Joe & Jada Podcast: Angie Martinez IRL – Porsha Williams on Reinvention, Authenticity, and Surviving the Tornado of Life

Date: January 15, 2026
Guests: Porsha Williams
Host: Angie Martinez
Podcast: Joe & Jada (iHeartPodcasts and The Volume)

Episode Overview

In this engaging and deeply personal episode, Angie Martinez welcomes cultural force and Real Housewives of Atlanta star Porsha Williams for an in-depth conversation about her ongoing personal evolution. Porsha opens up about reinventing herself after motherhood, battling depression, setting boundaries, and embracing her authentic identity—even when it goes against convention. They discuss growth after divorce, navigating love in the public eye, working through trauma, mental health, and the power of living unapologetically.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Embracing the Tornado: Reinvention After Motherhood

• Reinvention as Survival (00:00-00:45, 35:00-36:00):
  • Porsha likens her journey to "standing in the middle of a tornado and I'm smiling. You know what I'm saying? Like, yeah, y’all go crazy, but I feel amazing."
  • Her ability to stay centered amid chaos is described as inspiring, and she states, "I have disrupted things... Time will calm down, and then people will look back and say, wow, that's actually pretty inspiring that she just went for it like that."

Current Season of Life

• Authenticity & Boundaries (01:52-04:45):
  • Porsha shares that she’s in "the truest season" of her life, having fought to appreciate both her struggles and successes.
  • “I have boundaries and loving boundaries... I trust myself a lot more now. In your 40s, I really know what I want and don't want.”
  • She discusses learning to say no, developing discernment, and not people-pleasing.
  • Angie affirms, "I think people pleasing sometimes puts our boundaries at risk."

Savoring Good Moments

• Mental Snapshots (04:34-05:46):
  • Porsha underlines the importance of being present with her daughter and family, “I pause and take it in... I take real life snapshots of things that happen to me.”
  • She now intentionally revisits happy memories to regulate her nervous system, especially after trauma or bad days.

Life in the Spotlight: Performing vs. Being

• Reality TV Mirrors & Self-Worth (06:01-09:53):
  • Porsha reflects on how reality TV blurred her sense of self; at first, she projected what she wanted people to see, but soon faced harsh judgment for her real moments.
  • “It took a moment for me not to read the comments… Over the years, I realized the only way I could do it is to really be just me.”
  • She accepts that only showing a “snapshot” never tells the whole truth and now commits to authenticity on and off camera.

Friendship, Loyalty, and Directness

• Intentional Connections (10:15-11:39):
  • Trust comes slowly for Porsha. True friends, she believes, support each other through busy lives without making friendship a “chore.”
  • “Those are the … [true friends] because life is life and for a lot of people, it is. You never know what people are dealing with.”

Building Multiple Brands & Projects

• Entrepreneurial Spirit (11:56-14:15):
  • Porsha aims to be more than a reality star—she’s built businesses like Pampered by Porsha sheets (inspired by her mom), Go Naked Hair (to regain confidence), and is launching a podcast with her sister.
  • She schedules downtime deliberately: “Even though it seems like I'm always busy, I do still have a lot of downtime. … And I'm priority.”

Breaking Out of “Reality TV Boxes”

• Rising Above Stereotypes (15:09-17:01):
  • On being boxed in: “But at the same time, everybody, if they had the opportunity to be on reality TV... would want to do it. … But it's kind of fun to poke fun at the people who are doing it.”
  • Owning her story, she uses her platform for relatability and inspiration: “I respect that I am sharing my life and that a lot of women … can relate to me.”

Dating in the Public Eye & Labels

• Challenges in Love (17:12-23:31):
  • Porsha recounts how her fame limits dating opportunities and invites opportunists.
  • Expressing love authentically is more important to her than keeping relationships hidden: “When I'm happy, I want to express that I'm happy. … But that doesn't mean you should be dragging someone else into all your crazy world.”
• Exploring Sexuality Without Labels (21:02-24:37):
  • Porsha discusses her first relationship with a woman, emphasizing, “It really wasn’t about gender. … I’m just Portia sexual.”
  • The aftermath brought public scrutiny, but her family’s support made it easier: “For me, the support and just the love of knowing that if I'm happy, they're happy.”

Surviving Loss, Divorce, and Depression

• Picking Up the Pieces (26:40-29:38):
  • On divorce: “You lose the future that you were working on. … I truly identify as a wife when I am married. … When those things break, suddenly, … it was devastating.”
  • Porsha talks candidly about needing to slow down, pray, process grief, and take accountability for her part in past patterns.
• Self-Worth and Abuse (39:06-42:33):
  • Porsha details how past abuse informed her people-pleasing and lack of self-worth.
  • “I always talk about having self worth, because when you don't have that, then that's when you fall prey to people who want to take advantage of you for sure.”

