Kylie & Ms. Rachel on Surprising Celeb DMs, Good vs. Bad Screen Time & Gen Z Slang Pop Quiz | Ep. 30

Summary

Summary of Episode 30: "Kylie & Ms. Rachel on Surprising Celeb DMs, Good vs. Bad Screen Time & Gen Z Slang Pop Quiz"

Release Date: August 7, 2025
Podcast: Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce
Host: Wave Originals
Guests: Ms. Rachel

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Introduction

In Episode 30 of "Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce," host Kylie Kelce engages in a vibrant and insightful conversation with Ms. Rachel, a prominent figure in children's educational media. The episode navigates through a range of topics, including Gen Z slang, effective parenting strategies, the impact of screen time, and personal anecdotes from both Kylie and Ms. Rachel.

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1. Preparing for the High School Field Hockey Season

Kylie kicks off the episode by sharing her enthusiasm about returning to coaching high school field hockey. She emphasizes her long-standing commitment to the sport and her deep connection with her athletes.

Kylie (05:30): "I haven't had a fall without field hockey since seventh grade, either coaching or playing myself. We have actually a segment today to catch us up on the latest Gen Z terms because I can't keep up with the slang that they use and I need to know what the hell my players are saying."

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2. Gen Z and Gen Alpha Slang Pop Quiz

Understanding the evolving language of younger generations is crucial for effective communication, especially in coaching roles. Kylie introduces a fun and educational segment where she attempts to decipher current Gen Z and Gen Alpha slang terms.

• Chat (10:10): Initially misconstrued by Kylie as casual conversation, she learns it refers to addressing a group.

  Kylie: "No, that's not thing. Chat. What's up? Or chat. Is this real?"

• Clock it (11:05): Appreciated as a playful way to expose someone's true intentions.

  Kylie: "I like to clock things. So clock it. That's nice. I like that."

• Aura farming (12:30): Misunderstood initially, Kylie grasps it as projecting a certain self-image to avoid judgment.

  Kylie: "Being sure amber is aura farming. What the hell is that?"

This segment highlights the generational gap in language and Kylie's earnest efforts to bridge it.

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3. Doom Scroll of the Week: Love is Blind Casting in Philly

Kylie addresses her audience's online interactions, particularly their enthusiasm for the "Love is Blind" casting in Philadelphia. She humorously comments on the casting process and offers insights into regional quirks.

Kylie (14:30): "They are looking for a dumpster fire. You know what they're gonna do? Find one."

She also shares dating red flags specific to the Philly area, such as rooting for the Cowboys or misnaming local cuisine like pork roll vs. Taylor ham.

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4. Interview with Ms. Rachel: An Insightful Conversation

The centerpiece of the episode is an engaging interview with Ms. Rachel, a beloved children's educator and content creator. The conversation delves into her professional journey, personal experiences, and views on modern parenting and media.

a. Ms. Rachel's Background and Career

Ms. Rachel opens up about her initial foray into children's media, inspired by her son's severe speech delay. Her collaboration with her husband, Aaron, a Broadway composer, is pivotal to her show's success.

Ms. Rachel (18:15): "He didn't talk till he was about three. So he's so bright and just the sweetest, most wonderful little guy."

Ms. Rachel (19:55): "We actually co-create the show completely together, and I have to give him a shout out because people usually say just the music, but it's like, yeah, it's equal."

b. Parenting and Motherhood

Ms. Rachel emphasizes the importance of striving to be a "good mom" rather than a "perfect mom," highlighting the attainability and importance of unconditional love paired with boundaries.

Ms. Rachel (32:35): "There's no way to be a perfect mom, but there's a million ways to be a good mom. And so I go for the good mom."

She shares touching moments with her own children, showcasing the challenges and joys of motherhood.

c. Screen Time and Children's Media

A significant portion of the discussion centers around the impact of screen time on children. Ms. Rachel advocates for quality over quantity, emphasizing interactive and educational content backed by research.

Ms. Rachel (34:40): "All screen time is not created equal. Some screen time is faster pace, and I like, for little ones, the slow pace. I love the interaction."

She praises PBS and similar programs for their trustworthy and enriching content, encouraging co-viewing to enhance the educational experience.

d. Comparisons to Mr. Rogers

Ms. Rachel addresses comparisons to the late Mr. Rogers, whom she deeply admires. She discusses how his legacy of promoting inclusivity and kindness influences her work.

Ms. Rachel (37:36): "Mr. Rogers was a saint to me... He really wanted children to see themselves and possibilities."

She shares a poignant story about integrating social themes into her show, inspired by Mr. Rogers' approach.

e. Personal Reflections and Humbling Moments

Ms. Rachel candidly discusses how her children humble her, sharing instances where their honest observations prompt personal growth and self-acceptance.

Ms. Rachel (43:30): "My kids are so honest. They don't know yet about not being so honest. I was like, 'What are those lines on your forehead?' and had to do some inner work on that."

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5. Coach Me Up: Ms. Rachel's Social Decency Tips

In a playful segment, Kylie presents hypothetical social scenarios and invites Ms. Rachel to offer advice, showcasing her gentle and educational approach.

• Loud Music on a Plane (30:30):

  Ms. Rachel: "Is there any way possible you could use headphones?"

• Boyfriend Doom Scrolling (31:10):

  Ms. Rachel: "She'd probably wait till after and be like, 'I noticed that Bobby was on his phone a lot. What do we think about that?'"

• Intoxicated First Date Partner (31:50):

  Ms. Rachel: "I would say to you, you should marry him."

This segment underscores Ms. Rachel's ability to blend humor with practical advice.

