Rated R: Rights, Rules & Real Talk

Summary

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Not All Hood (NAH) – "Rated R: Rights, Rules & Real Talk"

Podcast Hosts: Malcolm-Jamal Warner & Candace Kelley
Date: October 3, 2025

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Episode Overview

In this episode of Not All Hood (NAH), the hosts, joined by executive producer Layne Santes and creative director Troy Harris Jr., deep-dive into the hot-button topic of censorship in America—how it is evolving, where the lines are drawn, and the roles of rights, rules, and real talk in the age of online platforms and fractured media. Through a candid, spirited conversation, they explore free expression, cancel culture, education, and the historical significance and unique vulnerabilities faced by Black Americans. Pop culture, current events, and the pivotal role of comedians in preserving free speech are highlighted throughout.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Censorship – Old Problems, New Contexts

[00:24 – 03:48]

• Censorship Not New, but Evolving: The episode opens by noting that book banning, canceled social posts, and TV show disruptions are grabbing national headlines, though the struggle over censorship is an old one.
• Freedom of Speech’s Precariousness: The hosts emphasize the peril inherent in restricting anyone’s right to speak—even groups society deems abhorrent—because it erodes broader civil liberties:
  • Memorable Quote:

    “Once we start saying anybody doesn’t have the right to say anything, it’s just a terrible precedent.” (Host, 02:22)

2. Censorship in Classrooms & Parental Rights

[03:48 – 10:51]

• Florida’s Laws and the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Issue: The discussion examines how Florida restricts classroom teaching around LGBTQ+ topics, clarifying the legal landscape:
  • “You can say gay in Florida. … You cannot teach that as a sexual orientation in the classroom.” (Lane, 06:46)
• Balancing Parental Control vs. Curriculum: Concerns arise around who determines what children are exposed to; the hosts recall permission slips for sex ed and desire transparency and agency for parents.

3. Changing Nature of Sex Education

[10:26 – 18:38]

• From Past to Present: Recollections of awkward sex ed classes and the evolving, now politically heated, nature of teaching sexuality in schools:
  • Anecdotes about permission slips, home economics, and “the talk”—noting today’s content is highly scrutinized, variable by region, and more broadly encompassing.
• Parental Involvement is Key:
  • “It’s better than their friends teaching them versus, you know, you get a real education on this.” (Host, 10:51)

4. Homeschooling as a Cultural Strategy

[16:01 – 17:19]

• Growing Popularity: Reasons for Black families choosing homeschooling span from professional flexibility to control over curriculum and exposure. Concerns around socialization, yet acknowledgement of new networks and resources.

5. Cancel Culture & Media Boycotts—Do They Really Work?

[19:41 – 26:34]

• Streaming Service Cancellations: Hosts debate the ripple effects of boycotting giants like Hulu, Amazon, Target, and the practical limitations of this approach:
  • “If I’m canceling every media organization...I’d be sitting at home looking at the stars.” (Host, 21:34)
• Ownership & Black Creativity:
  • The panel advocates for creating Black-owned media, shopping platforms, and embracing economic independence akin to Tulsa’s Black Wall Street.
  • Memorable Quote:

    “There needs to be a big Black superstore. ... We should have been there.” (Troy, 20:50)

6. Algorithms, Propaganda, and Media Gatekeeping

[22:06 – 24:17]

• All Sides Have Bias: Regardless of outlet, audiences are being “fed” curated content. Critical thinking and media literacy are needed to combat manipulative narratives:
  • “Unless I have really, really discernment where I can go, ‘You know what, I can critically think’...most of us don’t have good, critical [skills].” (Layne, 22:25)

7. Black Innovation, Under-Recognition & Community Support

[29:10 – 32:24]

• From Cadillac to Water Generators:
  • Historical loyalty to brands serving Black consumers (e.g., Cadillac), contrasted with today’s overlooked inventors like Moses West and his atmospheric water generator.
  • Quote:

    “His goal is to provide affordable drinking water to people in need...and I’m like, that should be everywhere.” (Candace, 30:27)

  • Lack of mainstream attention signals systemic obstacles, but also calls for internal support and amplification.

8. Social Media, First Amendment, and Global Boundaries

[32:27 – 39:37]

• Everyone is a Gatekeeper: Social media has democratized content creation, undermining traditional media’s role as gatekeepers, though new forms of censorship ("deplatforming") emerge at tech company discretion.
• International Free Speech Limitations:
  • Notably, First Amendment rights don’t extend globally, e.g., Candace Owens’ defamation case in France.
• Quote:

  “We are all our own gatekeepers. And I think that’s wonderful.” (Candace, 34:53)

9. The Future of Media – Decentralization and Risks

[35:07 – 54:30]

• Decline of Network TV: COVID accelerated the death of cable and rise of self-produced, streamed content—yet platforms can always restrict or remove creators.
• Platform Ownership is Elusive:
  • Real control would mean controlling not only platforms like Fanbase, Patreon, or even TikTok, but also the underlying infrastructure—essentially impossible for any one community.
  • Quote:

    “You’d have to own the world...it’s all one big circle.” (Candace, 54:13)

• Survival Tactics: Diversifying income, remaining adaptable, and supporting alternative platforms is stressed.

10. Comedy, Satire, and the Edge of Free Speech

[39:59 – 46:09]

• Comedians as Free Speech Vanguards:
  • Cases of Don Lemon, Joanne Reid, Bill Maher, and Jimmy Kimmel illustrate modern tensions in late-night and political comedy.
  • The role of satire in social critique:

    “If you’re making fun of Joe Biden and the way he moves, you’re making a political statement about his ability to serve as president.” (Candace, 46:40)

• Differentiating Humor from Offense: Satire is historically protected, but new sensibilities and corporate pressures risk chilling even protected speech.

11. Censorship as Social Control: Lessons from History & Pop Culture

[57:44 – 61:04]

• Doxxing and Intimidation: Emerging tactics include public tracking and shaming of dissenters, which recalls historic—and even pop-culture—methods of making “examples” to deter dissent, e.g., the Walking Dead or slavery-era punishments.
  • “Since the dawn of times, you pick out one, you make an example, and everyone else falls in line.” (Troy, 58:24)

12. Final Thoughts – The Power of Organization & The Comedian’s Role

[61:39 – 63:40]

• Comedians as Guardians: Because of their historic latitude, comedians could lead the defense of free speech:
  • “If there were somebody to carry this torch, the comedians...they can say anything and get away with it inside of parody, comedy, satire...” (Candace, 63:31)
• Call for Collective Action: Real change comes from unity and organizing—echoed with humor and cultural references (Tupac, Lil’ Kim).

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Selected Memorable Quotes & Moments

• “Once we start banning, then we can ban anybody, depending upon my idea about what is right and wrong. And that’s a tough place to be.” (Host, 02:47)
• “You get them while they’re young, you got them for life. It’s easier to teach children good things than it is to reteach adults.” (Lane, 08:11)
• “It makes you wonder, who is teaching them otherwise? TV, movies, maybe a parent or two, but not the friends of mine.” (Candace, 18:39)
• “You don’t own it, so, no you can’t do it. That’s why it’s important for us to start owning it.” (Layne, 54:00)
• “We are the machine...we are the consumers and the providers of content.” (Host, 52:39)
• “Comedians...can say anything and get away with it, inside of parody, comedy, satire...they’re powerful, all these comedians, and they’ve got money.” (Candace, 63:31)
• “Since the dawn of times, you pick out one, you make an example, and everyone else will just fall in line…” (Troy, 58:24)

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Notable Timestamps

• 00:24: Show’s real start—setting up the theme of censorship
• 03:48: Florida, book banning & classroom censorship
• 10:47: Reflections on sex ed, family involvement, and changing curricula
• 19:57: Host decisions to cancel Hulu; debate about boycotting platforms
• 20:50: Troy on Black-owned media and platforms
• 30:27: Moses West and innovation in the Black community
• 34:53: Candace on social media giving everyone gatekeeper power
• 46:40: Satire as inherently political
• 54:13: Limits of “ownership” and infrastructural control
• 58:24: The “make an example” method as a form of societal control
• 63:31: Comedians as central figures in preserving free expression

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Episode Tone and Language

The discussion is lively, personal, and intelligent, mixing humor with critical analysis. The hosts and guests trade stories from their upbringing, recall cultural shifts, and relate personal decisions (like homeschooling) to broader themes of rights and identity. The episode balances seriousness—especially about the risks of censorship—with warmth, wit, and a conversational, unscripted vibe.

