sw. A Ddot was a lifeguard.

[Kia]

He was a lifeguard and he worked in the. For the city of Nashville as a lifeguard for the community pool.

[Jade Verrett]

I love that.

[Kia]

Yes. I was one of his hustles, side jobs, those kinds of things. And so look at me learning new things every day. He loved swim. So when we would go on our family vacations, like, swimming with Di was always a thing. And I remember there were a few hotels, maybe fourth of July or something, where we would, you know, grandma, we would. We would cook out in the backyard and we would have the pool. And so there was a. It was a. It was a decent size pool. It wasn't big, right, but it was big enough where we could have like a shallow end and a deep end. The deep end maybe went to 7ft.

[Jade Verrett]

I love that.

[Kia]

And there was a diving board. And so I remember Dedi, I used to cannonball off the diving board. And that was just like. I remember being young, I would pay money to see that cracking up. I remember being like, just like. It would be the funniest thing to my 8 year old mind to see DD jump Ollie and like knees to chest and cannonball into the ball.

[Jade Verrett]

Have you ever thought about how old your grandparents were at certain points in your life? Yes, Yes, I just had that thought.

[Kia]

Yes. I think about that often now. I think about that. I feel like every time I have a birthday, I think about what age my mother was when. You know what I'm saying? Or like what age I was when my mom was.

[Jade Verrett]

When your mom was that age and where she was.

[Kia]

So I think about it a lot because the math always baffles me because we talked about it like, my grandparents got married super young. 20 and 21.

[Jade Verrett]

Yep.

[Kia]

And that means they had like five children by the time they were like 35.

[Jade Verrett]

Yep. Which is like, that's insane.

[Kia]

What?

[Jade Verrett]

And now I think about 30. I'm like, my little sister's 37.

[Kia]

Exactly. That's insane. Exactly. So I often think about, like. And I think this is something. Honestly, sis, that tempers My relationship with my mom or how I talk to her now, because I often think about how different our lives are. My mom has never been my age and not had children. You know what I'm saying? Like, even though. Even when me and Brian were older, she was still a mom.

[Jade Verrett]

Yeah.

[Kia]

So there are certain things, like she does not know what it's like to be this age and not have that responsibility. So I think about that a lot. And the same for Grandma and the same for Ddaw. So I feel like this. That's good context. When I see them struggling to understand some of the decisions that I make or some of the way that my life is set up, I see them, like, glitching. And I try to bear in mind that they have no concept of my life.

[Jade Verrett]

None at all.

[Kia]

None at all.

[Jade Verrett]

Because things were completely wrong.

[Kia]

Absolutely.

[Jade Verrett]

Even I think about our commentary just among each other. I want to say it was at some of the Chicago show, like, we say it often. Me and XD talk about the grandmas make tacos now.

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Jade Verrett]

You know, all. All of that stuff. My grandmother, the one who just. My grandmother who just passed was 41 when I was born.

[Kia]

Wow.

[Jade Verrett]

Right?

[Kia]

Wow.

[Jade Verrett]

Right?

[Kia]

Wow.

[Jade Verrett]

I just had my 40th birthday yesterday. My grandmother was 41 when I was born. Born. My other grandmother was 49 when I was born. And I think about some of my homegirls. Some of my homegirls are 52, 53 years old.

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

I'm like, man. And when I was not. And by the time I was born, I had so many. I have. I told you, 26 first cousins.

[Kia]

Yeah. So it wasn't like you were the only one.

[Jade Verrett]

No. Hell no. I wasn't even fifth.

[Kia]

Exactly.

[Jade Verrett]

Like, so. So I just put that. I was like, oh, so the grandmas were making tacos back then, too. They're just, you know, they didn't know about tacos.

[Kia]

They didn't know about tacos.

[Jade Verrett]

Exactly.

[Kia]

It was probably more like Salisbury steak.

[Jade Verrett]

Right.

[Kia]

Which was new family, you know what I'm saying?

[Jade Verrett]

Beef stroganoff, you know. But especially after my Mimi passed is when I started really putting in context, because, again, she got married 16, when my grandfather was 18.

[Kia]

Wow.

[Jade Verrett]

So when I think of it. And then my parents were super young parents, so I do. I do the same thing. And I find myself doing it more frequently now.

[Kia]

It is so. Yeah. So I remember Didi being young. I remember when his hair was black. I remember when. You know what I'm saying? I remember when he was like. Was felt.

[Jade Verrett]

Yep.

[Kia]

And then I remember I could remember him starting to age. I remember grandma starting to age. But did I was young enough to do a cannonball.

[Jade Verrett]

I love my grandfather was young enough. I want to say he low key, almost still can but he could bend over and touch the floor straight legged, palms flat to the floor. Like he just was so flexible in that way. He was a track runner and we were talking about swimming pools earlier. You know, my great grandfather was the only black swimming team member, whatever you want to call it on the team and he swam on the swim team in high school with the original Tarzan.

[Kia]

Wow.

[Jade Verrett]

I have a picture I'll show you one day.

[Kia]

I remember when Didot told me that he was a lifeguard and was just sort of explaining to us like I had to take the test. How did you become a lifeguard? I had to take the test. And so me being me, I'm like was it written? Was it a written?

[Jade Verrett]

You're like I can't comprehend anymore anything that's like school.

[Kia]

I was like, I mean what did you have to learn? He labeled me like no, there was no pencil.

[Jade Verrett]

I had to blow into that dummy spot.

[Kia]

Exactly. But he, no, but he actually told me that like at that time you in order to get certified you didn't just have to know how to like swim in pools but he had to like he trained in the Cumberland River.

[Jade Verrett]

Oh, in the river. Because it's very different, honey.

[Kia]

Yes. Current, all of that.

[Jade Verrett]

Let me tell you all something. If you trying to swim to shore and you in the ocean and you feel like you do not swim straight, you swim diagonally. If you're running from an alligator, you run diagonally.

[Kia]

I remember zigzag. I have that memory. Like I asked that question. Everyone just fell out laughing and I was so serious. Like I really want to know. I want to know. I'm sure you had to read a book or something.

[Jade Verrett]

You're like, please tell me.

