INTERVIEW: Nicole Curtis Speaks On 'Rehab Addict' Cancellation, Receiving Donkey Of The Day & Backlash Over Racial Slur + More

Summary

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The Breakfast Club – Interview: Nicole Curtis Speaks On 'Rehab Addict' Cancellation, Viral Backlash & Accountability

Podcast: The Breakfast Club
Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God, Lauren LaRosa
Guest: Nicole Curtis
Date: March 10, 2026
Episode Theme: Nicole Curtis addresses the controversy surrounding her use of a racial slur, the cancellation of her show ‘Rehab Addict,’ and the ensuing backlash. The conversation explores accountability, race, privilege, and her life in and out of the spotlight.

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Main Theme: Navigating Controversy, Accountability & Privilege

The episode centers on Nicole Curtis’s viral moment involving the use of a racial slur (“fart n****r”), its impact on her career and reputation, and a candid interrogation of her intentions, remorse, and understanding of race and privilege. The hosts challenge Nicole directly, exploring the origins and aftermath of the situation, her relationship with Detroit, and her approach to making amends.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to Nicole Curtis and Viral Incident

• Nicole Curtis, known for her HGTV show ‘Rehab Addict’ and as a New York Times best-selling author, joins to discuss a scandal that led to her show’s cancellation.
• The controversy: Curtis was filmed uttering “fart n****r” while working, which surfaced online, resulting in significant backlash and a “Donkey of the Day” segment by Charlamagne (03:25–03:53).

2. What Happened & Nicole’s Explanation

• Nicole’s Stance: She denies ever using that word intentionally and attributes the utterance to a slip, insisting it was not part of her vocabulary.

  “It's that. That isn't anything that I've ever said before. And so I don't have any idea.” – Nicole (04:04)

• She describes the footage as personal blooper material, shot at home with her own crew for possible future use, and not meant for network delivery (10:11–11:48).

3. How Did the Footage Leak?

• Nicole claims only one other person—whom she won’t identify—had access and leaked it.

  “There is another human in the world that did have access to that.” – Nicole (11:49)
  “I think needed to ruin me and crush my soul.” – Nicole (12:09)

4. Reactions From Friends, Crew, Family

• Nicole’s Black friends and colleagues generally don’t believe the word was part of her norm:

  “They were just like, ‘we know you, this isn’t something you say, this isn’t something you use.’” – Nicole (07:22)

• Nicole asked friends and crew not to publicly defend her to avoid their involvement in the backlash (06:04).

5. Addressing Accountability & Apology

• The hosts push Nicole for direct, public accountability, emphasizing the dehumanizing impact of the N-word and probing her understanding of the gravity:

  “The use of the N word, saying n****r dehumanizes people like us. And that's the real conversation.” – Lauren (14:22)

• Nicole says she apologized first and foremost to her children, then to her friends and the broader community:

  “First of all, I apologize to my children first. That was most important.” – Nicole (23:59) “I absolutely have [apologized to Black people].” – Nicole (24:10)

• Hosts stress the importance of public, specific apologies and changed behavior rather than symbolic gestures:

  “The best apology is really changed behavior and we don't know you.” – Charlamagne (43:12)

6. Was It a Habit?

• Hosts challenge Nicole on whether the slur “came naturally” due to prior usage:

  “Because it came out so… It definitely seems like you said… How did the word come so naturally?” – Jess Hilarious (28:29)

• Nicole provides alternate phrases she commonly uses (“fart digger,” “fart knocker”), insisting she substitutes swears due to being around children and network restrictions (18:50, 22:04).

7. Discussion on Privilege, Detroit, and “Having Black Friends”

• Nicole references her work, life, and community in Detroit to contextualize her understanding of diversity and urban issues.

  “I live in Detroit. I am a Detroiter.” – Nicole (35:24)

• Hosts caution Nicole that proximity to Black people, or referencing Detroit or knowing Black artists, doesn’t excuse her actions nor make her immune to unconscious bias or privilege (40:14–41:04).

• Lauren thoughtfully presses Nicole:

  “You have that privilege to do that. We don't have the privilege to not understand what we're saying… Even if you didn't get caught saying the N word on this video, it still would come off as very privileged and very unbalanced because it's different for us.” (40:30–41:04)

8. HGTV’s Response and Show’s Removal

• HGTV released Nicole and removed ‘Rehab Addict’ from their platforms, stating the language was “hurtful and disappointing...and does not align” with their values (36:03).
• Nicole disputes some network details, insisting the incident was not related to her official show filming (36:32, 37:52).

9. Broader Impact on Nicole’s Life & Image

• Nicole reflects on if this will define her:

  “If people want to define Nicole Curtis by this seven seconds of my 49 years on Earth, then fucking let them.” (44:12)

• The hosts challenge her to see this as a moment for learning and broader repair, not just personal regret.

10. Moving Forward & Community Work

• Nicole emphasizes her ongoing work in Detroit, especially preserving homes and preventing displacement, as her way of giving back—though hosts note she should do more specifically for Black youth and community members—especially regarding skills training and empowerment (51:04–54:54).

  “I'm going to continue my work like that. And that's what I do...rebuilding history, maintaining history...that neighborhood can thrive and survive.” – Nicole (49:24)

11. Closing Remarks and Final Apology

• After repeated prompting, Nicole issues a direct on-air apology:

  “I do. I did and I do. I apologize.” (54:56)

• Charlamagne: “And I don't want you to think that coming on the Breakfast Club is just going rehabilitate your image…in fact, it might increase the chances of you walking through the airport and somebody going, that's the fart lady.” (55:25)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “If you have a conversation with me, right, and then you're still like, you know what? I don't believe her. Fuck that. She deserved donkey of the day. And I don't. I don't believe her. That's fine. Now you've met me, we've had a conversation.” – Nicole (26:49)
• “Were you gassy and talking to yourself like, 'oh, fuck niggas'?” – Charlamagne (33:35)
• “Do you regret saying it?” – Lauren (45:13)
  “Absolutely.” – Nicole (45:16)
• “Just apologize. Apologize to black people.” – Jess Hilarious (54:54)
  “I do. I did and I do. I apologize.” – Nicole (54:56)
• “Ladies and gentlemen, when you have a dispute. Get it from the source.” – Nicole (55:50)

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Segment Timestamps

• [03:25] – Introduction, the viral scandal, and Nicole’s background
• [04:04] – Nicole addresses the slur and her initial reaction
• [10:11] – How the controversial footage was filmed and leaked
• [14:22] – Discussion of the impact of the slur and accountability
• [22:51] – On apologies and public responsibility
• [35:24] – Nicole’s Detroit background and context
• [40:30] – Lauren calls out Nicole’s privilege
• [43:12] – The role of apology and changed behavior
• [49:24] – Nicole on her ongoing community work
• [54:54] – On-air apology to Black community

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Tone & Atmosphere

The tone oscillates between candid, tense, and direct, punctuated by humor and discomfort. The hosts balance tough questioning with moments of levity, challenging Nicole’s explanations while offering real talk about race, reputation, and the meaning of accountability. Nicole presents herself as raw and unapologetically open, sometimes defensive but overall seeking to clarify and educate, if not always fully satisfying the hosts’ concerns.

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Takeaways

• Nicole Curtis’s use of a racial slur, even unintentionally, led to profound professional and personal consequences.
• She maintains the word was not part of her vocabulary and that the moment was a slip, not a reflection of her values.
• Apologies, especially concerning racial slurs, require specificity and changed behavior, not just intent or context.
• The conversation highlights enduring complexities of white privilege, proximity to Black culture, and what constitutes meaningful accountability.
• The episode demonstrates the necessity of direct, uncomfortable dialogue in public reckoning with race and responsibility.

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Transcript

[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[DJ Envy]

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[Nicole Curtis]

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[Angela Yee]

Next Monday, our 2026 iHeart Podcast Awards are happening live at south by Southwest. This is the biggest night in podcasting. We'll honor the very best in podcasting from the past year and celebrate the most innovative talent and creators in the industry.

[Nicole Curtis]

And the winner is.

[Angela Yee]

Creativity, knowledge and passion will all be on full display.

[Nicole Curtis]

Thank you so much, iheartradio. Thank you to all the other nominees. You guys are awesome.