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Summary Takeaway

This NAH episode critically unpacks the shifting landscape of rights and censorship in Black America and beyond—offering a nuanced, well-argued exploration of who gets to speak, who gets silenced, and why. The message is clear: new threats to free expression are rising, and meaningful defense will require creativity, community, and—in the hosts' view—a major assist from unapologetic comedians.

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Transcript

[A]

At Walgreens, we know flu season can feel a little chaotic, so we're going to give you our flu info in.

[B]

A meditation, keeping you calm, just like a certified Walgreens pharmacist will do if you're a little needle nervous. So walk in or schedule an appointment and Walgreens will handle the rest.

[A]

That's the human kind of help.

[B]

Walgreens vaccines subject to availability, state, age and health related restrictions may apply. Comrades, welcome to not all Hood. What we can say is on trial. From Jimmy Kimmel to deleted social media posts and bam. Books, censorship is everywhere. Now, it's not new, but there certainly seem to be some new boundaries. What is going on? Well, I took up some of these issues with the show's executive producer Layne Santes, and creative director and producer Troy Harris Jr. We dove into the digital age and the First Amendment at work, at schools and more, because when it comes to free expression, the stakes have never been higher. But just how high will they go? Enjoy the conversation.

[A]

Good morning, Vietnam.

[B]

And good morning to you, Lane. Hello, sir. Are you allowed to say that? Will you get in trouble? Will the FCC be on you for saying that?

[A]

It could?

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. I don't know. I don't know.

[A]

Go back.

[C]

Won't let me be.

[B]

I got several texts about people who canceled their subscription to Hulu to abc. I understand that the button, I think one of you told me of why they were leaving said stations gone. Because they know the answer.

[A]

Yeah, the little come. Yep.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

No need for us to track that.

[B]

No, no need for us to track that. But I think this brings up a lot of really interesting questions about censorship because we were talking about censorship from when we were children in the classroom to where we are now and then what it means. And not necessarily talking about anything specific, but we know that what's in the headlines, we can jump off it and go a lot of ways. And so that's really what we wanted to do here today. I will say this, though, that quite frankly, when it comes to what people say, once we start saying anybody doesn't have the right to say anything, it's just a terrible precedent. I mean, and that goes for. This is why we give the KKK the right to march through certain communities if they get the right permit, if they file their paperworks and let you know where they're going to be. And they are not inciting a riot, inciting violence or causing physical harm. That's why the government allows them to do that. Is that right or wrong? Well, I mean, that's to be debated, but those are the laws. Because once you start saying, well, I don't like what this group says. Granted, it's the kkk. We don't like what they say. But if you start saying that, then the next group that if you. I'm slightly more conservative. I don't like what they say now. I mean, at that point you're banning everybody. And I think that that's how people are kind of feeling these days, that. Well, once we start banning, then we can ban anybody, depending upon my proclivity or my, my idea about what is right and wrong. And that's a tough place to be. Artwork would be gone. We could start banning plays. If all this continues, we won't have any more entertainment.

[A]

Well, it depends on where you live in the country because it already started before, you know, the recent incident. Right. Because we've been. The rest of the nation have been sitting. Sitting in a seat, taking a. A balcony seat, watching Florida. Right?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

As they pull books.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And it's banned. And you can't do this in Florida. You can't even say gay, Right?

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I believe you still can't say gay. Yeah.

[A]

You can't say gay. That's censorship. Right?

[B]

Yeah. Well, in classrooms. In classrooms. And I, you know, I'd have to look. We can look it up now if you want, or someone else can. But I know that in classrooms it's very particular. And we've talked about this because. Well, I mean, if you're a parent, like you of little kids, a lot of parents do want to lead that.

[C]

Conversation or at least be the igniter of that conversation. Right. I think most parents want to start the conversation, maybe not necessarily control the entire thing, but at least be able to add some insight so that their children can see how they feel and, and kind of just help. Control. Not control, sorry. Help maneuver this child through this journey is where I think it lands.

[B]

Right. Because if you're doing it inside of a book. So here's an example. You're a parent. So let's take your five year old.

[C]

Six.

[B]

Six. Okay. You had a birthday recently.

[C]

May.

[B]

Oh, okay. Okay. So take your five year old. And if there is a. I'm afraid you won't answer this, but if there is a. Gosh, you know, all of this, you know, all of this is so sticky. I'm watching every word because I'd like to keep my job.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

You know what I mean? So. But as an example, though, I've heard of professors in law class giving examples and getting fired. And the examples are real case law, and they just don't. Don't even want them to talk about it. And there are some things. And I'm like, you know what? You don't know how sensitive somebody's going to be on the other side.

[C]

But anyway, in terms of how it makes them feel.

[B]

That's right. And how it makes them feel what.

[C]

Seat their parents may hold or house that, you know, may have some influence. And you know, that kind of leads me to kind of what I was thinking too. Right. A lot of things are being censored, but it's kind of seem like it's all around the same topics or like vein of things as far as what's censored versus what's not, rather.

[B]

Right, right. And by that you mean what, it's all around politics or it's all around. I mean, there's a lot of transsexual talk, politics talk, gay talk, you're saying it's kind of focused around.

[C]

It kind of seemed like the people that speak up and make things big are the ones that are able to control the conversation. And big, I know, is a loose term, but.

[B]

Right.

[C]

Yeah. It just seems like certain groups of people are able to cancel certain things versus other groups of people.

[A]

So to correct this, I'll come back on it. You can say gay in Florida. Right?

[B]

Okay.

[A]

You cannot do. Teach that as a sexual orientation in the classroom.

[B]

There we go.

[A]

Right. But you can say it. Yes, but you just. It cannot be taught.

[B]

It can't be taught. Yes, it can't be taught. And really that's where you begin to. I don't want to say indoctrinate, but you plant a lot of seeds in school. Right. Kids spend more time in school than they do at home. So if you plant the seed, then you start growing a person that, you know, that might be within your political lane as they grow up. And, and that's why, you know, politicians in general do want to get to school kids and keep them within, in their. In their hold. I mean, they really are translating into votes. Let's be real. It is a marketing move, if you will, for you to start planting your seed and say, hey, let's teach our kids this. And it's also one of culture. And we also know in terms of Project 25, how we want. When I say we, that's. I'm talking about the majority. I'm not talking about we meaning I'm on that side. But they're saying this is how we want them to be. And you get them when they're young, as with anything. Right. You start marketing them. That's why you get these commercials in all the Walt Disney movies. You get them when they're young. Yeah.

[A]

So cereal commercials, Siri commercials.

[B]

Exactly. You get them when they're young.

[A]

You know, you. A child absorbs everything from 0 to 7. Right. So you're actually. They're magnets from 0 to 7 and after that, you know, releasing. But you get them while they're young. You got them for life. So it's easy not to cut you off, but it's easier to teach children good things than it is to reteach adults. Right.

[B]

So where I'm from, on Saturdays sometimes they do lunch with people who are cross dressers or trans and you could do brunch and it's the look on your face right there. So that's.

[C]

Well, no, I'm just trying to understand. You said where you are or where you're from.

[B]

Yeah, we are. Was born and raised in Marstown. Like there's a place where they have brunches. And you know, even where I teach, they, you know, sometimes the students will cover the drag races or competitions. That's at some place right on campus. It's not on. It's a bar that is in the town. But it's so close to campus. It really is kind of on campus.

[A]

Basically.

[B]

It is. And so. But my question to you is, especially back to your five year old, that is something that, you know, you wouldn't. You know, those who come to the library. Right. They might be a cross dresser and read. That is something that you would want to have a say in, I believe based upon our previous conversations, I would.

