Loading summary
Transcript94 lines
- [00:00]
Aisha Harris
This message comes from Capital One. Access comprehensive solutions from a top commercial bank that prioritizes your needs today and goals for tomorrow. Learn more@capitalone.com Commercial Member FDIC Eric Pierre.
- [00:15]
Eric Pierre
That'S Bufasa Eric Pierre that's Kupasa if.
- [00:22]
Shamira Ibrahim
You'Re a celeb visiting the Jennifer Hudson show, it's almost guaranteed you're going to make your way down the Spirit Tunnel and possibly go viral. The Spirit Tunnel's a vibe. In just a few seconds, these videos can reveal a lot about a celeb's personality and Persona. Like do they have rhythm? Are they any good at improv? And how famous are they really? The answers are sometimes really surprising. I'm Aisha Harris, host of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour and today we're talking about the Jennifer Hudson Show's Spirit Tunnel.
- [00:59]
Unknown
This message comes from bluehost. Bluehost can make building a great website easy and offers a 30 day money back guarantee. Customize and launch your site in minutes with AI, then optimize with built in search engine tools. Get your great site@bluehost.com this message comes from Wise, the app for doing things and other currencies. With Wise, you can send, spend or receive money across borders, all at a fair exchange rate. No markups or hidden fees. Join millions of customers and visit wise.com Ts and Cs apply this message comes.
- [01:34]
Aisha Harris
From NPR sponsor Cholula. When you open the distinct wooden cap of Cholula hot sauce, a world of delicious possibilities is unlocked where the ideal blend of peppers and signature spices combine to deliver authentic Mexican flavor. Where ordinary brunch becomes buenissimo and the oohs and ahs and the tacos do the talking. Cholula makes your thing the best thing. Cholula Authentic Mexican Flavor this message comes from Thuma. Create your oasis with Thuma, a modern design company that specializes in furniture and home goods by stripping away everything but the essential. Thuma makes elevated beds with premium materials and intentional details with clean lines, subtle curves and minimalist style. The Thuma Bed collection is available in four signature finishes to match any design aesthetic. To get $100 towards your first bed purchase, go to T H U M a co NPR this message comes from BetterHelp this Mental Health Awareness Month. BetterHelp is encouraging everyone to take care of their well being and break the stigma associated with mental health. BetterHelp works to make people healthy and happy because when people are taken care of, everyone benefits including families, colleagues and communities. Visit betterhelp.com NPR to get 10% off your first month.
- [02:56]
Shamira Ibrahim
In the spirit of this episode, I feel like I need to give you the proper introduction here, Shamira.
- [03:04]
Aisha Harris
Okay.
- [03:05]
Shamira Ibrahim
It's Shamira Ibrahim. She's a culture writer, critic. She's a dream. Let me see you do it, ay Let me see you do it, ay hey, Shamira.
- [03:16]
Unknown
Aisha. I hope you know that I'm sick. Saving that as my ringtone for eternity.
- [03:25]
Shamira Ibrahim
Look, I gotta live up to this episode here, right, Right.
- [03:28]
Unknown
Happy to be here as always, Aisha.
- [03:30]
Shamira Ibrahim
It's great to have you, Shamira. Well, yes, I'm excited for this episode. This is gonna be fun, for sure.
- [03:37]
Unknown
Yeah.
- [03:38]
Shamira Ibrahim
So Jennifer Hudson is a former American Idol contestant, an egot winner, and now a daytime talk show host. And her show's gone viral for its video showcasing what has become a behind the scenes r. The Spirit Tunnel. Basically, as guests make their way to and or from the interview couch, staff members line up and down the hall and sing a song they crafted specifically for them. Now, according to the lore, it started out as a way to hype up Hudson herself before the tapings, and then eventually it morphed into a way to hype up the guests. People magazine reports that Angela Bassett was the first to get the treatment.
- [04:14]
Eric Pierre
Angela Bassett. Angela. Angela Bassett. Angela Bassett. Angela. Angela Bassett.