[Angela Yee]

Watch live next Monday at 8pm EAS 5pm Pacific [e-mail] or the Veeps app.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

When segregation was a law, one mysterious black club owner, Charlie Fitzgerald, had his own rules. Segregation in the day, integration at night.

[Nicole Curtis]

It was like stepping in another world.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Was he a businessman?

[Nicole Curtis]

A criminal? A hero?

[Angela Yee]

Charlie was an example of power.

[Nicole Curtis]

They had to crush him.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Charlie's Place from Atlas Obscura and visit Myrtle Beach. Listen to Charlie's place on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Nicole Curtis]

Talking to your kids about the dangers of vaping can be hard. Getting them to listen to hot gossip is easy. So here's some drama you could share with your kid. Dude, did you hear about Cassie and Jake?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

No. But did you hear that vaping can cause irreversible lung damage and nicotine affects brain development.

[Angela Yee]

Nuh. You don't need to gossip if you

[Nicole Curtis]

want to have an open conversation about vaping.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So if you want to get tips

[Nicole Curtis]

on when and how to talk to

[Charlamagne Tha God]

your kids, visit talkaboutvaping.org, brought to you

[Nicole Curtis]

by the American Lung association and the Ad Council. Hold up.

[Angela Yee]

Every day I wake up. Wake your ass up. The Breakfast Club. Are y' all finished or y' all done?

[DJ Envy]

Morning, everybody. It's DJ Envy. Just hilarious. Charlemagne, the guy. We are the breakfast club. Lauren LaRosa is here as well. We got a special guest in the building. You know her from HGT TV Rehab Addict. Or hgtv, I should say. Ladies and gentlemen, Nicole Curtis. Welcome.

[Nicole Curtis]

Thank you. Thank you. Good morning.

[Angela Yee]

You gotta explain who Nicole is, though.

[DJ Envy]

I'm about to.

[Angela Yee]

A lot of people may have known Nicole, but then they may not know Nicole, but they may have just learned in Nicole.

[Nicole Curtis]

Right? That is right.

[DJ Envy]

So Nicole, of course, she's on rehabaddict. She's a best selling author. New York Times best selling author. But recently she went viral. Not for anything good. She was actually doing some work in a home and I guess something happened and all you hear is somebody blurt out fart nigger. You heard Nicole blurt out fart nigger.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

And Charlamagne gave a donkey today.

[Angela Yee]

Yes.

[DJ Envy]

And she went viral for it. And because of that, she lost her show and a host of other things. And you're here today to talk about that?

[Nicole Curtis]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Angela Yee]

What is a fart nigger?

[Nicole Curtis]

You know, I have no idea. I have no idea. It's. It's that. That isn't anything that I've ever said before. And so I don't have any idea. You know, that's it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Would you say it's a black person with gas? Could it be?

[Nicole Curtis]

No, I mean, listen, it is. I heard your show on it and you guys had a great time on it. And that's all fine. You know, I've been a female in construction for almost 30 years. I think I'm the oldest here. I'm older than all of you guys.

[Angela Yee]

How old are you?

[Nicole Curtis]

I'm 49.

[Angela Yee]

Oh, you're right behind you.

[DJ Envy]

47.

[Nicole Curtis]

Yeah. I'm still older though, you know, and I've. I'm a mom, so I've got kids, right? So I've been. I've. I get made fun of a lot, you know, and I get roasted. I work on a crew with like my best friends from elementary school, junior high, High school.

[Angela Yee]

Are your best friends black?

[Nicole Curtis]

Are my best friends black? I have some. I don't even. See, this is the thing, because as soon as I say anything like that, then somebody says, oh, she came out and used her best friend as black. Correct. Right. I live in Detroit. Right, so your best friends are black. So I have friends of every nationality, every background. I always have. But it's. I can't say anything right right now. Anything I say makes some person somewhere angry. Right.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But if you do have black friends, you would say that. You know what I mean?

[Angela Yee]

That's true. Yeah.

[Nicole Curtis]

Well, I definitely do, and I don't want to get them out. But I'm saying, then people say, like, oh, here she comes. She's going to come out now. This happened if you did. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[DJ Envy]

But I think that the main thing is, can I ask her, what are

[Angela Yee]

your best friends that are blacks?

[Nicole Curtis]

Names?

[DJ Envy]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, my God.

[Nicole Curtis]

Okay, okay, okay. So Danielle. Danielle's part of our crew. I have Elizabeth. I have. I have. So I live right in Detroit. Right. So do you want me to just go down and name, I mean, I

[Angela Yee]

guess, your best friend?

[Nicole Curtis]

Yeah, yeah. So I'm just saying. And that's the. That's the thing, you know, is that, you know, when this all happened, I asked all of my friends, all of my family, all of my crew to take a step back, right? Because everyone wanted to come out right away and be like, whoa, this isn't. This isn't who she is. This isn't who she's about. And I asked them not to on purpose because I didn't want them get to get caught up in my shit, to be honest, right? Because I'm. I'm in this weird, like, here's me in the middle right now, right? And I have people over here coming at me, of people coming here over me. And then these two groups are coming like this, you know, like. I don't know, like, when I was a kid growing up, we didn't fly anywhere. We were in the back of a car going on road trips everywhere. But then you fight with your siblings. Well, that's how I am right now, where I have, like, groups of people who have never met me, who haven't watched my show, know nothing about me, judging me or defending me or just seeing all this weird stuff about me. And I'm like, okay, what. You know, what. What do I do at that point?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What do the people who knew you before this viral moment, who have met you, who have watched your shows, your black friends, like, that Community?

[Nicole Curtis]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What did they say to you about the use of the word?

[Nicole Curtis]

Oh, they were just like. Like, we know you. Like, this isn't. This isn't something you say. This isn't something you use or anything. Now, they do know me, which means they know that I run a million miles an hour, right? I'm a mom. I got two boys. I fly cross country like, once or twice a week. I shoot a show, I produce a show. I build houses. I design houses. Bottom line is, I'm a mom. I talk fast. I'm on the go like this. And like all of you, right? I didn't get handed my show. I didn't get handed it. I wasn't an overnight success, you know? Like, I grew up in a family where I learned to work. And in my 20s, I became a mom at 21, I cleaned houses. I did odd jobs on Craigslist when Craigslist was still a thing. I don't think it is anymore.

[DJ Envy]

Not really. You know, but that's all wonderful. But the term fart, nigga, right? It just. We just never heard that term before. So it was just like, we were just trying to figure out, like, is that something you said? If that's a fart, Nick? Like, where did that term come from? Have you said it? Have you ever heard it?

[Nicole Curtis]

No, I haven't. I haven't. And. And when you. I think you brought up. And you said that, you actually looked it up and it was okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I didn't. You know, and that is something that. Over the years. And this is like, if. If my shows were. But you can still find my shows. I don't think they've wiped them off completely of the universe. But if you watch them, I have said, because years ago now, I started on TV in 2010, right? So we couldn't. We couldn't swear if we said. And I say the F word a lot. Okay? I say it a lot. I say it too much.

[Angela Yee]

Fart.

[Nicole Curtis]

No, I say fuck. Like, that's what I say. Okay, all right.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Have you ever used the N word without the fart?

[Nicole Curtis]

Absolutely not. Absolutely not. And that's where the people that know me have known me for years, have worked with me were like, you know, like, that's just. That's. And. And again, I have been on TV, I've been in the industry almost 30 years, right? So you know how it is. If. If. If that's something. If that's how you're known to be or something like that. It. There's already stories out there about it, you know, and. And I've said, like, find someone who's ever heard me use that word, be in that context or have that type of mindset. And you won't. Like you.

[Angela Yee]

Were you at the BAFTA awards recently?

[Nicole Curtis]

No. I did see that, though. Yes. Yes. No, I wasn't there.

[DJ Envy]

And the next thing is. So, you know, of course, people all the time say things that we say. Edit that out. Right, right. You said edit it out. You asked about it. So how did it leak? If it's your show, you're the producer and all that, how did your audio leak?

[Angela Yee]

Like it just came out. Like fart. Like it just slipped out.

[Nicole Curtis]

Well, he's asking about how it leaked, right?

[Angela Yee]

Yes.