[C]

I would think so. And I guess because, you know, children are very inquisitive, so if they have a question that they want to ask and you know, kids aren't quiet either. So versus him asking this out loud.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

To insult anyone or agitate anyone. I would much rather have this conversation at home. Yeah. Or have some say so that, you know, I can. Or at least, you know, if they inform the parents so that the parents can kind of have a prepping conversation or a choice. Yeah, exactly. Kind of similar to like sex ed being taught in school. Sign a permission slip, you say, yeah, that's fine. You can teach my student that, my child that.

[B]

Right. So I don't remember. I don't remember. Maybe my parents signed a permission slip for sex ed.

[C]

They had. They did. They did.

[B]

They did.

[A]

They did. Yeah.

[C]

They had to.

[A]

There were very Few people who didn't take sex ed or anything.

[B]

Yeah. It was required. We had to. It was not a choice. You know, my memory may be maybe, but that's also a thing that sex said has to look different these days. It's got to. And I actually don't have any firsthand experience, but it is. I wonder what it looks like.

[A]

I'm trying to think going through the kids that I have. I'm like, what?

[B]

What did they learn?

[A]

What did they learn and do teach. Because it was funny. You say, I don't remember. Permission slip. But I know we had to assign something for that. But what does that look like? And what are they teaching? I think, you know, teaching sex ed to me personally, you know, that's a natural part of life. Right. So you. Hey, this is what happens. Procreate also gives you the. The kids the big thought of going, hey, if you're not practicing proper practices, this is what can happen. Right. So you're not sending. It's better than your. Their friends teaching them versus, you know, you get a real education on this. I do think parents should be involved. Right. But every parent doesn't want. That was a sticky conversation. This hard. No, I'm still stuck on. I was in a cabbage patch.

[B]

Right, right, right, right.

[A]

My mother didn't teach me that. And then she just gave me HBO early.

[C]

And what was the other one? Home Eck. Right.

[B]

Sex ed. And Home EC was.

[C]

Which one?

[B]

Actually those two today were together. Even home would be very political.

[C]

I would think so. Because in the house. And who was doing this?

[A]

It would be.

[C]

But I know in one of those great class. Oh, man.

[B]

Was fantastic.

[A]

Oh, man. And then, you know, you got excited. Not Nicole. I know you can you remember when you. Those on you like, oh, we about to cook. Yeah.

[B]

And you know, when I was in Montessori school, we used to make bread, yeast bread. You know, we were little people, so. Yeah. Anyway, we got off track there.

[C]

I was just gonna say I couldn't remember which one it was, where they sent. I can't remember if the little boys went home with them, but little girls would go home with the doll that you have to feed and kind of care for for I think like a week week or maybe 30 days. I can't remember if that was sex ed or home ec. But what made me think about it was when you just said, well, if you don't do this, this could happen. I feel like that was that conversation.

[A]

We all went home with the doll.

[B]

See, I can't remember other schools Going home with a. Was it an egg or something that was breaking?

[A]

It was an egg.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

It was not a doll. It was an egg. And you had to take care of that egg. You didn't have to take care of the egg.

[B]

I didn't, but I remember seeing it on the news and other schools. But I didn't do that in mine. Mine was just, like, straight. I just remember in particular. And this has resurfaced over the years. And the teacher said, and men. Men. I want to make sure you know this. He said, watch the war paint. I was like, watch the war paint. What he meant was, watch the makeup. Because when that makeup comes off, they do not look. But it was so funny that he even said it in the middle, but he was just trying to warn them. Look, what's in the dark don't look the same in the light.

[A]

The war paint.

[B]

But he said the war paint and only, you know, like about 10 years ago, I was like, that's what he meant. He meant the makeup.

[A]

War of sexes. War of sexes, Right? Yeah. And that stuff you put your war paint on.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

To go catch a victim. Look.

[B]

And he's right. Some of these before and afters. He's right. He's right.

[C]

Crazy.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. You saw the man who sued because his wife had so much reconstructive surgery. He didn't know what she looked like till the baby was born.

[A]

You know, I was going to say that because that's kind of wild, because when I meet you and I'm like, oh, you've got great features. Go back to sex ed. Right. Those are things that they actually teach you. And that the attraction thing happens, you know, through pheromones.

[B]

Right.

[A]

You know, women's lips expand a little, big blushy cheeks. What happens and all that. So all of that a.

[B]

In sex, and all of those things.

[A]

All of those things happen because, you know, of attraction. Right. So when I look at you, and that's what it is when I look and I go, oh, I date you, what I'm really saying is, oh, I'll procreate with you. You know, I like the way you look.

[B]

It really is. Yes.

[A]

So genetically. Yep. I can see my kids looking. Goes both ways, you know, Male. Oh, yeah. You look like a great protector. You're good for my kids. Right. So now that you were an ugly duckling from a kid to an adult, and you got work done, and now we got an ugly kid.

[B]

Right, Right.

[A]

That's funny. Right?

[B]

That's fraud on your part.

[C]

Criminal.

[B]

That's Criminal.

[A]

So he's suing.

[B]

Yeah, he sued. I don't know what became of it. You know, maybe somebody I can Google. I don't know what I. But he was very upset. He did not know that that was.

[A]

I can get that. Yeah, yeah, I get that. I get that. I get that. That's actually a mind blower. Especially if it was a good plastic surgeon. Because, you know, some of those, you know, what. What you see today.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

It's like you can tell instantly, oh.

[B]

You got work done. Some of them. Some of them, you can't.

[A]

If it's subtle.

[B]

If it's subtle. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, that's true. That's true. But. But with sex ed, I think that. Wow. I'm interested in what Florida does for sex ed. There's got to. They're definitely not talking. They're definitely not teaching about how homosexuality is not.

[C]

You know, do they even still teach sex ed? I don't. I don't know.

[B]

That is a very good question.

[C]

I feel like I've been so removed from school. I'm not. I'm not sure.

[B]

Yeah. Because you homeschool.

[C]

Yes.

[B]

Yes. Is part of your homeschooling kind of impetus because you really want to control all the narratives. Okay.

[C]

It's so originally from my oldest, he wanted to start acting. So while he was in school, they kept, like, sending letters home and, oh, you're missing too much school. I had to go to the superintendent to get it approved. Even though he was doing schooling on set, it was still a thing. A thing. A thing. So when he graduated fifth grade, we decided to homeschool him. And then my six year old, he saw him being homeschooled, and he was like, I want to homeschool.

[B]

I could hear him saying that.

[C]

So we tried it last year, and now this year is the second year and he loves it.

[B]

I bet he does.

[C]

You would have hated home school.

[A]

School, let me tell you. School, you know, it sounds good to stay home from school. Right. But then you start missing your friends and that whole. So for me, I was a social.

[C]

Kid, so I guess that's after having friends. But that's after having friends. If you start at home school, there will be no friends to miss. It'd be your cousins or your family. Right.

[A]

Like, I feel like, well, now they have homeschool programs where you actually interact with kids. Kids.

[C]

Yeah. No, for sure. But you said you would have missed your friends.

[A]

Yeah, I would have missed my friends. I don't know if I would have been the same adult. I Wouldn't have been the same adult homeschool. Oh my God. I would have been awkward. The girl.

[B]

Are you still friends with people who you like, five that you knew at five years old?

[A]

Absolutely.

[B]

How about you?

[C]

Yeah, I actually have one friend that I know from pre K too. Yeah, I know from pre K, but they're my cousins now, obviously.

[B]

Oh, okay. Yeah, you couldn't, you couldn't unload them. They were my cousins. That was, that was by blood. So do you.

[C]

Yeah, I do a lot of them.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. And it was mostly through it, through school and through church. Yeah. But I have one friend and our parents were. Our mothers were pregnant at the same time. Yeah, I just went, that was your cousin.

[C]

That was your cousin.

[A]

That was your cousin.

[B]

That wasn't.