- [04:21]
Shamira Ibrahim
They are very. I have to confess that I have probably watched all of maybe a minute or two of the actual Jennifer Hudson show. No shade to her whatsoever. But I've watched maybe over an hour of these videos, and they're very short videos. I am obsessed with this. But, like, what is it that makes you so fascinated by the Spirit Tunnel?
- [04:43]
Unknown
I'm the same way. By the way, the longest interview I think I've watched on the Jennifer Hudson show, no disrespect to Jennifer Hudson is when she had comment on to talk about their relationship, and they did a lot of so we're in a relationship. And I was like, oh, never mind. I find it so fascinating. It's kind of like excerpts from a teen movie brought to life. You know what I mean? Like, it's that opening, you know, segment for Bring it On. Like, brought to life for a talk show.
- [05:10]
Shamira Ibrahim
Yeah.
- [05:10]
Unknown
And like, the different pieces that are required to bring it together all indicate different things. Right. Like, it's unofficially celebrity popularity contest slash. It's an indicator of what the celebrity is most famous for because they have to kind of figure out how to quickly make a song, make it sound charming, make it look like the entire crew is interested in you being there. While they're busy running production for a show. Right. And you can tell which celebrities are, like, worth the effort or which celebrities are just a little too early in their celebrity status to merit, like, expensive songs.
- [05:46]
Shamira Ibrahim
Yes, yes, absolutely. It does feel sort of like a barometer, to some extent, of, like, how beloved or how invested are the people who are creating these songs, but also we as a culture and who these people are. The first thing we heard at the top of this show was Aaron Pierre. He, of course, as they said, he was Mufasa in Mufasa, the movie that was sort of like the prequel to the Lion King. He was the voice of Mufasa, but he also. He's been in other things. And it was interesting to see because if I recall correctly, there were people there, but it looked a little sparse. Like sometimes there's more crew involved in this than other ones. It kind of went viral in part because, like, people were saying, well, it didn't feel like they didn't put their all into it in the same way that they have with others. But, like, what are your thoughts on that kind of situation?
- [06:38]
Unknown
Yeah. It's funny because I think that meme went viral for two reasons. One, because Aaron Pierre is, like, a strikingly handsome man with very piercing eyes. The second is, like, what you pointed out, right. You know, when you have to hammer in on what is the thing that makes them socially relevant as well as for the press moment they're here for, it becomes, hey, that's Mufasa. That's the biggest thing that we know him for. I mean, he had a Netflix film that actually garnered him a fair amount of attention. And I do think the Green Lantern announcement happened around that time, but I'm not sure if it's before or after, nor do I think Aria Pierre, that's Green Lantern, is really much more significant than Eric Pierre. That's Mufasa, right?
- [07:19]
Shamira Ibrahim
Yeah.
- [07:19]
Unknown
So it's just funny for them to have to figure out how to pick a song, make it lyrical enough and not overdo it, because they just don't have enough biographical details. It had to be, like, Mufasa from South London. Like, what else did he say at this point in a celebrity? Right.
- [07:36]
Shamira Ibrahim
Yeah, yeah. I loved it because, like, he seemed so happy to be there, and he's, you know, he's giving high fives. The crew also, like, despite the fact that it felt like it was kind of a high bar for them to try and clear in terms of trying to make it relevant, like, they seemed very into it and they were Giving it their all. There's little ad libs. They're having fun, right? But it is kind of a challenge, I have to say. Another example that felt even stranger to me was Alfonso Ribeiro.
- [08:04]
Eric Pierre
Alfonso, hey now. Hey now. He's here. Alfonso, hey now, hey now.
- [08:13]
Shamira Ibrahim
Did you watch this one? Have you seen this one?
- [08:14]
Unknown
I did see this one, and what blew me away was that he did not do Tom Joe.
