INTERVIEW: Jason Lee Talks Public Service, Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards + More

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Breakfast Club

Episode: INTERVIEW: Jason Lee Talks Public Service, Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards + More
Release Date: May 15, 2026
Host: The Black Effect Podcast Network and iHeartPodcasts
Main Guests: Jason Lee (CEO of Hollywood Unlocked, Vice Mayor of Stockton)

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Breakfast Club welcomes Jason Lee, the dynamic CEO of Hollywood Unlocked and Vice Mayor of Stockton, for an in-depth conversation about his journey from entertainment into public service, the realities of political life as a Black, openly gay man, his philanthropic work, and the upcoming Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards. The episode is co-hosted by Charlamagne Tha God, Lauren LaRosa (filling in for DJ Envy and Jess Hilarious), and Mimi Brown. The tone is candid, passionate, occasionally humorous, and deeply insightful, covering everything from viral moments and media responsibility to grassroots impact and industry challenges.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jason Lee’s Journey: From Entertainment to Local Government

• Transition Motivation & Challenges

  • Jason did not initially aspire to public office but wanted to invest in his hometown, Stockton, for youth development.
  • His willingness to invest his own money into community programs led to a political “social experiment,” teaching him about both opportunity and systemic resistance.
  • "[People] know that I don't need to be there, that this is a choice... I got rid of all my jewelry and all that because... I don't need to prove anything to myself other than be happy, sober, you know, stay in therapy, stay focused." (15:38)

• Navigating Politics as a Figure with a Public Persona

  • Experiences “narrative attacks” common to high-profile politicians, especially as an outsider from entertainment.
  • The intersection of celebrity and politics is changing the game—referenced Trump, Spencer Pratt, and how entertainment style impacts the political arena.
  • "Trump has changed the game... Republicans are winning because they have changed the rules." (08:06)

2. Viral Moments, Media Scrutiny, and Accountability

• Ricky Lake Show Clip Resurfacing

  • A clip from Jason’s appearance on Ricky Lake resurfaces, sparking online buzz about his past.
  • Jason embraces the attention, owning his story and the evolution of his identity: "I'm an evolution of everything." (05:07)
  • "At 19, you just trying to figure things out. You don't know." (05:31, Charlamagne)

• The Wild’ N Out/Stockton Allegations

  • Jason addresses accusations of financial impropriety over city funding for a Wild’ N Out event, explaining the details, cleared findings, and the double standard in media coverage.
  • "The lie is always louder than the truth… they spent $50,000 to prove I didn’t take $50,000." (13:44/14:06)
  • Discussion on how headlines often shape public opinion more than facts, especially for Black politicians.

3. Community Impact & Philanthropy

• Hollywood Cares Foundation

  • Jason created Hollywood Cares to facilitate philanthropic support from celebrities for youth in underprivileged communities.
  • Rihanna hosted the launch; other notable supporters listed include Queen Latifah, Mariah Carey, Cardi B, Tyler Perry, and Kevin Hart. (21:25)
  • “Hollywood cares to get Hollywood, who cares about young people to have a place, a destination to put in their resource, time, support, platform.” (26:53)

• Securing Major Grant Funding for Youth Center

  • Jason explains how, after city council resistance, his nonprofit secured $13 million from California to support a new youth center with a crucial mental health component. (19:27)
  • Emphasizes therapy and breaking cycles of generational trauma in communities: “Now there's like a 20 bed respite part to this. So when kids are in crisis, they also have a place to stay...” (18:30–19:27)

4. Race, Ownership, and Representation in Media

• TMZ and Black Media

  • Critique of mainstream outlets launching "hip-hop" verticals as a proxy for Black news without genuine investment or inclusivity.
  • Discussion of value and agency in Black-owned media, personal ownership of content, and creating sustainable, authentic cultural platforms.
  • “If you want to do TMZ Unlocked, let's build a collaborative partnership... I could put one post on Hollywood Unlocked and change the value or direction of any bitty, anybody, brand or business in a minute. So that's power that they don't want us to have.” (36:41)

• Invisibility and the Fight for Credit

  • Lauren shares frustrations as Black women in media are often overlooked or tokenized, citing her own experience at TMZ. (39:08)
  • Jason and Charlamagne emphasize the importance of building independent power structures and demanding proper credit.

5. Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards and Celebrating Black Excellence

• Awards Organization & Honorees

  • This year’s Impact Awards will be hosted by Tiffany Haddish. Honorees: Tyler Perry (Innovator), Kehlani (Fearlessness), Kirk Franklin (Inspiration), Megan Good (Spirit), RZA (Culture), with Babyface as musical director and a special tribute to gospel legend Richard Smallwood. (31:30–32:16)
  • The show is intentionally rooted in empowering and uplifting genuine Black culture icons.
  • “I choose who I want to honor... it's about literally just lifting up people that I think are really important.” (32:20–34:03)

• Ownership and Platforms

  • The show is broadcast on Zeus Network, supporting Black-owned media, and Jason stresses the importance of content ownership and creative control.
  • “I've never had to sell my creativity to anybody... I own 90% of my company, all of my content I've ever shot, now I'm getting in the acquisition game.” (34:42–35:41)

• Challenge to Black Celebrities & Community

  • Jason calls on Black celebrities to show up for Black platforms like the Impact Awards, not just mainstream (white-owned) events.
  • “You all will get dressed up like chickens, raccoons and peacocks and go over to the Met Gal umbrella... but you don't come to the Impact Awards because what? Because it's black? You need to stop perpetuating this whole idea that black is not good and white is the thing you should aspire to be validated from.” (48:04–49:21)

6. Vulnerability, Growth, and Real-Life Tragedy

• Mental Health and Therapy

  • Jason is open about his sobriety, use of therapy, and journey from being "mad all the time" to seeking and deserving peace. (41:30)
  • “[Therapy]... I am worthy of peace. I am worthy of being calm and having the ability to think because I wasn't even able to think back then.” (41:30)

• Community Violence and Personal Commitment

  • Addresses the heartbreak of youth violence in Stockton after a mass shooting targeting children, noting his advocacy for victims' families and securing e.g., funeral costs with the help of supporters like Burna Boy. (43:40–44:35)
  • Reinforces the importance of using influence to provide real community help, not just rhetoric.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The lie is always louder than the truth.”
  — Jason Lee (13:44, supported by Charlamagne at 18:30)

• “I'm an evolution of everything.”
  — Jason Lee (05:07)

• “You cannot sit on the sidelines, especially right now.”
  — Jason Lee (13:30)

• “If what you want to do is black news, don't call it hip hop.”
  — Charlamagne Tha God (38:32)

• “A educated Negro is the most scariest thing to some people, which I don't understand.”
  — Jason Lee (37:19)

• On visibility and support for Black-owned awards:
  — “You all will get dressed up like chickens, raccoons and peacocks and go over to the Met Gala... but you don't come to the Impact Awards because what? Because it's black?” (48:04)

• “I sit here today as the vice mayor of the city who I lived in and stood over my brother's body, who died, to know what rock bottom feels like... Now I'm in the city fighting for a kid...”
  — Jason Lee (43:40)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Topic/Segment | |---------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:08 | Start of interview, introductions, viral Ricky Lake moment | | 07:53 | Transition to politics; impact of celebrity and media narratives | | 13:30 | Philanthropy, city investment, and political resistance | | 14:06 | Wild’ N Out funding controversy explained | | 18:04 | Truth vs. media narratives, securing youth center grant, mental health and therapy in community work | | 21:25 | Hollywood Cares: Mobilizing celebrity/philanthropy for youth | | 26:53 | How the Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards are organized, ownership, and mission | | 31:08 | 2026 Impact Awards details: hosts, honorees, significance of Black-owned media partnership | | 34:42 | Business model, creative ownership, relationship with BET and Zeus, generational wealth | | 36:41 | Value of Black digital media outlets, critique of mainstream co-optation | | 41:30 | Personal growth, therapy, and mental health journey | | 43:40 | Community violence in Stockton; Jason’s personal response, using influence for real change | | 46:11 | Navigating duality: being Black, being in office, and dealing with investigations and public scrutiny | | 48:04 | Final messages: giving thanks, challenging the Black community to show up for themselves/each other |

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Conclusion

This episode provides a raw, unapologetic look at Jason Lee’s unique journey as a Black, openly gay media powerhouse turned public servant. It explores the intersection of culture, power, and politics, and the importance of ownership and representation. Through personal stories, candid industry critique, and heartfelt endorsement of investing in community, Jason underscores a central message: real impact requires authenticity, resilience, and collective support.