[A]

They didn't refer to that as like, that's on such and such, you know, because that's how it is in our community. You know, people love when our parents are friends, our close.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

That's like, oh, and it's my cousin. And then for some people realize we weren't really cousins.

[B]

Right, right, right. Y' all said that before. That's very hurtful.

[A]

That was, that was on. That was another conversation.

[B]

Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh my goodness. So, yeah, I just think that sex ed looks absolutely different and you know, it is probably very political. I need to check that out.

[A]

So the majority of states still require public school students to take at least one sex ed course.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So you have to take it.

[B]

And I think that makes sense. Cuz who's teaching them otherwise?

[C]

Tv.

[B]

I mean, look, tv, movies. Maybe a parent or two, but not the, not the friends of mine. Maybe, maybe the males too.

[A]

Don't want to teach daughters.

[B]

Yeah, it's, it's, it's tough. And they still get themselves. And it's not just a baby you're worrying about these days anyway.

[C]

It's a lot more. No, it's a whole lot more.

[B]

More.

[A]

Yeah, it was a lot more then, but we just weren't like as a tune to it. Right.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

I feel like back in the day, though, it was always like, oh, you didn't have the talk. Right, the talk, the talk. The birds and the bees. I don't even. I don't even hear it as buzzwords or anything today. I don't. What's the talk called now you don't.

[A]

Want to get the cooties.

[C]

Yeah, I feel like cooties was probably back in the 90s too.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

For the 90s.

[C]

Well, there we go.

[A]

He said back in the 90s.

[B]

He's like, I got the 90s a long time ago. Remember the cooties just touched.

[A]

Somebody shot.

[B]

What was that? Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh. I will, I'm trying to think if I'm going to cancel. I will probably. It's just time. I have to, I, I, I have to go ahead and cancel Hulu, y'. All.

[A]

Hulu, yeah, me too.

[C]

I'm gonna say. You already did.

[A]

No, I've been soul searching, and I'm gonna go ahead, I'm gonna do it right. It's, I'm not gonna say and be like, man, that's easy. I was, I was telling you, I was like, I love Marvel.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I love Star Wars.

[B]

So you got the Disney, you got.

[A]

The Hulu, you got that so and so the noun. They'll go, all right. Shutting it down. It's like, oh, my God.

[B]

I guess the question becomes, when does that put us where at a. In a position where we're kind of, you know, the controller disabled? Because, well, now you're shutting off everything at this point. Amazon, Target, Walmart, Hulu, you have all these things. And then when does that.

[C]

I think it's time for us to start creating our own networks. And, well, we have networks.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

So I think it's just about, you know, those people, those huge, huge people and producers actually pitching or getting their things on those networks. I think that's really all it is. A big. There needs to be a big black superstore. There needs to be a black streaming platform. All of those, I think, networks, everything, everything. I think that's where we are. I think we should have been there. You know, obviously, Tulsa, that's where it was starting. And had we continued on that path, we'd be there. But because of the lapse in the gaps, I think it's just time to get that back started.

[B]

I think at the end of the day, if that was the case, where we are canceling somebody because of some political or stance on morality, we'd have to cancel everything.

[C]

Yeah.

[B]

And I think that that's what I heard someone say, well, wait a minute, wait a minute. That disadvantage is. I'm at a disadvantage. If I have to cancel all of these things, don't get me wrong, it works. And if that's people's choices, and, you know, I've done it, too, but I've heard the argument on the other side. That's what I'm putting on the table. That doesn't. That Put us at a disadvantage. If I'm canceling, if I'm canceling every, every media organization, every outlet, every platform that I think has been offensive or has done something politically incorrect, in my eyes, honestly, you'd be sitting at home, you know, looking at the stars.

[A]

So maybe you need to look at the stars because they're not, they're not feeding anything good anyway, right. When you turn, When I turn on. If I turn on cnn. Right. We're just gonna. Let's play both sides of the coin.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

If I turn on Fox, I'm being fed propaganda. If I turn on cnn, I'm being fed another type of propaganda.

[B]

That is true.

[A]

Right. So I'm being fed what people want to feed me, right. So unless I have really, really discernment where I can go, you know what I can critically think this is not what it is. Right. And most of us don't have critically good, critical now every day, everything's in a minute. I can send you something opposed to like Troy, look at this. This lady said that birds fly upside down if they eat. If they eat croissants. Yeah, right. You know what I'm saying? And then you send that to 30 other people who send it. 30. And we're just saying so we don't critically think. So now I've got propaganda that's coming in anyway. So is it. What are you really missing out on propaganda?

[B]

Well, entertainment wise, in terms of, you know, you can make an argument to get rid of my Apple TV plus. I'm just saying that's what I mean, that type of entertainment.

[A]

But you're right, you're not really, you're not really feeling Apple TV plus.

[B]

No, no, I'm saying I could, you could make an argument if you looked at, you know, who owned it, what they've done, you could make a political argument.

[A]

Well, Apple has held out better than anybody else.

[B]

They have, they have so far. But that's another thing. What's just being put on in our stream of conscious and algorithms. What if somebody today it's kind of like, I didn't know Ben and Jerry's one of the co founders had quit, but that's in all my algorithms for the past week. I did not know that that was brewing. You know what I mean? But now we're all talking about it now it's a political football. So depending upon if we put it out there or not, I don't know, maybe someone's deep down seeing what, you know, Apple TV creators and co creators or Apple have done and they'll put it out next week. Then we'll all be talking about it and it'll be political.

[A]

But.

[C]

Well, you said something interesting. It was a little bit ago, but you said that it works. Like when we shut these things off, shut these things down, turn them down, it works. But so like what do you, what do you mean by it works? Does it mean then now they're paying attention to us and now we're going to feed back into it.

[B]

So let's say I don't want to give today's date to time it, but we're in 2020. Target, for example. They are seeing that the numbers have gone down quarter by quarter. You did have this CEO step down, I believe, right?

[A]

No, he got a promotion. He went to, he's the chairman now.

[B]

Now you see the chairman.

[A]

So that's basically, you got a promotion, the CEO promote. Okay, that's a promotion.

[B]

So there was some movement, like I don't know what else will become of it, but people are still on that and hard. And so it's making some, it's definitely making some waves.

[C]

But I think like the, the end goal for that is for them to care now. Right? You said, you said you do X, Y and Z for dei, right? And now you're choosing not to. So it works. Means now they're gonna do something for this community and now we're supposed to flock back. So.

[B]

That'S always been the deal in history in terms of please, you know, we need you to do this. Which is why we're boycotting, which is why we're doing this. And now that that's happened, okay, now we will go back to said store.

[C]

That's why I think it's time for us to create our own stories. I think to me it working is us not finding out. Cause I feel like this is something we've already known, but realizing that people aren't thinking about us or having our best interest at hand or at heart. So it's our turn to start creating, not to wonder, well, now what do we do? What else is going on? It's time for us to get out, create these stores, create these businesses. And there's no time better than now, the present. I mean, it's always been time. But it's like with all of these, like my mother used to always say to me, when someone shows you who they are, believe them. So it's like now like, oh, you know what, nevermind, we'll put more money here. Come back, come back, come back. Doesn't seem Right.

[B]

To me, it doesn't seem. I mean, I will say, listen, people sat at the Woolworths calendar because they wanted to be able to sit there. And then when, you know, when everything happened and they were able to sit there, and people like. And black folks like sitting there when. And that's what they fought for. And I do. But I do understand what you're saying and that, well, we had our own Woolworths. Well, then we wouldn't have to worry about their counters.

[C]

Create our own counters. Create our own. That. That's where I think.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. No, no, absolutely. Absolutely. Just thinking.

[C]

Everyone tripping about Tesla.

[B]

Right, right.

[C]

But then there's a. There's a guy here in Atlanta who is building electric cars. Why don't we crowdserve crowd source put into that, and everyone support that brother. You know what I mean?

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

In that instance, not. Well, I can't wait until he makes sure that I'm good, and then I'm gonna go get that car again.

