DONKEY: Charlamagne Gives Mike Johnson Donkey Of The Day After He Ignored Concerns Over GOP Voting Maps

Summary

The Breakfast Club – Donkey of the Day: Charlamagne Gives Mike Johnson Donkey Of The Day After He Ignored Concerns Over GOP Voting Maps

Date: May 18, 2026
Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God
Podcast Network: The Black Effect Podcast Network and iHeartPodcasts

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Episode Overview

In this episode of The Breakfast Club, Charlamagne Tha God awards his infamous "Donkey of the Day" to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, sharply criticizing Johnson following his response to concerns about the Supreme Court’s decision undermining the Voting Rights Act and GOP efforts to redraw voting maps in ways that diminish Black voting power. The segment dives into the political maneuvering behind voting districts and the broader disregard for Black voters' issues in America. The show then shifts to a spirited discussion on the escalating costs and social pressures surrounding modern high school proms, especially as fueled by social media.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Donkey of the Day: Mike Johnson & GOP Voting Maps

[03:11–08:26]

• Charlamagne introduces the segment by contextualizing the recent Supreme Court decision that weakens the Voting Rights Act of 1965, particularly impacting Black voter representation.
• He points out the lack of political urgency—even among Democrats—regarding the issue, noting Gavin Newsom’s call to action.
• Charlamagne underscores how the narrative is flipped, blaming Black-majority districts for racial gerrymandering when such districts arose from historic suppression.
• The critique hinges on Mike Johnson’s appearance on Fox News Sunday, where Johnson justifies the redistricting in Louisiana and frames calls for Black representation as themselves racially biased.
• Charlamagne argues that both parties manipulate districts, but Black-led districts are uniquely scrutinized and undermined.
• He emphasizes that America celebrates Black voting power—until Black voters start influencing power, at which point oppositional legal and political maneuvers emerge.
• Delivers the Donkey of the Day to Mike Johnson for denying the racist underpinnings and historical context of the redistricting efforts.

Notable Quotes:

• Charlamagne Tha God:

  "President Barack Obama scared the establishment so much that they said, 'We are going to make sure this never happens again, okay? We cannot let these Negroes have any political power.'" [03:21]

• Charlamagne Tha God:

  "The voting power of your most loyal constituents, the cornerstone of your electoral success, has been weakened, Gutted. And one of your most prominent faces, Gavin Newsom, has to tell y'all not to be silent about it. Unbelievable." [04:15]

• Gavin Newsom (referenced, via Charlamagne):

  “MAGA is silencing voters and carving up black districts all across the south to hold on to power. This is Jim Crow 2.0. Silence is not an option.” [03:58]

• Mike Johnson (voice clip):

  “You cannot draw lines on the basis of race. And that’s what was done in Louisiana. So they declared it to be an unconstitutional gerrymander.” [05:29]

• Charlamagne Tha God:

  “You can’t spend decades suppressing black voters... then all of a sudden just randomly you discover colorblindness when black people start getting political representation.” [06:09]

• Charlamagne Tha God:

  “Race made the districts in the first place. Okay? Race conscious districts were created because black voters were historically diluted or shut out of representation.” [07:11]

• Charlamagne Tha God:

  “This is just another example of how America loves to celebrate black voting power right up until black voters start actually influencing power.” [07:23]

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2. Rapid Fire: Prom Culture & Parental Pressure in the Age of Social Media

[08:27–10:42]

• After the Donkey of the Day, the conversation pivots to the “prom season” phenomenon and the soaring costs associated with it.
• The hosts share stories of extravagant prom spending—including $4,000-$9,000 dresses and expensive car rentals.
• There’s reflection on how social media has amplified parental and student pressures, sometimes discouraging less affluent students from attending prom.
• The crew compares their own prom experiences—limo rides and simple after-parties—against the current high-budget trends.
• Charlamagne stresses the importance of “acting your wage” and calls out the pressure to keep up with unrealistic prom standards.
• The hosts open up the phone lines to hear more community perspectives on the issue.

Notable Quotes:

• Host 1:

  “Like these girls’ dresses are like $4,000.” [08:44]

• Co-host 2:

  “A parent paid $4,500. I’ve seen another parent, she paid $9,000… they’re renting… Airbnb mansions… sets, flowers, and balloons like weddings just for send-offs. These are bigger than some weddings.” [08:53–09:04]

• Co-host 2:

  “I went through the comments and I saw a lot of other parents like, ‘Wow, this is why my daughter didn’t even want to go to prom…’” [09:26]

• Charlamagne Tha God:

  “Everybody should act your wage. That’s all I’m getting from this, you know what I mean?” [10:03]

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Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Charlamagne’s Raw Political Real Talk – His analogy comparing Black voting protections to GPS trackers on cars:

  “Imagine somebody stealing your car and then getting mad at you because you have a GPS tracker on. Okay, mother effer. Who told you to steal my car in the first place?” [05:54-06:03]

• Mocking Political Double Standards –

  “You can’t be slicing up the districts. Then all of a sudden, just randomly, you discover colorblindness when black people start getting political representation.” [06:09]

• Prom Advice:

  “What you showed me on Instagram, I know everybody not doing that.” [10:12]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:11] – Introduction of Donkey of the Day and context on the Voting Rights Act
• [05:29] – Mike Johnson’s Fox News Sunday clip
• [05:54] – Charlamagne’s analogy and main critique
• [07:15] – Discussion on the historical context of race-based districts
• [08:28] – Transition to prom season discussion
• [08:46] – Details on extravagant prom spending
• [09:26] – Social media’s impact on prom expectations
• [10:03] – Charlamagne’s advice: “Act your wage”

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Conclusion and Takeaways

Charlamagne Tha God uses his Donkey of the Day segment to highlight the persistent and strategic undermining of Black political power in the United States, critiquing both Republican and Democratic parties for their failures to protect the Voting Rights Act and to stand firm on Black voters’ behalf. The show then swings to lighter but still socially resonant territory, examining the out-of-control expectations for prom fueled by social media, and advises listeners to act within their means.

Episode Tone:
Engaged, unapologetic, humorous, and grounded in frank social commentary.

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For listeners looking for an unfiltered breakdown of both high-stakes politics and relatable cultural issues, this episode of The Breakfast Club delivers insight, levity, and a strong call to awareness and self-reflection.

Transcript

[Sophia Donner]

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[Host 1]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[Mike Johnson (voice clip)]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

This is a miracle.

[Co-host 1]

There is no question that there are problems in this country between police and community.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yes, you are a donkey. To the latest on that police killing of a black man.

[Co-host 1]

Now to new developments in the deadly spa shooting rampage.

[Public Investing Advertiser]

And yesterday was a really bad day for him, and this is what he did.

[Co-host 1]

And so we are in a state of emergency, okay?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

White supremacist violence is and always have been the number one threat to our society.

[State Farm Advertiser]

But I'm also very proud that my wife is white.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Such a Breakfast Club, bitches.

[Co-host 1]

All right, Charlene, please tell me, why was I your donkey of the day?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Happy Monday, y'. All. Donkey of the day for Monday, May 18, goes to the speaker of the House of the United States of America, Mike Johnson. Now, I know it's a lot going on, and you've probably seen the headline on how the Supreme Court has made it harder to protect black voting power by weakening parts of the Voting Rights act of 1965. They've been doing this since 2013. Okay? President Barack Obama scared the establishment so much that they said, we are going to make sure this never happens again, okay? We cannot let these Negroes have any political power. So that rally you saw this weekend in Montgomery, Alabama, the All roads lead to the south rally, that was because the Supreme Court essentially gutted the Voting Rights act and severely limited protections against voting discrimination. And I don't think anybody cares about except for black people. Okay? I'm serious. I saw the governor of California, Gavin Newsom, say Democrats need to be talking more about the gutting of the Voting Rights Act. This is the governor of California, Gavin Newsom. He posted Democrats need to be talking more about the gutting, and he put gutting in capital letters of the Voting Rights Act. MAGA is silencing voters and carving up black districts all across the south to hold on to power. This is Jim Crow 2.0. Silence is not an option. In, quote, the fact that Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, big Democrat, had to post that is exactly why people don't like Democrats, okay? The voting power of your most loyal constituents, the cornerstone of your electoral success, has been weakened, Gutted. And one of your most prominent faces, Gavin Newsom, has to tell y' all not to be silent about it. Unbelievable. But like I said, nobody seems to care about this issue except for black people. And that leads me to speaker of the House Mike Johnson. He was on Fox News Sunday with Shannon Beam Yesterday. And he was asked what his message was was to black Americans after the Supreme Court delivered such a severe blow to the Voting Rights Act. Let's listen to what he said. This is a great turnaround and a turn back to Jim Crow era politics in the 50s.

[Co-host 1]

We're looking at, at losing possibly 19 members of the Congressional Black Caucus because of this frankly, racist redistricting efforts targeted towards disenfranchising black voters across the country. So what is your message to black Americans, black voters, about this redistricting?

[Mike Johnson (voice clip)]