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6. Screen Time Deep Dive

Further exploring screen time, Ms. Rachel elaborates on the differences between passive and interactive viewing, emphasizing the importance of "serve and return" interactions as advocated by Harvard.

Ms. Rachel (36:42): "For the really little ones, you balance it with serve and return interaction. Like, 'Wow, that is a red tractor.' They say, 'Vroom, vroom.' You're having back and forth interactions."

She advocates for purposeful co-viewing, enhancing the educational value of screen time.

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7. Comparisons to Mr. Rogers and Legacy Building

Ms. Rachel reflects on how Mr. Rogers' principles of kindness, inclusivity, and education shape her own content, aiming to create a lasting positive impact on her audience.

Ms. Rachel (37:50): "TV shows for kids should be a window and a mirror. They can see themselves and possibilities."

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8. Personal Anecdotes and Humbling Moments

Ms. Rachel shares personal stories that highlight the blend of her professional persona with her authentic self, illustrating her dedication and humility.

Ms. Rachel (43:27): "I've worked with kids for a long time, and they're so honest. They're just so honest."

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Notable Quotes

• Kylie Kelce (05:30): "I haven't had a fall without field hockey since seventh grade, either coaching or playing myself."

• Ms. Rachel (32:35): "There's no way to be a perfect mom, but there's a million ways to be a good mom."

• Ms. Rachel (34:40): "All screen time is not created equal."

• Ms. Rachel (37:36): "Mr. Rogers was a saint to me... He really wanted children to see themselves and possibilities."

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Conclusion

Episode 30 of "Not Gonna Lie with Kylie Kelce" offers a heartfelt and informative dialogue with Ms. Rachel, blending personal stories with expert insights on parenting, children's media, and the nuances of modern communication. The episode underscores the importance of authenticity, continuous learning, and the profound impact of educational content on young minds. Listeners gain a deeper appreciation for both Kylie and Ms. Rachel's dedication to their respective communities, leaving them inspired and informed.

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For more detailed discussions and clips from this episode, visit Not Gonna Lie on YouTube and follow the podcast on all major streaming platforms.

Transcript

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[Ms. Rachel]

Mom and dad, the school supplies you buy me this year will mostly end up in my mouth. Maybe shop low prices for school at Amazon so I don't eat up all your money. Just something to chew on Amazon Spend less, smile more.

[Kylie Kelsey]