- [08:19]
Shamira Ibrahim
Well, that was the thing you would have thought that they would have done something to. It's not unusual because it is a pattern. You know, oftentimes they will take a song that already exists and they will, you know, change the lyrics. They did that for Shemar Moore. They did, like, Destiny Child Survivor for his song. Chris Perfetti from Abbott elementary. They did black and yellow like Bellamy Young from Scandal. Like they did Forever Young.
- [08:46]
Eric Pierre
Bellamy, we wanna be Bellamy Young.
- [08:51]
Shamira Ibrahim
They will do that. But then Alfonso doesn't get something to the tune of it's not Unusual. And he also just seemed, like, not that happy to be there. I don't know.
- [08:58]
Unknown
I feel like there have to be two options of that. One is, Aisha, I fear that we may be washed. And the classic Fresh Prince Tom Jones reference is too dated for the youth, which I fear is not the case.
- [09:11]
Shamira Ibrahim
I don't think that's it.
- [09:12]
Unknown
Or the second is that Alfaldo explicitly told them, I'm not doing the dance.
- [09:17]
Shamira Ibrahim
That's true.
- [09:18]
Unknown
I feel like it has to be one of the two.
- [09:20]
Shamira Ibrahim
Yeah. I feel like it's probably the latter, because Fresh Prince, that is kind of even despite, you know, it being 30 plus years old now. Like, that's what he's known for. If you know him for anything, it's worthy. It's not unusual, dad. So I think the second suggestion seems most likely, especially because he ends it kind of aggressive. He's like, okay.
- [09:39]
Eric Pierre
And cut.
- [09:41]
Shamira Ibrahim
The vibes are off.
- [09:42]
Unknown
It really only works if the celebrity is willing to ham it up, right?
- [09:45]
Shamira Ibrahim
Yes, yes. And I mean, let's talk about that, because I feel like there are two parts to this, right? It's like what the and crew put into it beforehand. But it's also like, you gotta give something. This is kind of like a twist on the Soul Train line, right? It's like you are at this point expected to walk. Not just walk down, but, like, really get into it and interact with the others. I feel like the ones where the synergy is all together, where you have both the crew, they're putting. They're all into the lyrics or they're into the performance and then you have the people giving it back. I feel like that synergy often comes when you've got an actual, like, songwriter, musician coming into the mix. So, like money Long.
- [10:25]
Unknown
Right.
- [10:26]
Shamira Ibrahim
First of all, she gets a whole song with. With. With like a full verse and a chorus. Can we actually hear a little bit of that?
- [10:32]
Eric Pierre
Nobody loves Money like we do. Can't even deny it. Other shows may try it.
- [10:44]
Shamira Ibrahim
Right. And like, she's a songwriter. She's written for like Rihanna fifth Harmony. She's a singer as well. She gets a lot. And, and, and even at one point, one crew member gets in a little soulful ad lib and it's fun. You also see that with like, Kelly Rowland for hers, they incorporated motivation. One of her biggest songs, Kelly's at the Happy place.
- [11:03]
Eric Pierre
She's so fly. She's our motivation. And you know why? She's a child of destiny. Yeah, that's right.
- [11:10]
Shamira Ibrahim
That synergy seems to me that's like sort of one of the patterns I've noticed is if you got like an actual musician, it feels like they might feel as though they have to up their game, you know? Right.
- [11:19]
Unknown
I definitely see that. I also see that it gets into like, very traditional camp counselor sing along vibes where there's like a handful in every single lineup that are like all in on the lyrics. Like, you can tell they're the ones that wrote it. Right. You know?
- [11:31]
Shamira Ibrahim
Yes.
- [11:31]
Unknown
And then the others who are like, oh, I've got this line here, so I'm going to sing up right now. Right. And then I'm going to fade into the background so you get a little bit of that. I think those are the opportunities where they flex, like their inner musical theater capabilities.
- [11:44]
Shamira Ibrahim
Yes, yes.
- [11:44]
Unknown
And it gives them that opportunity to do that.