[Kia]

And everyone was just test work. And I was just like, I mean, I think it's a valid question.

[Jade Verrett]

I'd pay money to go back in time like Ebenezer Scrooge and watch all my friends as little kids.

[Kia]

Same, same.

[Jade Verrett]

Very much a prince.

[Kia]

Pass.

[Jade Verrett]

I would pay money to see everybody, everybody as a child.

[Kia]

Oh, it's so good. I would love that.

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[Jade Verrett]

Fall came twirling right in, didn't she? And it's the perfect time to refresh your wardrobe with pieces that feel as good as look honey. Luckily, Quince makes it easy to look polished, stay warm and save big without compromising on quality. Quince has all the elevated essentials for fall. Think 100% Mongolian cashmere from $50 washable silk tops and skirts. Very important because who has time to be trekking back and forth to the dry cleaners and perfectly tailored denim all at prices that feel too good to be true. By partnering directly with ethical top tier factories. Very important. And cutting out the middle part, man, Quince cuts out the middleman to deliver luxury quality pieces at half the price of similar brands. Now you know, I had to get myself some fall staples because, you know, I found a couple holes in my sweaters. I probably need to put some cedar in my closet. You know how that goes. But it was an excuse because I got the cutest Mongolian cashmere crew neck sweater in a forest green. You all know how I feel about a a good earth tone. So. And she was only $50. Plus I got an oversized Mongolian cashmere sweater, Heather Storm blue. Okay. So she falls into my palette but also gives me a little j. I got a little cropped like an organic cotton micro rig crop cutaway tank top. You know, she got a little muscle cut to her. So if I want to throw it on with a chunky sweater, a denim jacket, you know, a cute pant, she's a good basic for layering ring. And then y' all know how I feel about looking like Shaft. Okay.

[Kia]

I absolutely love it.

[Jade Verrett]

I aspire too. So I was able to snag a coffee bean brown trench coat, babe. Okay, I'm giving who is the woman who comes here with her hand Jade. And also, it's not just, it's not just clothing that you can purchase. There's all kinds of home decorations, goods. I've gotten really good stainless steel pots and pans. I've told you all before. Beautiful sheet sets that feel like honey on your skin. And then, you know, we were in the market for a new living room rug, so I got a Dakota handloom wool rug in a beautiful blue that is just like really great quality, a beautiful color and an incredible price.

[Kia]

Price.

[Jade Verrett]

Go and get your life, all right? Go get things that you need. Keep it classic and cozy this fall with long lasting staples from quince. Go to quince.com grown for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. That's a full year. That's Q-U-I-N c e.com grown to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com grown okay, your turn.

[Kia]

My word for you is now and laters.

[Jade Verrett]

Now and later. Damn. Damn. Now and laters, huh?

[Kia]

Not later. Not later. That's how we used to say not later.

[Jade Verrett]

I've always enjoyed them. Yes, but I did feel like they were going to rip the back of my teeth off.

[Kia]

Well, I mean, naturally, I feel like there was a science. No, you're not supposed to buy den.

[Jade Verrett]

You don't bite. AI. You suck on it for actually the.

[Kia]

Worst thing that you can do, you.

[Jade Verrett]

Start to, you know, as it softens.

[Kia]

You have to let it get malleable in the mouth.

[Jade Verrett]

Exactly. It's got to get malleable in your. You know, you got to let it get soft. That's the only thing you want to get soft in your mouth. I told you, I'm 12.

[Kia]

That's what she said. What a mess this is.

[Jade Verrett]

But I love it.

[Kia]

We need these laughs as I said here.

[Jade Verrett]

Like, My grandmother was 41 when I was born.

[Kia]

I'm 40. And I'm like, no, but that's real, though. And I'm sure she at some point was laughing at the same things.

[Jade Verrett]

I know she was. Exactly. I remember when I got in trouble for my first tattoo and. Cause I was egregiously young.

[Kia]

Egregiously young.

[Jade Verrett]

Like 15. Yeah, yeah. Like I went and snuck off a shop.

[Kia]

That didn't.

[Jade Verrett]

That did not.

[Kia]

That did not id.

[Jade Verrett]

We didn't live in a time of rule. You know what I'm saying? I still get shocked when people put their seatbelts on in the backseat. I'm like, oh, yeah, we're supposed to do that. So, you know, we come from a different.

[Kia]

Yes, we are children of the. We were born. We were born in the 80s, raised in the 90s. The 90s was the wild West.

[Jade Verrett]

It really was.

[Kia]

Okay. Because when I tell people how old I was the first time I took a subway, people always want to call my mother and call DSS on Rhonda. But we were just doing the best we could.

[Jade Verrett]

But even as I think about Noah and, and like today, where I'M like, shit, I have to go to the studio. I'm the main source of drop off and pickup. Tristan can't leave. Who's gonna pick her up? I'm like, damn, this would be convenient for me to just let her get on the fucking bus. Listen. You know what I mean? But it's just. It's just different.

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Jade Verrett]

Now, laters. Why am I having such a hard time with a memory of now and Laters? Or something that's associated with non laters? Maybe, I don't know.

[Kia]

Don't stress. No, no, don't stress.

[Jade Verrett]

Now I will tell you my hard, soft candy of choice.

[Kia]

Okay, Please give it to me.

[Jade Verrett]

It was really hard. Was. When I was a kid, was sprees.

[Kia]

Now, I do enjoy a spree. Yes. So the thing about sprees and Mentos.

[Jade Verrett]

Oh, if you have Mentos, eat them.

[Kia]

A pack at a time. Yeah. I'm never fascinated by people who would, like, have sprees left. Cause it's like, you gotta eat the whole.

[Jade Verrett]

I'm like, no, no. Because then it's. It doesn't. Although you can save a few. But what you have to do is you gotta twist.

[Kia]

Now, this is the cultural capital that the kids are missing.

[Jade Verrett]

I love that we.

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

That's such a small, big thing. You gotta take it and you just twist it close. Make your little.

[Kia]

And put it away. Your little.

[Jade Verrett]

Couple of five, six sprees left, and you put it away.

[Kia]

So give me the context of when you would enjoy a spree. Because when I think of candy, I think of church.