I'm not gonna lie. Before we started recording I had both an everything bagel and a gooey chocolate chip cookie, so I was really living life on the edge. I did check for seeds in my teeth and chocolate on my face though, so hopefully I got all of it. Let's get this podcast started welcome back to Not Gonna Lie, a Wave Original brought to you by Lululemon. I'm your host Kylie Kelsey. I'm permanently late. I famously do not lie except to my children, and I sent Queen Emma no less than seven photos of turtles when we went to the zoo the other day. I didn't want her to miss out. Look at how lovely these photos are. Well, now that that's been addressed, coming up on today's episode, I'm about to start coaching high school field hockey again very soon. Yes, that's right. I haven't let it go and I won't. I haven't had a fall without field hockey since seventh grade, either coaching or playing myself. We have actually a segment today to catch us up on the latest Gen Z terms because I can't keep up with the slang that they use and I need to know what the hell my players are saying. Also, a lot of you have tagged me in the Announcement of Love is Blind Casting in Philly, and I've got a lot of thoughts and a few tips for anyone auditioning. After that. I'm going to be joined by the kids TV phenomenon in my house, and likely all of yours. She has 16 million YouTube subscribers, the most streamed kids series on Netflix, and a pair of overalls you'd recognize anywhere. The one and only Ms. Rachel. Moving on, let's get into a brand new edition of Can I Be Honest? My high school field hockey preseason is about about to start very soon. People are extremely Surprised by the fact that I still coach high school field hockey, But I love it. I love my athletes. I love still getting to be around the sport of field hockey. I love the fact that all of my girls who are seniors I have been with for all four years because I've been there that long. And I feel very honored and privileged to be able to spend time with them and help them understand why I love the sport the way I do and also teach them something. I hope. I hope. Now, I do like to take some time to prep before the season starts, and I figured I'd start right now by catching up on the latest Gen Z and Gen Alpha slang. I didn't even know we were. Have we moved on from Gen Z? We're on to Gen Alpha. Kiss my ass. Wait, the children that are in high school were born after I graduated high school. Let's have a moment of silence for this realization, please. That sucks. Wow. This is not a moment I was prepared to handle this morning. Okay. Wow. Okay. Now I will put it out there that my players are typically very kind in that they do not throw too much slang at me because they know I have a very limited capacity for this type of thing. But we're going to try our best. In past seasons, I've learned all types of new phrases. Sus, bet, Riz, Cap. I'm still not sure about cap. It's a brand new year with brand new slang. Slang I've never heard. So let's change that right now. I have a stack of note cards right here with Official definitions from parents.com. so it's. That means it's something that a millennial mom can hopefully follow. I'll take a guess on what they mean and then I'll read you the actual definition so that we can both learn together. Because I just. Just even. Even glancing at what's coming up, I am certain I have no freaking idea. So number one is chat. There's no way this means anything more than we're going to sit down and have a chat. We're going to chitchat. Oh my God, this is so bad. What? A term of address that refers to an audience or group of people. The term chat is similar to bruh or dude. No, that's not thing. Chat. What's up? Or chat. Is this real? Oh, so your text, you're addressing the whole group Chat. Okay, okay, okay, I got this. That's. That's dumb. Just going to throw that one out there. Sorry, that was mean. But I stand by it. Number two, clock it Another. Another way to say it is clock that T. What clock it is. Like, I'm gonna assume it's. It has to be something related to, like, you're timing it. Clock it. Let's see. Used to call out hidden truth or expose someone's real motive in a playful or knowing way. It's a way of saying, I see what's really going on. I can get down with that. I can. I like that. I like to clock things. So clock it. That's nice. I like that. I'm gonna keep that one. Number three is aura farming. What? Maybe it's when you take from someone's positive energy and, like, turn it into your own positive energy. I don't know. That's. Wow. Oh, no, that's not what it is. Used to describe someone who is trying to project a certain self image to avoid being judged similar to a. Try hard. Okay. Bro, Is aura farming. What the fuck is happening? Number four is glazing. I'm hoping this isn't something out of the. Oh, God. In my head, it just went to, like, glazing has to be. What happens after glazing? Maybe it's. Maybe it's wearing a lot of jewelry. Maybe it's like, we've all seen how to lose a guy in 10 days. Maybe this is like a ice yourself, frost yourself situation. Maybe it's glazing. Maybe we're. We've moved on from frosting. Now we're glazing. Is that what it is? No, of course not. Why would that be what it is? Over the top flattery to the point of being kind of embarrassing is when someone hypes up a person so much that it starts to feel performative or fake. Use in a sentence. Bro is glazing. Okay, I did not know what a single one of these things meant, but now I know. So clock wasn't right either. The article from Parents.com also lists some terms to watch for. Good God. Oh, my ball. My ball. Unk and buns. Okay, I can't. Oh, I don't have any guesses on my queen. M is asking in the rundown if I have any guesses on my ball. No, I do not have guesses on my ball. Is buns really Gen Z slang? No, buns is always. If buns is exactly what I think it is. Like, that's buns. Like, that's ass cheeks. Like, that's terrible. That's what it means. And if it's not that, I don't want it. Okay. There are some things that we should Just let be. And buns is one of them. So if you're trying to make buns into your own thing, Gen Z, Gen Alpha, you can kiss my buns because. No. Okay, that's it for. Can I be honest. Let me know what I missed at NGO with Kylie. Feel free to send in any other terms that maybe your kids are using that you would like to educate me on because I do feel a little lost. But I think we can get through this together. Next up, let's move on. It's Doom scroll of the week. First up on Doom Scroll, I scrolled my way through my mentions to find that you all tagged me. A lot of you tagged me in the announcement for Love is Blind because it's officially casting in Philadelphia. They are looking for a dumpster fire. You know what they're gonna do? Find one. Okay. @ Alicia Maguire quoted Fox 29 Phillies announcement with. I'm gonna need Kylie and Jason to co host this. At Jason Kelsey at NGL with Kylie. First of all, shout out to Nick and Vanessa Lachey who host the show. We are not coming for your jobs. We. Actually, I'm. I'm gonna speak for both of us when I say we don't want it. I don't watch this show. Shocker. But what I will say is, is there is a small chance that I watch the Philadelphia edition because there is something about when a show is related to or based in Philadelphia, we can't get enough of it. It's like the most self centered, self serving. We're like, yeah, let's watch it and enjoy it and then feed off of the comments of people who are watching it and like, wow, this is. This is terrible. Or this is a dumpster fire. Or did you hear their accents? That sounds. They don't even know how to say the word water. It's fun. It feeds us. I'm not kidding. I really think it, like, excites the masses in Philadelphia. When mayor of East Town came out, that was like, that was incredible. Some Philly dating red flags that we can put out there for contestants. Queen Emma put a couple in the rundown. We. She absolutely nailed this one. Okay. Being from the Philadelphia area, but rooting for the Cowboys, you're just trying to piss people off and it's working. The Cowboys calling pork roll Taylor Ham run. Do you want to know why you should run? If they're calling pork roll Taylor ham? They're trying to coax your ass across the bridge to Jersey. Don't do it. Run. If someone doesn't care about the 2008 World Series. No, you're done. You. You're done. We don't have anything else to talk about there. Philly area. Dating green flags. If they grew up going to the shore, specifically saying we go down the shore in the summer, saying words like hoagie. Maybe they frequent. Frequent. A Wawa maybe has a cat named Chase Utley. That call is coming from inside the house for sure because that was our cat's name. That's it for doom. Scroll of the week. Ms. Rachel is coming up soon. Again, no business. None whatsoever. But first, Lululemon. The real ones already know. I'm a big fan of Lululemon. In fact, I'm wearing Lululemon right now because I don't really know how much of my closet isn't Lululemon at this point. This. These shirts are great because it's nice and like appropriately fitted. But then I can also stretch it out and fit a baby under it. Isn't that fun? For modest breastfeeding, I like it. And this summer, my love for Lululemon only grew more with our yoga class on the beach that they helped put on. And of course the introduction of their new Align no Line leggings. The Align no Lines are the famously soft, iconic Align pant now with no front seam for a smoother look and feel. The Align no Lines are made from that famously soft, buttery fabric that's sweat wicking and has four way stretch. I know about that four way stretch because I wear them through pregnancy and then they still fit afterwards. So good. Plus they're high rise and they have a convenient waistband pocket. You can put a key in there, a credit card, little cash. For any real ones who haven't tried these leggings yet, you can shop the new Align no Line pant right [e-mail] it's the summer of Align no Line. Whether you're a parent, grandparent, an aunt, an uncle, or simply just a person. Honestly, you've heard of her wildly successful YouTube channel, Netflix show, hit songs and kids toys, and there's no mistaking that iconic voice, pink shirt and overalls. She's also a New York Times best selling author and educator, a fellow mom, and now she's officially not gonna lie. Rachel, aka Ms. Rachel. Welcome to the show.