[Nicole Curtis]

Okay. All right. So you guys are all producers in here, right? Yeah, I know that. I mean, you guys have all worked your asses off and you're here, so. I had to work for years to get to be a producer. And as soon as I did that, I wanted control over my own show and everything and what I've done for years. So, number one, I'm a mom and I'm a builder, okay? So I work on old houses. That's all I do. I fight cities. I fight gentrification. I don't want our cities looking all modern and. And moving out the lifers, right? So with that being said, I wanted control of my show. So I finally got out of contract. I don't know how you guys were with your first contracts. I was under contract forever. Like, I couldn't do anything without getting the good graces. I had to turn down jobs, everything else. So I got out of contract, I think five years ago, six years ago, Right. But I kept filming because I'm like, I'm going to do something with this, right? I'm going to come out on my own and I'm going to. I'm going to make this into what I want. And what I always wanted to do is shoot real raw, documentary style. When you see my show on any kind of platform on hgtv, we do have to edit it. We do have to, like, like, dumb it down. And I show a before and after when I'm still in the middle of construction, right? So I'm like, I'm going to shoot this raw. So what I was doing, what I've always done is I shoot all my own material. So I was shooting in my own house, my own cameras. Like, this would be if I was producing the show right now. And this gentleman here shooting, he can't walk out of Here with my media, right? He can't, like, it's mine. I'm going to take that. Of course you're going to load it up. I'm going to take it home, put it in my drive, it goes in my safe.

[DJ Envy]

Right.

[Nicole Curtis]

So there is, there is another human in the world that did have access to that.

[Angela Yee]

Who is that human?

[Nicole Curtis]

And right now with everything going on, I'm not going to, I'm going to. I'm not going to state that.

[DJ Envy]

Was he black?

[Nicole Curtis]

So they leaked it?

[DJ Envy]

No, it wasn't black.

[Nicole Curtis]

No, no.

[Angela Yee]

Do you think that person is a fuck nigger for leaking?

[Nicole Curtis]

I think he's an asshole. Okay, so we'll just start at that. Okay. I think he's a person. I think, I think, in my humble opinion, who I think it is, I think needed to. To ruin me and crush my soul. And the funny thing is though, is that I heard you talking about gratitude earlier. I'm going to get back to your question real quick. But that doesn't crush my soul to take away a show, right? It doesn't. Like, no, that's not what I'm about. Life is long or it's short. I have a few friends right now battling cancer, but 15 years of my life I spent on TV. But let's say I live to 100. That's just a small blip. And that isn't what defines me. At the end of the day when I'm buried, I don't want people standing up and be like, I loved her TV show. Now fuck that. I want people to say, she was an amazing mob, she was an amazing human and she just lived life to the fullest, you know, so that, that doesn't ruin my life. I know for a lot of people that would ruin their life. But back again to 2010, you can't swear on TV. You can't do anything. So what I did. And I'm also a teacher, right? And I'm a mom of young kids. I'm around kids all the time. And I should back that up because then somebody will say, she doesn't teach. I went to school to teach and then I couldn't afford to student teach because to be a teacher you have to give up income for six months to student teach. And I had a one year old at the time and I couldn't do it. So I gave up teaching, started a cleaning business, whatever, but I still teach. Like I go in a substitute or I go in and work at schools, but I couldn't swear. So I've always made up these words because back then they wouldn't even bleep you. Okay. And I wasn't in charge of my media then. So if I said fuck this shit on tv, right? Which I say that I can't even bleep the footage. I got to start back and I got to, like, recut it. So being around kids and all this, I made up these things. You can go. I think my show is still showing on Roku and so was Fart for you. No problem. Yes.

[DJ Envy]

But I'm trying to get to the whole.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Before you move forward, can we just. Okay, because I understand that, like, you're here because you want to have a real conversation. You know, this is the place to be, but I feel like what's happening right now is, like, you're doing a lot to humanize yourself, and that's. That's cool. I know you feel like you have to do that, but the use of the N word, saying nigger dehumanizes people like us. And that's the real conversation.

[Nicole Curtis]

Absolutely. And that's why, again, I've never. Like I was raised, we don't use that word. Okay, I know that. I don't use that word. I don't use that word. Why? I'm white. That wasn't your first time, I swear to God.

[Angela Yee]

Don't do that. No.

[Nicole Curtis]

Charlemagne, I'm going to tell you. I'm going to tell you. No, I'm going to tell you right?

[Angela Yee]

And go right.

[Nicole Curtis]

No, no, no, no. You can stand next to me. Like, you can. No, I'm telling you. And you don't have to believe me. Like, you don't know me. I just walked in here. I just met you. You don't know me. You don't have to.

[Angela Yee]

Not even in a song context.

[Nicole Curtis]

Like, you listen to and. No. And you. You have to. I have a. I have a 28 year old son. Okay? And like my playlist. Yes, I listen to. I've always listened. I've always listened to everything. Okay. I grew up. I graduated in 1994. Okay. Like, like that's it. But I don't. I have never used the word. I know that. The people that know me know that. My children know that. And the most important thing for me when all this came out is that one. I spoke to my children. My son, my 28 year old was like, I'm finding the raw footage. Because there is no way that that slipped out. And then you weren't. Because he's like, mom, you go on and on about shit all the Time, Right? I'm a mom. Like, that's what we do. And he's like, he found the Raw. And I do. I go on. That was an edited version.

[Angela Yee]

What you mean you go on?

[Nicole Curtis]

No, I go on. Like, I've never. I literally say on it. I say, I've never said that before. I've never said that before. I can't believe I just said that. I've never said this word before. And so I know that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And again, do you think that.

[Angela Yee]

Go ahead, go ahead.

[Nicole Curtis]

Yeah, I'm sorry.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So the guy who leaked it. Right?

[Nicole Curtis]

We assume. Okay, all right. Yeah. So, yeah, we assume somebody had to leak it.

[Angela Yee]

Cause it was out.

[DJ Envy]

So somebody leaked it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So the person that leaked it couldn't have just felt like that was so wrong.

[Nicole Curtis]

Oh, no. Oh, no, no, no, no, no. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I have been in a situation, and again, I'm not saying exactly it was this person, but again, getting back to this. I produced my own stuff. I was in my own home. Okay? The reason I said, like, oh, my gosh, delete that is because I don't. I don't. I was, like, so shocked that I said, you can see as soon as it comes out of my mouth. If I was someone. Now, I'm going to play the devil's advocate here, okay?

[Angela Yee]

White devil's advocate.

[Nicole Curtis]

Okay, fine. White devil's advocate over here. If I was someone that said that all the time, and I'm in the sanctity of my own house, my own cameras, my own camera people that I pay for, they're not taking my media away, okay? And even. Let's say it was my audio guy, right? He only has audio clips. He doesn't have video. Okay, but I would just roll with it. What would I care?

[DJ Envy]

When you said erase it, what did the guy say in the background?

[Nicole Curtis]

So he said. He said, we have. I have 35 minutes on this clip. Okay? So he's. He's rolling right here, right? So if we stop to do that, okay? So then you go back, and then there's a. There's a. Like, you have 35 minutes of footage already on there, right? And then, I mean, I have. I have the Raw. Like, if you guys want to watch the Raw, I'll show you the Raw.

[Angela Yee]

Why do you want to traumatize us? Why do you want us to revisit?

[Nicole Curtis]

No, no, I blinked it. But I'm saying. But I'm saying is that I. I didn't have to. Like, no one would have ever seen this.

[DJ Envy]

But I thought he said it was already fed to the network.

[Nicole Curtis]

No, no, no, no.

[DJ Envy]

I thought he said something like that.

[Nicole Curtis]

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. You can pull that. You can pull that. Audio up. First of all, when we shoot tv, a network never gets raw footage, ever. So. And I'm in control of my footage. I'm in control of my show. I produce and I edit, so they get the finished product. So, you know, they. I sell them a product, they buy it. They've decided to take it off their shelves, right? But they will never have my raw footage. I don't deliver 1600 hours of footage to them to go through. They don't get it. So they would never get it. No one would ever get it. Like I shot yesterday, I shot for the past two days in a house. No one's ever gonna see that footage if I don't want them to. It's my own fault.