- [11:46]
Shamira Ibrahim
And we should note, like, since this has become such a viral sensation, the Jennifer Hutch has really leaned into this and, you know, they've talked about how it came to be. And you know, of course it was black people in the. In the staff who came up with this idea as a way to just like, make it fun. It kind of has morphed into depending on the guest, of course, but like, it's morphed into more extensive, not just stomping and clapping, but like actual, sometimes even harmonizing, which is cool.
- [12:14]
Unknown
Right. I mean, look at the one for Michelle Obama. I would hate to be the guest who had to be interviewed after Michelle Obama. Like, are you kidding me?
- [12:23]
Eric Pierre
We got Michelle Obama at the happy place. We got Michelle Obama at the happy place. We Got Michelle.
- [12:32]
Unknown
The entire staff and crew came out and did a cover of Stevie Wonders. I wish.
- [12:38]
Shamira Ibrahim
Yeah. It's so interesting to see the way that works. Like, I thought it was really interesting that, like, Regina hall, they went kind of all out.
- [12:46]
Eric Pierre
Christina's here. Yay. Today, Walking the tunnel at the happy place. So shout out to scary movie. Shout out to the best man franchise.
- [13:01]
Shamira Ibrahim
They, like, shouted out the scary movie franchise. The best man. They shouted out her specific movies. And you notice a lot of these actors, they're not getting that specific treatment. But she was special. I love that video in part because she looks a little bit embarrassed. She's like. Which is like. Again, it goes back to, like, there's the performance that the crew is giving and the performance that everyone else is giving.
- [13:22]
Unknown
Right.
- [13:23]
Shamira Ibrahim
I also noticed, like, I don't know if you've noticed this either, but there's certain. Certain people of a certain age, certain black men of a certain age where I. I'm looking at them, and I'm like, oh, this is how you dance at the weddings. This is how you get down. Johnny Gill. Do you remember the Johnny Gill one?
- [13:38]
Unknown
I don't remember it off the top of my head, but I can already imagine it.
- [13:42]
Eric Pierre
Johnny Gill with the Dale. Johnny Gill. Gil, how you feeling?
- [13:48]
Shamira Ibrahim
So, yeah, Johnny Gill is basically dressed like an ESPN sportscaster in, like, this very bright suit. And then he's grooving down the hall, and he kind of. He's kind of dancing like a cat daddy. I'm not gonna lie. I was just like, oh, okay. Johnny Gill, look at you.
- [14:03]
Unknown
It's funny how, like, different celebs become their own version of a showman. You know what I mean?
- [14:08]
Shamira Ibrahim
Yes, absolutely. I think there's a little bit of a. Depending on the celebrity, there's a script, right. It's like, some of them will be like, oh, I'm surprised. Like, the initial moment of, like, shock, like, oh, what is this? And then like, oh, I'm gonna get into it. But then other times, it's like, you know, you can tell that there are some people who, like, this is the most embarrassing moment of their lives. It's like, who's game and who's not.
- [14:32]
Unknown
Right. I do have some boots on the ground reporting, if I may share.
- [14:36]
Shamira Ibrahim
Yes. Oh, please.
- [14:37]
Unknown
I do know of someone who was a guest on the Jennifer Hudson show, and I'll protect their anonymity, but what they told me is that you're not necessarily communicated when the spirit tunnel is about to happen. So you're just, like, getting ready in the, in the green room. Right. For your time. So I think for some of them, they think, oh, I'm going to be the odd one out because I just have all this, like, lingering time. And that's why we see the genuinely shocked reactions from people where they're like, oh, wait, no, it is happening.
- [15:05]
Shamira Ibrahim
Oh, that's so funny. Okay, I. Because I thought that was maybe a little performance, like. Because if you're going to, like, at this point, wouldn't you know that if you're going.
- [15:13]
Unknown
Exactly. I would think you would expect it. Right. You know, but I do think some of them have so much downtime that I think in their heads they're like, oh, it must just not be for me. You know what I mean?