[Ms. Rachel]

Thank you so much for having me. I'm a big fan.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Oh, thank you so much for being here. I'm not gonna lie, this episode has been a long time in the making. We're huge fans of you in our house. Big, big fans that's so sweet. Now, the girls first started watching, obviously, on YouTube. They were big music kids. Like, they love singing songs. Specifically, Hop Little Bunnies is big hit in our house.

[Ms. Rachel]

I love Hot Little Bunny so much.

[Kylie Kelsey]

It's so good. And everyone lays down and they're sleeping. You know, the whole thing. We do the whole thing.

[Ms. Rachel]

I love. Yeah. Susie, my. My new little baby. She's almost six months, and we were hopping like bunnies together this morning. And she doesn't even understand what a bunny is or sleeping, but she loves it. Yeah.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Because it's just a good time and they know it. I did tell the girls that I was meeting you. Well, I told our. Our third Benny, that I was meeting you today, and I asked if she wanted me to tell you anything, and she said she wanted me to tell you that Ellie broke the cup. So she's using this opportunity to rat out herself. That's okay. Yep.

[Ms. Rachel]

It's okay to accidentally break things, right?

[Kylie Kelsey]

Yes.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yes. We love mistakes.

[Kylie Kelsey]

I'm still unsure what cup she was talking about, but she felt strongly about that's what you needed to know.

[Ms. Rachel]

I appreciate that.

[Kylie Kelsey]

We are, of course, far from alone in our love of your show. Ms. Rachel is officially the number one kids show on Netflix so far this year. Congratulations.

[Ms. Rachel]

Thank you so much.

[Kylie Kelsey]

How cool was that to see.

[Ms. Rachel]

Everything surprises me. I guess we're kind of in denial about that, but it's nice because we're like, wow. Yeah, I appreciate it so much. It makes me so happy, and I feel so grateful that so many families enjoy it and find those moments of joy singing together and bonding. And I just feel like the luckiest person ever. I have the best job in the world now.

[Kylie Kelsey]

I was pleasantly surprised to see that Robert De Niro is a Ms. Rachel fan and that you sent a video for his daughter to Drew Barrymore show.

[Ms. Rachel]

Oh, yeah.

[Kylie Kelsey]

We actually have the clip right here for our viewers. Queen Emma.

[Ms. Rachel]

Hi, Gia, it's Ms. Rachel.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Oh, boy.

[Ms. Rachel]

It's a taxi. What does a taxi driver say? Are you talking to.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Who has been the person who is a fan of you? That was the most surprising because I.

[Ms. Rachel]

Feel like that's pretty surprising, right?

[Kylie Kelsey]

Like Robert De Niro.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yeah. So I am elderly, and so I don't. An elderly millennial or elder millennial, I think it's called. So I'm not amazing with Instagram, so I didn't know about the requests and top requests, so I ghosted some people for, like, months anyway. So I'm not a cool person who knows a lot about celebrities. So when I saw a bad girl, riri, I was like, wow, this person has so many followers.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Oh my gosh.

[Ms. Rachel]

And then I was like, this is such a cute little profile picture. Cuz it's a drawing. No idea. Ask somebody. I asked people who are around. I was like, do you know who this is? And then, yeah, I realized it was Rihanna.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Small flex, tiny little flex. That's. That.

[Ms. Rachel]

Would.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Did you like gasp or you.

[Ms. Rachel]

I did. I was like, wow. And yeah, that was crazy. Trying to think of who else.

[Kylie Kelsey]

I don't know if you can. Can you talk Rihanna?

[Ms. Rachel]

You know, I did. I did get to sing with John Legend. That was so cool. I was a fan of him way back in high school. I loved piano pop and I love all the pianists like Sara Bareilles and throwback to like Billy Joel, Stevie Wonder. And so yeah, I was like, whoa, that's so cool. And I knew an album that he was like, nobody knows that album and it's not even available anymore. And I was like, I can sing every song that album.

[Kylie Kelsey]

And I started singing fan, but I can sing you every song from an album that no longer is available. That's awesome. For anyone listening who isn't familiar with your background, you're very open to what led to your first YouTube channel. And that was your son's speech delay.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yeah, yeah, he had a severe speech delay. He didn't talk till he was about three.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Really?

[Ms. Rachel]

Yeah, I think the first word was two years and nine months.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Okay.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yeah. So he's so bright and just the sweetest, most wonderful little guy. And as a mom, when you see them struggle with something, I mean, I know, you know, like, it just breaks your heart because you're like, oh my gosh, how do I. How do I fix this? And I feel like a lot of moms, well, you know, I would stay up all night and learn about speech. I got a mouth puppet that I don't use on the show, but I like literally got a mouth puppet and would do like tongue, mouth, huge puppet things to him to try and help him. I was telling your producers that when he was little, I used to put on like some paw patrol and then I would edit and interrupt it and be like, it's mommy. And I do like a few speech things with him. Yeah, I'd be like, say me. And then I'd be like, back to paw patrol.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Oh, like a little speech.

[Ms. Rachel]

His own thing. Yeah, because I was telling them that he watched it and he didn't really get that. Like it wasn't like entertaining and cool. I mean, he didn't get that. It was like me making him watch it. And then once he could talk, he was like, no mommy show. Oh yeah. Because he was like, I think I can just hang out with you and like, do things with you and like then watch my shows.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Yes. Use the TV for things that I don't get to see face to face. Yeah, yeah, sure. Like I mentioned before, the music from your show is a hit in our house. But, um, you just mentioned how your husband Aaron is a Broadway composer. Have you guys ever talked about doing a Miss Rachel Broadway musical?