[Jade Verrett]

Oh, well. So me and my friend Keisha, we go to the bodega and then we go get. I had a standard order. Yeah, My standard order.

[Kia]

Yes, please.

[Jade Verrett]

A pickle.

[Kia]

Okay.

[Jade Verrett]

Mr. Goodbar.

[Kia]

Okay.

[Jade Verrett]

A little chocolate and a roll of Sprees.

[Kia]

Okay.

[Jade Verrett]

So you had a range and a Pepsi. Yes.

[Kia]

That was my black people. The affinity for Pepsi ought to be steady.

[Jade Verrett]

It really does. It really needs to be.

[Kia]

Because you drinking Pepsi as a child is crazy.

[Jade Verrett]

And it really is. Especially since I am the mother now who's like soda in the house.

[Kia]

You can have a Pellegrino, have some sparkling water.

[Jade Verrett]

I had to get Noah used to it early because I didn't want her living feral like I was living. You know what I'm saying?

[Kia]

I mean, pumped full of red, Dino.

[Jade Verrett]

I drink so much Pepsi and root beer and Tahitian treat.

[Kia]

Well, Tahitian treat is delicious. But, yes, amazing. It is so super good.

[Jade Verrett]

Although I feel like if I drink it right now, I Might go into shop.

[Kia]

It would be too sweet. Yeah, I think that I'm definitely at the age where things are too sweet.

[Jade Verrett]

There was also a chip. Okay, Humor me. Nobody fucking remembers this.

[Kia]

Okay? Try me. Because, you know, I love a chip.

[Jade Verrett]

Lay's used to make a spicy chip. This is before hot Cheetos and before I mean, hot fries. Always been around. Okay, but this is. Is like. This is the first spicy potato chip I can remember.

[Kia]

Okay?

[Jade Verrett]

Lay's made as, like, a spicyish chip that had an alligator on the front of it. And it was. I'm about to. Fucking yes. Alligator on the front. Hold on. Spicy, spicy alligator. Ooh. Type in, like, Tony Braxton alligator lace chips. You ever seen that meme? You ever seen with Toni Braxton? Who died? Whitney Houston somebody died. And Toni Braxton was trying to post a picture of herself and whoever that celebrity was, so she didn't have one. So she went and Getty Image, she, like, googled it.

[Kia]

Okay.

[Jade Verrett]

But she forgot to crop out her own search history. So it looked like, like Tunji, Brookston and whoever else. Like Witty Hutton. I don't know. It was. It looked crazy. So anytime I start typing and it's all jumbly, I'll be like Crunch Tape Taters.

[Kia]

I've never heard of that.

[Jade Verrett]

I knew I wasn't crazy. Look, Crunch Taters, I've never heard of those. They came in Mighty Mesquite and original.

[Kia]

Okay, wait. Now the bag looks familiar.

[Jade Verrett]

Yes. I think this was early 90s mighty Mesquite, an original. And I feel like I thought it was spicy, but I loved. That was also one of my. Do you remember when Lays.

[Kia]

I remember when you talk about mesquite, I think about the KC masterpiece. Yes, I do. In the black bag.

[Jade Verrett]

Because they had barbecue and then they had Casey Masterpiece.

[Kia]

Yes, Casey Masterpiece.

[Jade Verrett]

I remember.

[Kia]

I love a chip. Now, since we are talking about our bodega or corner store order, please tell me, because there's.

[Jade Verrett]

There's two different.

[Kia]

They are. Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

In a deli.

[Kia]

In a deli. Three different things.

[Jade Verrett]

Yeah.

[Kia]

Okay. You need to be educated. Okay? Y' all love to call everything a bodega.

[Jade Verrett]

Everything's not a bodega. Some things are deli, some things are a corn store.

[Kia]

Correct, Correct. But let me tell you. I don't know. This is now. This. Now this is when 25 cent B. You had a 25 cent bag of chips. Okay.

[Jade Verrett]

Yeah.

[Kia]

This is when a 25 cent bag of chips was the size that 50 cent bags are now.

[Jade Verrett]

Do they even have 50 cent bag of chips.

[Kia]

They may not, but I just remember them being like the big ones, the 25 cent bag. Now are the ones that come, like, in the variety pack, the little. Oh, yeah. You know, like you get from.

[Jade Verrett]

To buy those little wise packs from.

[Kia]

Yeah. Yes. Yes. Now, this might. I don't know if you know. And this might be a New Yorker thing because, you know, remember Dipsy Doodles?

[Jade Verrett]

Yes.

[Kia]

Now, they had barbecue Dipsy Doodles.

[Jade Verrett]

Yes, I do. I'm sorry. That was.

[Kia]

You want to talk about a time barbecue Dipsy Doodles? A barbecue Dipsy doodle every day of the week.

[Jade Verrett]

Listen, and don't let my father be with me, because you know what else he love? If you want to start all these names. Now that I'm thinking, because you made me think of this name. My father loved a Drake's Yankee Doodle.

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Jade Verrett]

My father loved a Yankee Doodle or a Ring Ding.

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

Was it because he loved Drake's.

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

He specifically loved Drake. He's like, don't give me no hostess.

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Jade Verrett]

I don't want no Little Debbie. He wanted Drake's.

[Kia]

I love a bar, let me tell you. So it will be a barbecue Dipsy doodle, but a crunch. Cool cookies, Linden.

[Jade Verrett]

Oh, yeah. Oh, Linden.

[Kia]

Butter crunch cookies. Cuz. Remember this was when I had my chocolate allergy, so I couldn't have a chocolate chip. So the butter crunch was really a gc.

[Jade Verrett]

Wait, so you had a peanut butter allergy, too?

[Kia]

And a chocolate. Chocolate and peanut butter.

[Jade Verrett]

God, what an existence.

[Kia]

It was a time, but we made it now. And because I could not have chocolate, I was. I always gravitate toward sour candy. Yeah.

[Jade Verrett]

Yeah.

[Kia]

So I love a peach ring still to this day. Okay.

[Jade Verrett]

Okay.

[Kia]

Also, when the sour skittles dropped, that was, like, mind blowing for me.

[Jade Verrett]

Yeah.