For more:
Follow Jason Lee on Instagram at @theonlyjasonlee, watch The Jason Lee Show (now on BET), and learn about the Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards on HollywoodUnlocked.com.

Next: Tune in to The Breakfast Club for more culture-forward interviews and conversations you won’t hear anywhere else.

Transcript

[Ashanti Plummer]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.

[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 Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier this week. My guests, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an acapella band with their between songs banter.

[Isaiah Thomas]

Where does your group perform?

[Jason Lee]

We do some retirement homes.

[Robert Smigel]

Those people are starving for banter. Listen to Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends on the iHeartRadio Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ashanti Plummer]

Hey, it's Ashanti Plummer from Futtaround and find out. This week Az Fudd and I sat down with Steph and Curry. Steph talks pressure, confidence and what it really takes to stay great.

[Jason Lee]

There's different categories, I guess on like conditioning shooting drills where you try to simulate kind of games. Look at her face. We have a love hate relationship with those because you know you're getting something out of it. You don't look forward to those days.

[Ashanti Plummer]

Listen to Fut around and find out on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever. Get your podcast.

[CJ Toledano]

What's up fam?

[Isaiah Thomas]

It's Isaiah Thomas and I'm CJ Toadano. It's our favorite time of the year on our podcast Point game, the playoffs.

[CJ Toledano]

We're digging into the biggest surprises of the season and I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was firm.

[Isaiah Thomas]

You just understood.

[CJ Toledano]

That's how personal it get.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Wow.

[CJ Toledano]

Then after that game seven mar coming to you, he's like, you know I love you, dog. You know it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball.

[Isaiah Thomas]

So listen to Point game on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. There are times when the mind becomes a difficult place to live. This is David Eagleman with the Inner Cosmos podcast. And for Mental Health Awareness Month, we'll talk with singer songwriter Jewel about anxiety.

[Cheryl Strayed]

I started living in my car and then my car got stolen. I was having panic attacks. I was agoraphobic.

[Isaiah Thomas]

This is a month of deeply personal and honest conversations about one what happens when the brain goes off course. Listen to Inter Cosmos on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jason Lee]

Hold up.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Every day I wake up. Wake your ass up. The Breakfast Club finish or y' all done? Yes. It's the world's most dangerous morning. Show the Breakfast Club. DJ Envy. Just hilarious. Charlemagne, the God Envy and Jess aren't here, but Lauren LaRosa is, and Mimi Brown is sitting in as well. We got our guy. The CEO of Hollywood Unlocked. Mr. Jason Lee is here, and vice mayor of Stockton.

[Jason Lee]

I'm happy to be back.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

How are you, sir?

[Jason Lee]

I'm good. I'm good. What a question. I mean, today I'm good. I'm rested, I got some sleep, but, yeah, I'm good today.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I didn't know you used to be straight, Jason.

[Ashanti Plummer]

Oh, my God.

[Jason Lee]

Charlamagne. Let me tell you something.

[Ashanti Plummer]

How you doing today?

[Jason Lee]

I know Jason for, like, I'm doing

[Charlamagne Tha God]

good for a long time.

[Jason Lee]

I'm doing good today. I didn't know you. You. You was. No, I mean, you know, I wrote a book. You read my book? No. Okay. Yeah. I mean, I had girlfriends. It was a long time ago. Charlamagne. I'm about to be 49 years old, so we're going back 30, but it's not somebody how a girlfriend was.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But I don't remember in the book, like, you ever, like, talking like that was a real phase of your life.

[Jason Lee]

There's a whole chapter about my first boyfriend where I talked about him being with his girl, me being with my girl, and then us meeting and then you know, becoming a thing. You know, the first night we messed around was on. I think it was the night of the Ricky Lake show. Get to it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Ooh, yes. Talk about that. By the way, this is how, you know, your profile continues to grow when they start digging up stuff like this.

[Jason Lee]

I don't know if it's because I'm elected or because somebody just bored, but I. You know, it's funny because I saw this. I saw this message on Facebook, one post that said, jason Lee on Ricky Lake, question mark. And I go, oh, okay. Some. Somebody may have heard it. Then I saw two comments on Instagram. Then I started getting the text. Then I saw the clip. I said, okay, here we go. So, yeah, they put it out.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But the beauty of it is when somebody puts something like that out, you could be like, I already told y' all this, man.

[Jason Lee]

Yeah, I think I may have talked about being on the Ricky Lake show on. On. On the thing. But here's the deal. Here's the deal. I think now that it surfaced, I put a picture of Ricky Lake up on my Instagram last night with the song from hello from Cardi, because I think now I'm ready to start acting, you know, like, you saw me in there. I was Giving trade. I had three girls or whatever, but you're giving.

[Ashanti Plummer]

I was going to say you were so straight, but it was. But every now and then it was. You was like the. Hold on, hold on. I was like, okay, that's the Jason I hear today. But it was certain points where I'm like, wow, like, what your trade was

[Jason Lee]

like with you at the time, is what you're saying, handsome.

[Ashanti Plummer]

Your trade was a little different because I'd be around.

[Jason Lee]

Yeah. You know, when I went to Delaware once, you know, where you're from, I saw a lot of trade from the car all the way down to the party I went to. So I might go back to Delaware at some point. It's a lot of trade over there. Here's the deal. Like, yeah, you know, I. I will say, like, the interesting part is my one. My first boyfriend that I talk about in my book was on the show with me as my best friend. So, yeah, I. Yeah, we left that show and we got it in at the hotel.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Damn. Yeah, well, there you have it.

[Jason Lee]

But it's like this miraculous thing that's going viral right now. I don't know. Is it because.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It's why? It's because your profile continues to grow and people think this is a got you moment. Like, what they're trying to say is, like, I think is that Jason Lee has been acting for a long time. Like. Like it's a grift.

[Jason Lee]

Yeah. So, yeah, maybe. Yeah, but maybe. I don't know. I mean, look at the time I was. I did see, like, the audio sounds like a little slow. Like, it sounds a chopped and screwed. I don't know if they put a Louisiana accident. I don't know. That's who I was at 19. This is who I am now. And somewhere in between there, I had a girl and a guy, maybe both at the same time. I don't know. I'm an evolution of everything. Yeah, but that clip is going viral and.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And at 19, you just trying to figure things out. You don't know.

[Jason Lee]

I was figuring it all out, too. You know, crazy part is I was

[Ashanti Plummer]

freaking all out, too.

[Jason Lee]

Yo, yo, listen. The other day I was at an event for these kids in the city with school district and one my. I had this new camera guy, so he's filming my BTs or whatever, and one of my ex girlfriends walked in. I did not mention who she was at all. In fact, I was distracted. I'm like, can you go get this? Can you? Because I didn't want them to have this moment because for what? Like, it's such the past. Me and her don't even talk like, for what? Like you're the past 30 years ago.

[Ashanti Plummer]

Wow. You don't want to say hi to her for what? I mean, you know her. Did it end?