[Ms. Rachel]

We would love to do a live show.

[Kylie Kelsey]

That would be very cool.

[Ms. Rachel]

And thank you for noticing the music. I really appreciate that because Aaron, he does a lot of like underscoring, which not everyone appreciates, but if you don't have it, it's like, where's that? Yes, underscoring. He's just a brilliant pianist and then we write a lot of songs together and then he writes songs and himself and then he has like live instruments play on the track sometimes, which I really appreciate. And he has Broadway friends he has on and yeah, we actually co create the show completely together and I have to give him a shout out because people usually say just the music, but it's like, yeah, it's equal and I kind of get all the credit. So. I love you, Aaron. Love you, babe.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Good job, Aaron.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yeah, couldn't do it. Keep going. Wait, what's the go? Mr. Aaron.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Yeah, stop.

[Ms. Rachel]

Mr. Aaron.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Well, in addition to your music, I love how educational your show is, especially when it comes to language development. And your voice and the way you speak is a huge part of that. Right. And I believe that. I'm not sure that if it was you or someone else was explaining because someone had made a comment about your voice, like a parent. And I'm not sure if it was you or someone else, but I remember seeing someone sort of do the breakdown of like that sing song voice is actually a tactic in sort of like speech pathology and trying to get kids to sort of sing it back to you almost. What do you say to people who like comment on your voice in the show? Because obviously it is not your everyday.

[Ms. Rachel]

Voice, you know, so I. Well, in all cultures, naturally people raise their voice talking to babies. And now that I know that science, I always watch it. And it's so interesting to watch like a guy be like, hey, how are you? Hi. Like, hi. And I'm like, wow, you really like. Yes, really cute. So something I do that I had heard Mr. Rogers does is I imagine one kid often, like a kid I work. I worked with before or, like, just saw doing Make a Wish or just a kid that, like, you know, pulled my heartstrings and fills my heart with joy. And so I imagine them, and then that voice just comes out. My voice has always been high, like, since I am an elder millennial. I remember in high school being like, hello. And people would be like, is your mommy there? And I'd be like, I'm 15. So I've always had a high voice. Yes, Naturally soprano, but, yeah. So it's. It's interesting, too. Like, when you talk to a baby, you elongate it, like, hello, and it sings songy. And that's kind of just like my personality, too. So it works out that it works for the show really well, and it's backed by science.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Now, when you first meet parents who have watched the show, how often do you have to politely ask them to call you Rachel and not Ms. Rachel?

[Ms. Rachel]

My friends that I've known for 20 years will a Ms. Rachel will come out. And I'm like, you cannot call me Ms. Rachel.

[Kylie Kelsey]

You knew me as Rachel before I was Ms. Rachel.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yeah. I'm like, what are you doing? So, no, right away, if people message me and they're like, hey, Ms. Rachel. I'm like, oh, you can call me Rachel.

[Kylie Kelsey]

My name's actually Rachel. So weird.

[Ms. Rachel]

And I taught. I was Ms. Accurso. So, yeah. So I'm like, oh.

[Kylie Kelsey]

So it is very much tied to the current phenomenon.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yes.

[Kylie Kelsey]

I love that. Now, Ms. Rachel's also got a signature look. Kids recognize your pink shirt, your overalls, and your headbands anywhere. And one of my favorite tiktoks of yours is explaining the origin story of the pink headband. Queen Emma's going to play it for us.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yay. Why did you decide to wear a headband for the Miss Rachel outfit?

[Kylie Kelsey]

It's just as someone who has Flyaways myself.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yes.

[Kylie Kelsey]

I love that.

[Ms. Rachel]

Has Jason ever just talked to you normally when your hair is like. Aaron has talked to me normally when there's like, a huge thing and then those. And I'm like, hey, babe. And he's like, hey. And he doesn't say anything.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Yes, a number of times where I've ended up back in front of a mirror and been like, how did you keep a straight face?

[Ms. Rachel]

How did you not like, it will be like, so. And he doesn't.

[Kylie Kelsey]

It's screaming and it's nearly touching their nose. And you're like, you didn't want to tell me my flyaways were so out of control.

[Ms. Rachel]

He doesn't care. It's cute, though, that they're just like.

[Kylie Kelsey]

It's very sweet. Right now. We've been talking about Ms. Rachel and your on screen Persona. I'd love to ask you more about yourself. Great.

[Ms. Rachel]

That's so kind.

[Kylie Kelsey]

There's something I've really wanted to ask. When you are fully able to be Rachel, you're at home with your friends. Do you swear?

[Ms. Rachel]

Oh, my goodness.

[Kylie Kelsey]

So I feel like you just answered my question.

[Ms. Rachel]

I was just wondering, like, I was like, am I gonna. Come on. There's gonna be a lot of swearing. Because I noticed it in the other episodes, but I was like, you totally can. Yes. But. Okay. So my new thing is spelling swears.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Oh.

[Ms. Rachel]

I say, holy S, H, I, T. Love it. And Thomas spells. So he's like, why are you spelling shit? So it's not useful. But I keep spelling it.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Yeah.

[Ms. Rachel]

And it doesn't help him.

[Kylie Kelsey]

I mean, it lands it a little lighter. I feel like that's like, as if when we were younger, and I'd be like, h, E double hockey stick. Because I wasn't allowed to say, hell, you know?