[Angela Yee]

So, Mr. President, you restore historic homes for a living. Did you forget that some words come with historic damage too?

[Nicole Curtis]

No, not at all. No. And again, that's what I'm saying. Getting back to that, I do say these words. I say. No, I do not say that. I do not say that. I mean. And again, I'm not here to convince you.

[Angela Yee]

So what words do you say?

[Nicole Curtis]

I'm not. So these are the words. Like, again, I say. I have this saying where I say, son of a beehive digger. Okay.

[Angela Yee]

Damn.

[Nicole Curtis]

That's close, right?

[Angela Yee]

That's close.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I was texting. Did you just say it again?

[Nicole Curtis]

No, I didn't.

[Angela Yee]

You don't need to use no ears

[Nicole Curtis]

after this, I'm saying. Right, exactly. I got you. That's what I'm saying. Listen, listen.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

No.

[Nicole Curtis]

And what I'm saying again is that I have made up. And anyone can go on this and anybody who has watched my show 15 years. I have nine seasons, 128 episodes. I've also been on other shows right now. Have I been around people that are complete. Just complete assholes in person, Right? And you put them on camera and then they're the nicest people in the world. Right? But I've worked with those people. And I'm like, I don't ever want to work with those people again. They're just not good humans. Right? There's. There's no one there. I mean, obviously my ex boyfriend came out and said that I was a bad person to tmz, but I'm saying,

[Charlamagne Tha God]

like, following all this, your ex boyfriend

[Angela Yee]

said that you used to work at tmz.

[Nicole Curtis]

Oh, yes. Yes.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Your ex boyfriend said that you were a bad person, but that you were not racist.

[Nicole Curtis]

Yes.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Is what he said. He's white. Yeah. Yeah. But. So, yeah, maybe his.

[Angela Yee]

I'm not going to trust the ex boyfriend, though.

[Nicole Curtis]

I wouldn't.

[Angela Yee]

I would. I don't.

[Nicole Curtis]

I wouldn't trust that one. I don't trust that one.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah. He said he can't stand you. He said. Yeah, yeah. He said he thinks that you're a bad person who treats others on the show like garbage, so he's not surprised that the video was leaked. But he says that you are not racist, and he pointed to past contractors suing you because they weren't paid for their work. As much as I dislike her and it may be validating to see her get in trouble, she is not a racist, nor has she ever said anything racially insensitive over the years that we dated that I've known her.

[Nicole Curtis]

Yeah. So he.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He do not like you, girl.

[Nicole Curtis]

Anyways. Yes. So due to a few things going on right now, I will say in my humble opinion, again, and this is just my opinion, that is someone that has demanded money out of me for the last four years.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Ex boyfriend.

[Nicole Curtis]

Yes, absolutely. And that is documented and has done several things. Now, as far as. As far as anything like that. I'm so glad that he came out and said that. I'm not really like, that doesn't give me, like, do I. Do I need him standing up for me? My children know that. I don't use that word. That's the most important thing to me.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Has anybody, like, in your family or even your black friends said, all right, look, we know you, but you fucked up. Oh, you know what I'm saying?

[Nicole Curtis]

You can tell that I know I fucked up the second I say it. And again, I'm not trying to hide it from a network. HGTV coming out and saying, she said that on set for a show. That's so false. That is false. That was four years ago. I mean, I can pull my contracts up. I wasn't shooting for hgtv. That was my own media. So nothing was. Nothing was sent to them. Not. They didn't hold it. Nothing. Nobody had that in their hands.

[DJ Envy]

Now it says you use the term fart digger and fart knocker. You used those terms before.

[Nicole Curtis]

So. Okay, so fartknocker. Yes, absolutely. Fart digger. You know what? Again, do you have boys in here? Do you have boys?

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, I have two boys.

[Nicole Curtis]

I have one. Okay, so boys talk about farts. All the time. Okay, so. And again, I can't swear on my show. Okay? So, yes, I have made up these crazy words, like, absolutely does it. If. If I was standing there, I'd be like, yeah, all right. Really? Is that what's really going on? And again, I'm not. I'm not out here to convince anyone. I'm not out here to, like, sell myself as a good person or any of that. I don't have to. I know who I am. The people have worked with me. The people have lived next to me. The people have met me, know who I am.

[Angela Yee]

So what does accountability look like for you? Because, you know, an apology is, like, staged in a house, right? It looks nice, but what's underneath?

[Nicole Curtis]

Like, underneath, it's. It's. It's. Again, I've come out and I've said, I don't condone use of that word. Okay? So again, I'm stuck here in the middle. All right, so you got. And honestly, the only people coming at me really, are white people, like, hardcore at me. You have these. These people over here who always have to be like, a missionary, right? Who are like, oh, my gosh, you need to apologize. They expect me to, like, sell everything I've ever had in my life, donate it to a charity, and, like, get stoned in the streets. Okay? And then you have the other side of white people that are, like, fighting these people and being like, leave her alone. It's just a word. And I've come out and I've said, it's not just a word.

[Angela Yee]

Who are these people?

[Nicole Curtis]

No, I'm saying that this group of white people. And then you have this group of

[Angela Yee]

white people fighting each other.

[Nicole Curtis]

Fighting each other.

[Angela Yee]

Like, white on white crime, too.

[Nicole Curtis]

White on white. And I'm in the middle, right? And anyone else who's known me or works with me throughout the years has been like, these fucking people are all crazy. Like, what is going on here?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Have you said, I'm sorry?

[Nicole Curtis]

Yes, I have. Oh, I have. I have.

[Angela Yee]

To who?

[Nicole Curtis]

First of all, I apologize to my children first. That was most important.

[Angela Yee]

Are they black?

[Nicole Curtis]

My children are white. They are my children. But the most important thing is that I have raised them knowing.

[Angela Yee]

Have you apologized to black people?

[Nicole Curtis]

I absolutely have. Have you have? Like, I did. I did. Did you like it? I did. I have. I've also the. So the most important thing to me was I apologize. I talked to my children first. They watched the clip because they were like, mom, you don't use that word. You know, we can't use that word. We're not. This is like. This is so out of character.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Your kids were like, mom, like, my little one.

[Nicole Curtis]

I have a 10 year old, right? So. So I pulled up the footage and I showed him. He goes, oh, you didn't mean to say it. I said, I didn't mean to say it. I didn't mean to say it.

[DJ Envy]

So how did you feel when you heard the donkey today? Did you. And how did you hear the donkey today?

[Nicole Curtis]

I heard the donkey because I work with a bunch of guys and they saw it, and again, they were like. And listen, you guys want to call me donkey of the day or, you know, I get it.

[Angela Yee]

You've called us worse.

[Nicole Curtis]

What?

[Angela Yee]

You've called us worse.

[Nicole Curtis]

I'm going to stay silent on that one because again, I'm going to. I'm going to say again that that was not something that I said or meant it at somebody or any. I didn't even mean for that word to come out. And again, I. There. That's not the only word I don't use. Okay. The R words making a comeback, Right? The R word.

[Angela Yee]

What's that?

[Nicole Curtis]

You can guess. No. Okay, well, I'm not going to say it because I don't use it.

[DJ Envy]

What's the R word?

[Nicole Curtis]

Do you know the R word? Jess?

[DJ Envy]

What's the R word?

[Nicole Curtis]

Come on, yo.

[Angela Yee]

Yeah, what's the R word?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I mean, at this point, you done took it there. You could say that one.

[Nicole Curtis]

No, I. No, I don't. What's the R word? Yeah. Okay, well, that word's making a comeback. Yeah, Right? We don't use that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And then.

[Nicole Curtis]

Then the. Then. F. F, F. Reneging. Oh, my goodness.

[Angela Yee]

What's the F word?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Reparations. Oh, no, that. That can't be the word you don't use.

[Nicole Curtis]

Don't use.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay. Tell the people that there are series

[Nicole Curtis]

of words that I don't use.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay.

[Nicole Curtis]

All right, so it's not. So. Yes.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

No, the R word isn't reparations. Right?

[Nicole Curtis]

No, no. Reneging.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That's it. Oh, she can't say that one. What? Reneging.

[Nicole Curtis]

Oh, no, she can't say reneging.

