DONKEY: AI Flubs Students Names During Glendale Community College Graduation Ceremony

Summary

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The Breakfast Club: “DONKEY: AI Flubs Students Names During Glendale Community College Graduation Ceremony”

Podcast: The Breakfast Club
Date: May 20, 2026
Hosts: DJ Envy, Charlamagne tha God, Angela Yee

Episode Overview

This episode’s “Donkey of the Day” segment puts a spotlight on Glendale Community College and its president, Tiffany Hernandez, after an AI system badly mishandled name announcements at the college’s graduation ceremony. The hosts dig into why this tech blunder is emblematic of larger concerns around AI, the loss of the “human touch,” and society’s rush to automate even the most meaningful moments.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. AI’s Graduation Gaffe at Glendale

• Charlamagne introduces the incident: Glendale Community College used AI to read graduate names. Predictably, chaos ensued: wrong names matched to graduates, on-screen graphics malfunctioned, and personal milestone moments were reduced to a tech blunder.
  • “We are about to experience what I call the Great Disconnect. You are going to have a large swath of society that completely submits to the robots.” (03:01, Charlamagne)
• Emphasis on Human Touch: Charlamagne expresses strong skepticism of AI taking over roles that require empathy and precision, especially in cherished events.
  • “AI is not a human. And when it comes to details, nothing beats a human touch, all right?” (03:39, Charlamagne)
• Audio clip recounts the ceremony mishaps:
  • Names misread or skipped; the celebratory experience diminished.
  • One student, Grace Marie Reimer, only realized her name wasn’t called after the fact. (05:07)

2. Irony & Hypocrisy in AI Integration

• Administration’s Double Standard: Charlamagne highlights the contradiction of schools warning students not to use AI for assignments, but then relying on it themselves for a crucial responsibility.
  • “The irony of this story, what really bothers me: spend years telling students, don't use chat GPT, okay? ... Then, as soon as it's time for the administration to do their work, they bring in RTD2, Wally, Optimus Prime…” (06:33, Charlamagne)
• Broader Implications: The group questions whether tech-obsessed efficiency has gone too far—at the expense of meaning and personal pride.
  • “Graduation isn't just some assembly line event. You can't treat these kids like products on a conveyor belt... This is a once in a lifetime ceremony for these kids.” (05:54, Charlamagne)

3. Societal Concerns about Technology

• Techno-Feudalism Reference: Charlamagne recommends reading “Technofeudalism: What Killed Capitalism” by Yanis Varoufakis, suggesting society is moving toward a system where decision-making is surrendered to machines. (03:12, Charlamagne)
• Generational Frustrations: He points out that for Gen Z, the unchecked rise of AI is becoming a top source of resentment, alongside issues like hustle culture and climate change.
  • “Where does rapid, unchecked integration of AI into your lives and workplace rank?” (07:10, Charlamagne)

4. Lighter Moments: Names and Pronunciation

• Hosts roast themselves and each other:

  • DJ Envy jokes about their own inability to pronounce names, referencing previous guests’ struggles.
  • Angela Yee insists she’s good at name pronunciation, launching a playful back-and-forth where the team tries to stump her with difficult names—including Yanis Varoufakis and Spanish names. (10:13–12:52)
  • “If I had to choose who to say the names, okay? If it's Webby, if it's me... if it's Jess Hilarious, then maybe you think AI.” (09:54, Charlamagne)

• Practice Makes Perfect:

  • “That's why you practice. If you know that you're doing a college graduation, you practice beforehand and make sure you have the pronunciation like 2000 names. I don't care.” (12:10, Charlamagne)

5. The Real Problem with AI

• Loss of Meaning & Human Empathy: Charlamagne laments that AI fails not because it’s tech, but because people deploy it for things meant to be personal and soulful.
  • “Some things require soul, and that's what AI will never have.” (09:20, Charlamagne)
• Weak Corporate Apologies: The perfunctory apology from the college (calling it an "inconvenience") is clowned as out of touch with the emotional weight of graduation.
• Skewering of the Decision-Makers:
  • “Glendale Community College, you have proven that common sense is now an elective course. ... The robot was skipping people like Spotify skipping songs on shuffle.” (08:40, Charlamagne)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the value of a human touch:

  • “AI can't guarantee efficiency, but happy, well-paid humans can. ... AI doesn't understand empathy or the importance of a moment.” (08:57, Charlamagne)

• On the meaning of graduation:

  • “Imagine being the first person in your family to graduate college and your old grandma sitting there waiting to hear your name. And she doesn't.” (09:07, Charlamagne)

• Hosts’ playful banter on names:

  • “It sounds like you cursed at somebody, mad spit everywhere. So I get why they did it. Then we go to the Asian name...” (10:42, DJ Envy)

• On preparation:

  • “You practice pronouncing the names. ... If I'm like Batman, you give me some time to prepare, I'll get it done.” (12:40, Charlamagne)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:53] – Donkey of the Day Introduction
• [03:39] – Charlamagne’s Critique of AI in Human Roles
• [04:46] – Audio Report on the Graduation Blunder
• [05:54] – The Value of Graduation
• [06:33] – The Administration’s Irony
• [08:40] – AI as “Spotify Skipping Names”
• [09:07] – The Emotional Cost of Mishandling Names
• [10:13] – Name Pronunciation Jokes Begin
• [12:10] – The Necessity of Practice and Human Care

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Summary

This episode lands a sharp critique of AI’s overreach—especially for moments that matter most. Glendale Community College's attempt to automate a cherished milestone backfires spectacularly, and the hosts use their trademark blend of wit, skepticism, and earnestness to draw out lessons: Some moments deserve soul, not efficiency, and relying on technology without empathy erodes what makes those moments special. The resulting discussion is both funny and poignant—a cautionary tale about how not to use AI, and a reminder that some tasks should always belong to people.

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Transcript

[Podcast Narrator]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.

[IBM Representative]

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[Nick Jonas]

Hey guys, it's us, the Jonas Brothers.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I'm Joe. I'm Kevin.

[Nick Jonas]

And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called hey Jonas.

[Charlamagne tha God]

We invented a podcast.

[Nick Jonas]

Well, we didn't invent it, we just contributed to it. People to do podcasts.

[Charlamagne tha God]

We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions.

[Nick Jonas]

Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it, but you know, tired and sick. Tired and sick. Listen to hey Jonas on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Robert Smigel]

Just listen.

[Nick Jonas]

We don't care where you hear it.

[Robert Smigel]

Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy not quite on Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Jim Gaffigan to Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier this week. My guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an acapella band with their between songs banter. There's the worst singer in the group.

[Charlamagne tha God]

The worst?

[Robert Smigel]

Yeah, me. Is there anything to the idea that because you're from Harvard, you only got in because you're from. Parents made a huge donation to the group. To the group.

[Charlamagne tha God]

The Yard Birds. Right?

[Jake Stauch]

That's the name.

[Robert Smigel]

The Harvard Yard.

[Charlamagne tha God]

They're open. Do you have a name suggestion? We're open.

[Robert Smigel]

Since you guys are middle aged, one erection, listen to Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Humor me. I need some jokes to make me Seem funny. Yo, was Donkey of the Day, baby.

[Angela Yee]

Damn the Hee Haw again.

[Charlamagne tha God]

It's time for Donkey of the Day.

[Robert Smigel]

I ain't trying to be donkey today no more.

[Charlamagne tha God]

They should be embarrassed by what they already did. I'm not making these people do these things called Donkey of the Day. And it really caught me off guard.

[Angela Yee]

Damn Charlamagne. Who got the donkey of the day today?

[Charlamagne tha God]