[Ms. Rachel]

Yeah.

[Kylie Kelsey]

I feel like it lands it a little softer. I like that.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yeah.

[Kylie Kelsey]

No, I like it.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yeah. No, I do. Especially like when I used to play Super Mario Brothers. That's when it would come out.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Okay.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yeah.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Are you competitive?

[Ms. Rachel]

No, but with Super Mario Brothers, it's just like, you fall into that hole and you're just like, yeah, I love that. I feel like squares don't sound right coming out of my voice, though. That's part of it.

[Kylie Kelsey]

That's okay. I feel like with small kids, it lessens your ability to have the time to like it. You. You decrease sometimes the availability of your swears. Like, you're saying you spell them out. Every so often, one will pop out, and they really do not happen often, which is hilarious considering how often I use them. But every so often, one will happen. And I have a moment of, yeah, I'm just not gonna acknowledge that one because I do think it feeds it a little bit. Like, I think when you acknowledge it.

[Ms. Rachel]

Thomas is a detector.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Okay.

[Ms. Rachel]

He's rooms away, and he's like, did I hear shit? What? What happened?

[Kylie Kelsey]

What'd you do? What'd you mess up?

[Ms. Rachel]

Yeah, yeah.

[Kylie Kelsey]

No, ours. Ours are funny because they will pick out words that are not typical swears in other houses. So, like, we're not allowed to say shut up in our house.

[Ms. Rachel]

Even the suggestion of it makes me like itchy things. We don't say a few things.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Yeah, st. Yeah, we don't say stupid either.

[Ms. Rachel]

And once in a while I'll be like, that's stupid. And Thomas is like, we don't say stupid.

[Kylie Kelsey]

So that's where they if anyone in the house says the word stupid, someone in the house is going to be like, did you just say yeah? Who said stupid? And you're like, wasn't me, it was her. Like. Because that's the words they latch onto, but they will not latch on to the grown up words the same way anymore. Which I think I I don't know if it's a a brag or what, but they've been so desensitized by the usage of them in our house that they're just like, that's not exciting anymore.

[Ms. Rachel]

Oh, that's a good tip. Try it at home.

[Kylie Kelsey]

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[Kylie Kelsey]

You say you'll never join the Navy, that living on a submarine would be too hard. You'd never power a whole ship with nuclear energy, never bring a patient back to life, or play the national anthem for a sold out crowd. Joining the Navy sounds crazy. Saying never actually is. Start your [e-mail] America's Navy, forged by the sea. Well, I'd love to play a quick game if you're up for it.

[Ms. Rachel]

I am.

[Kylie Kelsey]

We sometimes do a segment on here called Coach me Up where I have guests coach me up on something they're an expert on. But this time I'm wondering If you, as Ms. Rachel, can coach up regular adults who could use some Miss Rachel style pointers on basic social decency. So I'll give you the scenario and you, as Ms. Rachel, can tell us hypothetically tell the hypothetical adult what they could maybe do differently.

[Ms. Rachel]

Okay, great.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Okay, so the first one is you're on a plane and the person sitting next to you is blasting music from their laptop with no headphones and people around you are pissed and the music isn't even good.

[Ms. Rachel]

Oh, man. I think Ms. Rachel would say, is there any way possible you could use headphones?

[Kylie Kelsey]

That's such a gentle way. Oh, I love that. Okay, number two, you're out with your friend. You're out with them and their new boyfriend.

[Ms. Rachel]

They have a new boyfriend?

[Kylie Kelsey]

He won't stop staring at his phone. He's not engaged in the conversation. He's not asking any questions. He's just doom scrolling. First of all, I'm going to give you some advice. Dump him. But what would Ms. Rachel say?

[Ms. Rachel]

Well, she'd probably ask him a question to try and get involved in the conversation.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Perfect.

[Ms. Rachel]

And then she'd probably wait till after and be like, I noticed that Bobby was on his phone a lot. And you know what? What do we think about that? I don't know.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Yes. No, that's good. Yeah, I like it. Okay, this is the, this is the last one and it's totally, definitely hypothetical. Okay, Wink, wink, nudge, nudge. You're out on your first date with a guy you met on Tinder and he drank too many beers. Really weird and he fell asleep at the table and his friend had to fireman carry him home. What would Ms. Rachel say to him?

[Ms. Rachel]

I would say. I would say to you, you should marry him. Great foreshadowing because I've seen your show, but I wish I didn't know that story. But I do.

[Kylie Kelsey]

That does it for coach me up. Thank you for playing.

[Ms. Rachel]

That was fun.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Now, something else I've been so excited to talk to you about is motherhood. You're a mom of two now. Congratulations on your little girl and on your new one. Thank you. Now, I've said this before on the show, but people will often Say that because I have four kids, I know what I'm doing, which I do not. Because you are Ms. Rachel, do people assume that you have achieved some level of expert parent?

[Ms. Rachel]

Yes. And I like to be like, I'm just a regular mom.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Yes.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yes. And something that I think about all the time is this quote, there's no way to be a perfect mom, but there's a million ways to be a good mom. And so I go for the good mom.

[Kylie Kelsey]

That feels good.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yeah.

[Kylie Kelsey]

It feels attainable.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yeah. Yeah. And I don't need to be the best mom. I need to be a loving mom.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Yes.

[Ms. Rachel]

And I have a lot of unconditional love, but I also have those boundaries and rules. But no. So I was staring at Susie, and, you know, okay, she's like. She was around, like, three months, and we're staring at each other, and, you know, you do all the things they need. And she's not sleepy, and she's just, like, looking at me. And I was like, this is my time to shine. I'm Ms. Rachel. It's time for a song. And then I was just like, I couldn't think of any. And I have, like, baby learning one, baby learning two. They're hours long. And I was just like, I got nothing. I went blank. Yeah, what you got?