[Kia]

Yeah. And remember, gummy savors the sour ones.

[Jade Verrett]

So you like gummy?

[Kia]

I do. Yeah, I do.

[Jade Verrett]

I don't prefer gummy.

[Kia]

I do. Oh, I didn't know that.

[Jade Verrett]

I will eat gummy thing. I will eat gummy bears as long as the flavor is good.

[Kia]

Albanese.

[Jade Verrett]

I will eat one of your albanese. Exactly. Not the haribos. I will eat one of your peach rings for sure. But I will never go buy a pack peach rings. No, I don't.

[Kia]

Now, have you ever had a. Whoa. Listen, let me. I'm gonna try to find you some. The albanese peach rings, sis. Oh, a gourmet experience. It will be like you will never eat nobody else's peach ring after you have an albanese peach ring.

[Jade Verrett]

Well, Haribo just needs to, like, let it go. Y' all got some work to do.

[Kia]

Okay.

[Jade Verrett]

Let's just get it to. Even your sour gummy bears are like. I just.

[Kia]

It's not just the t. It's not the taste. It's the texture.

[Jade Verrett]

It's like chewing up.

[Kia]

You feel like you're chewing for. Until Christ comes back. It's like, what in the world? Continuing to chew. It's just never finished.

[Jade Verrett]

Chewing all day long.

[Kia]

Exactly. So, yeah. And amentos. But the fruit ones. The fruit ones, you know, and now they only have. They have all strawberries. That's really.

[Jade Verrett]

When you want a good time. That was delicious. That was delicious. I will chew some things. I just prefer.

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Jade Verrett]

To not choose something. Totally. I also was a child who enjoyed candy. Like, I was born in 1937. Because you give me those peanut butter. The white bars. Oh, with the purple. With. I mean, with the brown striped.

[Kia]

Let me tell you. And I told you that I had a peanut butter allergy, but I would really risk it all for some time. I will risk it all. My mom used to have those. Those little peanut butter. My little crunchy nougat peanut butter. No, those are delicious. And I would be somewhere wheezing because I'm sneaking to have those peanut butter bars.

[Jade Verrett]

I love them.

[Kia]

Those and Nutter Butters. I almost had. I almost had to go to the hospital one time over some Nutter Butter. Sis.

[Jade Verrett]

They're delicious. They're delicious.

[Kia]

To this day, my lungs were whistling. I was in the den, like. Cause I had house. I mean, a whole sleeve of Nutter Butters. My godfather at the time, he was a regional manager at Nabisco.

[Jade Verrett]

Oh.

[Kia]

So whenever he came for a holiday, he would come with boxes of Nabisco, like, cookies, Oreos, Nutter Butters.

[Jade Verrett]

Child's dreams.

[Kia]

Cheez. Its all the things Ritz. All the things that he would literally. Because he would get them for nothing. So he would just always bring all of the snacks. Oh. And I stole one of them nut butters and was in my bedroom going to work.

[Jade Verrett]

That's like a dog finding chocolate. Seriously.

[Kia]

And my mother was like, you're gonna end up in Westchester Medical center over.

[Jade Verrett]

These now we don't have insurance.

[Kia]

And she was like, girl, get it together, please. She's like, I'm over here with the EpiPen watching you sleep, because I think you finna asphyxiate.

[Jade Verrett]

No, it was worth it.

[Kia]

I'm ready to risk it all I was worth. Let me work it for the peanut butter now. When the Doctor now. Thanks. I think the Lord knew. He's like, let me just get. We're gonna. Kid don't need this allergy. Cause she's gonna kill herself. She has no control. She has no control. In.

[Jade Verrett]

George Washington Carver came through with a bibbidi bobbidi boop. Period. And your allergy was relieved.

[Kia]

Release my child.

[Jade Verrett]

God, if we may just stop and say a little prayer on this show. God. Big sandals. If you love me deep. You will never allow me to get a food allergy. Oh, you will never allow me. You will never allow me to get a food allergy. Thank you very much.

[Kia]

I wish for all of you that you might experience this sometime. Jade. Enjoying a meal. It is something that should be experienced.

[Jade Verrett]

I can't wait to enjoy one in a little while.

[Kia]

I was about to say, because I was like, do we have a reservation? No.

[Jade Verrett]

I need to make one.

[Kia]

No, it's fine.

[Jade Verrett]

We don't need to eat.

[Kia]

We're going to eat.

[Jade Verrett]

We're going to eat.

[Kia]

But I mean, there is. And. And I. I say this. I've said this on the show before. When y' all be out at the club, you know, doing a crybaby in the corner and having a. A good time. I love that for you. But my going out is sitting with my.

[Jade Verrett]

Not the crybaby in the corner.

[Kia]

I'm sorry that I have my. Do you think of. I know we're. Do you ever recall your club season?

[Jade Verrett]

Oh, sister. Which one? Tell me.

[Kia]

I often think about. And I'm grieving, you know. Cause, you know, we're still. My friend Tenille. I'm preparing for her funeral. And so, you know, I asked you to. Thinking about memories. I think about, you know, I think, you know, we was burning it down.

[Jade Verrett]

For, like, so long. I think, like, it was really for like a chunk of time, we was.

[Kia]

Partying and I mean, there was a time. I'm talking Thursday to Sunday.

[Jade Verrett]

Yeah, from Thursday to Sunday. Okay.

[Kia]

And so I sometimes sit and recall that. Those times.

[Jade Verrett]

Yeah.

[Kia]

And it's just like, wow. It feels like a movie that plays in my mind. Cause it's just like, that was really me.

[Jade Verrett]

You just said Thursday. And Thursday reminded me that every single Thursday when I. When I was. When I worked at Sony, every Thursday without fail. I guess in. In hindsight, I have been slightly problematic always. Because every Thursday I was down to this gay bar in the village called Desire.

[Kia]

Ooh, ooh.

[Jade Verrett]

Every single Thursday without fail. The bartender's name was Omega. And no matter which ring of my homosexuals I Was with. Yes, we was a desire. I could have been with my family, my cousins. Sometimes I was with their friends. I love that. Sometimes I exdine. It just depends on who was around. But Jade was gonna be a design. And you know what I was drinking at the time?