[Jason Lee]

Do you? I've seen you talk about your ex boyfriends up here. Do you see your ex boyfriend and

[Ashanti Plummer]

want to any of them?

[Jason Lee]

But if you did, would you want to go and say hello?

[Ashanti Plummer]

I wouldn't go say hello, but if they said hi to me, I'd be like, what's up?

[Jason Lee]

She didn't say hi to me. Last time I saw her was at a Red Lobster. And I ain't been back there since, so why am I?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But once again, as Lauren's profile continues to grow because I get videos from her ex boyfriends all the time.

[Ashanti Plummer]

You a dang, dang liar. Let me tell you. You are a lie. I've had maybe two.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I don't have one in my phone

[Ashanti Plummer]

right now that I don't know who that person is. That is not an ex boyfriend.

[Jason Lee]

Send it to Hollywood online. Let me tell you something, because I'm gonna tell you something about this one right here. See, you know, she. You know, I always say I'm extremely proud of Lauren. I've said it to her privately. I'll say it to her right now. Cause she was one of my interns and before she left me and went to tmz, and then now she left TMZ and she's in the beginning of Hollywood Unlock. And I'm proud of her because you're really doing your thing. But let me tell you about this one. She calls me at five in the morning to my. Can I get a statement? No, don't call me at 5 in the morning. You're the only person about the Ricky Lake thing about anything.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh.

[Jason Lee]

She's the only person to have the courage to, first of all, to call me to ask me anything. I'd be like, yo, Lauren, I'mma give you this. But like, I'm sleepy right now.

[Ashanti Plummer]

Why would you show them that?

[Jason Lee]

Wait, what is she backing it up on? Somebody send me that to Hollywood online. Matter of fact, send that so I can picture. There you go. That's Derek. No, I'm just playing. No, but I love it because now that you. Now that your star is rising and you're growing into your, you know, your thing, and you're breaking all these exclusives, baby, they gonna break them on. It's, it's, it's just. It's going to happen.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Absolutely.

[Jason Lee]

And it's so good. Take it with a grain of sal. I put a picture of Ricky Lake up last night. Come on. I was on Tempest Blood Bled so show, too. Twice voted most wanted guests. They brought all these unattractive women from all over the country to meet me. And I was like, yo, I'm trying to get out in the city and see where they at. Not you. But, yeah, I have a past.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You know, it's interesting, right? Cause people have turned politics into entertainment, right? Like, that's what I feel like Trump did. But you literally damn well like Trump. You came from entertainment into politics. Is that dangerous or is that just the future of where we are?

[Jason Lee]

You know, I think back when I came here, when I had won and came here to the show, and you said, are you worried they're gonna try to do something? Do you remember how I was like, they ain't gonna do nothing cause I'm gonna do some. They tried. It's just. It's inherently this world where I think that now what I'm seeing is I'm seeing, like, a lot of Republican post about me, Democrat vice mayor, Democrat vice mayor, Democrat vice mayor, because they see my. My influence is massive. You know, I went into it with millions of followers, my own money, the real. The real intention of building my community, and I brought a lot of value there. So I see what they're trying to do. It's not really wanting anything to stick. It's just wanting people to believe narratives. So that way, if I want to do something more, it's like, not the guy that took $50,000 for wild n Out, not the comedian, not the reality star. So I see the game, but what's. What's crazy is I see the impact that all regular, everyday people are feeling because of all these games people are playing. It is wild. You know, Spencer Pratt running for LA mayor, you know, and I was online getting ready to criticize him, but I'm like, yo, that's how probably people saw me. You know, like, who was this reality star podcast who's now running for. For city government? So I think Trump has changed the game, and I think the thing that you've done has been great. And I wish Democrats would pay attention and listen is you've exposed the vulnerabilities of the Democratic Party trying to play the old rulebook. That rulebook is done. It is done. And the reason why Republicans are winning is because they have changed the rules and they are heavily invested in what they're doing.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But people think when we criticize the Democratic Party and we say those things. We're literally telling them what they need to do to win. They think we're trying to shit on them for the other side. That makes no sense.

[Jason Lee]

I remember we have a friend, Erica Lowe, who opened up the.

[Ashanti Plummer]

I love her.

[Jason Lee]

I love her. What she was trying to do for the Biden administration was literally what we've been trying to do to help people get their narratives out, Right? Like, she was opening the doors for us to get in. But like I told her in my first meeting, I'm not somebody you called to be happy to be at the cookout. And then I remember calling you, like, what's. And he said, the minute you have an opinion that they don't, like, watch how they switch up. And it happened. And I'm like, yo, hold on. Like, you. You can be mad at Charlamagne because he's telling you the truth, and then invite me because you think I'm gonna be the other person. We all the same. We all have an opinion. And so when I got in and I saw that the fabric was rooted in who was going to go along to get along and push the narrative instead of, like, being the fabric of what we're all trying to build together, I said, no, you're not going to play me like that. And so when you said, watch how they get mad, they did that. And then when I watched them all lose, I'm like, because if you think twerking for votes is going to win, that ain't what's going to stop some mother who's trying to figure out why she has to bury her kid who was killed by this police officer.

[Ashanti Plummer]

When they got mad at. When they got mad at you, when you said you watched them do it, what did they do?

[Jason Lee]

Well, you stop getting certain invitations, or then you start. You won't get the interviews. I remember. You know, it's. It's like you. You don't get the access that you would. You don't get the. They'll go over here and do this conversation. So when you see people popping up on shows that make no sense because that person's not going to ask the questions that he's going to ask. So when I saw Kamala do the one on one with Charlamagne when it was already too late, it was like, you should have been. Had that conversation all the way through. Because the way that I heard Biden's aides were shitting in her bathroom, treating her like a side piece or whatever disrespecting her. This is the second most powerful person in the world who is lining up with the president to get us to a different place. And y' all are treating her disrespectful. So she should have had her allies and her base solidified all the way through. And I feel like that's the reason why. A billion dollars later and even though she was well intentioned and probably the most qualified she. And that's why we are where we are today. Yeah.

[Cheryl Strayed]

You know, I was going to say this politics space isn't new for you. Like, maybe to some people, but for you, you've been talking about that, I mean, 2020, you were speaking about, you know, the black community and what was happening and injustices and everything. Then like, yeah, you know, talk about how like you transition from literally wanting to be just a voice in the community to running for vice mayor.

[Jason Lee]

Yeah, I didn't want to be an elected official. I'll be honest. Most people, they. Right now, the city thinks, oh my God, he's going to be the next mayor. He's gonna be the next mayor. And everybody's asking me to run to be the mayor. I don. I did not want to be the mayor or vice mayor or anything. What I wanted was I wanted to bring a million dollars of my own money to my city that I love to help kids like me who have dreams, who live in disinvested communities and don't have really pathways to do it. I said, I'll put a million dollars in, you put a million dollars in, together we'll build this program. I saw the politicking of that opportunity. There's not a lot of people that are saying, once they make a million dollars, I want to go give it away to help my community. That's just not something that happens. Right. And so in that process, it became a social experiment to me because like even a well intentioned person who's made it out of the hood where most people still live and are living the same experience I did, you're still fighting that. That went from not wanting to partner to fine, I will change everybody up there to, okay, I will be up there to then still having to fight. But, you know, it's been one of those things where I feel like right now I'm just showing people that if you want to see a change in your community, you can either do what we do on this side of it, because this is a very important side too, to have this audience and influence and relationships to drive home a message, or you can get in the game like I am now or do both like I am now or what I'm thinking now is maybe back up and just, you know, build a pack and just start investing in the right candidates across my state that I want to see. Because at some point, what my point is is that everybody has to get in the game. You cannot sit on the sidelines, especially right now.