[A]

Like, yeah, I'm with you. You don't want my money? I'm good. You just told me you never want my money. I'm all right. I don't have to spend my. It's like any other customer service thing, right? Yeah, customer service. You know, you hear me talk about it all the time. I'm like, that's key. That's because people do not have to spend their money.

[B]

That's true.

[A]

And you do get. Businesses feel like they'll be back. They'll spend. You got it. You ever walked in someplace and. And you can. They treat you like your dollar. Doesn't make a difference to me. Somebody else is coming in here anyway. Mind blowing. I'm not spending my dollar in. It doesn't matter. Unless I am bleeding to death and you have the band Aids and I need it today. I'm not spending my money in there. I'm not doing it. Mm. Yeah.

[C]

So the funny thing is, though, a lot of times when people feel like, oh, they make it so that I can't spend my money there, I'm gonna go and prove it to them. I think that's when we lose. I think you sent me a video like that.

[B]

Oh, you mean like, go spend.

[C]

Yeah. And I'm spending even more now because you think I can't afford this. What do you mean? I can buy 10 of these.

[B]

Right? Right.

[C]

Like, ego. You sent me a video on that when it was like, marketing to the. Marketing to the black man. If he walks into a store, tell him he can't Afford this and then.

[A]

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Oh, that was a while ago. Yeah, that's right.

[C]

That's right, people.

[A]

That's right.

[C]

Fall into that. That's again, why I say we need to create. Like we're very, very, very creative people.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Oftentimes when we're trying to chase behind these corporations and these jobs and this and this and that, we're losing sight. We're good. Getting further and further away from creating what was the last major thing, obviously, except let's say fan base and let's say this electric car. What was the last earth shattering thing that someone in our community has created?

[B]

Many, many things. We just don't hear about it.

[C]

Exactly.

[B]

Yeah. That's just the algorithm, you know, I mean, many, many, many, many things. Who was this guy? I'm gonna have to look while you guys, there's. I have this good example. Y' all go ahead and talk.

[A]

I was gonna say. So when we, when we go back to thinking about, honestly, like brands, right, who actually value. Let's forget just the American people's dollar, right? We'll go back to the, to the black dollar, right? So that's the attachment that we have to Cadillac, right? Because when no one would give us a loan. Cadillac like, I got you, I got you, black people, right? And we held to Cadillac today where people don't even know why black people like Cadillacs. Right? But because of 70, 80 years ago, right.

[B]

Because we brought them back out of going out at bunkruptcy and they said.

[A]

I will rock with you. And they rocked with us. And that became the luxury car of the black man. And then we moved over to Mercedes Benzes and Rolls Royces and all that other stuff, but Cadillac.

[B]

So I love this. I found it. Why? Because there's only one man who's created water from air. I love this story. Texas man, Moses west invented an atmospheric water generator.

[A]

Big machine, that big thing. Yes.

[B]

In 2015, that turns air into clean, potable water by extracting humidity, condensing it. Do you hear this? Filtering it and filtering the collected water. His goal is to provide affordable drinking water to people in need, especially to those affected by water, to those with water crises, like in Michigan and so on and so forth. And I'm like, that should be everywhere.

[C]

10 years ago.

[A]

Oh, my goodness. Let me stop you now. His biggest contributor, though, I think his biggest contract and I think who really actually kind of controls it is the government.

[B]

Government.

[A]

He was in the military and I loved it when. But it lets, you know his brilliance.

[B]

Yeah. Yeah. And also lets you know what we're not hearing about.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So you just have to do your due diligence, like you said, and, and, and look to see because we are so creative. It's probably out there somewhere. Yeah. You just have to. Yeah, it's just much, much harder to find it.

[A]

Can you imagine, you think something like that, Right. Really would be in everyone's home. Right. So now, hey, I have a home. Every home now gets the. Whatever that is. Yeah, yeah, the Bang Zoomer. You know what I'm saying? Whatever the name of the device is, it's a big machine. I've seen it. You know, you can move it around. I think he's done it in disaster zones and things like that.

[B]

Yeah, it is big machine.

[A]

Yeah, it's a very big machine. But you think at least every single subdivision would have one, right?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Every neighborhood on your block, you would have one in the city. Hey, here's yours, here's yours, here's yours. Right. That. That would just be it. And we wouldn't even be tapping into our reservoirs or the ocean, you know, because it's being generated. But. Yeah, but they.

[C]

There's no way for them to make money off that.

[A]

That's right.

[B]

But I think by virtue of what it happens in the newsrooms, it happens. Which since we're all our newsrooms, I love and appreciate that people are on here, because what we're doing by everybody having their own channel, if you will, and being able to talk about whatever they want to, we're really helping to stamp out censorship, because if we go through the regular channels, you can call it what you want, but they're definitely filtering stories based upon their worldview about what makes it to air, because only a certain amount of things can make it to air in the 30 minute or hour newscast, let's say 30 minutes, NBC, David Muir or the Fox, you know, 30 minute, and all those gatekeepers of information I'm putting on the news, that. That matters to me, and that's why this isn't always going to make it. So I appreciate social media and the fact that everybody has their First Amendment right, even though some stuff some of these people say is crazy, but they have the First Amendment right to say that. And if you want to choose to listen to it, go ahead, but if we stop, you know, and I mean, and there are things like when I think about Candace Owens and the president of France suing her. Be that as it may, she does have a First Amendment right to say that, and he does have A First Amendment right. He. Meaning the president and his wife have a First Amendment right to sue for defamation.

[A]

Well, hold on, hold on. Those people are in France.

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

There is no First Amendment right that applies to them because.

[B]

No, she is a first impression.

[A]

Yeah, she does. Right, but over there.

[B]

Right.

[A]

You can't say that.

[B]

Right, right.

[A]

Well, this is now a global thing, right?

[B]

Yeah, yeah. But they did sue over in France, too. They did, and then they lost. And then. I'm sorry, they won. And then it was, then it was reversed. And then it stood. And then she has taken that information and said, look, they lost in France. Now they're suing me. And at this point, this woman, the president of France, mind you, France recently had like a whole, like, government implosion and she's figuring out how to show Candace Owens if she's a man or a woman. Now, even with that, I still believe in the First Amendment. Right. But I also believe that they have the right to sue for defamation. And that's. And that's where we are. But, but, but we are all our own gatekeepers. And I think that that's, that's wonderful.

[A]

I don't think that if you give me, give us another 10 years. I think just like every other dinosaur, there's no more newspaper. Remember how long the newspapers tried to hold on?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Right. So now they're online and they're like, now the biggest content provider on the planet, I think, is the Washington Post. Right. Which, you know, who owns the Washington Post?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

All right, so the billionaire. Yes, that's right. But I think with any other industry, it'll die. Cable died. The news industry, the way the network TV as we get it now, it's in a death. It's been in a. Could we call a slow death? What you call it a slow death? Or would you call it.

[B]

I would say that it has been a slow death. It sped up. It. It was, it seemed like it was. It seemed like it got a facelift during COVID because everybody was married to the television. But then after that, what also grew during COVID was people in their own platforms and everybody realizing, I could be my own channel.

[C]

That's right.

[B]

You know, people thought Roland Martin and he'll sell. This was crazy. Like, why is he. He was on these stations. He would sit CNN and da, da, da. And now he's on this, this, this on online. That's so weird. Now, look.

[A]

And now where are you looking for Roland?

[B]

Yeah, everybody else. Exactly. You know where he is. And everybody else.

[A]

And you know, I Just realized too, the other day, because I know Roland is. Listen, he pumps out so much content.

[B]

He does crazy.

[A]

For real. They are good at the rolling, Martin. I'm telling you, they pump it out and they stay current. But it just hit me the other day, I was thinking, do they pump it out on the podcast like that? Oh, Roland is giving this to them like. So if you're in your car listening, you're going to get it from the podcast as well. They're pumping out right behind it. So you're just getting a steady stream of rolling.

[B]

Of rolling.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

And.

[B]

And people who are taken off the air because of First Amendment rights, too. So you can go. Recently, Terry Moran, then we had Don Lemon, Joanne Reid, all of those are First Amendment censorship issues.