[Kia]

Oh, Lord.

[Jade Verrett]

Coco Locos. Oh, a disgusting, disgusting time.

[Kia]

What?

[Jade Verrett]

And every time I walk through the door, Omega would make my coco loco and he would give it to me. And a Coco loco is. Is. I want to say it was coconut rum. It was coconut ciroc.

[Michelle Obama]

Yikes.

[Jade Verrett]

And pineapple juice and a little lime. And so I would drink that Coco loco and he would just make it and he would slide it over to me and I never had to pay for my drinks.

[Kia]

And.

[Jade Verrett]

And it would just be a good time with the gays every Thursday. Except for the one young man who had eyebrows fiercer than mine and was like, so, what's up? And that's why I said I was problematic, because I was like, I don't know this side of things yet.

[Kia]

I'm still glitching. This is running counter to my programming. You're giving 20, 25.

[Jade Verrett]

I don't get it yet. I'm not ready.

[Kia]

I'm not ready. You, sir, are before for your time. You, sir, are ahead of your time.

[Jade Verrett]

I was like, wait, that is nuts. But that was my spot every single Thursday. And I would get up and go to work on Friday. I mean, without bail, like disgustingly hungover.

[Kia]

And with the stamp on my, on my. On my hand.

[Jade Verrett]

Wow. Wow. Yeah.

[Kia]

I mean, yeah. I remember at time we used to go, there were these clubs. I remember there was club bed.

[Jade Verrett]

Yes.

[Kia]

And club. And remember they had duvet. Yes, child. And at the time I was at UConn. So I would literally make my way to New York City from Connecticut. Connecticut. I mean, what a commute.

[Jade Verrett]

I wonder how much the tunnels were at that time.

[Kia]

Hello. I would stay for the weekend. So, like, listen, I would come and I would stay with my New York friends for the weekend, but I would literally like leave class on Thursday. I would get on the bus and come straight to the city.

[Jade Verrett]

Wow.

[Kia]

And then, you know, I would, you know, we. And the next night we would go somewhere else.

[Jade Verrett]

Yeah.

[Kia]

But I remember Thursdays was when we went to club bed. And those were the times where it was like, you know, I'm not paying for co check.

[Jade Verrett]

No.

[Kia]

So I'm just outside, teeth chattering, cold.

[Jade Verrett]

That was the time of the. Those God awful bubble dresses at the club.

[Kia]

You remember we used to wear toes.

[Jade Verrett]

Out in the snow, in the snow, in the snow. Legs out, all of that. Armpits crazy. Just pneumonia galore. And then. And then was living even more reckless because afterward you'd eat street meat.

[Kia]

Literally, you'd eat.

[Jade Verrett]

Or literally, you would go be pretentious and stand online at cafeteria for over. If you could get inside where it would be wrapped around the building. Oh, what a time to be alive.

[Kia]

I mean, sometimes it's just like a movie.

[Jade Verrett]

It really is.

[Kia]

Like, it doesn't feel. It doesn't feel real, but I do feel real.

[Jade Verrett]

I remember a time when even us. Yeah. We would be like, oh, well, what are we doing tomorrow?

[Kia]

Okay, cool.

[Jade Verrett]

And then we'd be hanging out. Be like, all right, what are we doing tomorrow?

[Kia]

Exactly.

[Jade Verrett]

And it was no responsibility.

[Kia]

I am. I am. I was thinking, remember Bobby's parties? And Bobby's here. I'm so excited to see him.

[Jade Verrett]

I cannot wait to see my Bobisha.

[Kia]

Bobisha. Bobby used to have these parties. Remember his apartment at the time was over that club in. In Harlem.

[Jade Verrett]

Was that the one?

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

Was that by.

[Kia]

It was like, Percy.

[Jade Verrett]

Was that by the street?

[Kia]

Yes, it was across the street. It was like, across the street.

[Jade Verrett]

It was across the street from Daddy. Girl, what? You come and hold my head. You know I dance with Dougie Fresh in the club. Why we talk about clubs?

[Kia]

Loved Dougie Fresh.

[Jade Verrett]

I danced with Dougie Fred, but I didn't really want to dance with him, and. But guess who I ended up dancing with? Like, dancing.

[Kia]

You have the best stories.

[Jade Verrett]

Who? Special Ed. Oh, I'm the highest. The highest. Newer order. I'm not a Puerto Rican, but I speak in some. Did you know?

[Kia]

I did.

[Jade Verrett]

I danced with Special Ed in the club, and I called my dad after, and I was like, guess who I just danced with in a club? And he was like, who? I said, special Ed. He was like, that nigga's too old, period.

[Kia]

Hello. I remember when the. You now we really playing because when you said Dougie Fresh, there was in White Plains, they would have this big thing for Martin Luther King Day at the Westchester county center. And Dougie Fresh performed. And I had a name belt.

[Jade Verrett]

Oh, me too, sister.

[Kia]

So I remember, like, he was up there doing his Dougie Fresh beatbox thing. And I, like, stood on a chair, so. And I guess he could see my belt. And he said, like, I see you, Kia. First of all, I was ready to stand on my head in that place at that moment. It was like, I know.

[Jade Verrett]

You were like, little did you know he a Scientologist.

[Kia]

Hello. Imagine My disappointment.

[Jade Verrett]

I'm. I'm sorry. I know I always bring it back to that, but the fact that Isaac Hayes. Okay, Dougie Fresh, our Scientologist, and Gladys Knight is a Mormon. I just will never. It will always be like new information to me. Every time I even just think about it.

[Kia]

It's baffling.

[Jade Verrett]

It's baffling.

[Kia]

It is baffling.

[Jade Verrett]

But. And then also how immersed they are in the community. And yet. Anyway, yes, I did ever for a hot. I did the walk away dance from Dougie Fresh in the club. Cause I was like, my phone is ringing. I don't want to dance with him. But Special Ed was still young enough and cute enough at the time.

[Kia]

Not according to your father.

[Jade Verrett]

Not according to my dad. That nigga's my age. I was like, yeah, well, you were young when you had me, though.

[Kia]

Listen at you. Oh, my God.