[Ashanti Plummer]

Well, we, we've talked before. When the whole the 50k while n out thing was happening, you were cleared of. Right?

[Jason Lee]

Yes.

[Ashanti Plummer]

And when all that happened, the way that the headlines came out and frame versus how people covered it, once you were cleared and how you were calling people out, what did that teach you about being in the political space and

[Jason Lee]

those type of attacks again, I think he said it the best. The lie is always louder than the truth. Right. And I get it because I did an interview yesterday where like I think a group brought me on because they thought I was gonna be something different than I am. I think cause I'm elected, they think I'm not Jason Lee. And these people had created a narrative before, maybe five, six years ago. And it was time for me to, you know, get on the air and say what I had to say.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That about you.

[Jason Lee]

Oh, yeah, yeah. And so I think that, you know, when the Wild' n Out happened, this is what happened. I did the show for five seasons. I asked Nick Cannon along the way, hey, when I make it in, if I make it to city council, will you bring Wild n out to Stockton, the live show? He said yes. So I put him with staff. Y' all figure it out. They figured it out. And right before the show was going to, I think maybe a Thursday, I was in Mexico and they called the promoter call and said, I think we're gonna cancel the show because the show, we haven't sold out our tickets and you know, we're already los a bunch of money, but we really want, really want to do this to you. I said, we'll call the staff and y' all figure it out. So the staff put in $50,000 from an approved fund to save the show. And they did. Mind you, our facility is underutilized. We're burning $4 million a year to keep them alive. So this new promoter, I'm new to the area, put in 50,000, the city put in 50,000 and the city made 640,000. So from a business standpoint, it was a 12 time multiple. It was a great investment of a fund that was there. But because we were firing the manager on his way out, he just Threw his bomb out there, like, oh, yeah, the vice mayor is involved with this. But what they didn't realize was how viral it would go, like in. And now they're realizing like, okay, we can't talk about you the same way we can talk about them. Yeah, how about you just don't lie? But then they spent $50,000 to prove I didn't take $50,000. Now the taxpayers are mad and they're probably going to lose their elections because, you know, they, people back home see me as a hero. And these people attack the home. Hometown hero.

[Ashanti Plummer]

Does that bring you closer to the people you're serving or does that, does that create a conversation where like they're second guessing things like how does that affect you and you when you're in the actual community?

[Jason Lee]

I think people in know that I don't need to be there, that this is a choice, right? They know that I made the money. They see my lifestyle. They know, you know, I didn't take an oath of poverty to take the job. I don't act like I don't got it. I don't. I got rid of all my jewelry and all that because I just realized, like, I'm at a point in my life where I'm not a rapper. I don't. I, I know I have it. I don't need to prove my anything to myself other than be happy, be sober, you know, stay in therapy, stay focused. But I know now the people back home, they know me, if I go to Starbucks, it's not. They know what I do for a living, but they don't treat me like. They just treat me like Jason and they appreciate what I'm doing for the community.

[Cheryl Strayed]

Which one is harder, being a public personality or public office?

[Jason Lee]

Public office for sure. Only because, you know, if you say, oh, look at this Ricky Lake clip. I can put a picture of Ricky Lake up and laugh at it because it doesn't matter. But I know that kids are watching me. Like when I go to speak at schools, you know, like, these kids are excited to see me. They're like, yo, this guy, we've watched him on the Baddies. I'd be like, why are you watching the baddies? Daddies, you know, or they say, oh, how is this person? Or I saw you on the Breakfast Club, you know, like they love, they're inspired by what I'm doing. And that means a lot to me. I think the thing that bothers me is seeing how politics ruins the lives of people. Like the fact that politics really are a. It's a world where all these people are trying to get their friends money and they're trying to get status. They're already looking. They're forecasting the next move and next seat they want. I'm like, why don't you just do the work that you're elected to do right now? And I think the people see that. That's the part I don't like about it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So the government is messing in Hollywood way.

[Jason Lee]

What yo y' all talking about Diddy parties. Talk about them Epstein files. We not even talking about that because look at the. Look at the weapon of mass distraction. This man went kidnapped. Venezuelan president bombed kids at Iran, tore down the White House, took a plane from a foreign country. He made everybody think that immigration is people that are black and brown when his wife is an immigrant. And we're not even talking about the fact that the Epstein files are still out there. You know, but that's. That's how politics work. It's a nasty game.

[Ashanti Plummer]

You know, what I appreciate with you too, is I think even through those moments where things are tense, like when the Wild N Out stuff was happening, you are very vulnerable and you talk us through it. So we're learning in real time about how a lot of these things work, right? With money trickling into different organizations, lack thereof, whatever. A lot of people don't have those conversations because when the headlines hit, they back away from it. They're like, oh, my God. Oh, my God, my career.

[Jason Lee]

Well, most. Most. Most of these people don't have their own platform, too. So, you know, Stockton, it's a news desert where, you know, I have in my whole universe 9 million followers and have relationships with people who have followers. And, you know, when the Wild N Out thing was cleared up, to Charlamagne's point, when you all talked about it here and thank you for clearing it up because it was important that my friends share it, because my friends that know me, you know, that, you know, just share the truth. But when Charlamagne said the truth is not as loud as the lie, nobody

[Charlamagne Tha God]

cares about the truth and the lies. More entertainment.

[Jason Lee]

They don't care. And that's. That's really sad. And. And I will say that, like going back to that whole thing, you know, they denied the million dollar program. So I ran, brought the opportunity back to the city saying, hey, we have this underutilized youth center right here where my brother died. He literally died in that. And we have no plans to revive it. Why don't y' all figure out how we can work Together. Since we're applying for this grant. We. We did that. The city council voted it down. Okay, cool. So I went out. We, my non profit applied for the grant and the governor granted us $13 million shout out to Governor Gavin Newsom. And now we're building a youth center in my district for kids that now has a mental health component. Because thanks to you and friends, I'm in therapy. And I see the value of making sure that we are working through not just generational trauma, but the stuff we're going through every day. And so now there's like a 20 bed respite part to this. So when kids are in crisis, they also have a place to stay while they go through their daily programming, see

[Charlamagne Tha God]

them trying to build a negative narrative.

[Ashanti Plummer]

I was about to say that's a $58 million conversation.

[Jason Lee]

So now there's this. So now this Democrat vice mayor is getting $58 million from the council that he sits in. It's all lies. But that. But thank God I'm working with Meta. I emailed Adam and I'm talking to Meta and we're, we're delete. You know, we're having pages removed and striking where misinformation lives to protect the truth.

[Cheryl Strayed]

Why do you think they keep coming for you?

[Jason Lee]

Because I'm powerful. I am a black former foster kid, gay man that don't give a shit about none of them games that they play. And like, I told them everything. They've already said it about me. You know, I was on the Breakfast Club where I talked years ago, where I said, oh, when I was drunk in Mexico, they said I was in heroin. You know. You know, if I said I date younger than me, I'm 48. If I date somebody 35, if I say I date younger, I'm a pedophile. So like, no matter what narratives, they've already said it all. So I look at it like, who wants it and where we want to start and how. And I'm going to see it all the way through. And I think that the 58 million thing, I think right now, one of the county supervisors, I said to him, why haven't you guys given me public credit for the $158 million that I brought to the county? Why haven't you mentioned it? And he said, I'll be honest with you. You're getting too politically powerful and you're scaring people. Like, really?

[Ashanti Plummer]

Because even the way they shaped this, right, it's like the headline is like, you formed this NGO, you asked for the $58 million. You would have been on the same board that approved it. So it makes it look like there's like a fraudulent thing, right?

[Jason Lee]

Correct, correct.

[Ashanti Plummer]

But then there is an. You're given that 12.4 or $13 million. It's just less than what you were actually given. So the like. Can you explain?