[Angela Yee]

Shit. Anyway, so what made you decide to come to Breakfast Club to have this conversation? Like, I'm sure there are other places you could have went.

[Nicole Curtis]

No, no, no, no. You're in the donkey in a day. No, I'll tell you why. Okay. I've always been somebody that I don't. You guys brought it up, right? And it seemed like you guys had questions and things like that.

[Angela Yee]

Oh, we've got it from the new.

[Nicole Curtis]

And this is, this is, this is honestly like I'm walking in knowing that you guys have made fun of me, roasted me. You've had this commentary about me.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay, Felt offended first.

[Nicole Curtis]

I'm sorry.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And then.

[Nicole Curtis]

Exactly, exactly. No, and I understand. You know, and I reached out to Lauren, right, And I just said, can we just, can we just talk on the phone? I'm not. You know, when, when this first came out, everyone suggested that I hire a pr. A crisis prt, right? Or go do this or go do that and make a good show of it. Like, no, fuck that. Like, that's not what I'm about. And that's, that's not what I've ever done. I've always found that you can be a, you know, like a problem reporter or a solution seeker, right? And I've always found solutions through understanding and having conversations. So if you have a conversation with me, right, and then you're still like, you know what? I don't believe her. Fuck that. She deserved donkey of the day. And I don't. I don't believe her. That's fine. Now you've met me, we've had a conversation, right? I just. When I. When somebody judges anybody just from. And of course, like when they see a headline and they say hgtv, racial slur, right, they don't need to say I'm white. I mean, hgtv, like, I can't think of. I can't think of a white or TV station.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Weren't you in Wyoming when that filming was happening? I'm sorry, you were in Wyoming when

[Nicole Curtis]

that filming was happening? Yes, yes. Yeah, but I'm just saying, like, everyone knew that you're gonna be white. I'm gonna be white, right? I'm gonna be white. And then you see me, right? And that's okay. Like without, without meeting me, like, who do you think I am? Like, what's your stereotypes about me?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

That was my introduction to you. Like when you first came in, you said, people have known me for 30 plus years being in this industry, you know, home restoration. And then there's people that don't know me, right? This is the people that don't know you. This is the introduction, you know, fart nigger.

[Nicole Curtis]

You know what I mean?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So my thing is, like, I thought

[Nicole Curtis]

you say it all the time.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Cause it came out so same.

[DJ Envy]

It definitely seems like you said, how

[Angela Yee]

did the word come so naturally?

[DJ Envy]

That's a word you never.

[Nicole Curtis]

And again. And this is, this is. I mean, if you guys want to watch the Raw. Like I said. No, no, I said I have the Raw. Do you want to. You want to watch? Absolutely. Okay, I believed it.

[DJ Envy]

The thing is, if you said fart digger the amount of times that you said, I just feel like you should have released that a million and one times. Because if you say fart digger, fart digger, fart nigga and it came out and be like okay, but I've never heard fart digger and I watched this show and I've definitely never heard fart nigger. So it just seems like it's something that you've said before because it just came out.

[Angela Yee]

So fart digger sound like you playing in assholes all day.

[DJ Envy]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[DJ Envy]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

We can video chat from space, order

[Nicole Curtis]

groceries just by talking out loud and men have like 17 options for hair loss alone.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But a bra that actually fits and feels good?

[Nicole Curtis]

Apparently too much to ask until now. Meet the uplift bra from Nyx. That's KN ix, a wireless bra that finally delivers real lift and all day comfort. The secret molded cups with a built in foam panel that gently enhances your natural shape so you get a subtle boost without wires, digging or that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Why am I still wearing this moment

[Nicole Curtis]

at 3pm you asked for it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

We delivered in a push up bra that doesn't dig, poke or pinch and

[Nicole Curtis]

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[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[Angela Yee]

Next Monday, our 2026 iHeart Podcast Awards are happening live at south by Southwest.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

This is the biggest night in podcasting,

[Angela Yee]

will honor the very best in podcasting from the past year and celebrate the most innovative talent and creators in the industry.

[Nicole Curtis]

And the winner is.

[Angela Yee]

Creativity, knowledge and passion will all be on full display.

[Nicole Curtis]

Thank you so much, iheartradio. Thank you to all the other nominees. You guys are awesome.

[Angela Yee]

Watch live next Monday at 8pm Eastern, 5pm Pacific [e-mail] or the Veeps app.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, that's a little nasty.

[Nicole Curtis]

No, no, no. And why would you just be digging? I don't have, like, I don't have. I don't have a rhyme or reason of the words that I make up. Like, I say. I say nonsense stuff all the time. I mean, and again, like, even when I, like, I edit my shows, right? And I'll be editing my shows and I'll be like, fuck, just finish what the fuck you're saying. Because I go off on, like, this and that and I'm off the cuff. I'm not scripted, right? And I actually, like, there are. There are people in my genre that are a little more scripted or they're directed or they're produced or they have a whole video village or they have all this. I don't. I don't have any of that. I shoot myself.

[Angela Yee]

So were you trying to say something else in that moment?

[Nicole Curtis]

Absolutely.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Because you say fart digger and fart knocker.

[Nicole Curtis]

I say all that. But that's what I'm saying. I was. I don't like, exactly. Do I know my train of thought in that? No, it's Like a blip of a moment. But I know that I wasn't saying that. First of all, I would never put. I didn't know that it was a phrase that was used. But again, I don't really know a lot of. I stay in my little cave of restoring houses and being a mom and tooling around Detroit.

[Angela Yee]

Were you gassy and talking to yourself like, oh, fuck niggas.

[Nicole Curtis]

Did you see that? Did you see the clip what I'm doing?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, fixing something. And just. He's asking, did you have gas on the ladder?

[Angela Yee]

Like, were you talking to yourself? Were you referring to yourself as such?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What I can say is I understand you.

[Nicole Curtis]

No, you don't. Let me finish.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

N. I mean, oh, my God, I'm sorry.

[Angela Yee]

You see what I'm saying?

[Nicole Curtis]

No, that's why I feel comfortable using that.

[Angela Yee]

That's why they feel comfortable use that

[DJ Envy]

term for the people like you. She shouldn't feel comfortable.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Cause I. Anyway, listen, I understand you apologizing to your kids first, because my thought is they're in. Some of them are in school. You know, you got your 28 year old, but you have kids in school.

[Nicole Curtis]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And they may have black friends, you know what I'm saying? And for them to see their friend's mom use the term, and then they could be bullied for that. They could have to pay that price, you know, for something that, that you said. You know, for that term that you said. So I understand you apologizing to them, but is that because that may affect what, you know, they go to school. You said you got a 10 year old.

[Nicole Curtis]

No, I apologize to them because I have, like, that is just like, we live in Detroit. Yeah, we live in Detroit. Like, I'm not like the south side, dude. I'm in the. I'm in the Detroit that you don't see in trendy and upcoming. Detroit. Right. I've been in Detroit. Like, my grandparents were born and raised in Detroit. Like, I am not made for TV Detroit. Okay. There are a couple people I. I don't even know if I can say. Can I say, am I in the hood? I don't even know.

[Angela Yee]

You know, your best friends are black and you live in the hood.

[Nicole Curtis]

No, but listen, she usually says, what up, though? No, but I'm sorry, I got. No, I got my Pandora's playing. So I'm sorry.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

She was outside.

[Nicole Curtis]

What I'm saying is, like, now I'm like, whatever I say, it's gonna piss people off. But I will say I want you

[Angela Yee]

to live your truth.

[Nicole Curtis]

No and what my truth is, is I would say, I live in Detroit. I am a Detroiter. I'm not. I didn't bring. I didn't create and be like, ooh, Detroit's hot and trendy right now. Can I go do my show in Detroit? I'm not some token white bitch that walked down the street and decided, I'm gonna go to Detroit. I'm gonna shoot a show. I'm in Detroit. I had to fight to go to Detroit. I went to Detroit before Detroit was trendy, before it was. I don't like new Detroit, to be honest with you. I like it how it was. And that's what I. That's why I restore the houses.

[DJ Envy]

Do you feel betrayed by hgtv?

[Nicole Curtis]

Let me. I feel that the statement that they made wasn't factual. It wasn't factual.