Well, just hilarious. Donkey Today for Wednesday, May 20th goes to President Tiffany Hernandez of Glendale Community College and Glendale Community College as a staff, record label and mother effing school. Okay, I'm telling you right now that we are about to experience what I call the Great Disconnect. You are going to have a large swath of society that completely submits to the robots. They're going to completely submit to AI Those are going to be the people who are proud citizens of a techno feudalist society. If you don't know what techno feudalism is, please read a great book called Technofeudalism. What Killed Capitalism by Yanis Varufakis. I think that's how you pronounce his name. I can never pronounce, but the name of the book is Techno Feudalism. What Killed Capitalism. But the rest of us are going to disconnect because nobody wants to spend the rest of their life going on social media questioning what's real or not. Okay? I'm not doing it. Swiping constantly asking yourself, is this real? Sending links to people and they hitting you back like, that's not real. I don't have the mental and emotional bandwidth to live like that. And also in our line of work, the radio industry, there are already some things being done by AI technical stuff. And I hate it, okay? Because AI is not a human. And when it comes to the details, nothing beats a human touch, all right? AI does not micromanage. Okay? I'm not even sure AI does the basic macro stuff good yet. But I don't want people using AI to cut clips for Breakfast Club. I don't want people using AI to title things and create descriptions because AI gets a lot wrong. And that is why Tiffany Hernandez and Glendale Community College need to be at the of the congregation today. Because they decided to use AI for something that absolutely 100% needs a human touch. And that's a graduation ceremony. Yes. Someone at Glendale Community College thought it would be a great idea to have AI announce the students names and this happens. Let's go to WRAL for the report, please.

[Podcast Narrator]

What a mess. For everyone involved here at Glendale Community College. Students work so hard to get to this point, to get their diploma and graduate. And they say the school should have been better prepared.

[IBM Representative]

Michael D. Gonzalez.

[Podcast Narrator]

The names being read during GCC's commencement didn't appear to match. Who was walking across stage?

[IBM Representative]

India Hall.

[Podcast Narrator]

Then the names at the bottom of the screen stopped changing. Azucina, De Mesa, Jimenez. Then the screen on the left goes blank. I was honestly just proud to be there in the moment. It was only after Grace Reimer crossed the stage and returned to her seat that she realized something was off. Here's the photo. That's her on stage. That's not her name, but I also didn't hear a lot of cheering. And I know that my family is a pretty loud family. Several minutes later, Grace Marie Reimer, she finally heard her name. Yeah, that's not right. And it definitely made me feel uneasy. Here's what's happening. We're using a new AI system as our reader, so that is a lesson learned for us.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Damn. This story is the perfect example of people using AI because they're lazy for no reason. Okay? I mean, what is the point of using AI for these kids? Graduation. Is it really too much to ask to have a couple of people stand up and read names? Okay, Are we really just gonna let the robots have everything? We concerned about AI taking jobs, but we giving away the easy ones like this? Okay, you adults are busy trying to save time, maybe money, I don't know. But you're completely missing the point of the moment. Graduation isn't just some assembly line event. You can't treat these kids like products on a conveyor belt. Some fall off, some don't. Some get labeled wrong, some get labeled right. Some get stamped, some get thrown away. This is a once in a lifetime ceremony for these kids. Families drove in, okay? Students spent years and thousands of dollars hustling. And you turned the most personal part, hearing your name called so you can do a little dance. Some pomp and circumstance, y' all turn that to just a glitch in the Matrix, okay? And the irony of this story, what really bothers me, spend years telling students, don't use chat GPT, okay? Don't use AI to plagiarize. Do the work yourself. Don't let AI do it for you. Then as soon as it's time for the administration to do their work, they bring in RTD2, RTD2, R2, R2D2. What's the thing name? R2D2. Okay? They bring in Wally, all right? They bring in Optimus Prime. They bring in a terminator okay? To do all the work for them. What would you do if. If you found out your fitness trainer was secretly using Ozempic and Zepbound but was always speaking to you about the dangers of weight loss, drugs, Would you trust him? No, you wouldn't. Okay, hey, young world, Generation Z, where does AI rank in your top five in regards to your growing list of resentments? Okay, I know y' all got. I know y' all hate hustle culture that's up there. Climate change, capitalism, America being beholden to Israel. Where does rapid, unchecked integration of AI into your lives and workplace rank? All right, you have a whole generation who already feel like technology is replacing jobs, creativity, and human connection. And this incident at Glendale Community College is just another example of that. Okay? Glendale Community College, you have proven that common sense is now an elective course. Okay? Using AI to announce human names at a graduation. And the robot was skipping people like. Like Spotify skipping songs on shuffle. This is the problem with society, okay? Everybody wants efficiency over expense. AI can't guarantee efficiency, but happy, well paid humans can. Okay, I'm not even sure AI knows what efficiency is. I damn sure know that AI doesn't understand empathy or the importance of a moment. And when this robot messed up these kids names, all President Tiffany Hernandez and the administration could offer is the corporate classic, we apologize for the inconvenience. Man, skipping someone's name at graduation is more than an inconvenience, okay? Imagine being the first person in your family to graduate college and your old grandma sitting there waiting to hear your name. And she doesn't. And she thinks she's losing her hearing because she never heard your name, but she knows she saw you walk across stage, got that old lady thinking she going crazy and it's your fault. This is why people are scared of AI not because the technology exists, but because humans keep using it to replace moments that require actual humanity. Okay? Some things require soul, and that's what AI will never have. Please give President Tiffany Hernandez of Glendale Community College the biggest he Hawk. I see your dumb ass beige wheels turning. I see them stupid ass waffle colored wheels turning. I'm just saying, what is your brain thinking? Man, that is the color of dirty urine.