[Jason Lee]

So what happened was. What happened was. So when I. When I amassed a lot of success, I got into therapy and got sober and I saw the influence I had. You know, you're in the White House. You went from foster care to Forbes. Like you literally are moving in spaces. God is working through me. I need to do more. So. So to whom much is given, much as required. I started a nonprofit called Hollywood Cares because I have so many friends. Whether it's y', all, whether it's whoever

[Charlamagne Tha God]

name them, I get jealous.

[Ashanti Plummer]

Queen Latifah, Mariah Carey, Rihanna.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Don't worry about the weekend.

[Jason Lee]

You don't like the weekend.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I don't care. Latifah, Rihanna.

[Ashanti Plummer]

That's like, oh, wow, Cardi.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Well, Cardi's a friend. Yes.

[Jason Lee]

Tyler Perry. I mean, it could go on, right? But like Kevin Hart, you know? But you got the same Dame Dash.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I really be like, God damn.

[Ashanti Plummer]

Dame Dash is his friend.

[Jason Lee]

Dame Dash is so obsessed with you. I don't understand the obsession. I told you about that. I mean, I. I look at Charlamagne

[Robert Smigel]

as like 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. The worst singer in the group.

[Jason Lee]

The worst.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, me.

[Robert Smigel]

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

[Isaiah Thomas]

The Yardbirds, right?

[Jason Lee]

That's the name.

[Robert Smigel]

The Harvard Yard.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But they're open.

[CJ Toledano]

Do you have a name suggestion?

[Ashanti Plummer]

We're open.

[Robert Smigel]

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

[Isaiah Thomas]

Humor me.

[Jason Lee]

I need some jokes to make me seem funny. What's up, fam?

[CJ Toledano]

It's Isaiah Thomas and I'm C.J.

[Isaiah Thomas]

toledano. And our podcast Point Game is about

[CJ Toledano]

defying the odds like LeBron heading into the playoffs without Luka and Austin Reed

[Isaiah Thomas]

and finding ways to win no matter what.

[CJ Toledano]

He's the smartest player to ever play the game. His IQ is at a level that we've never seen before and he knows without Luka and Austin Reaves, I gotta manipulate the game.

[Isaiah Thomas]

We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs.

[CJ Toledano]

I think Joker's gonna be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reed, he has to guard Julius Randle and then he has to give us everything. He gives us on a night to night basis on offense.

[Isaiah Thomas]

And when it's friends stop by like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too.

[Jason Lee]

Steve Nash, but get that thing, that man. Hell, get the flying he running up the court, licking his fingers while he got the ball. Like after you go through a training camp with that Isaiah, you figure it out real quick. Oh yeah. Get your ass up and down the court and you gonna get the ball.

[Isaiah Thomas]

So listen to point game on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

American Soccer is about to explode.

[Jason Lee]

The World cup is coming.

[Isaiah Thomas]

Ramos sending on to Ernie Stewart the Chip Score

[Jason Lee]

usa. I'm Tab Ramos.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I'm Tom Bogart. On our podcast Inside American Soccer, you'll get the real storylines.

[Jason Lee]

I'm not worried about Pulisic. I'm not worried about Baligan. I'm not worried about McKinney. My only concern is what happens in

[Charlamagne Tha God]

the back, the biggest decisions.

[Jason Lee]

You're gonna look at stats and numbers. He has no shot at making this World cup team.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And the truth about the U.S. national team.

[Jason Lee]

It wouldn't be a huge surprise if our team ends up in the quarterfinals or potentially a great run into the semifinals.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

The World cup is almost here. Experience it all with us. Listen to Inside American Soccer with Tom Boger and Tab ramos on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Cheryl Strayed]

Hi everyone. I'm Cheryl Strayed, author of Wild and Tiny Beautiful Things. I'm excited to share that I have a new podcast podcast called Mind Over Mountain. In each episode, I interview athletes, adventurers and adrenaline seekers to discuss the inner landscapes and life experiences that informed and inspired their extraordinary feats. I also bring a bit of advice into the mix so we too can better understand how to face our own seemingly insurmountable challenges.

[Jason Lee]

Do you know what I'm going to do? I'm going to pull out what you already have inside. We come into this world fighting for our lives. All I'm gonna do is pull out what you already got inside.

[Cheryl Strayed]

We're there to support and celebrate each other, and that is not like a your story versus my story. You're gonna walk up and over that dang mountain. You're not just gonna put your mind over it.

[Jason Lee]

Yep, yep, exactly. And if I can't walk up and

[Charlamagne Tha God]

over it, I'm gonna go through it.

[Cheryl Strayed]

Listen to Mind over mountain every Thursday on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Jason Lee]

Like literally, Charlemagne, the God of what I do, this is somebody who, you know, you're in it in a level where I was, and you're gonna get to where I am and get to where he is. It's a lineage of leaders in this thing who really do it and who have a fearless approach to it. And it's hard to do what we do. If you have an opinion, they're coming for you, everybody. And there'd be our people, too, that want to cannibalize you too, and sometimes even more. But anyway, that's another story. But I had to. I handled it for us, you know, for all of us. Okay, so Hollywood Cares. There's so many people in Hollywood that care about young people, but they may not know where to put their money or where to use a resource or how to use their platform. So a cardi B that has 160, something, million followers may not want to make a donation, but she may want to amplify it on her social. Somebody over at puma may not have, you know, the social capital, but they may want to put the money in. Or a person like an asap Rocky, who has a partnership with puma may want to do both.

[Ashanti Plummer]

Both.

[Jason Lee]

So I created Hollywood cares to get Hollywood, who cares about young people to have a place, a destination to put in their resource time support platform. Rihanna actually hosted the launch, the dinner for that. And that was when I was running and I had my six year old campaign manager and whatever. And we, you know, we did really good leadership programs and stuff in my community for that. Well, once we were applying for the grant, when I said to the city, if you all want to partner, go ahead and talk to the nonprofit. I already had stepped down from the nonprofit as the CEO. I'm on the board. Y' all talking. If it works, figure it out. They talked. The manager at the time found a pathway to them working together. They brought it before the council. The law requires me to recuse myself, which I did not, participate in the vote, which I did, and disclose the relationship, which I did the Council voted to not move forward because they were like, we don't even want an appearance of a conflict. No problem. Well, in that process, because of the valuation of the building and the grant, we. They. The staff said we could apply up to 58 million. We only were applying for 14 million. So they ended up not moving forward. And then we found a plot of land in my district, and we put money down on it, and we got it, and we secured the grant. So now we got $13 million to build in my district. It has nothing to do with the city. It's just in the city.

[Cheryl Strayed]

Oh, wow.

[Jason Lee]

So this is just a hit piece because I think people see me moving and I got motion, and I think that they don't know what my political interest is for the future. And it's not even about people doing research. It's just a headline.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And I think anytime they see funding going to Black and Brown K anywhere right now, oh, they coming to try to either make it look shady or stop it.

[Jason Lee]

You know, there was a certain level of ignorance, I think, when I was here last time when you said, aren't you worried they gonna try something with you? You saw me, I was like, stanka trying it with me. Because in my mind, in the industry, people know, like, you know, he's petty,

[Ashanti Plummer]

he bite bad, and he will.

[Jason Lee]

He will fight. He will come for you. And I thought, these people I helped get elected ain't gonna do it. Not hometown, not the people who love me. What. What I learned is everybody. Everybody can get it. Everybody can get it. And so what I'm having to find myself is like, not be heartless, but I can't have the heart for these individuals that I'm working with, like I do you or you all because they are heartless. These people are literally for self preservation. And like, I, you know, I went on my social media and I said, the mayor, who's a white woman, loves our penises and not our policies. She played it at the city council meeting. I said, start it over and turn it up. They can't hear. And then they played. And I said, I stand by everything I said because you objectify us, sexualizes. But when it comes to standing with us on things that matter to us, you're. You're nowhere to be found. So don't play the whole, my man is black, my goddaughter's black, my best friend's black. Heard all of that. We heard it all. How are we voting on house affordable housing? How are we voting on restoring police substations? Or supporting community policing. How are we doing the things that we got elected to do? All of that is just a distraction. So the other day, I'm here, I'm traveling from St. Lucia. I'm like, yo, I'm gonna do city council from New York. I did the postings. I did everything I was supposed to. She barred me from the city council meeting because I didn't post it in. In the hotel.