[Jade Verrett]

Speaking of the club. Yes.

[Kia]

Wasn't this fun?

[Jade Verrett]

This was fun. This was so necessary. I didn't have to think about anything going on.

[Kia]

That's the point. That's the point.

[Jade Verrett]

Yeah.

[Kia]

I'm Hope and I want to remind us all, as black women that we said we were gonna worry about ourselves.

[Jade Verrett]

Yeah.

[Kia]

And that's not to be. That doesn't mean that we don't care or we're indifferent to what's going on around us, but it does mean that we get to fill our cups first.

[Jade Verrett]

Exactly.

[Kia]

And so I wanted. You know, Jay's grieving, I'm grieving. We're all grieving. Loss is all around us and constant and constant. And compound.

[Jade Verrett]

Yeah. And ramping up.

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

Yeah.

[Kia]

And so I feel like to combat the anxiety that's always in my body, I'm trying to be intentional about creating safe spaces for myself and reflection and even reflecting on the good memories, the good times. It helps me to know that, yeah, life is hard, but it's not all hard.

[Jade Verrett]

It's not.

[Kia]

It's not all bad.

[Jade Verrett]

It's not.

[Kia]

We have lots of laughs, lots of good memories, lots of love. And since I'm grateful for you, I'm grateful for our community, for this platform that's afforded us opportunities that we never expected.

[Jade Verrett]

And I'm grateful for peace of mind and for. For a memory. Right. So to even be able to. To when I need to dig into that. That. That safety net.

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

And say, you know what? I gotta disassociate. But not in an unhealthy way.

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

I just need to reflect a little bit on some. Some of the things that have made me feel Good. Over the course of my life, I think that's such a blessing and such.

[Kia]

A gift for sure.

[Jade Verrett]

Yeah.

[Kia]

And so I encourage you to play this game with your loved ones, with your friends, you know, make your own rules. You can decide. Maybe you can put some other limitations on it, maybe add a time factor. You know, how we do. We don't. We don't take. It doesn't take lots of money.

[Jade Verrett]

We don't follow gambling anyway.

[Kia]

But, you know, I'm just saying you can find fun and find joy without spending any money.

[Jade Verrett]

Absolutely.

[Kia]

And you can look back on your life and find some gratitude, and that will help you combat the ghetto that is our current time.

[Jade Verrett]

So I think it's a fun game to play, too, with young people.

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Jade Verrett]

You know what I'm saying? Y' all give me a word and then it helps, like, to communicate stories.

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

And it's like, it's a fun way to connect with them and to give them, you know, back what I used to.

[Kia]

There's so much power in our stories.

[Jade Verrett]

Yeah.

[Kia]

And, you know, there's so much other information out there that I. I feel like sometimes we're losing our stories. And so that's why we wanted to have a little story therapy today.

[Jade Verrett]

I love that.

[Kia]

So, yeah, I feel like it was a good time. I hope that y' all enjoyed it.

[Jade Verrett]

Yes. We all just need a respite and we're gonna be back very soon with guests. You know, we're ramping up back with our guests. You know, we took a little break for the summer and, you know, but.

[Kia]

We are back and we're excited.

[Jade Verrett]

Our wonderful, wonderful live shows.

[Kia]

So good.

[Jade Verrett]

Can't wait to come to more cities. But, yeah, let's stay tuned for the next segment.

[Kia]

Yeah.

[Jeff Bridges]

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[T-Mobile Announcer]

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[Dana]

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[Kia]

Wasn't that fun? We had a little game.

[Jade Verrett]

Yes. That was actually really great. To break up the monotony of bullshit, right? Yeah, that was nice.

[Kia]

And it's like I need to put my phone down. I need to get off the Internet. And it's like I need to think about. I'm gonna be. I'm gonna be the content.

[Jade Verrett]

Yeah.

[Kia]

We're gonna think about all of the things that, you know, especially as we grieve, you know, we're still close. Exactly. And deal with things, you know, the heaviness. It's like we gotta make sure we tapped into the good.

[Jade Verrett]

Absolutely.

[Kia]

And speaking of good, I have a. I know that's right.

[Jade Verrett]

Okay.

[Kia]

I have a very big moment of gratitude that I would like to share with the community.

[Jade Verrett]

Please do.

[Kia]

It's a bit of a shout out, too. So some time ago, we had a guest at the kitchen table by the name of the student loan doctor. Do you remember her?

[Jade Verrett]

Yes, I do.

[Kia]

Yes. And so I very recently reconnected with her and became a member of her community.

[Jade Verrett]

Okay.

[Kia]

And worked with one of her coaches.

[Jade Verrett]

Okay.

[Kia]

Her name was DeShawn. And she helped provide me some guidance and information around public service loan forgiveness. And I am very pleased to report that I sit here today in this seat with forgiven student loans. I know that's right. What the fuck?

[Jade Verrett]

That's amazing.

[Kia]

Okay. Burp, burp, burp, burp, burp, burp, burp.

[Jade Verrett]

The lawyer.

[Kia]

That is so big. Damn, that's amazing. Public service loan forgiveness and shout out. This is. We're gonna correct any misinformation that might be out there because the current administration, in all of their lies and debauchery is out here, you know, suggesting that they are responsible for this. But this is. During COVID the public service loan forgiveness program was expanded, I remember. And Congress allocated a set amount. I believe it's $350 million dollars.

[Jade Verrett]

Okay.

[Kia]

To contribute to loan forgiveness and to provide some relief for all of the borrowers who, like myself, were sort of just really had that monkey on our back, baby. And so I was able to learn more about the eligibility of this program and found out that I met the criteria as someone who's been working in public service for over 10 years. But it wasn't. It wasn't until I got an opportunity to, you know, work with the student loan Doctor and her staff and just get some more information. And I was able to submit some paperwork and in less than 60 days.

[Jade Verrett]

Wow.

[Kia]

I'm talking. I had just about $165,000 worth of student loan Cristo and now I'm sitting here with zero balance.

[Jade Verrett]

Wow. You have got to feel like you took the biggest shit ever.

[Kia]

I feel like I got a new job. I don't know. I. I don't know.

[Jade Verrett]

I don't know.