[A]

And look, they're actually making out better. They're better. They probably didn't think so. I think Don L. He, he actually embraced it. And I love the way he does this thing. Right? He embraced it. He embraced.

[B]

He did, he did.

[A]

And then, you know, just recently, you can start seeing Joanne Reeves. She is like, boom. Uncensored and uncut. Where's my. Where's my sword?

[B]

But for whatever reason, Stephen Colbert, which I know people can argue whosever side you're on, why he got. Why he's not gonna be on anymore. Where does the late night comedy. I guess it could go on YouTube too.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

Wouldn't you be more TikTok?

[C]

You can put it anywhere.

[B]

And that's where I watch Jon Stewart anyway. I don't watch it live.

[A]

You're not watching it live. You're waiting for it to come on there. So what difference? So if Stephen sits in his living room and he does it with Candace.

[B]

Well, I guess the only thing is I'm thinking about the money because he has a huge staff. He'd have to be smaller. It takes a lot of money. And then you. Yeah, he would just have to start from scratch. But he could replicate it.

[C]

He just needs a podcast studio.

[B]

He just needs a podcast. You know, I guess I'm just thinking about if you have. I don't know, I'm just thinking. I'm just thinking about how that would, how that would play out. In other words, would somebody then come after the platform, come after YouTube for putting it on? Does that make sense?

[A]

So then you. So you know, that always stays on my mind. Then I go, well, what's the next thing? So then you have to have a unbiased. So I guess that's where like people, like, go to Patreon. Because Patreon doesn't do it until somebody eventually does.

[B]

What buys Patreon and says take it down?

[A]

Yes. Until. Yes.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So you have to have fan base. Fan base, fan base, fan base.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

I don't think it ever gets to a point where they're censoring people, but right now they're not. Yeah, they're actually welcoming everyone. And then you can put paywalls where you can say and do whatever you want. You can have, you know, pretty much all the stuff you can do on there. I think you can just do whatever you want.

[B]

Just wondering how far, far the government will go to take people off the air. Any air. Whether it's YouTube, whether it's Spotify, whether it's. Because this is so unprecedented.

[A]

Is that fcc. Is my app being monitored by the fcc?

[B]

Not monitored, but the FCC oversees anything that crosses state lines, which is the phone. This is the FCC's territory. Yes. So I mean, there's a. Who knows? This is what I'm saying. It's like, what is the end game in this?

[A]

That's a thought.

[B]

Because it is.

[A]

Do you then have. I was going to use pirate, but it's not really pirate, but we'll just call it the. The dark. The dark. I guess it would be like a dark web where people are doing things.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Dark side. But let's call it something else. Because nothing shifty is happening just below what the.

[B]

What the mainstream is doing.

[A]

But look, let's call it alternative. Alternative web. The alternative web where people are going to. But then even that. Right. It has to go through.

[B]

That's right. That's right.

[A]

Somebody's network that is managed by someone.

[B]

At AND T. That's right.

[A]

Right. You can't push that through here because I can then put up a server or blocks or something.

[C]

Take it down.

[B]

That's right.

[C]

So. Oh, yeah, they take it down. I forgot all about that. I forgot all about that. Because I was gonna say, can they send cease and desist if you're on Patreon? Like, what if they subscribe to someone just to see what they're doing? And then I guess they can. No, they can't take that down. But they can send cease and desist.

[B]

Well, I mean, yeah, you can send a. You know, Jimmy. Not Jimmy Fallon. Jimmy Kimmel. Jimmy Kimmel. He did not get a cease and desist.

[C]

No, but that's. Cause he was on a network.

[A]

Would you go back if you were him? If they said, okay, Jimmy, you gotta come back, would you go back? No, no.

[C]

You heard Me, I'm creating my own every time.

[B]

No, there's no. Because then, I mean, what he said, many would argue was not that egregious. So he'd be. He'd always be teetering. Then he'd be under the kind of the, you know, what's that called when you have a puppet? Yeah, he, you know, the puppeteer would always be over him, watching everything. And how can he live like that and be. And be funny? You know what I mean? I didn't mean those quotes. He's funny, but you know what I'm saying? Be funny, too. That's what they think. Oh, he thinks he's funny. The executive branch or, you know, Brendan Carr from the fcc, they think, oh, he thinks he's so funny. You can't try to. You cannot be under that and be funny.

[A]

Do you think that they are. Oh, he may be in a contract where he's not able to do anything, so they actually ought to cut him loose. Cut him loose.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So. So it's like, oh, I can't quit.

[B]

I saw a headline today that they say, okay, he's at the table to try to negotiate. But, I mean, you know, all that's very much a formality. And, and, but could that. I mean, not unless they brought him back and he's just, you know, able to go hog wild, which they're like, uh, he didn't even go. What he said. Honestly, would have. He would have won in a court battle.

[A]

Yeah, probably. Yes.

[B]

Let's be real.

[A]

And still will. Probably in a few years. That's right, in a few years. Cool your heels and waves.

[B]

So I just. I just can't. I can't imagine that he'd want to get back on and let's take another chance to be kicked back off and play that game.

[C]

And I think now they're trying to wait and see if he'll apologize. I think that's the biggest thing. That's right, because it doesn't. It doesn't make sense.

[A]

Would you apologize?

[C]

I would create my own network. I keep saying it.

[A]

I agree.

[C]

If someone, you know, without any warning, just turns their back on me, and I would tell anyone this if you have the know how and the time and figure it out for yourself, because I feel like once that happens, there's always this sense that it could always happen. You know, you kind of start feeling like you're never protected, you're never just good. So start doing your own thing.

[B]

And they're comedians, you know, that's a whole different realm.

[A]

Pick On Cancel Dave next.

[B]

Yeah, I mean, Dave cares.

[A]

Dave doesn't care.

[B]

He gonna create his own.

[A]

Yeah, Dave would. And you just be catching clips. Clips of Dave doing things at some. Because Dave will pop up in the club for free somewhere, and he'd do stuff like that. So you would not be able to catch a day. No, no, you would not.

[B]

No. He'd be. He'd be like, we're gonna put a. You know, something out in the middle of a cornfield, and they. And they will come like they did during COVID because that's what they did. So. Yeah. Yeah. And they can be listening. I do think that. Well, you know, if you have a comedian that's, you know, making fun of someone in the front seat who's handicapped and he makes him the butt of all of his jokes, you know, that may not be for me, but I do believe, you know, he still has. He still has the right to say it. You know, I just have to either leave or suck it up or know that once you open up a door, you're supposed to be funny. And you have to have. You can't not. It's not a classroom, Right. You know, you have to. Have to open up yourself. So comedy, I just. That's just. That's just something that the courts have already. Already in all ways protected, or else we wouldn't have Saturday Night Live or Living Color or anything.

[A]

I remember being a kid, right? This is. These are my first memories of. Of comedy. You know, comedy and politics, I guess. Gerald Ford had fallen down steps a lot, right? So Chevy Chase, I believe it was Chevy Chase would always do the Saturday Night Live skits, and he'd fall down to be Gerald Ford and fall down the steps, right? My first memories. And I believe it was Chevy Chase doing. Going. Doing that. And, you know, it was funny, right? That's what comedians did. They got on. They heckled. I mean, you know, they heckled the. The state, and that's what it was. And for it to be. Not. Be that, it's like. Odd.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, it's odd. And we can't leave it to the courts because who. You can't say what's funny to you. It's bad precedent.

[C]

But that. So I think that's the thing. I think they are still able to. Or I've seen a few Saturday Night Live skits where they're mocking Kamala or they're mocking, yes, President Trump. And you know what I mean? I think. I think it's when they don't find it funny or it's outright speaking against without a punchline. Then it's like, oh, no, you got to go. That was. You know what I mean? Like, if they don't understand the humor.

[B]

Humor, yeah.

[C]

What I think it is. If it's satirical, then it's all good. Oh, look, that's not how he really does it. I think impersonations are good. I think like joking at what he.