[Ashanti Plummer]

Oh, so when you were walking, you posted that video. It was so that you could be in line with the rules. I thought you were just letting us know what you were doing.

[Jason Lee]

No, I posted. So the law requires us to post it on the city website and to make an announcement in the city where you're going to be. So that way, if some of my constituents are here, they can come over to the hotel or wherever I'm at. So I did that. Well, there's a technicality now. You're supposed to put the agenda on the wall in the hotel. I didn't do that. So she actually barred me from attending the meeting. So they're eating her up right now because, like I said, you're shutting out 50,000 voters from being represented. It's not just me. You're attacking me, but you're attacking the voters. So it's backfiring on them. And they can't beat me at the. They can't beat me at the online game.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I saw you in St. Lucia with my cousin Chloe. You know she damn near lives there.

[Jason Lee]

I know. Oh, she, she. She's amazing. I love her. And Halle and her Shermet, they looked out for us. Yeah, we popped. We popped up on Brandi and Monica. It was great. It was. It was a much needed break because my mind right now, it's like, like there's so much going on. Full time career, all the ambitions, the show I got going on, this new relation with bet. My award show coming up, which all of you are invited. I don't know. You still haven't told me if you're coming. June 5th.

[Ashanti Plummer]

June 5th. I can make that.

[Jason Lee]

Well, y' all are invited. Yeah, so. So, you know, there's a lot going on, but I had to go out there to, to take some time.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards hosted by Tiffany Haddish. Of course, you know, Hollywood Cares foundation is the nonprofit attached to it. And you got a great lineup again this year. We don't give Jason Lee enough credit for this award show that you've created on your own that has better people than regular than real. I don't Even say real award shows, you know, traditional award shows.

[Jason Lee]

Yeah. We haven't even announced, but Chloe's actually opening the show.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, okay. So you just announced it. I don't know if you.

[Jason Lee]

Yeah, I did.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah. Right here. Baby Face is the musical director. Tyler Perry is getting awarded with the Innovator award. Kalani with the Fearlessness award, Kirk Franklin the Inspiration award, Megan Good with the Spirit award, and RZA with the Culture award.

[Jason Lee]

Yeah, we have a couple more surprises I'm excited about. We're. We're also doing a tribute to. I haven't shared this boss Here, here. We're doing a tribute to Richard Smallwood. You know, I, I put gospel in every one of our shows because I do love God. I mean, I have, I know that I'm a testimony of having faith and living by faith and all of the trials and tribulations I've been through. I'm. I know that God has had his hand on me. And so I've, I've intentionally made sure that I, I keep that in there. So we're doing a tribute to Richard Smallwood. I'm excited about that.

[Cheryl Strayed]

How do you guys determine, you know, who you're going winners and everything? You chew.

[Jason Lee]

Well, literally in my interview with the RZA and Wuang Clan being so iconic to all of us who love hip hop and just see all of like the, what it's done for the, for our, for music and for our community and stuff over the years and to know like they're on their final tour. Literally in the interview, I was like, yo, I want to give this guy the culture award. When he said in the interview that he had never been a, that they'd never won a Grammy, I put him in a text with Harvey Mason, like, yo, y' all gotta fix that. Like, we have to, we have to do something to continue to like, like amplify the people that are really doing it. Not to say these TikTok rappers are not doing it, but I do feel like music has gone in a way where, you know, when he said some of the bars on the show, I'm like, yo, we're. That's. That to me is the storytelling that the Tupacs or the Biggies or whatever were doing and Method Mans and so forth. So RZA was, It was a no brainer. Tyler Perry, I feel like Tyler, you know, I remember when me and Kevin Hart had our thing and Charlamagne was like, you know, Kevin actually does a lot for the black community. And I didn't really like, know until I got to know him well with Tyler, I remember when Whitney Houston died, he put her body on the plane to get it to a family. I see how he's moving and supporting a lot of people. Lizzo called me yesterday and then while we're talking, she's like, yeah, I just got off the phone with Tyler. I had to call him for advice. And you know, he, you know, that's just who he is. But when you look at what he's been able to do and creating stories and jobs for people to tell those stories and then now to see the shift in the disinvestment of black media and black entrepreneurs, I'm like, yo, this is an innovator. So, you know, I choose who I want to honor. I think Breakfast Club was the first culture award recipient, which over there. And it's not an ego thing and it's not about me, and it's about literally just lifting up people that I think are really important.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I don't understand why BET don't add that. Why hasn't vet aired the Hollywood would unlock the wood.

[Jason Lee]

I mean, because we're, we're happily in partnership with Zeus, a black owned network. So we're happy to be the only black owned award show on a black owned network. And, and Lemio, you know, although I moved my show from Zeus to bet, Limio has been my favorite partner to work with because he is fully invested in any idea I want and he lets me do whatever I want and he trusts me. And so we, we talked the other day. I was giving him updates on who's being honored and he doesn't ask who's being honored because he just really trusts my decisions.

[Ashanti Plummer]

Did you at one point even try to take it to BET though? Like, I wonder if they think it would compete with their awards.

[Jason Lee]

Well, BET used to have BET honors back in the day, and I loved what they created. I think, you know, when I first got in the game, it was Sha Kim and Dana and Shelby Stone who took me over to BET to bring the Jason Lee show to life. But I didn't even have Hollywood unlocked at the time, really, so I wasn't even really ready. But she believed in me, they believed in me, and BET wasn't ready. And so I just kind of did love and hip hop on BET or VH1. Then I did Wild N out on MTV and built a relationship with them. But then I left and just started doing my own thing because for them, they like to own everything. That's why I love the fact that my Show's over there now. The Jason Lee Show. I still own it. It's a licensing deal, and I've never had to sell my creativity to anybody. So I've gone where I can get the money, get the audience, do some audience jacking, really build and invest in ownership. And that's why I'm happy today. I own 90% of my company, all of my content I've ever shot, and now I'm getting in the acquisition game because I'm getting to age where I want to retire at some point in the not too long future and be able to do it right.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

BT just give you the Black and Iconic Award, too, right?

[Jason Lee]

They're good. Yeah. May 23rd, which is the day my. My brother who died, is his birthday. I'll be at DC Pride. Yeah. Getting that award from bt. So they're starting to give me my flowers.

[Isaiah Thomas]

It is.

[Jason Lee]

I do see it now. I mean, the people are reaching out. So we'd like to honor you, which is cool. But I'm gonna make sure to use every time I get those honors to just continue to remind people that we all out here, you know, like, thank you for giving it to me. But, like, we all out here, and we're all important, and that's why I love being here every time I come here, because this is, like, was one of my goals when I was getting it. Like, okay, I got to get to Breakfast Club. And I got here, and I've been here several times.

[Ashanti Plummer]

I remember when I used to. Well, when things would be exploding back at my old job, and you'd be calling me, and I'd be like, jason, why do you care so much about this? Because you're doing so well. Like, you are such an icon in your own right. And you'll be like, yeah, it's important for people to respect the work I'm doing now that I'm out here on my own. I understand your explosions a bit. Like, I just.

[Jason Lee]

Well, no, I called you and told you I was gonna slap Mike Babcock.