[Kia]

I have no idea. Your colon is clear in many ways. It is still, it's mind boggling. But the truth and the good news is, you know, this program, you may think that you're not eligible, but you really might be. And so I don't want to.

[Jade Verrett]

What are the requirements?

[Kia]

I want to send all of you to check out the student loan doctor. I'm going to make sure that her information, information is included in the description box. And I started the program in July, but I didn't want to talk about it until I had gone through it.

[Jade Verrett]

That's amazing.

[Kia]

But it is such a blessing.

[Jade Verrett]

Wow.

[Kia]

And the truth of the matter is, you know, I'm an educator. I worked all my life to help other students to share what I've learned. And you know, it's unfortunate how those of us who are historically under resourced and marginalized and you know, oppressed by sort of systemic issues, you know, don't have the excess or the means to just pay for things outright. But the good news is, you know, there is hope. So if you are still struggling, it's not too late. I know that things are changing very quickly, particularly as it relates to education, a department of education or the lack thereof or whatever it is they're doing now. Child. The federal government's investment in higher and post secondary education is changing at a very rapid rate. But thankfully there are still ways in which we are being helped. And for me it just really feels like, I don't know, not to be all churchy, but I feel like God is proving that even in terrible times, he still takes care of us. He still keeps his promise. And this is something that has, I've been working on for a long time and I just feel a new sense of gratitude. And I have new revelation into all of the comprehensive ways that God takes care of us.

[Jade Verrett]

You cannot tell me that's not divine.

[Kia]

It's got to be. It's got to be. And so miracles are still happening. I know that's right. My shout out, everyone, please. It is. And I'm not going to tell y' all you know, I'm not going to tell y'.

[Jade Verrett]

All.

[Kia]

This is the thing. The student loan doctor, some of her services come at a cost. The costs are not exorbitant. They are very reasonable. They are very affordable.

[Jade Verrett]

For less than your fucking student loan. Hello.

[Kia]

That's the point. That's the point. Much, much less than the student loan. For literally a couple of hundred dollars, you can have access to a counselor who can sit with you and work with you and walk through your personal situation and let you know of the resources that are available, what might be helpful to you. So. So that happened, literally September 1st is when I saw that I had the necessary number of qualifying payments.

[Jade Verrett]

These jail cooking classes gotta count for something. You know what I'm saying?

[Kia]

There you go.

[Jade Verrett]

I'm like, can we pay this tax? There you go. This is crazy.

[Kia]

There you go. But it is next level, so I wanted to sort of share that.

[Jade Verrett]

Congratulations.

[Kia]

I'm grateful. That's so grateful. That's amazing.

[Jade Verrett]

Well, because we share a PhD.

[Kia]

Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

That we share an idea of. We all are celebrating. Exactly. That's it. Oh, that's my. I know that's right. This week as well. I know that's right. Let's close out with our petty peeves.

[Kia]

Okay. Country. Petty, petty, petty. All the same to me.

[Jade Verrett]

Playing James Forgets it's back to school time.

[Kia]

It is.

[Jade Verrett]

We've been talking about that pretty frequently. I don't know. I'm just gonna blame Eric Adams because that's the most fun thing to do. But the construction that ramps up around back to school, it's just absolutely disgusting.

[Kia]

I just don't understand why it feels like they wait until the children go back to school. Same.

[Jade Verrett]

I'm like, oh, so everybody wants to shut down every fucking major street at 7:45am on a weekday. What is this? With no warning, no anything. And it has been several major streets on my commutes to take her to school. So, yes, we prepare, we leave earlier, we do all of those things. But I do not understand why. What the fucking problem is y' all got all summer. You niggas don't work in the wintertime. Why do you decide the first couple weeks of school to bring out every crane, every cement truck, to strip every fucking street?

[Kia]

Literally.

[Jade Verrett]

I'm. I'm just. I'm disgusted and I'm over it. And I love the fact that you all are working. I think blue collar workers are very important. Shout out to Tabitha Brown and fuck you hoes who fought with her. But I for sure that was absolutely insanity.

[Kia]

I don't understand.

[Jade Verrett]

How dare you tell me to get a job. Job, girl. Go get a trade. You're really about to hate me because I'm not as saved as Tabitha Brown, okay? And you are not that goddamn talented. Go get a job, okay? Go to cosmetology school.

[Kia]

That whole thing got whatever.

[Jade Verrett]

Go learn a clean grout. Like, go get a job. Get a trade.

[Kia]

I said, what are y' all mad at Tabitha for now? I listened to the video, and then I struggled to figure out what they was mad about.

[Jade Verrett]

I was like, nobody was mad when she told y' all how to put a carrot and amino acids and liquid smoke and say it was a hot dog. But you are mad because she told you to go to Target and be practical with your lives. And you're upset because you thought you were gonna be Estee Lauder's representative for the rest of your day to say.

[Kia]

You'Re ruining your relationships because you keep borrowing money.

[Jade Verrett]

I would jump right in front of her and be like, get a goddamn group.

[Kia]

I don't care what you think about me.

[Jade Verrett]

Get a grip, Rip. That irritated the.

[Kia]

When I.

[Jade Verrett]

When I did the dig.

[Kia]

The deep dive, I, too, did a deep dive, because I said I must.

[Jade Verrett]

Surely I've not watched something.

[Kia]

Surely I've not watched all of it. There's got to be more. Surely. This cannot be what you all are upset about. This cannot be.

[Jade Verrett]

This cannot be the upset. I said, well, no. How dare you tell me to learn how to change an alternator. You should. You should. Latasha. Y' all are upset. Like, I did not get it. I did not get it.

[Kia]

So as someone who works every day, that's why I was like, maybe it's not for me, because.

[Jade Verrett]

No, no. As a nigga who's been working since 11 years old, you don't get to tell. You do not get to be mad at somebody telling you to get.

[Kia]

My Uncle AJ used to say, everything in this house works. The light, the water, you, the refrigerator. You're going to get up and do something. That's what I know.

[Jade Verrett]

Okay? If you want to be somebody, if you want to go somewhere.

[Kia]

I said, wow, the girls are tight. They was mad.

[Jade Verrett]

They were upset. I thought she told everybody.