[Angela Yee]

What was the statement, Burt?

[DJ Envy]

Laura, not only is the language like this hurtful and disappointing to our viewers, partners, employees, it does not align with the values of HD hgtv. We remain dedicated to fostering a culture of respect and inclusion across our content in our workplace.

[Angela Yee]

That's a good statement.

[Nicole Curtis]

No, excuse me. It's the beginning of their statement.

[DJ Envy]

Not only is language.

[Nicole Curtis]

No, no. They have a. They had a. They had a. They had a. First thing that, like, she used this. She used this while shooting a show. Right. Which said.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

They said it was from your season.

[Angela Yee]

Exactly.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So it wasn't from your season 10.

[DJ Envy]

And removed the series from And.

[Nicole Curtis]

Which is funny, because my shows did air that day. They aired across all the markets. I don't know. I do not know when they were told about it. And in fact, I wasn't. The reason I found out is because I was leaving school, and I got. Do you know Ryan over at tmz? Lauren?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yes.

[Nicole Curtis]

Okay, so Ryan. Ryan had called me, and I didn't answer the calls because I don't take calls when I'm picking up the kids. And then he sent me a text, and he said, hey, it's Ryan with tmz.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Reagan. Right, Right. Reagan.

[Nicole Curtis]

Ronald Reagan. No, not Ron.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, okay.

[Nicole Curtis]

Oh, my gosh. Don't. Yeah, this is.

[Angela Yee]

Do you think sometimes, Nicole, people.

[Nicole Curtis]

I'm saying I found. I'm sorry, Charlotte, but I found out about that. And then the statement they made, and then people were saying, oh, they pulled her show from the air. They already aired it that day. Nobody called. Nobody called to even verify that the footage was real. Like, is it AI. Is it. When we found out.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So they said. They said that HGTV was recently made aware of an offensive racial comment made during the filming of Rehab Addicts. Not only is the language hurtful and then. And is disappointing to our viewers, partners and employees, it did not align. So that's what Envy mentioned. Remain dedicated. They said that they have removed the series from all HGTV platforms. And a report I saw said that even though the footage was some years old, it was used in your season 10.

[Angela Yee]

That statement is accurate. It's a hurtful statement.

[Nicole Curtis]

No, no, I'm not saying that that's not accurate. I'm saying that they were. They said that I. That was the filming for. For that and it wasn't. That's what I'm saying. It matters because it makes it sound like I was shooting and then I was in a room full of people and I'm like, oh, my gosh. You know, like, cut that and going crazy like that. That wasn't why I wanted it deleted. And back to that.

[Angela Yee]

Why did you want.

[Nicole Curtis]

I wanted to delete it because I didn't want. I was like, I just don't even want that word in existence. I don't like hearing that word. Of course I'm. But I'm sorry. It stepped in your music. In my music? No, I. I personally have never put out music or sold music that we're

[Angela Yee]

listening to your music.

[Nicole Curtis]

I do. I do listen to that. I do. I do. You guys. You guys have two. You had two chains in here today.

[Angela Yee]

Don't do it.

[Nicole Curtis]

Don't. No, I'm not saying no.

[Angela Yee]

No.

[Nicole Curtis]

I'm just saying, like.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But you like to change.

[Nicole Curtis]

No, I've seen it. Because, like, I did. And again, no matter what I say, somebody's gonna say, you're using this. I'm sorry, you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

You have, like, specific songs you like.

[Nicole Curtis]

Okay, I'm going to say again is that I was at soundcheck, like, I don't know, 10 years ago. That's where I met Tyler the creator. Because I worked with Tyler the creator to design his show in LA on Fairfax, right? And then, like, two chains was there. So I'm not again. And that's why I asked you, what do you do? You look at me and think, like, that's just some white woman and she sits up in her suburban home and she's.

[Angela Yee]

I just don't know why you're naming black rappers.

[Nicole Curtis]

No, I'm not. I'm saying. I'm saying, when you say, like, how do you know this? How do you know this word? Or why. Why do you listen to that? So then I know.

[Angela Yee]

So you Know the word because of rappers.

[Nicole Curtis]

I. I live in Detroit, man. Like, I don't know. What are you saying?

[Angela Yee]

Like, not because of the history of

[Charlamagne Tha God]

the word all the time.

[Nicole Curtis]

Like, you hear the word, I don't say it. Right. Okay. I was raised not to say it. I taught my children not to say it. So you guys. Because you know the historical context, so you didn't learn it from rappers? No, no, no. Of course, no, no. I, again, again, like, I have been in Detroit and again, Detroit now. Detroit now has, like. We never saw white people in Detroit. I never saw white people in Detroit. Okay? Now it's trendy. It is trendy now, okay? And, like, it's. It hit, like, one of your top travel cities to go to or something, right? And if you go downtown now, it's all white people.

[Angela Yee]

So I'm trying to figure this out.

[Nicole Curtis]

Hold on.

[DJ Envy]

What are you.

[Angela Yee]

What are you trying to prove here by keeping. When you keep saying you're from Detroit and you're around rappers and best friends are black.

[Nicole Curtis]

See, I told you that was gonna come back and bite me in the ass. I said that.

[Angela Yee]

I'm asking her, what is she trying to say?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

No, but I think it's a learning moment for you, because even though. Right, so look, when I first heard this and saw this, I was just like, okay, this is another white lady who just is racist or doesn't understand what she's saying, whatever. And you have that privilege to do that. We don't have the privilege to not understand what we're saying, why we're saying it. So even in this moment, you may not mean anything by saying, I live in Detroit. I live in neighborhoods that people wouldn't want to go to and talking about all these things. But because you have the privilege, you have to be very aware of. Even if you didn't get caught saying the N word on this video, it still would come off as very privileged and very unbalanced because it's different for us. And that's what we're trying to have a conversation.

[Angela Yee]

And I agree with Lauren. And I would also add, do you think sometimes privilege makes people think they can say anything?

[Nicole Curtis]

Oh, absolutely. And those are the people I'm fighting. I told you, I'm caught in the middle here. So then there's people saying. There's people out there saying, it's just a cuss word. She has. Somebody actually said, like, she swears a lot. I'm like, no, fuck off. I say fuck off. Right? I don't say that word. I know that I do not say it. And again, I teach. I teach. Why we don't say it? I teach. Again with the R word. Or any other word that hurts.

[Angela Yee]

Because R word you keep referring to.

[Nicole Curtis]

How do you not know it? I know.

[Angela Yee]

What is it?

[Nicole Curtis]

Because you might use it.

[Angela Yee]

I don't use.

[Nicole Curtis]

Okay, well, it's used to describe the R word. It was used to describe people. It's retarded. Yeah. Thank you. Thank you, Jeff.

[Angela Yee]

Saying fart nigga and then coming to a black radio show and trying to explain yourself about it, that is retarded. Yes. But you know what?

[Nicole Curtis]

And you know what? You're right. You're right, you're right. I came here. I came here to have an open conversation and I didn't have to.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And honestly, I. I respect that you.

[Nicole Curtis]

But I don't. I would say, please don't use that word. And then I would explain to people why I don't use that word. I agree.

[Angela Yee]

And I would say, please don't use.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Exactly.

[Nicole Curtis]

And when people have said that around me, I'm like, don't use that word around me. Common do not. We don't use that word.

[Angela Yee]

Imagine hearing them together. Can you imagine? Your brain would just fucking explode, wouldn't it, Nicole? But.

[Nicole Curtis]

But I. Listen, obviously, obviously, I'm not afraid of

[Angela Yee]

confrontation with the N word.

[Nicole Curtis]

I got it. Done. Done. Nicole, back off.

[DJ Envy]

Yes, I would say you're very brave to come up here to have this conversation. I will say that. And you did apologize.

[Angela Yee]

He's not brave for coming up here having a conversation that's not brave. She ain't want everything brave in this room.

[DJ Envy]

Yes, it is.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[DJ Envy]

Yes, it is.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I'm 100% with you.

[Nicole Curtis]

Envy.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah, Absolutely.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

In this room. She could have went to any other room.

[DJ Envy]

I would just say, you know, we wish you the best of luck. I'm glad you're facing this and not running away. I'm glad you're not hiring a team, a PR team to try to watch this under the rug. I mean, what you said was some fucked up shit. And the fact that you're facing.