[A]

Usually said and I love you usually spot on.

[C]

But it's satirical. It's still. You know what I mean? It's still. It's like.

[B]

So you're saying that sometimes, that if. That sometimes the satire makes a political statement and that that is what rubs them the wrong way.

[A]

But that's what it's always.

[B]

I just about to say, I think the satire doesn't always make a political statement. Let me think. Satire, I think, always does make somehow political statement. I've thought about it. Because if you're making fun of Joe Biden and the way he moves, you're making a political statement about his ability to serve as president.

[A]

That's right.

[B]

And that is political.

[C]

That's right. So I think that's.

[B]

And spot on.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

But I think. I don't think it's to make a political. I don't think it's for the latter, like you said, to speak on his ability to be a president. I think it's just to be funny. I think sometimes things are just to be right. But when you push the needle is when it's. Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on. What are you doing? You think you can do that? Not here. Not in this space. That's what I think it is.

[A]

Well, you have the Jon Stewarts of the world, the Bill Mahers. They've been doing it hard on even Trevor Noah. Right. That's what they've gone hard. That's. Their shows have been.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Go hard. Right. Make fun of the political state.

[B]

Yeah. They took Bill Maher off. Gotta look it up. I'm not sure if it was after 9, 11, but they, they were like, yeah, we're giving you a break, brother. For a period of time there. I don't. I can't remember which. But it's not new. It's just that it's happening in droves. And that's like, that's. That's something else.

[C]

Unprecedented.

[B]

Yeah, yeah. Let me see. Taking off air.

[C]

Unprecedented.

[A]

Very dangerous. They're dangerous waters, I'm telling you. Very dangerous waters. I told. When I went out there, I was like, I said, you know, in my, My time on this Planet living in America. I'm an American, right. And there were certain things that like, wouldn't happen in America. A COVID lockdown would not happen in America. What else didn't they reverse?

[C]

Roe v. Wade.

[A]

Roe v. Wade.

[C]

Like I was.

[A]

Was not gonna have. They talked. That was something they talked about. Those were, those were smoke stuff. Screen politics back in the days, right. Anytime you wanted to just go on and just throw some smoke screens up, you talked about crime, abortion. Something else was always smokescreen. It's like three main things. Like, you know what? Hold on. I know what I can do to grab everybody's attention. Abortion, sex. Hold on, guys, raise your hand. How many people is abortion really affected? And does that affect your tax dollars? Right. Inflation. No, it doesn't. Smoke screen politics. Maybe it wasn't crime, wasn't one. But I used to have it in my mind. I knew the up. When they start talking about like smokescreen, they're trying to take your attention off of something else. But that is smokescreen politics.

[B]

He was off the air 2002, made a comment about the 911 terrorists. And so the advertisers got scared. And so ABC canceled it politically correct in 2002. But then it came back on HBO, which is where he's been since that time.

[A]

What year did they pick it back up? They picked it up a few years.

[B]

Later in same year.

[A]

Was it the same year?

[B]

Yeah. See, that's another thing too. These other people could be picked up at other stations that they'd be good on Netflix.

[C]

I understand.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

But people are starting to cancel Netflix. Yeah, man. You know, Netflix was a great bait and switch. This is not censorship. It's just a great bait and switch. Right. Money. Right. So hold on. So now, just many, many moons ago, not so long ago, but Netflix was 5.99 now a month. Netflix is $25. During COVID they're like, they, they had their own little off campaign up. Share passwords. Share passwords. But secretly, the next year, the next year they were like, that's it.

[B]

That's true.

[A]

You're not going to share passwords anyway, right? So it's like, oh, so then they started charging for you to share passwords.

[B]

Right?

[A]

And then they incrementally have been going up, going up, going up. So cutting the cord used to be like, well, I can save money. You know how long it took for people to cut the cord? I cut the cord in 2015 or 16 or something. And it took a lot to get away from cable. Cause what did you Know, cable, Right. Wherever you move, you gonna get cable. Right.

[C]

That's the first thing I was the one telling you.

[A]

Yep.

[C]

I was like, it's nothing on cable anymore. I was like, yo, I got this one. This one, this one. I don't even watch cable.

[A]

Been doing cable all our days, Right. It's like, yeah, that was it. Then it cut it and it was like, okay, what can I do? Oh, you know what?

[C]

Netflix, Apple, everything is here.

[A]

And just loosen. And it's like, okay, so. But during that time, you could have multiple streaming. And it's like, oh, I'm paying 30 something dollars a month for all of my streaming things that I want to watch. Now you've gone back to paying comcast.

[B]

You have 200 and something dollars.

[A]

300. Right. Bait and switch.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And then you don't. They don't even keep all of that cut. So you might have that show you like to name a show you like. And you're like, yeah, I got that saved in my favorites. And I'll go back and watch it. And you're like, they done pull the content down. It's on someone else's. Somebody didn't want to pay the actors royalties. Oh, it was hbo.

[B]

And look, none of them wanted to do the actors. None of them wanted to pay those royalties.

[A]

It was an HBO show. It'll come back. And. And because HBO did not want to pay them royalties.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Right. They pulled the whole show. And that was an HBO Staples show. And they pulled. And they do not put it. It's not there because they don't want to pay royals.

[B]

Look, we'll show you.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Who's got the power.

[A]

Yes. Unbelievable. But remember, we're the consumer.

[B]

That's right.

[A]

And the actors and the comedians, they're providing them content. Right. We are the machine.

[B]

We are the machine. Yeah. This is why I'm very afraid about. Listen, look at TikTok right now. Right before Biden got out of office, he was like, y' all don't make a deal by dance. And TikTok is not going to be available in America. But then Trump extended that, and that's where we are now. And there's supposed to be some deal points on the table for the time that we recorded this for Tik Tok. But still, like, even all of that is kind of. It could be, could be not, you know, and you're on there making a living. People quit their jobs in order to be tiktokers and social media influencers. Ooh. I would have two side jobs besides that. Because I think all that could possibly. Possibly be taken away.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

At any time. At any time.

[C]

That's true.

[A]

That's true.

[C]

Wow.

[B]

Yeah. And people have been arguing that's kind of censorship. It's my First Amendment right to actually be on here. That's been the main argument, what we're talking about. Now. You are censoring me by taking away my right to say what I want to say on this platform.

[A]

It's my platform, though.

[C]

Yeah.

[A]

It's like coming in my store. I don't have to serve.

[B]

He's like, I win. Yeah.

[C]

I want to do what I want to do.

[A]

You don't. You don't own it, so, no, you can't do it.

[C]

That's why it's important for us. Us to start owning it is. That's. That's the biggest thing.

[B]

But I.

[A]

You.

[B]

Not to be the. The but girl.

[C]

Yes, but.

[B]

But the real ownership. I mean, you'd have to own the world, by the way. You know what I'm saying? Like, at the end of the day, if you want to trace it all the way back, who owns the Internet and who manages that, and then you kind of get into the same cycle. It's. It's all one big circle.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I mean, I don't think we're gonna solve any problems today, but it's definitely something that everybody has to be aware of, because the First Amendment rights. It might start with the Jimmy, or it might start with something else, or, you know, a bunch of lawsuits being filed by Trump in order to kind of. That he's won these defamation lawsuits. But it really means us. It really does mean us not be so dire about it. But. But it does.

[A]

Listen, I made this quote before. I think we were talking about it.

[B]

Are you about to quote yourself? Go ahead, Go ahead.

[A]

No, it wasn't my.

[B]

It wasn't people quote James Baldwin.

[A]

It wasn't my quote. It wasn't my quote. But it's funny because me and Malcolm had the conversation. I think me, you, Malcolm, we had a conversation. It was one of those things that Ronald Reagan had said. Ronald Reagan said, hey, the peop. The government doesn't tell the people what to do. The people tell the government what to do. Now we know Ronald Reagan and his, you know, and that thing. But. But the statement itself still stands strong. We tell the government what to do. So it's.

[C]

We should.

[B]

Yeah. And we could.