[DJ Envy]

Remember when Webby was up here and Webby couldn't pronounce those names?

[Charlamagne tha God]

Now listen now.

[DJ Envy]

Now, some of those names.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I see what you're doing.

[DJ Envy]

Some of those names, that's different.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Now if I had to. If I had to choose who to say the names, okay? If it's Webby, if it's me, because I can't really pronounce that. Well, if it's just hilarious, then maybe you think AI. Okay, if it's you, I'm going AI. Maybe I just got to see who else is available first. What other humans are available? Some of them names be what other

[Angela Yee]

humans are available in pronouncing people's names. I'm really good with pronouncing people's names. Yes, I am.

[DJ Envy]

Then when you go to other coaches,

[Angela Yee]

I'm real good with pronouncing.

[DJ Envy]

It's not just your American name. Not your Thompsons and your Jacksons. When it goes to the. Like, the name you.

[Angela Yee]

You started with African. What's the African guy that you. You named the author with the book.

[Charlamagne tha God]

He's not African. You.

[Angela Yee]

You said.

[DJ Envy]

What was it?

[Charlamagne tha God]

He's not African.

[DJ Envy]

He's.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Oh, my God. Oh, my God.

[Angela Yee]

He made the same African dial.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Yanas Barufacas.

[DJ Envy]

Exactly. That is definitely wrong.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah, that's not right.

[DJ Envy]

So now you're a professor. It's. That sounds like you cursed at somebody mad spit everywhere. So I get why they did it. Then we go to the Asian name.

[Charlamagne tha God]

But you scraped the bottom of the penis. Scrape the bottom of the barrel, Webby. All right.

[DJ Envy]

Me?

[Charlamagne tha God]

Yeah, Jess. Hilarious. Like, why do you keep saying Jess?

[Angela Yee]

Hilarious.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Boy, ain't no. We know nothing.

[Angela Yee]

I know how to.

[Charlamagne tha God]

You know people can hear you, right? You know they can hear you every day. Hello.

[DJ Envy]

Hello.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah, I don't mess people name up. I may mess up other things, but not people's names.

[DJ Envy]

Here we can't even say Spanish names right? Like it be Riviera.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Hold on.

[Angela Yee]

Riviera. Like, what are we talking about? Okay, stop playing with me.

[DJ Envy]

Give her a name. Okay, Give her name. All right, Give her name.

[Angela Yee]

Okay.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, this going to be good. This going to be good.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Pronounce that.

[DJ Envy]

Pronounce that G. Techno feudalism.

[Charlamagne tha God]

No, girl.

[Angela Yee]

Oh.

[Charlamagne tha God]

See what I'm saying?

[Angela Yee]

Yes.

[Charlamagne tha God]

No.

[Angela Yee]

Shut up, Yanis Baru.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, exactly.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Now they on stage.

[DJ Envy]

Now they mad because you said that name wrong.

[Charlamagne tha God]

You cursed on the radio three times already.

[Angela Yee]

Stop cursing a African.

[Charlamagne tha God]

He's not African. All right.

[Angela Yee]

What is he?

[Charlamagne tha God]

He's not African. Exactly.

[DJ Envy]

So that. See, I. I can't see. We just made the point. We can't say any names. So that professor go up there sounding like us

[Angela Yee]

either.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Yes, you don't. And I know AI is messed up.