[Kia]

Your mother literally was combing the Tik Tok. I went to Instagram and I watched, and I said, okay, maybe it's on Tik Tok. Let me see. She got. She had said something else.

[Jade Verrett]

No, no. She told you hoes that you can't walk down the runways. And have people follow you with camera.

[Kia]

She said, follow your dream, but also, you know, pay your rent.

[Jade Verrett]

What is wrong with that?

[Kia]

Said, where's the.

[Jade Verrett]

What is wrong with that?

[Kia]

Maybe I missed something.

[Jade Verrett]

I don't care if the job is selling ass. Just get a career. There's a on 90 day right now, 50, 60 years old, still shaking ass in the club. Club. Love it. You've got a job. There's nothing wrong with whatever you choose. Just make sure you have other paths. There's wrong with some of the things you choose because some of y' all just like to steal, get peace pep loans and things like that. That's not a side hustle. That's not a side hustle. She said all of this after driving Uber.

[Michelle Obama]

She did.

[Kia]

After we met her.

[Jade Verrett]

Right? When she was driving Uber and eating.

[Kia]

Eating those fake bacon sandwiches at Whole Food Foods.

[Jade Verrett]

I. Because every time she talks, I think I'm an cuz. I'm like, I'm just not moved by this sandwich. Like, I don't understand.

[Kia]

I've never had it. Because, you know, as my dear, I would say God didn't make.

[Jade Verrett]

God didn't make tempeh. Bacon don't have nothing to do with tempeh. Satan like tofu.

[Kia]

God did not make that. What is that? I know did I said that about yalls turkey baby bacon. I know, I know, I know. Y' all get upset.

[Jade Verrett]

Don't nobody want them salty belts. Indeed. I said, get outta here.

[Kia]

Nito said, ain't no bacon on the turkey.

[Jade Verrett]

Bacon on a turkey, nigga. Ain't no bacon ain't nothing.

[Kia]

I'm with you with. I'm with you when you're right, man of God.

[Jade Verrett]

But I'm not when you ate.

[Kia]

Exactly.

[Jade Verrett]

Oh, do you have a petty peeve?

[Kia]

Very pettily. Okay, I do have a petty peeve. I would just like to say that somewhere along the way, all the lashes have become six that make $9 a pair. Oh, I don't know what's happening. I know and I don't know. It's like. Cause I mean, Amazon, you can still get lashes reasonably. But I remember when you can like go into the store and buy lashes and I don't remember. I know everything is expensive because I was. And the Giants every. That's probably the chair. Yeah, I was in the Giant yesterday or other day and bought some toothpaste and that lady said $8 and I literally started choking my toothpaste running too. Excuse me, what did you say to me? Mine was 12$10 to fight plaque and tartar.

[Jade Verrett]

Yep. Outrageous gingivitis.

[Kia]

I mean, all I want to do is have healthy gums.

[Jade Verrett]

Nope.

[Kia]

And y' all don't want Tabitha Brown to tell y' all to go to work.

[Jade Verrett]

Yeah.

[Kia]

It's insane. Who is paying. Paying for the toothpaste? I want to know it. I'm sorry. Please. That's why I said very petty. My petty peeve is that everything is expensive. Everything. And I don't understand what we're supposed to do.

[Jade Verrett]

I told you in Memphis when I bought the coffee. Shout out to the Crossturn Arts Center. Shout out to City Winery, New York.

[Kia]

Hey, y'. All.

[Jade Verrett]

And shout out to the good yard. Yes. And that's it.

[Kia]

That's it.

[Jade Verrett]

There were four cities.

[Kia]

That's it.

[Jade Verrett]

There's four cities. I shouted out the three venues I wanted to.

[Kia]

To hear. Copy. That's it.

[Jade Verrett]

Anyway, you. Vanessa.

[Kia]

Okay.

[Jade Verrett]

No, I mean it. Okay, Vanessa. But anyway, there's lots of Vanessa's out there.

[Kia]

You know which one I'm thinking about.

[Jade Verrett]

And if you know. Good.

[Kia]

Okay. Lord have mercy. All right.

[Jade Verrett]

That's been another episode to grow. Thank you all so much.

[Kia]

Let's stop this now.

[Jade Verrett]

Yeah. Thank you all for listening.

[Kia]

I love y' all so much. We are so grateful. I'm grateful to be in the stew with my sister. Yes.

[Jade Verrett]

Wiggle wiggles. Thank you to our sister for joining us last week.

[Kia]

Oh, my God.

[Jade Verrett]

What a splash. An hour ago. It was great.

[Kia]

I know, because we're wearing the exact.

[Jade Verrett]

Same thing, same clothes.

[Kia]

It's so good.

[Jade Verrett]

Shout out. Shout out to Mary for putting together an amazing tour for us. Like all of the details and the fine details. There's a special announcement for our patrons. If it's not there, it's coming. So make sure you all continue to stay tuned for that. Keep it locked. And, sis, take them out and tell them what to do.

[Kia]

Make sure that you are always moisturizing your mind by minding your business. Don't fail to do that. Make sure you're drinking water every day, because health is wealth.

[Jade Verrett]

Yes. Finally.

[Kia]

Who wants to be ashy? So moisturize your skin, because ashy skin also cracks.

[Jade Verrett]

Yeah. And then you just be out here.

[Kia]

Looking, and then you're just going to be old and ashy.

[Jade Verrett]

Yeah.

[Kia]

Nobody wants that. Okay. We love you so much. Thank you so much for sitting at the kitchen table. And we'll see you next week.

[Jade Verrett]

Bye.

[Jeff Bridges]

Bye.

[Kia]

Bye. Oh, hey, love your shoes. If you're hearing this, this is your.

[Jade Verrett]

Sign to try those on. Trust us, you can totally pull them off.

[Kia]

In fact, try on every shoe here if you want. We won't stop you.

[Jade Verrett]

In our house, you've got unlimited freedom to play.

[Kia]

And hey, fall is the perfect season.

[Jade Verrett]

To do wear, be whatever you want. And with tons of shoes that get your you at prices that get your.

[Kia]

Budget, we'll give you something to brag about. So go ahead, try them on. Let us surprise you.