Motherhood as Salvation

• PJ as Lifesaver (43:04-52:15):
  • Porsha reveals past suicide attempts and says motherhood saved her: “That’s why I really wanted and needed Pilar. … because I knew if I had her, she would be what I would live for, my actual lifesaver.”
• Managing Depression & Mental Health (44:22-47:50):
  • Porsha discusses ongoing management—catching symptoms early, staying active, getting therapy, and addressing possible hormonal causes (like perimenopause and ADHD).
  • A favorite technique: “When negative thoughts come, I look in that mirror and I say, 'you can shut the fuck up.' For real.” (49:56)

Joy, Fulfillment, and Protecting Your Peace

• Intentional Joy (52:34-54:19):
  • “You have to do things that are fulfilling to your spirit, … be around people who calm your nervous system. … I like to protect my peace. Okay?”
• Hobbies, Grounding, and Tree-Hugging (60:12-63:53):
  • Both host and guest share their love for golf, and Porsha shares her “secret” of tree-hugging for grounding and peace: “I go outside often barefoot, and I'll just ground. … and I hugged him. And I just felt … this peace, like this oneness with the earth.”

Legacy & What Porsha Wants Her Daughter to See

• Fighting for Joy (64:19-67:51):
  • When asked what she wants her daughter to remember, Porsha answers: “I would hope that she saw a woman who was in pursuit of her best self and a woman who was living life on her own terms and who loved herself, forgave herself, and most of all, found joy or fought for joy.”

Faith, Gratitude, and Living Her Truest Self

• Relationship with God (72:29-73:24):
  • “Thank you for fighting for our relationship,” Porsha imagines God would text her, reflecting on the centrality of faith in her journey.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Reinvention:
  “I have disrupted things, but it's like me standing in the middle of a tornado and I'm smiling." – Porsha Williams (00:00 & 35:00)

• On Boundaries and Self-Trust:
  “I have boundaries and loving boundaries... I trust myself a lot more now. In your 40s, I really know what I want and don't want.” – Porsha Williams (03:08)

• On Mental Health:
  “I have, you know, tried to commit suicide like, twice. But I want to say that's why I really wanted a child. That's why I really wanted and needed Pilar. … she would be what I would live for, my actual lifesaver.” – Porsha Williams (43:04)

• On Labels and Identity:
  “I made a joke and I'm like, I'm just Portia sexual. … it really wasn’t so much about gender. … It is absolutely a freedom, especially when you have your family support.” – Porsha Williams (23:31)

• On Overcoming Depression:
  “When negative thoughts come, I look in that mirror and I say, ‘You can shut the fuck up.’ For real.” – Porsha Williams (49:56)

• On Parenting Example:
  “I would hope that she saw a woman who was in pursuit of her best self… who loved herself, forgave herself, and most of all, found joy or fought for joy.” – Porsha Williams (64:41)

• On Protecting Peace:
  “I like to protect my peace. … I work hard for that bit of peace.” – Porsha Williams (54:15)

Important Timestamps

• 00:00-00:45; 35:00-36:00: The “standing in the tornado, smiling” metaphor for reinvention and owning disruption.
• 03:08: On boundaries and self-trust.
• 11:56-14:15: Porsha’s business empire and scheduling downtime.
• 21:02-24:37: Conversations around labels, sexuality, and “Portia sexual.”
• 26:40-29:38: Divorce, heartbreak, and self-accountability.
• 43:04-52:15: Depression, motherhood, and Pilar as a lifesaver.
• 49:56: Self-talk and combating negative inner voices.
• 64:41: The message Porsha wants for her daughter.
• 72:29: “If God were to text you today...”

Thematic Takeaways

• Authenticity above all: Porsha’s ongoing theme is about living truthfully, even if it means disrupting the norm.
• Mental health matters: Open discussion of depression, therapy, and personal techniques for coping empower listeners to prioritize their wellbeing.
• Motherhood & legacy: Motherhood not only saved Porsha but also guides how she wants to be remembered.
• Breaking boxes: Whether it’s reality TV stereotypes or labels about identity and relationships, Porsha consistently pushes back with confidence.
• The courage to be joyful: Joy and peace are active pursuits requiring boundaries, self-love, and intentionality.

This episode is a candid, often humorous, but achingly honest journey into the heart and mind of Porsha Williams—grounded in the tornado, choosing self-love, and fighting for joy, both for herself and her daughter.