[Angela Yee]

I still don't have no accountability though.

[Nicole Curtis]

Okay. May I ask something then? Cause let me ask you this. Cause I had really.

[Angela Yee]

The best apology is really change behavior and we don't know you.

[Nicole Curtis]

Exactly. Exactly. And charlamagne, again, I will tell you this. I will tell you this. If I'm out and about, and let's say God gives me 40 more years, okay. I will challenge you. I know that I will never use that word again. I know that I did not use that word before. And I know that I have spent my life that when I do hear that word, you know, it. It's not even that word. It's anytime people are using language or conversation that is offensive to other people and hurting people, right? I am the. I am not one to shy away from confrontation. I am one that's like. That's not fucking right. Don't fucking say that.

[Angela Yee]

How do we even know you believe in God? You keep swearing to him, but we don't even know.

[Nicole Curtis]

Listen, because I swear, you would think that I don't, but I'm Catholic, and I guess we're allowed to. We swear a little bit more.

[Angela Yee]

Are you prepared for this to be the thing people remember?

[Nicole Curtis]

Absolutely not. No. No. And it's their choice again, I'm not gonna go out here. And again, what matters most to me, right, My children know who I am. My friends and my family know who I am back home. They know who I am. And, like, is this gonna define me? If people want to define Nicole Curtis by this seven seconds of my 49 years on Earth, then fucking let them. Because I can't convince them otherwise. I. I know I can show them I can do everything in the world I could. I could do what you. And let me ask you something, because I've asked this. I literally gave out my phone number and I said, listen, let's have a conversation. And anyone that DM'd me again, I didn't. I didn't put a person out. I didn't put a rep out. I said, just call me. Here's my cell phone number. I talk with Lauren on the phone. And it wasn't just Lauren. It was so many people that I just had conversations with. And, you know, and they again, looked at me and just knew that I was this white woman who had a TV show. And I said the word okay and I said, so let's have that. Yes.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Do you regret saying it?

[Nicole Curtis]

Absolutely. That's what I show as soon as I said it and I didn't regret it again. If you're looking at it like, she just regrets it because somebody's gonna get the footage. No, nobody would have got the footage. It was mine. It's mine.

[Angela Yee]

So you put it up?

[Nicole Curtis]

No, I didn't put it. No.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

She said it was somebody.

[Nicole Curtis]

There's only two people, Two people on this planet that had access to that footage.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And then her ex boyfriend said that she would treat staff like. You know what I mean? So somebody.

[Nicole Curtis]

No, no, no, no, no. No, none of my staff had this. I'm not gonna throw my staff under the bus because one, they couldn't. Again, I'm not sure how you guys work, but he can't walk out of here with your media. Kenny.

[Angela Yee]

No, we say. Come here. Stop laughing at this, Nicole.

[Nicole Curtis]

Gentlemen, I can't win with you.

[Angela Yee]

I love you.

[Nicole Curtis]

I can't win with you. I can't win with you. I can't win. Can I win with him?

[Angela Yee]

Why are y' all laughing?

[Nicole Curtis]

I'm not laughing.

[DJ Envy]

I'm saying, Nicole, thank you for joining us.

[Nicole Curtis]

Nicole. Honestly, no.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

All the days, I will.

[Nicole Curtis]

No, I appreciate it.

[DJ Envy]

I wish you the best of luck.

[Nicole Curtis]

And we have those conversations. And Charlotte, appreciate you for coming up here and having those conversations that I've always had those conversations with people. I will continue to have those conversations with people. And somewhere down the line, when we run into each other again, which I always believe, that God crosses your paths in weird, strange ways, that we can have this conversation again. And maybe one day you're bored as shit and you just decide to deep dive me. Besides, you know, this random headline that came out about me and whatever, and maybe we can have that conversation or maybe we'll work on something down the road or anything like that. But again, is it gonna ruin my life that people have this idea? I mean, it's not. It's. What matters is the people who know me know me.

[Angela Yee]

You said white lives matter.

[Nicole Curtis]

Who I am.

[DJ Envy]

Nicole.

[Nicole Curtis]

Nicole, thank you for joining us.

[Angela Yee]

Thank you so much just letting this go. Yg, don't you do it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Why don't you let her pick the song she got playlist?

[Angela Yee]

Nope. She never even played the extended footage or whatever that is.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

She was trying to.

[Nicole Curtis]

She was trying to

[Charlamagne Tha God]

tell me minutes long. 35 minutes, right?

[Nicole Curtis]

What?

[DJ Envy]

How long?

[Nicole Curtis]

No, no, no, no, no, no. We. No, we. I just grabbed the. From that part before it, so if

[Charlamagne Tha God]

you want to see it, you should play it. But why are you doing that? But the full is 35 minutes. No, I mean, what was the fool? How fool? Because your guy in a video, when you say kill it, he says, I'm not gonna kill it because I have 35 minutes.

[Nicole Curtis]

Yes, yes.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So there was more content. So he didn't need to kill it in that minute. And the reason I brought that up is because what I hope you learn from this is the heaviness of it. Because the way y' all just moved on after you said it, I'm like, no, I didn't.

[Nicole Curtis]

I didn't. That's what I'm saying it's edited. I didn't move on. We cut cameras. I didn't move on. It's edited. It's edited. It is edited to look like I just moved on. And I did that regardless.

[DJ Envy]

She said some foul shit. It doesn't matter if she moved on or not, that she was fouled. She's saying she's apologizing. She's giving up the.

[Nicole Curtis]

And I did. Exactly. But. But I'm telling you, I.

[DJ Envy]

Thank you for joining us.

[Nicole Curtis]

I cut cameras because I was so like, I can't believe that that just happened. I can't believe that just came out of my mouth.

[DJ Envy]

Well, Nicole Curtis, ladies and gentlemen. They can't catch you on hgtv. So how can people see your show?

[Nicole Curtis]

I mean, hey, you just. You let me know you're coming to Detroit. You can come to a job site with me and work, because that's usually where people find me.

[Angela Yee]

So you said what?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

No, I know it do sound.

[Angela Yee]

It's crazy. Job site with the N word.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

No, off.

[Nicole Curtis]

She says, God, I can't. Yeah, And then he says. And he doesn't believe. He doesn't believe that. That comes out of my mouth.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

All right, and her first name, again with N. Yo, chill. No, but I'm saying, like she said, you can come to a work site with her.

[Angela Yee]

I do want to know. I do want to work. My last question.

[Nicole Curtis]

Oh, my gosh. Hang on. Let me, Let me get.

[Angela Yee]

What are just some. What are just some things you plan to do to maybe provide some healing for the. The people you hurt? Because. Because those white people that are trying to get donations from you aren't wrong. But I just don't know if you

[Charlamagne Tha God]

should donate to the causes.

[Angela Yee]

That's exactly. To the coordinating to the causes they talking about.

[Nicole Curtis]

I'm going to continue the work that I have done.

[Angela Yee]

Okay?

[Nicole Curtis]

And that's. And again, I don't. I don't. I don't invest in Detroit and sell properties and make money. I, I fight that. I go and restore historical pieces of our history in Detroit where, where they're not getting federal grants, where there's not state money, where, where the, the big developers aren't going in, because those neighborhoods, those people that have lived in Detroit all their life, right? And even, like, even I have bought houses to save people from losing their houses to tax foreclosure. That's what I'm saying. I have fought. I have fought these fucking cities about turning our cities that have people that have lived in all their lives, and then Yanking their homes from them or tearing their homes down and then building, you know, all of this stuff. That's what I'm going to continue doing. I'm going to continue my work like that. And that's what I do is that I'm in my neighborhoods, working like that, investing my own money that I don't have to. I don't get money back from investing in Detroit because I'm investing in negative market value areas, okay? There is no market value. There's nothing for me to gain except for rebuilding, rebuilding our history there. That's what's important to me. When you rebuild history, when you maintain that history and that uniqueness, that neighborhood can thrive and survive, thrive and survive. And that's my battle in all these cities that I've lived in, is that you have to have sustainability. And it's not going to be in your trendy new markets. It's not going to be bringing in the white people so they can have a studio apartment now, right? It's going to be surviving those neighborhoods that were already there, Keeping the uniqueness, keeping the history, keeping it intact, keeping the people that made that city have been in that city their entire life, making it so that they can stay there.