- [15:22]
Shamira Ibrahim
Yeah, that's very true. I guess my other question for you is just like, why do you think that of the show, why this is the thing that has struck a chord, generally speaking? Because, I don't know, I guess this is kind of like Jhud's carpool karaoke or one of the. This is the thing. But why, why, why is this the thing?
- [15:43]
Unknown
It's so fascinating that you make the parallel to carpool karaoke because one thing I will say about carpool karaoke is that ostensibly it's supposed to indicate something about the interests of the guest, right? Because usually they end up lip syncing or doing karaoke to a song we would not expect from them. And it indicates their taste with this. It's like weird magnifying glass of like the current performative lens of celebrities, right? We have them do gimmicks, right? We have them eat hot wings while they talk about their life stories. And it's like this weird encapsulation of like, the ways we can algorithmically add a hierarchy to celebrity because in like a 10 second clip, we can see how many people are showing up, how quickly, you know, they have however many cultural references that we want to add, how they participate in celebrity as a celebrity themselves, whether they're going to be really game for it, whether they'll be reluctant, whether they're turned off by the experience. And like, it's just like a really great 15 second way to artificially rank people, you know, as well as get a sense of people's, like, sense of musicality, right? Like for all the leftover Glee lovers, it's like, oh, how quickly can we make a song in 30 seconds or less? Like, in my head there's an SNL sketch of like some poor intern who was just trapped in a closet writing Melody after melody, day after day, begging to be free, you know?
- [16:59]
Shamira Ibrahim
Well, that, that was going to be my follow up question is like, is this something that you would find enjoyable to be able to do at your job? Because like, look, they put together like a whole thing where they have the people who started this and some of the people who are involved on the staff who are creating these ideas, they seem very into it. But like, I can't imagine that every single person is that excited to do it all the time. I don't know.
- [17:22]
Unknown
I'll put it like this.
- [17:23]
Shamira Ibrahim
Yeah.
- [17:23]
Unknown
You know, in college I was a college tour guide for extra money. One of several jobs I took on, right? And I think the first two weeks of being a college tour guide where I could enthrall parents with like random fun facts of my school's campus, right? It was fun to be able to hit the same beats, get the same magical reaction every time. By like month two, I was like, here's this random trivia fact that I'm sure you know or don't know. Oh, you don't know how great. Let's move on to the next thing. Like, I have a feeling that like the novelty has kind of like lost a little bit of its shine after like being the most on demand thing from their program. Like they're also running a production of a show, right? So I'm sure they have other things to do.
- [18:04]
Shamira Ibrahim
Look, I'm a former theater kid nerd and I also went through a phase throughout middle school and high school where I would do this exact thing. I would make up songs to like the lyrics of popular songs. Like ask me offline about a song I made up to the tune of Maya's Case of the X. Like, that's what I did. So, like, would I enjoy this? Probably. And I also, like, I can imagine that for a certain type of person the demands of putting on a show, this is kind of like a way to let loose of it. If you've watched enough of them, you see the same people, you notice them on the sidelines, and then you see the ones who are really, really into it. You see the ones who, they're clearly into it, but they might not be quite on the beat, but that's okay, they're there, it's happy. And I really, I do hope that everyone who does appear on screen feels as though they're not feeling like they have to do it. You know, it seems fun. And I've also seen people commenting like, oh my God, I would hate for this to be A part of my job. And I'm like, well, you know, I.
- [19:07]
Unknown
Don'T want to be presumpt. Like I said, for me, I definitely would probably by month to be over it. But like, yeah, like you said, I can see a specific personality that really loves it. What I selfishly, Selfishly would love to see is someone somehow, like, pierced through it in a way. Like, I could see like a Nathan Fielder type right, going on Jeff Hudson and, like, doing an elaborate bit, right, where they just like collapse on the ground and everybody stops singing out of fear, you know, Like. Like, how far can we take the bit of the celebrity being fully in Persona for the actual spirit tunnel? You know what I'm saying? Like, let's. Let's get really meta with it.