[Kylie Kelsey]

And then I was like, in front of your eyes.

[Ms. Rachel]

Just them. And then I did, like, the Ms. Rachel live show.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Perfect.

[Ms. Rachel]

But, yeah, I went blank.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Did you, like, have a good laugh about that?

[Ms. Rachel]

Because I feel like I was like. I talked to myself. I was like, you're Ms. Rachel.

[Kylie Kelsey]

You're trying to give yourself a pep talk. You've got this.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yeah. This is your thing.

[Kylie Kelsey]

You've made a million kids smile. More than that. No, you can make your own baby smile.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yeah. And she sometimes is. She's a tough audience. Sometimes. If she wakes up from a nap and you're like, oh, Finn, shut them. She's like, no, no, I'd like to.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Shut them again because it's time to go back to sleep.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yeah.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Our most recent is also a tough audience.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yeah.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Yeah. She makes you work for a smile.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yes.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Well, I'd love to circle back to a topic I've been excited to get your take on, which is screen time, which we touched on briefly. But I've heard you say the quote, all screen time is not created equal. Can you explain that a little bit more?

[Ms. Rachel]

Yes. So I think that some screen time is faster pace. And I like, for little ones, the slow pace. I love the interaction. So the pausing for a response Encouraging imaginative play. What else? I think what's great about PBS and our show as well as there's a lot of research behind it. So if you think about a show, you want to know, like, who's behind the show, who's. Who's working on it and, and where are they getting their research? So, yeah, it's not all equal. And yeah, I'm obsessed with like, pbs.

[Kylie Kelsey]

But so are we. We're big Sesame street household. We love Wildcats and Zabuma Fu. As someone who loves PBS and works in the world of kids programming, why do you think it's so important to make sure that everyone has access to these types of shows?

[Ms. Rachel]

Well, like I said, they're backed by research and you can trust them. You can put them on and do the dishes and you're not going to come running back hearing something. And yeah, they've been around so long, so you just. They're trustworthy.

[Kylie Kelsey]

And they're also shows that we very much. I am a very much, like, screen time is great for dishes to. To do something that. Yeah, to do something that I don't necessarily want.

[Ms. Rachel]

Sick dad.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Three ducklings. Right? Three ducklings following me around the house to do these things, it's easier to just like, quick get it done.

[Ms. Rachel]

I think it can be beneficial. I think what's important for the really little ones is that you balance it with what Harvard calls, like, serve and return interaction. So just like we said, with the babbling or like they're looking at a toy and you're like, wow, that is a red tractor. You know, just like those, those nice interactions and then they say, vroom, vroom, and you're like, where's the tractor going? Like, you're just having back and forth interactions because if those are missing, you can't get that same quality from tv. So. But you know, as someone who grew up with a single mom, I know that, like, this, the recommendations can be really unrealistic and that there are shows that are beneficial.

[Kylie Kelsey]

It also I've found that the PBS shows, like specifically Wild Kratz, like, I was a sucker for Animal Planet when I was growing up and I loved watching Zaboomafu. And I feel like it's fun to sit down and watch it with them as well.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yeah. And co viewing is really beneficial because.

[Kylie Kelsey]

We talk about it while it's happening. When we watch your show, we sing the songs together. It gives them a moment of like, did you see that? And you get to sort of validate their excitement in what they're watching.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yeah. And you can extend it to like an art project or like, you can pretend to be hermit crabs outside or find like a shell and it's a box.

[Kylie Kelsey]

It's so much fun.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yeah.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Speaking of pbs, the headline of your new profile in the Washington Post is Ms. Rachel grew up on Mr. Rogers and now she's carrying on his legacy. You've been compared to him for a while now. How do you feel about that?

[Ms. Rachel]

I can't accept it. I mean, he's a saint to me and he's just. Yeah, he's. I've admired him and he's been my hero for so long. I read his like in my 20s. I would just like read books about him. I think, like maybe seven years ago I, I read his whole biography and decided I was going to write a musical about him. And it's just, it's just funny that I ended up going into kids media because I didn't even at like 30, I just, I didn't see that happening. And it's so funny because I applied to be an intern on Sesame street when I was in my 20s. I was like, I want to work on Sesame Street. So it's just funny that everyone was like, this is obvious, Rachel, because you like had a Sesame street backpack as like a 25 year old and like, why is this new to you? You have like a Mr. Rogers book like on your coffee table.

[Kylie Kelsey]

I do like the idea that you were more surprised than the people around you.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yeah.

[Kylie Kelsey]

That it was so obvious that you're in the right field of work.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yeah, no, totally.

[Kylie Kelsey]

That's so interesting.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yeah.

[Kylie Kelsey]

That means you were really meant for it.

[Ms. Rachel]

Thank you.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Like, like you, Mr. Rogers also advocated for children as well as human rights and equality. How has he been an inspiration for you in that capacity?