[Angela Yee]

So you make affordable housing for the people who've always lived.

[Nicole Curtis]

There's no such thing as affordable housing. Do you not know that? That's all a bullshit. Like a nonprofit's not a nonprofit. They make profit.

[DJ Envy]

Nicole, I think what you should do is what you're saying that you're doing in Detroit. There's a lot of young African American people in Detroit that would love to learn from you and that would love to learn in a way that they can understand what this industry is, how to build. And that's what you should do. You should teach that from your point of view, because you've been there. You know how to get cheap. You know how to do the construction. That's what you should do.

[Nicole Curtis]

And that's what we have.

[DJ Envy]

Contractors.

[Nicole Curtis]

That's what we have. That. And that's what I'm saying. That is what my work has been about.

[DJ Envy]

Black investors.

[Nicole Curtis]

That. That is what my work has been about. Because that's what we've been doing, you know, since I start. I bought my first house at 19 years old from cleaning houses. Not because daddy bought it for me, you know, and that's the hustle that I've always had to be on. You guys have all done that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So you had struggle.

[Nicole Curtis]

I can struggle. I was a young mom. Like I should have. You Know, again, nobody handed me anything. I cleaned houses. I worked odd jobs, like, and I saved that money. And the only thing I could afford, I still can't find. I don't go and finance anything. I have to pay cash. No one's gonna finance my ass. I mean, definitely not now.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Not now.

[Nicole Curtis]

But I'm saying, like, I've never had anything traditional, so that's why I had to figure out how to make it work. And I do work. I'm not a spokesperson for my TV show where I'm a TV star. I'm a contractor. I'm a builder. I mean, I have calluses on my hands because I work. I'm not. I'm like. I'm not. You know, like, TMZ Lauren said I look like shit the other day, and all my fans were like, she always looks like shit. You know? Like, she always looks.

[Angela Yee]

No, no, I know.

[Nicole Curtis]

I'm saying, like, tmz, though. Like, they said it. They made fun of me because they said that I was, like, hiding out, disheveled, and I'm like, well, Nicole, we

[DJ Envy]

appreciate you for joining us.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, you should watch the movie Detroit as well.

[Nicole Curtis]

You should watch.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Since you're a Detroit native and you and this whole shabibble whammy, you should definitely watch Detroit.

[Nicole Curtis]

Just watch that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But definitely, you know, teach black investors

[DJ Envy]

look into teaching and helping entrepreneurs, young entrepreneurs in Detroit. Detroit was a hot market a couple of years ago. It still is. And you should teach them how to make some money and buy their first homes.

[Nicole Curtis]

I think that would be great. Yeah. I mean, but like I said, the sad thing is that I don't. That's not. I don't make money on my home. So what we. But honestly, what we have done. That is exactly what I've done. That is. And if. And again, I don't. I don't have cameras on all the time. Right. I just. I shoot what I'm gonna shoot, but I'm on my job sites all the time, and I. I would invite any of you to come to Detroit any day you want to and work and. No, no, not even that, but you can. But I'm just saying people, like. People like smashing out, you know, stuff and things like that. But I'm saying, come and see. Come and see my job site, and you'll see it's not. But it's not a TV show, and I do have. Like, I have to. I can't say anything for you. I'm just saying I work with people from my city. The people that work for Me are from my city. So it's not. It's not. I can't. I'm not saying anything in front of him right now. Yeah, but I'm saying like, that is what you see. And of course. And that as a teacher, and that was my point. I don't teach in a classroom. I teach on a job site. Right? Because if you teach skills, right, then they can always go. And like I tell everybody, you can go get a college degree, right? But when AI takes your job, you know how to be a master plumber, you can plumb, you can. You can do H Vac, you can build, you can do any of that. Those are the people that are the millionaires right now. Right? So that is what I teach, that is what I give back. And that's already what we do. Because again, I'm a mom. I got a 28 year old. And so he's grown up around that. Which again, is why I was so disappointed in myself for saying that word. Because I am the matriarch of my family. I'm the leader of my children. I am a teacher. And if people think that me saying that word is okay, then I am. That is. That's why I was so disappointed.

[Angela Yee]

Just apologize. Apologize to black people.

[Nicole Curtis]

I do. I did and I do. I apologize.

[Angela Yee]

The camera's right there.

[Nicole Curtis]

Yes, I do. And to everyone out there, just charlamagne. So you're aware that is a word that I do not condone. So the people out there that do not use me as an example, right? That's where I've been coming out against people saying, hey, just cause I said it, I made a mistake. I know I made a mistake. You watch that footage, Even the edited bullshit, you know that I am like, ugh. So no, don't use me as your poster child for that bullshit.

[Angela Yee]

And I don't want you to think that coming on the Breakfast Club is just going rehabilitate your image.

[Nicole Curtis]

Absolutely not.

[Angela Yee]

In fact, it might increase the chances of you walking through the airport and somebody going, that's the fart lady.

[Nicole Curtis]

Yeah. No, I mean, you. You have a lot of people. Why? And again, I didn't. I didn't come on here to prove myself. I came on here. You said some questions about me. Like you had some questions. Get it from the source. Okay? Right. Ladies and gentlemen, when you have a dispute. Get it from the source.

[DJ Envy]

That is Nicole Curtis and it is the Breakfast Club. Good morning. Thank you for joining us, Nicole.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

For sure.

[Nicole Curtis]

Hold up.

[Angela Yee]

Every day I wake up, wake your ass up. The Breakfast club.

[DJ Envy]

Make sure y' all do Locked in Monthly wireless plans were built for another era.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[Angela Yee]

Next Monday, our 2026 iHeart Podcast Awards are happening live at south by Southwest. This is the biggest night in podcasting. We'll honor the very best in podcasting from the past year and celebrate the most innovative talent and creators in the industry.

[Nicole Curtis]

And the winner is.

[Angela Yee]

Creativity, knowledge and passion will all be on full display.

[Nicole Curtis]

Thank you so much iheartradio. Thank you to all the other nominees. You guys are awesome.

[Angela Yee]

Watch Live next Monday at 8pm Eastern, 5pm Pacific [e-mail] or the Veeps app.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

When segregation was a law, one mysterious black club owner, Charlie Fitzgerald had his own rules. Segregation in the day, integration at night.

[Nicole Curtis]

It was like stepping on another world.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Was he a businessman?

[Nicole Curtis]

A criminal? A hero?

[Angela Yee]

Charlie was an example of power.

[Nicole Curtis]

They had to crush him.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Charlie's Place from Atlas Obscura and visit Myrtle Beach. Listen to Charlie's place on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Nicole Curtis]

Talking to your kids about the dangers of vaping can be hard.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Getting them to listen to hot gossip

[Nicole Curtis]

is easy, so here's some drama you

[DJ Envy]

could share with your kid.

[Nicole Curtis]

Dude, did you hear about Cassie and Jake?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

No, but did you hear that vapy can cause irreversible lung damage and nicotine affects affects brain development?

[Nicole Curtis]

Nuh.

[Angela Yee]

You don't need to gossip if you

[Nicole Curtis]

want to have an open conversation about vaping.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

So if you want to get tips

[Nicole Curtis]

on when and how to talk to

[Charlamagne Tha God]

your kids, visit talkaboutvaping.org, brought to you

[Nicole Curtis]

by the American Lung association and the

[Charlamagne Tha God]

AD Council the human body is a

[Nicole Curtis]

beautiful machine and keeping it running means understanding how it actually works.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Which is why this podcast Will Kill youl is doing a multi part series on sleep. What it's for, why our bodies don't

[Nicole Curtis]

follow neat rules, and why modern life

[Charlamagne Tha God]

is is not helping.

[Nicole Curtis]

When you consider what we know about sleep in humans, there's one rule that comes out we are predictably unpredictable sleepers.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

We'll continue exploring how the body works with a multi part series on digestive function.

[Nicole Curtis]

So listen to our newest series which runs January 20 through February 17 with

[Charlamagne Tha God]

new episodes every Tuesday from the Exactly Right Network. Listen to this podcast will kill you on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.