[DJ Envy]

Yesterday, I posted a picture of AI and it cut my arm up. I didn't even see my arms off. Only had one Arm.

[Charlamagne tha God]

But, you know.

[DJ Envy]

But.

[Charlamagne tha God]

But once again, for a graduation ceremony, that needs a human touch, bro.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Okay. Even if you up there mispronouncing people's names, you know, you got to make sure you get the names right. But that's why you practice. If you know that you're doing a college graduation, you practice beforehand and make sure you have the pronunciation like 2000 names. I don't care.

[Nick Jonas]

I don't care.

[Angela Yee]

You X everybody that name. You got to make sure that you pronounce their names right.

[DJ Envy]

2000 names.

[Charlamagne tha God]

It's a graduation kiss. College graduation. That's how important a day like that is.

[Angela Yee]

X everybody name. Yes.

[Charlamagne tha God]

You. You practice pronouncing the names. If you're the person pronouncing the name.

[Angela Yee]

That's right.

[Charlamagne tha God]

By the way, that's what I would do. I could do it. If I'm like Batman, you give me some time to prepare. I'll get it done. Okay.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I just need it.

[Angela Yee]

Varoufakas. Yes. That is his name.

[DJ Envy]

Y' all just took you four times to figure it out. You only got one shot.

[Angela Yee]

I said it right all times, but you gotta read that name. Slough.

[DJ Envy]

Thank you for that donkey today. Now, when we come back, Byron Allen was with us last hour. We're gonna play some more of that interview. He. We spoke to him for about an hour and 40 minutes. And if you don't know who he is, he's the owner of the Weather Channel, the owner of buzzfeed, buzzfeed, Huffington Post.

[Angela Yee]

He's tasty.

[DJ Envy]

Tasty. And he also comedian. He has a new show, another name to read. Here we go.

[Angela Yee]

Comics Unleashed.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Also, what's this word phonetically?

[Angela Yee]

Don't ever play with me.

[Charlamagne tha God]

She did go to. She did go to.

[DJ Envy]

She went to Baltimore Community College.

[Charlamagne tha God]

She goes to words. Leave it alone.

[DJ Envy]

All right.

[Charlamagne tha God]

It's the Breakfast Club.

[DJ Envy]

Come on in, dog.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Here today is sponsored by renowned personal injury attorney Michael the Bull. Lame software. Don't be a donkey when you need a fighter on your side. If you're ever injured, go to Michael the Bull dot com. That's Michael the Bull dot com. And when you mess with the bull, you get the horns.

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[Nick Jonas]

Hey guys, it's us, the Jonas Brothers.

[Charlamagne tha God]

I'm Joe. I'm Kevin.

[Nick Jonas]

And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called hey Jonas.

[Charlamagne tha God]

We invented a podcast.

[Nick Jonas]

Well, we didn't invent it, we. We just contributed to it. First people to do podcasts.

[Charlamagne tha God]

We get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions.

[Nick Jonas]

Well, sick and tired is a strong way to put it, but you know, tired and sick. Tired and sick. Listen to hey Jonas on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. Just listen.

[Charlamagne tha God]

We don't care where you hear it.

[Robert Smigel]

Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy, not quite on Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends. Me and hilarious guests from Jim Gaffey to Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier this week. My guest, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an acapella band with their between songs banter. The worst singer in the group.

[Charlamagne tha God]

The worst.

[Robert Smigel]

Yeah, me. Is there anything to the idea that because you're from Harvard, you only got in because your parents made a huge donation to the group the Yardbirds?

[Charlamagne tha God]

Right?

[Jake Stauch]

That's the name.

[Robert Smigel]

The Harvard Yard.

[Charlamagne tha God]

But they're open. Do you have a name suggestion? We're open.

[Robert Smigel]

Since you guys are middle aged, one erection. Listen to Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcast.

[Charlamagne tha God]

Humor me. I need some jokes to make me seem funny.

[IBM Representative]

Every family has its secrets.

[Charlamagne tha God]

But what happens when you discover that your dad has been living a double life?

[Podcast Narrator]

That is not the look of an innocent man. Is everyone lying to me about who they are?

[Charlamagne tha God]

I felt such desperation. I felt it was what I had to do. Listen to Deep Cover the Family man on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Podcast Narrator]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.