The Supreme Court issued a long awaited opinion and I think it was long overdue. And they stated the obvious, that drawing congressional lines must be fair. You cannot draw lines on the basis of race. And that's what was done in Louisiana. So they declared it to be an unconstitutional gerrymander. And it was. This is brings back fairness and certainty to the system. And I think a lot of states are looking to make sure that their maps are not unconstitutional like Louisiana's was.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Mike, Michael, Mikey, what are we talking about? Okay? Majority black districts are the real racial gerrymandering. Imagine somebody stealing your car and then getting mad at you because you have a GPS tracker on. Okay, mother effort. Who told you to steal my car in the first place? Okay, you the reason I gotta have a GPS tracker. You can't spend decades suppressing black voters, weakening the Voting Rights act every chance you get, slicing up districts like sweet potato pie. Well, for you it's probably pumpkin, maybe apple, but you can't be slicing up the districts. Then all of a sudden, just randomly, you discover colorblindness when black people start getting political representation. And this is why black people don't trust politicians, okay? America has a long history of moving the goalposts anytime black folks figure out how to play the game they invented, okay? First it was literacy tests, then poll taxes, now it's, well, actually, protecting black voting power is racist too. We need protection, Mike Johnson. Okay? I don't trust y' all to go raw even though we've been together a long time. Okay? I know you are no good dirty hoe. Okay? I would love to be celibate and abstain all together from being in any type of relationship with you, but that's not the way American politics work, okay? I have to engage. And let's be clear. Every district is drawn strategically. Republicans do it, Democrats do it. The difference is when black voters ask for districts where they can actually elect somebody who represents them, people think that's a problem. Okay? I've seen a lot of Republicans say, well, how come Republicans can't represent black people? Easy answer. Because historically they have shown us they don't and they aren't willing to. Okay, Democrats at least have shown us they're willing to work with us. I guess one party acts like they like us, the other party don't give a damn. Okay, Mike Johnson and other Republicans are basically saying we should stop making districts about race. Sir, race made the districts in the first place. Okay? Race conscious districts were created because black voters were historically diluted or shut out of representation. That's why they calling it Jim Crow 2.0. Okay, this is just another example of how America loves to celebrate black voting power. Right up until black voters start actually influencing power. And now all of a sudden, they want to start using words like fairness when the reality is we needed the Voting Rights act of 1965 because things weren't fair us to begin with. Please give speaker the House, Mike Johnson the biggest he haw.

[Host 1]

All right?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yes, ma'.

[Sophia Donner]

Am.

[Host 1]

Well, thank you for that donkey today, sir. Now, when we come back, let's open up the phone lines. 800-585-1051. It's prom season, ladies and gentlemen. I know a lot of your kids are about to head to prom, and it's getting a lot. It's getting a little ridiculous. I'm gonna say a lot ridiculous, but it's getting ridiculous. Right. Jess was just showing me some of the prom ideas and outfits and commitment that these parents are really putting effort into doing. Like these girls dresses are like $4,000.

[Co-host 2]

Yep, $4,000. A parent paid 4,500. I've seen another parent, she paid 9,000. So like just under a dress, they're

[Host 1]

creating sets, they're creating Airbnb mansions.

[Co-host 2]

Yes. They're renting these flowers and balloons like weddings just for sendoffs. Yes. This is like, these are bigger. Like bigger than some weddings.

[Host 1]

Renting three $400,000 cars to drive there

[Co-host 2]

and back, paying some six from 600 to $1,000 per hour for these, these kids proms.

[Host 1]

Let's, let's, let's open up the phone lines. 800-585-1051. Is social media the reason why this is getting ridiculous?

[Co-host 2]

Yeah, because the thing is, I went through the comments and I saw a lot of other parents like, wow, this is why my daughter didn't even want to go to prom. Or my son didn't want to go to prom because they didn't want to be made fun of because I ain't got it like that for them to be stepping out in Rolls Royces and Bentleys and all of that. So I was like, zim, when you

[Host 1]

went to the prom, it was just a limo.

[Co-host 2]

Yeah, like I. Yep, because it was a limo.

[Host 1]

It was eight of us in a limo.

[Co-host 2]

Me and my friends had to put up.

[Host 1]

We had to all put up each to get a limo.

[Co-host 2]

And then we would find a diner or like a nice restaurant that stayed open later than, you know, the. The. After the prom, we would go and we had to be in our house.

[Host 1]

Did you go to prom amongst all they had prom.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I'll come punch you in your baby. Oh, my God.

[Co-host 2]

Y' all didn't have prom down there.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I could punch you in everybody. Oh, you just caught that. Everybody should act your wage. That's all I'm getting from this. You know what I mean?

[Co-host 2]

Yeah, but these are kids.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What you showed me on Instagram, I know everybody not doing that.

[Host 1]

No.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, that was great.

[Host 1]

But a lot of people doing that, they're saving for that. Like, they are putting money to the side for their baby's prom, which is ridiculous.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I mean, prom is a once in a lifetime experience, right? Especially for girls.

[Co-host 2]

You got senior.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, yeah, my daughter. My daughter went to junior. She's about to go to her senior. Girls.

[Host 1]

Are you going over and beyond for her prom?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Like, that's what she want. You think? I don't be involved in none of that type of stuff. Okay. You just swipe the card. They just use your card going on when she comes to the prom.

[Host 1]

Let's open up the phone lines. 800-585-1051. Is prom getting too ridiculous? Is social media making it where people are spending too much money on a

[Co-host 2]

damn prom and they're discouraging other kids?

[Host 1]

Let's discuss the Breakfast Club.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[Sophia Donner]

this is Sophia Donner from OK Storytime this summer. Find your next obsession on Prime Video and listen. We're not saying you need another obsession, but there could be a lot worse ones. Steamy romance, addictive love stories, and the book to screen favorites you've already read twice, so why not watch them a third time off campus? Elle, the Love Hypothesis and more Slow Burns Second Chances chemistry you can feel through the screen, and it makes you wish you were actually in that movie. We've got binge worthy series can't miss movies perfect for when you're ignoring your own problems or procrastinating as one does. Your next obsession is waiting. Watch only on prime. This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.