[Ms. Rachel]

Yeah, so I've watched all his documentaries and I knew that his kids show, I think was the first or one of the first have a lot of black characters on. I heard recently that TV shows for kids should be a window and a mirror. So a mirror, they can see themselves in a window. They can see like outward and possibilities, what they can do, what they can be. And I think that must have been really important to him and it's really important to us. And so when we decided to have Rahaf on the show who's from Gaza, I actually took a screenshot of his pool scene when he had. At that time, pools were. Pools had been segregated, so people even threw chemicals into, into pools that black people were swimming in to try and get them out. And he Makes me emotional. He decided to have this kiddie pool and. Sorry, I didn't mean to cry. He decided to have this kiddie pool and sit with the officer Clemens and. And invite him to put his feet in together. And then he, like, shared his towel. And actually, I saw that some people who wanted things to say segregated that. That that scene ended up being, like, a conversation in their home. Like, wow, Mr. Rogers was comfortable sharing his pool. And I thought that I wanted people to see Rahaf and her joy and. And see her. There's so much dehumanization that goes on with kids. And, you know, it happens with. With kids from different parts of the world, kids who have disabilities. And just to see. See her joy and see her as somebody who loves Help little Bunnies. And it was cool when I posted it that people. It was sad and beautiful that people said comments like, oh, this made me realize that she's just like my child. So hadn't seen her as, like, their child until that moment. But it's great that people can change in that way. And, yeah, I just. I think I knew that that wasn't easy for him and that he got a lot of hate mail about that, but it was the right thing to do. And so I would look at that screenshot when. Whenever I had a lot of backlash about it, and it was funny because I was really. Had a bad day about some backlash and was so down. And Aaron brought in a present, and it was wrapped and everything. And I was like, sometimes it's funny. People will, like, project or call me like a saint. And it was funny. Erin and I were watching the news once, and they were like, she really is a saint. Saint. And he, like, did the slow look to me, like, because he knows me when I'm, like, hangry and, like, I can be a real baby. He was like, oh, he. He loves me and adores me, but it was just funny because he knows if I haven't eaten in the morning and I've had, like, two cups of coffee, and he's like, have you had breakfast? He tries to say it in, like, a nice way, I think.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Do you gently. You seem hangry.

[Ms. Rachel]

Do you want toast? So he brought me this gift, and I was like, I don't want it unless it's a Mr. Rogers autograph. Like, that was so mean. Like, he had a gift for me. And then he's like, I think you should open it. And why did I say that? That was so mean. But it was. Mr. Rogers had handwritten part of it's A beautiful day in the neighborhood. The music you manifested was really sweet. That's incredible. Yeah. And he had. I kind of knew Aaron was on the lookout.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Sure.

[Ms. Rachel]

I probably had, like, mentioned that that would be something I would really love. You know how that is. So a gentle suggestion. Yeah. Yeah. A few. Where you blatantly tell them. Yeah, a few times. Yeah. Like, yeah. So I. I opened it and I started bawling because I was just like. It was such a nice sign. I feel like there's been a lot of science, that I'm doing the right thing. And that's really cool. And I know in my heart that's amazing. Thank you.

[Kylie Kelsey]

The last thing is something that I like to ask all my fellow mom guests. How have your kids humbled you?

[Ms. Rachel]

So I've worked with kids for a long time, and they're so honest. They're so honest. Yeah. They don't know yet about, like, not being so honest. I had a talk with Thomas about this just last week night. So he was looking at me like I was so beautiful.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Yes.

[Ms. Rachel]

And he was like, mommy, what are those lines on your forehead? And I didn't know I had any lines on my forehead because, like, we talked about prior to taping, I lose everything, and I lose it over and over. So I lose my glasses so much that I just don't wear them and I don't have good vision, so everything looked really so smooth to me.

[Kylie Kelsey]

It's like a nice blur.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yeah. And I was surprised. I. I didn't know. I was like, lines.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Oh.

[Ms. Rachel]

And then I had to do some inner work on that because I like to do this thing where you flip things.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Sure.

[Ms. Rachel]

So I was like, kind of. I was bummed about that. And of course, I get the online comments, like, time for Botox. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Um, so I. I changed it in my mind from wrinkles to gratitude lines because I was like, I'm grateful. Like, not everyone gets to.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Yes.

[Ms. Rachel]

Grow old. And I'm so grateful for all that I've learned because in my 20s, I was a disaster. I meet 20 year olds that have it all together and I'm like, no. Yeah. I'm like, why it couldn't be me. Yeah. I was just hot mess. And so I don't want to go back to that time when I didn't. I had a smooth face and I was a disaster.

[Kylie Kelsey]

No, I want to be here. These lines come with wisdom.

[Ms. Rachel]

Yeah. So I'm grateful for them.

[Kylie Kelsey]

I cannot thank you enough for coming on to not gonna lie.

[Ms. Rachel]

Thank you so much.

[Kylie Kelsey]

We are so excited to have gotten a chance to talk to you. I cannot wait to go home and tell my kids I met Ms. Rachel.

[Ms. Rachel]

Oh my gosh.

[Kylie Kelsey]

But more importantly, I'm so excited that I got the chance to sit down here with Rachel.

[Ms. Rachel]

I'm so honored. And can I just say thank you so much for all you do for the Eagles autism Foundation and Mr. Ross. Roger said, anyone who does anything for a child is a hero to me. And thank you for all you do for for the children. Means so much.

[Kylie Kelsey]

Happy to thank you for everything that you do. And like I said, huge fans of you in our house and I so appreciate that you are offering programming to kids that is both enriching and helpful and something that I think all parents can be proud to put on in their house. That's a wrap on another episode of Not Gonna Lie. You can find even more clips from my longer conversation with Ms. Rachel on my YouTube channel on More Shit Monday. Her new picture book Ms. Rachel and Bean and the Bedtime Routine is out this October. I'll be back next Thursday with a brand new episode Follow Not Gonna Lie on all social media at NGL with Kylie. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcast. Not Gonna Lie is a wave original brought to you by Lululemon. Thank you real ones for tuning in.