- [19:45]
Shamira Ibrahim
Yeah. I mean, I would love to see that as opposed to the people who just kind of run down the hall and are just like, I hate this. And of course, Noah Wylie, perhaps most famously so far, he actually decided not to do it ahead of time. He's like, I don't want to do this. Which I. You know what? I respect that if you feel as though this is not your thing or you don't want to be embarrassed or just like, I don't know, sometimes people. That is their worst nightmare is like, having attention in that way. And the fact that he was like, I don't want to do this. I wonder how often that happens.
- [20:17]
Unknown
Actually, personally, me, myself, if I were to watch Usher Raymond roller skate down a spirit tunnel, I would be like, no, thank you. I actually, I don't need to sign up for this competition. Please sent me through the side entrance so I can respect it.
- [20:31]
Shamira Ibrahim
Yeah, Usher and them roller skates. Like, if he's not wearing roller skates, is he even Usher these days? Well, do you have any last thoughts on this spirit tunnel and any dream spirit tunnel celebrities that you would love to see? I mean, there's so many I want.
- [20:58]
Unknown
Them to get into. I'm not even thinking about celebrities. I'm thinking about complex rhyme schemes. Like, I want them to do a bone thugs in a harmony song. Like, I don't know how that happens, but I need to see it happen. Like, I want the most absurd. Like Sierra comes on. Let's do the chorus. Like, you make it happen, right, you know?
- [21:15]
Shamira Ibrahim
Yes, yes.
- [21:16]
Unknown
So that's my ambition. My hope is that they get even more and more out there with their song choices.
- [21:21]
Shamira Ibrahim
Oh, my goodness, yes. I think that's the only natural progression is for it to get just weird as hell. I would love to see it. So that is our challenge to you, Ogre of the Jhud Show. Please get weirder. I'm sure we would all love to see that.
- [21:40]
Unknown
Yes.
- [21:40]
Shamira Ibrahim
Well we want to know what is your favorite Spirit Tunnel video. There are so many. We didn't even get close. There's not many.
- [21:46]
Unknown
Not even close. Not even.
- [21:48]
Shamira Ibrahim
But you can find us@facebook.com PCHH that brings us to the end of our show. Shamira Ibrahim, thanks so much for being here. And yes, please do make me your. You're right.
- [22:00]
Unknown
Yes, looking forward to it. Thanks as always, Aisha.
- [22:04]
Shamira Ibrahim
This episode was produced by Mike Katsif and edited by Jessica Reedy. Audio engineering was performed by Jimmy Keeley, Robert Rodriguez and Khwesi Lee. And hello, Come in provides our theme music. Thanks so much for listening to Pop Culture Happy Hour from npr. I'm Aisha Harris and we'll see you all next time.
- [22:24]
Aisha Harris
This message comes from Mint Mobile. Mint Mobile took what's wrong with wireless and made it right. They offer premium wireless plans for less and all plans include high speed data, unlimited talk and text and nationwide coverage. See for yourself@mintmobile.com switch this message comes.
- [22:41]
Unknown
From NPR sponsor 1Password Protect your digital life with 1Password if you're tired of family members constantly texting you for the passwords to streaming services, 1Password lets you securely share or remove access to logins access from any device anytime. 1Password lets you securely switch between iPhone, Android, Mac and PC with convenient features like autofill for quick sign ins. Right now, get a free two week trial for you and your family@1Password.com NPR.
- [23:14]
Aisha Harris
This message comes from Mint Mobile. If you're tired of spending hundreds on big wireless bills, bogus fees and free perks, Mint Mobile might be right for you with plans starting from 15 bucks a month. Shop plans today at mintmobile. Com. Switch upfront payment of $45 for 3 month 5 gigabyte plan required. New customer offer for first 3 months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See Mint Mobile for details.