[C]

But I think the way that things have been gone, a lot of people are kind of pacified. Right. They feel like they can't tell the government what to do. I feel like people feel like. Well, like, even when it comes to voting. Right. Why would I vote? My vote doesn't count, no matter what. This is a red state. It is what it is, no matter what. That's. Yeah, but that's the thing. I think if we start with the people and people are starting to change the way they think, then we can get back there. You know what I mean? Like, you know, you call it. So I'm talking, quote, tupac, change the way we think. Let's change the way we eat. We got to start loving each other and just coming together, and then we can start making changes. That's funny. I didn't mean to say that last part.

[A]

She about to go into the song.

[B]

I was like.

[A]

Yeah. I was like, okay, okay.

[C]

I did not mean to say changes there. But, yeah, like, real talk, I think, you know, it starts there. We just need to start coming back together. Like, you're stronger in numbers. You know what I mean?

[B]

Yeah. No, you. You are. You are. I would say that some people might feel that way, especially because. Wow, if Jimmy's just gotten taken off the air, what's that for me? Yeah. Who am I? It might be discouraging, and you're right that that means that you have to do more organizing now. Now you do more organizing not just around voting rights, not just around, you know, Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security benefits, but. But around the First Amendment, which for a long time had not been tampered with in this way. To think that you could lose your livelihood. There is a website, and it existed at the time of this recording, where if you thought somebody said something that was against a certain person that was recently assassinated, you upload the Twitter post or you upload the Instagram post, and then the powers that be who run the site will follow it, track it, and make sure that you get fired or suspended from your job.

[A]

What do they call that? That's a site.

[B]

Like doxing.

[A]

Doxing.

[B]

Okay, thank you.

[A]

That's a doxing.

[B]

Yeah. So. And, you know, I mean, just over the first few days, 30,000 people had uploaded. Yeah, this. And then they're going to go and categorize it. So let's say that they look up your name, which it wouldn't be there because, you know, you won't have your own company. The beauty of that. But categorize it where you look up a name, and then you can see, okay, they go to that school, and you can look, or you can look up the School, the university, and see everybody who's been taken down or suspended. Just really. I mean, people are doing a lot. People are doing a lot.

[C]

That's. That's the story. Or the way that the powers that be is what I'll say. Control, though, right? Since the dawn of times, you. You pick out one, you make an example, and then everyone else would just fall in line, like, just forever. I mean, take everything away political. Right. Let's just go to the Walking Dead.

[B]

Right? Right.

[C]

Negan would take one person, you know, you used to watch it.

[B]

Yeah.

[C]

Make an example. You guys are gonna do this. You're gonna give me 50% of everything. No, we're not. They try to fight back. Kill one of them.

[A]

Boom.

[C]

Crack a skull.

[A]

That was actually their thing when they go meet. They didn't even. They didn't even come friendly. They just went and split ahead and then go, is, are you guys ready to do business? They didn't even ask. Used to watch the Walking Dead.

[B]

I watched. Not all the seasons. Probably the first five.

[A]

Okay.

[C]

I'm glad I didn't say the name of the guy that it happened to. You got to see it.

[A]

This is.

[B]

I have life changing. Is it life? Okay.

[A]

I watch it. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Don't like what.

[C]

You know, I just use that as an example. But obviously, you know, we can go back to slavery. We can go to.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That's the premise of Willie Lynch. Right. The Willie lynch papers. Right. I don't have to. To punish everyone. All I have to do is I can take a. Let me take the father. Right. And string him up in front of the family. Right. And now you're scared forever. You'll never cross that. And that's stronger. That goes along generations. So I don't ever have to do anything. I just made one example.

[C]

Exactly.

[B]

But the Walking Dead was a decent example, because at the end of the day, that really was about forming a society. I mean, when I started watching it, I was like, okay. But then when they got into, you know, the natural hierarchies that formed and, you know, who was a leader, and then they. You had to have factions. Like, somebody had to. That was. It's a good show.

[C]

Yeah. So I. I just say that to say it's the same thing. Oh, you spoke out. Well, here you go. Let's move you off the chessboard. Not everyone else. No one else will do that again.

[B]

Right, Right. Because they've seen. They've made an example out of you.

[C]

And when you look at the reactions, you see it as well. People who you are, who's known to speak out of, like, talking around the subject. Well, you know, what he said was kind of. You know what he said, like saying a whole lot of nothing. But I get it. They don't want to be canceled either. They don't want to lose their livelihood. They don't want to take on those same consequences.

[B]

Right?

[A]

Yeah. But then you just become weakened.

[C]

You become weakened.

[A]

Right.

[C]

That's all.

[A]

Like, there's. So you can tiptoe. It's like having the boss at the job who just comes in and flips out on everyone is like, well, I'm just going to just stay here.

[B]

Right. Just quiet. Was my paycheck still coming?

[A]

Yeah. I need this job.

[B]

Okay.

[A]

Yeah. I really need this job.

[B]

You know, I don't know what he's going through, but that didn't happen with me.

[A]

Right. Didn't start with me.

[C]

Not me, boss. I don't feel that way.

[B]

Right, Right.

[C]

My check is still okay.

[A]

Yeah.

[C]

No, I don't. I don't feel.

[A]

Start looking somewhere else. But you know what? I'm not going to say anything about these.

[C]

So that's honestly what it all is. I think that's where censorship begins. But, you know, from. With your background, I mean, obviously it's not legal, but what can anyone do then?

[B]

Well, I mean, I think that the group of people to really carry the torch in this, that will make the most, that make the biggest bang are comedians, because they have been so historically and highly protected. Right. Because what are you gonna do when somebody's funny? Historically? We do not. We don't censor people. Or else what they're saying about this is that this was in bad taste and that it was harmful. I mean, so is every comedian to somebody. You know what I mean? To some people, Eddie Murphy was in bad taste, as Bill Cosby, you know, to some people, Dave Chappelle was in bad taste. Wanda Sykes was in bad taste. Bill Burr wasn't bad. So you're always going to have some people, which is why we kind of leave it alone. Right? Let's just. Funny is funny to you. It might not be funny to me or vice versa, but we can't start touching it or else no one's gonna be a comedian anymore. So if there were somebody to carry this torch, the comedians, not only that, but they're very powerful. Because the other thing that I think we do with comedians, and this has to do with censorship and First Amendment rights, too, is that they're able to say so much in any way in order to make their point. And they know how to get. Look at Dave Chappelle. He can say anything politically, and people look at him to say that he's almost like a leader in some. Some ways. Or people are giving him like they are waiting for him to say things about certain political things. And that's wonderful because he can say anything and get away with it inside of parody, comedy, satire, things of that nature. So if anybody. And they're powerful, all these comedians and they've got money so they can start their own, like you're saying. And people who have money have power and respect. So if anybody to carry. I know I'm about to quote Lil Kim, but you'll be eating right. But they're the ones. They're the. They're the best people, I think, to carry this towards.

[A]

So what she's saying to close this thought out is, yeah, Dave Chappelle, you.

[C]

Got to say something.

[A]

Step 20, 28.

[B]

There we go. That's the takeaway. You'd have a lot of door knockers.

[A]

Then vote for Dave. That was good. I love it.

[B]

All right, that's it for this episode of Not All Hood. We appreciate you listening and joining in the conversation and just being a part of it all.

[C]

We want to hear from you. Drop your thoughts in the comments, share this episode with a friend and let us know what resonated with you.

[A]

Please, please, please send us pics of you rocking the non merch we want to feature you in some upcoming posts.

[B]

All right. Also, make sure that you subscribe to us on YouTube, on fan base, on Instagram, and really do that to stay locked into all of our future episodes.

[C]

Be sure to support the movement. Grab your [e-mail] shop. Every purchase helps us keep the conversation alive.

[A]

We've got some powerful conversations coming up, so don't miss next week's episode. Thank you guys for joining us. Sometimes an identity threat is a ring of professional hackers. And sometimes it's an overworked accountant who forgot to encrypt their connection while sending bank details.

[B]

I need a coffee.

[A]

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