My Momma Told Me – "Dogs can Sense Racism and Trump is Segregating Schools" (with Yassir Lester)
Date: January 20, 2026
Hosts: Langston Kerman & David Gborie
Guest: Yassir Lester
Episode Overview
This episode of My Momma Told Me continues its comedic, sharp exploration of Black conspiracy theories with guest Yassir Lester. The trio delves into two main conspiracies: whether dogs can sense racism, and the idea that former President Trump is actively promoting segregation in schools. Their discussion bounces between keen cultural insight, deeply Black familial dynamics, and boisterously silly tangents (complete with sound drops and running jokes), always maintaining their irreverent and community-centric tone.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Should Politicians Wear Suits?
[04:40-08:25]
- Langston proposes an end to politicians wearing suits, suggesting people should dress according to who they really are.
- Bori: “I like that because, like, have you ever gone out with somebody that you worked with? … Oh, shit, you’re a Juggalo?” [04:59]
- Yassir counters, saying the suit is a revealing costume (“It’s like dressing like Batman”), and for some, the illusion is the point.
- Langston insists that people deserve to see politicians’ true selves.
2. Sexy Politicians and The Influence of Appearance
[08:26-12:01]
- Debate: Would “hot” politicians become more successful if freed from dress codes?
- Examples: Obama (“good looking guy”), AOC (“would do huge numbers”), with a detour into adult-site search analytics and social perceptions.
- Yassir: “In a world where every Pornhub search is ‘angry Latina’ … AOC could put up bigger numbers.” [09:02]
- A lighthearted yet astute digression on the “hotness streak” in U.S. presidencies, ending with a tongue-in-cheek celebration of “throat goat” First Ladies and the need for authenticity.
3. Dogs as Racism Neutralizers
[15:32-25:00]
- Yassir’s Conspiracy: "My mama told me: Dogs can sense racism." He refines it, suggesting dogs aren’t just sensors, but “the ultimate racism neutralizer.” [16:02]
- Observations:
- White people with pit bulls act most like regular Black folks.
- Imagining communities designed around dog breeds instead of income or race: “If we sincerely created communities around dogs, everyone's living there.” [17:13]
- Personal stories: Yassir’s three dogs, the cultural divide between Black men and women over animals, and family histories with cats vs. dogs.
- Generational Change: Black women opening up to pets with age; different ways Black families relate to animals.
- Bori: “In my mom’s old age, she’s softened to animals ... she comes to my house now and she’s like, talk [to the dog]. And I’m like, who is this woman?” [23:02]
- Langston and Bori discuss growing up with lots of cats, the challenge of dating when your house is overrun with animals, and the broader cultural implications.
4. The “Trump Segregation” Conspiracy – Education & Policy
[41:51-60:20]
- Yassir presents a well-researched conspiracy: Trump is engineering a new era of school segregation, this time with misleading “gifts.”
- 2025: $500 million shifted to HBCUs and Tribal Colleges—but by pulling funds from Hispanic-serving institutions [42:31].
- The legal chess match: The SFFA vs. Harvard/affirmative action case leads to “whitening” of Asian/Latino identity as Black students are steered toward HBCUs.
- HBCUs (often in the South) must comply with new, increasingly “white Christian nationalist” state education mandates.
- Yassir: “It’s the most sinister way of doing things… It’s a Trojan horse.” [46:44]
- Group Reflection:
- Is this “bad” for the Black community, or could it spur innovation and foster new movements?
- Langston: “We've spent so much time in a white system without making major forward progress. … It is kind of exciting to be like, well, shit, we ain't tried it yet.” [58:59]
- Concerns about institutional capture, resource control, and the creation of devalued educational “islands.”
5. Voicemail: Penguin Propaganda and Climate Change Activism
[66:05-76:02]
- Caller’s Theory: Gen Z’s climate activism is a product of “penguin propaganda”—the onslaught of penguin-centered kids’ movies.
- Panel Reaction:
- “Madagascar” and similar films don’t count as “penguin movies;” confirmation bias at play.
- Broader riff: movie trends, animal training in Hollywood, and cultural memory.
- Yassir: “It's generous as a premise to say you care about the Earth's demise because of some [penguin movie].” [68:24]
- They then drift into animation, odd tears over “The Wild Robot,” and parenting habits around emotional expression.
- Langston, on crying at movies: “So many of my tears are like, I'm crying but my wife is here so I'm going to keep this together...” [71:43]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Langston (on politicians’ suits): “It’s nasty that you get to put this fucking uniform that posits itself as like, I’m a good person, I’m strong, I am well put together. No you’re not, you nasty.” [05:17]
- Yassir (on the Trump/HBCU ploy): “It’s brilliant in the way that it comes as a gift… It’s a Trojan horse.” [46:44]
- Bori (on pets and culture): “I feel like Black dudes—we’re more open to animals than Black women.” [21:49]
- Yassir: “White people with pit bulls are the closest to regular Black people. My heart wanted to refute it, my head knows it’s true.” [16:23]
- Langston (on growing up with too many cats): “At one point...we had nine cats. That was too much.” [28:48]
- Yassir (on innovation and segregation): “Any siphoning off of a population becomes a breeding ground for innovation… until the lid is blown off.” [56:16]
- Caller’s Penguin Theory: “There has been upwards of 10 movies dedicated to penguins… And I think that's why Gen Z cares so deeply [about climate].” [66:36]
- Langston (on systemic oppression): “We don’t have a lot else, but we got Garrett’s popcorn.” [51:24]
- Yassir (on innovation from oppression): "Is there a weird experiment that's about to take place where Mississippi suddenly becomes the economic center of the United [States]?" [57:04]
Major Segment Timestamps
- [04:40-08:25] – “Politicians Shouldn’t Wear Suits?”
- [08:26-12:01] – Sexy Politicians
- [15:32-25:00] – Dogs and Racism Neutralization
- [41:51-60:20] – Trump, HBCUs, and School Segregation Conspiracy
- [66:05-76:02] – Voicemail: Penguin Movies, Gen Z, and Climate Anxiety
Additional Highlights
- Long-running jokes about “beating off niggas everyday” as the original Bone Thugs-N-Harmony acronym, infusing the show’s playful style into even the most serious segments.
- Musings on how cultures shift with pet ownership and what family structure (and trauma) says about comedian origin stories.
- Playful roasting and deep camaraderie between the hosts, with Yassir seamlessly merging into the show’s rhythm as a recurring “OG guest.”
Tone and Style
The conversation is irreverent yet insightful, rooted in Black community traditions of “playing dozens,” mutual ribbing, and side-splitting asides—but always circling back to generational concerns about survival, authenticity, and institutional design. In classic My Momma Told Me style, the episode is peppered with running gags and playful call-backs, but delivers sharp cultural analysis (and the occasional, unexpectedly moving reflection) under the laughter.
Final Word
This episode expertly embodies the podcast’s signature: using comedy as a vector to examine conspiracy thinking, cultural pain, and the quirks of Black American life—always keeping it both “problematic” and profoundly real.
For more conspiracy theories or to join the conversation, call 844-LITTLE MOMS or email mymamapodmail@gmail.com. Catch Langston on the Aspiring Deadbeat Tour and Yassir Lester online @YassirLester.