[Ashanti Plummer]

You had some words for Harvey as

[Jason Lee]

well, because Mike Babcock, again, some of these people who prey on our culture and who want to use our material, our creativity, but not give us the credit or the respect that I had a problem with. Obviously, I have a better relationship with TMZ now, and there's mutual respect, and I see that they're a behemoth in what they do. But when you can't launch tmz, Hip Hop and talk about this person, this is not even hip Hop. It's just TMC Black. It's like, let me do Forbes Black. No shout out to Forbes. Just throwing black and culture on it. Don't make it the culture. The reason why this is called the Breakfast Club and it's the biggest culture platform. Why? Because it's not, you know, it's authentically real. And I think that with tmz, I was like, yo, if you wanna do TMZ Unlocked, let's build a collaborative partnership. But then that means you have to invest money, resource, platform, distribution. And they don't want to do that because like I told somebody yesterday, I could put one post on Hollywood Unlocked and change the value or direction of any bitty, anybody, brand or business in a minute. So that's power that they don't want us to have. They don't want to see you on Stephen Colbert. They don't want to see you have your own shows here, there, or your books. Because it's like you're doing the thing that we prevented slaves from getting power. We took their books from them. So you gonna be an author now? You gonna bring all these authors up in here and all these books. We don't want people that look like us to be educated because. Because a educated Negro is the most scariest thing to some people, which I don't understand. So, yeah, I used to be mad, and I used to be, why can't I go on this show? Or why can't I do whatever? When I was fighting to get a daytime talk show, and I remember Stephen Brown at Fox saying, you don't need to do that because you already got your show. I thought that was him putting me down, saying I wasn't worthy. But what I see was I actually was already doing what everybody's trying to do now.

[Ashanti Plummer]

That was always my fault.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Five, five years ahead. Yeah, I always tell Lauren that about the TMZ thing. I always thought the TMZ hip hop thing was weird because hip hop is a specific thing.

[Jason Lee]

Right.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

If what you want to do is black news.

[Jason Lee]

Yes.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Don't call it hip hop. Why don't you just partner with a shade room? Partner with a Hollywood?

[Jason Lee]

Because white people see hip hop and go black. I mean, that's why I think they think that's what I think. Right. When you see Nina Parker, when she was over there, she had the motion. When you were over there, you had the motion.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

It's like Lauren, not so much, but Nina. Nina and Van.

[Jason Lee]

Van, you know, like you and Lauren, because you were valuable enough to make it up here.

[Ashanti Plummer]

Yeah. And I feel like one of the things that I learned during that whole TMZ hip hop time. Cause I used to feel like, how am I sitting right here? And y' all start this whole branch? You come to me and talk to me about who you should cast. But I've never get included in any of the conversations.

[Jason Lee]

So you're basically as a black woman, saying, why am I invisible? That's.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, well, Nina wasn't invisible. I told you, she didn't have no value.

[Jason Lee]

Well, hold on.

[Ashanti Plummer]

But no, there was a conversation that Nina had to have with them eventually because they weren't doing by her what she felt like they should do. And I just started understanding things so differently at that moment. I'm like, this is why when I'm fighting for them to credit Hollywood unlock Jason is like, that's important. Because, yeah, like, if you have the power, you could do whatever you want. You can stump wherever you want, and no one ever checks it. And it made me just think about you and all the shade rooms and just so differently. Like, I understood y' all worth, but it made me be like, this is what we should be focused on. Like, I'm. I'm in the wrong business a little bit.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I agree with Lauren. I give Jason more credit, though, because a lot of these. These sites were just happy being blogs and sites. Like, you actually took the model of the TMZs and made it bigger than just a website. Yeah. You know, bigger than just the Instagram page.

[Jason Lee]

Yeah, well, because. Yeah. I mean, what. What I'm fighting for. I remember on this show talking about, like, black journalists not being respected on red carpets. And I remember them watching Kevin Hart and Tiffany Haddish go and stop to talk to black journalists. You just saw Rihanna pour into the black. And I. And I asked her the other night, I go, did you know who that. That. That journalist was? And she said, no, I didn't know who she was. She goes, I was walking, and there was. I looked over and there was a light on her, and I was gravitated to go over and pour into her. But, like, that's just that. That. That meant a lot to that woman. Not just what she went through with her. Her husband dying, but, like, to be seen. Like we are. I made the joke saying, as a black woman, I can't believe you were shocked that you were invisible.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

They were.

[Jason Lee]

We're all invisible to a certain degree. Unless you're loud. Loud, not yelling, but, like, provocative of. You have an opinion, you have a point of view. You're fearless. I mean, I get hit all day long still, but I. I mean, I gotta just, you know, I gotta stay. The sobriety thing he was talking about, I didn't give you no credit. Then you. You. When you were like, yo, you know, why you mean? Or mad all the time, like, you need to get in therapy or whatever. I was so inundated with life, and I was so, like, cocked and loaded. Pause. Ready to go at all times that I couldn't even see. Like. Like, I. I deserve you was bad, J.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Like, I. I remember seeing you at Tiffany party. I'm like, yo, what is wrong with Jason? Like, why was. Why was you so on edge?

[Jason Lee]

Like, because I feel like people didn't see. Like, and I was saying this yesterday. I mean, I'm going to give y' all this, and y' all can't because it's not live, right?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

No.

[Jason Lee]

Okay. So y' all can edit this out if you want to. I was. I did EO show yesterday. I just want to tell you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's cool.

[Jason Lee]

Okay. So I did Ebro's show yesterday because I had went off on Drink Champs about Peter Rosenberg being a cancer to our culture and being a culture vulture or whatever, and I think they thought me coming on the show that I was going to up and have a different opinion. I talked about his dogs being ugly. I talked about him all these different things. Whatever. He was there, the dogs weren't there. I've never even seen the dogs. I. I don't even care if they were ugly. I just. I just. I was in my thing. I was. I was. I was. I. I was in my thing where it was like, you know, stuff just be rolling out. Like, your dogs are ugly. My dogs are cuter than yours. Like, you're. You know, you're. You're an employee. Don't talk to a boss like that. You know, I mean, that's when I used to be in my thing, and I. And I could still go there, but I was saying to them, like, you don't know how it is when you're independent media on your grind. You. You have this. This rise first. It's real slow, and it's slow. And all the doubt creeps in. Like, you're not good enough. You're never going to get it. They don't see you. You're not valuable. You're not worthy. Then that imposter syndrome get in. When you start getting rooms, you're like, how do I even get here? I don't belong. They're going to catch Me, they're going to kick me out. Then when you get it and somebody try to take it from you, you're like, hold on a minute now you're always ready, just like now in politics. I'm more ready now. Cuz even last week one of my colleagues said, oh this, somebody's plotting on you. I said, come on, because I'm coming after all your dogs, your kids, your husband, your mama, your dad, your grandma, all that. But, but I was always on edge. When I got in therapy and decided to go sober almost three years ago, it was like, I am worthy of peace. I am worthy of being calm and having the ability to think because I wasn't even able to think back then. When you saw me at that party, I was like, who's in the room? Who's going to try it? Who? I always have to be ready and, and now I'm not. I, I'm, I'm in that place now, but in a much more healthier place. And because I have the platform that has so much influence, I can't, I can't pop off the way I was before because I look at some of my old content. I'm like, damn, he was a lot. So I'm not all mad at people who have felt a certain way about me, but I am mad at our community. That just sums up somebody based on a clip or a moment or an era, like everybody should deserves redemption or deserves to be able to grow. Unless you want me to stay there and then you don't want that either.

[Ashanti Plummer]

So sometimes people do want that though, because they think that that's their way of controlling how far you go in comparison to where they're trying to go. Because a lot of times people are admiring what doing too.

[Jason Lee]

I mean, God is a part of the recipe though. So like unless you can't get in, you can't, you can't take a person. I sit here today as the vice mayor of the city who I lived in and stood over my brother's body, who died to know what rock bottom feels like, to know like, it's like we talking right now and I walk out the door and die right there. Like you didn't prepare for that. Your mind can't even understand it. And especially when this person means a lot to you. So to be able to go back now I'm in the city fighting for a kid. We just had a mass shooting where, where kids were murdered. Somebody ran in, they ran in a two year old, a kid's birthday party and killed these people's kids. So instead of me acting like a politician, I call whack. And I'm like, yo, I need help. I need somebody in our community who will pay for these kids funerals. And burner boy shout out to him, paid for the funerals. And it's like, I'm gonna do what I could do to have the influence I can. But God is, he was a part of that. So some people would say, oh, whack 100 da da da da da. He's. That's somebody I can lean on, that I know whatever I need to get done is going to get.

[Cheryl Strayed]

I wanted to ask you about that. Was there an update? Did they ever arrest anyone? What's the latest on that investigation?

[Jason Lee]

I talked to the sheriff last week. You know, I'm not going to talk about all the details, but I'll say that I feel very confident in him and our district attorney that, that, that they're going to do what everybody's expecting them to do. But you know, we have to change the culture. Like you, you actually put on a mask and stood outside a two year old's birthday party and went in and just started shooting Everybody. They shot 15 people, you know, and these kids, one of the kids, Amari, he looked like little Jason. He was 14, basketball player, athlete. He was funny, you know, Jason, when he got shot was 15. Like I'm looking at him like I went to his funeral and I sat with the sheriff and I had this whole crazy thing in my mind where like one, I'm with the police because, you know, I'm still a black man in America. I'm sitting with the police. I built a relationship with our sheriff winthrough. And then, and then I'm in this kid's funeral and I'm looking at a baby's, a kid's casket with all these kids sitting on the ground crying. I mean it tore me down because I'm like, yo, like this is the real world. It's not the Met Gala. Yeah, that's too. But like this is what people are really experiencing. And, and so yeah, so it did break me down. But I'm trying to like have the thick skin to be able to stay present minded in like what I'm doing and what's happening in real time.

[Ashanti Plummer]

Can we talk about the duality space that you have to live in? Because you talk about being at that funeral with the police. You're still a black man in America. You mentioned the DA's office when we, even when we talked about the NGO, I remember seeing that they're like, forwarding whatever to the Attorney General's office and the DA's office. Right. But these are also people that you're picking up the phone and calling when something like that happens. But then there's like, these investigations or whatever. What's that space like for you?

[Jason Lee]

Yeah, I mean, I have a great team of attorneys. I have a great team around me. And, you know, obviously, before I do anything, there's lots of conversations and lots of questions. You know, when you go through a process of applying for a federal grant, that's a very thorough process. Lots of reviews, checks, balances. I mean, you have to. There's lots of checking off of things. I'm not really worried about that. I think for me, it's more about staying in control of the narrative, making sure that when people ask questions, I don't dodge them. I don't give a politician answers like, you know, everything is there. It's all well documented. And, you know, I have a good relationship with all these people. But do I think that, you know, do I think that I'm above the program, whatever the program could be? No. And. But what I do know is that we just have to stop looking at headlines and believing the first thing you see. Most people really thought. Not most people. I think people that know me knew the Wild N Out thing was crazy. Crazy. But. But some people have believed in it. And, you know, I would. I got off a plane in Dominican Republic and somebody goes, you didn't take that money, did you? I go, what money? The wallet. I said, man, if you don't get out of here. So, yeah, I don't think people do all the research, but, you know, I feel. I feel good about everything.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Jason Lee. Tell them where to follow you, Jason.

[Jason Lee]

Oh, the Jason Lee Show. I'm really excited about that right now. Our partnership at bet. Follow me there. Hollywood Unlocked in and yeah, the only Jason Lee.

[Ashanti Plummer]

And before you leave, I just want to say thank you for what? You were one of my first jobs. I appreciate the. It wasn't a long role, but I appreciate just the experience. And, you know, I was on the street for you before I was on the street for anybody else. So I always just wanted to publicly not like that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I used to Hollywood Unlocked on the

[Ashanti Plummer]

streets on Hollywood Boulevard, and we created

[Jason Lee]

a segment the Ricky Lake Hollywood Unlocked owner was pimping Laura.

[Ashanti Plummer]

No, but thank you, Jason. I feel like I talk a lot about tmz, but there were like a lot of other moments that led to that point, and I Just wanted to say thank you.

[Jason Lee]

But I always tell people, like, when I watch you hustling, like hosting now, going out, hosting events, traveling around, you know, your social media and all of what you're doing, you know, again, what God has for you is yours. Like, you can't take it from nobody. And when you're doing the work, you deserve everything that you're getting. I know. I met Mimi when she was over at was. It wasn't kid, it was Fox, Fox 11 and then, and then Foxhole. And, you know, it's. We're all, we all need each other. I will just say for the Impact Awards, the Impact Awards was not created to give me a platform to be talked about. It was to create a platform to talk about those who are actually doing the work to keep our culture alive, to inspire people. And what really frustrates me sometimes is when, yeah, you got Babyface as the music director. Tiffany Hash is the host. You have Tyler Perry. We've honored Whoopi Goldberg, all these different people, Cardi and Sharon Stone, where all the black celebrities pull up like you all will get dressed up like chickens, raccoons and peacocks and go over to the Met Gal umbrella just so that way white folks can talk about you. But you don't come to the Impact Awards because what? Because it's black? You need to stop perpetuating this whole idea that black is not good and white is the thing you should aspire to be validated from. And look, everybody's invited you. Everybody could pull up Jay Z, Beyonce, everybody who wants to pull up for us in the culture is more than welcome. But we're not going to beg nobody. So. June 5th. It's going down.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Jason lynch me. It's the breakfast Club.

[Jason Lee]

Hold up. Every day I wake up.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Wake your ass up. The Breakfast Club.

[Isaiah Thomas]

Tired of overpaying with DirecTV? Dish offers a reliable low price every month without surprises. Get the TV you love and start watching live sports news and the latest movies, plus your favorite streaming apps all in one place. Switch to DISH today and lock in the lowest price in satellite TV starting at $89.99 a month with our two year price guarantee. Call 888 add dish or visit dish.com today.

[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 Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier this week. My guests, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an acapella band with their between songs Banter.

[Isaiah Thomas]

Where does your group perform?

[Jason Lee]

We do some retirement homes.

[Robert Smigel]

Those people are starving for banter. Listen to Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ashanti Plummer]

Hey, it's Ashanti Plummer from futtaround and find out. This week AZ Fudd and I sat down with Stephen Curry. Steph talks pressure, confidence and what it really takes to stay great.

[Jason Lee]

There's different categories I guess on like conditioning shooting drills where you try to simulate kind of games. Look at our face. Look at her. We have a love hate relationship with those cause you know you're getting something out of it. You don't look forward to those days.

[Ashanti Plummer]

Listen to fut around and find out on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[CJ Toledano]

What's up fam?

[Isaiah Thomas]

It's Isaiah Thomas and I'm CJ Toledano and it's our favorite time of the year on our podcast Point Game the Playoffs.

[CJ Toledano]

We're digging into the biggest surprises of the and I'm looking back on some of my greatest playoff moments. If we didn't talk ever again, I was firm.

[Isaiah Thomas]

You just understood.

[CJ Toledano]

That's how personal it got.

[Isaiah Thomas]

Wow.

[CJ Toledano]

Then after that Game seven, Marquis coming to you, he's like, you know I love you dog. You know it's all love. This was just playoffs. This was just basketball.

[Isaiah Thomas]

So listen to Point game on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ashanti Plummer]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.