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Podcast Host
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.
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only@tryjoybox.com your 20s can be so exciting, but they can also be really overwhelming, confusing, and honestly, just kind of lonely. May is mental health awareness month and the psychology of your twenties is breaking down the science behind the biggest roadblocks we face.
Guest Speaker (Career Story)
I was six years into my career,
Dr. Maya Shankar
the 80 hour weeks and just the
Guest Speaker (Career Story)
first one in, the last one out and I ended up burning out. There was a large chunk of my twenties that I like was just so wanting to like be out of that phase out of my skin and I just like regret not living in the present more.
Podcast Promo Announcer
You don't need to have everything figured out right now. You just need to understand yourself a little bit better. Listen to the psychology of your 20s on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Mental Health Awareness Speaker
The story I've told myself can then shape my behavior and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection
Debbie Brown
this mental health awareness month. Tune into the podcast Deeply well with Debbie Brown. If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to this podcast is for you to hear more. Listen to Deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Mental Health Awareness Speaker
Hold up.
Zuri Hall
Every day I wake up.
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Wake your ass up.
Charlamagne Tha God
The Breakfast Club.
DJ Envy
Morning everybody. It's DJ Envy. Just hilarious. Charlemagne the guy. We are the Breakfast Club. Lorna Roses here as well. We have Zuri hall in the building. She covered the 2026 Met Gala red carpet last night for E. I know she got to be tired.
Charlamagne Tha God
And also Zuri, big up yourself.
DJ Envy
That's right.
Zuri Hall
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. I appreciate it. It was corseted. I've got the scars to prove. The necklace was so high. It's painful. But beauty is pain.
Lorna Rose
How long does your prep take, like, how long are you like, out, like, looking for your dress? Throughout the year?
Charlamagne Tha God
Yeah.
DJ Envy
You got to be there at 2 o', clock, so you start at 9 in the morning.
Zuri Hall
Do you hear me? The glam, genuinely, I think they pulled up to my hotel room around 8:30am we were in the chair by 8:45. And then, yeah, I was on my way to the Met by, you know, we do the rounds, we do the glam bot, do all the pictures, all that stuff. But yeah, two o', clock, we're in position at the mat. How long it takes me. Lauren, you'd be surprised how last minute the glam is for us because, like, really the fashion is important, but I'm also super focused on just like the job and like, who's coming. What do I need to know? What do I need to ask them? My dress, this was the longest out I'd ever prepped. I think a week and a half, two weeks out. But sometimes I've had gowns that are getting the final touches, like the day before, two days before. Last year I wore an incredible designer, Bishmi Cromartie, for the super fine black Taylor. He's incredible. Was on Project Runway out of Baltimore. So talented. And he did a custom look. So that was him just working up until those final few days. So every year is different.
Charlamagne Tha God
You've been doing this for like a decade. Zori, how has social media changed what celebrities are willing to say to you on the red carpet?
Zuri Hall
Ooh, I love that question. Um, it has changed a lot because that's part of the reason people didn't stop last night. I think it's just there's such a risk of things being taken out of context. We, we live in a clip economy at this point. Right. Like, it is not often that people are like, wow, that was an interesting 60 seconds. I have an idea about that, but I think I'm going to go watch the full hour long conversation first before I post a hot take. Right. And so I think people have become more cautious, they've become more savvy, and I think they. That's also why we're seeing more public figures and celebrities who traditionally would not be behind a mic in the way that we are getting behind the mics or going to their friends to have the conversations behind the mics because they really need to trust that they have what they believe is a safe space. Some might also argue a softball space. Right. Like, you're not going to get asked the hard hitting questions if it's your Bestie who's doing the podcast conversation with you. But that's just the. The world, the. The media landscape that I think we live in. And I'm sure y' all see it often, hear it often, probably experience it often with your interviews, but it definitely changes the level of transparency, you know? But I will say, after 11 years of doing this, you start to build the trust. Right where I take pride in people coming to me like the Rock. Last night, Dwayne was not really doing a ton of press. Start.
Charlamagne Tha God
Not first name basis.
DJ Envy
No.
Zuri Hall
Dwayne The Rock Johnson. Mr. Johnson. He stopped, and we've got a great interview history. He met my dad in Maui when I covered the Moana 2 carpet. So over the years, you start to get that feeling of, okay, I can go to her, I can trust her, or she's gonna ask me smart questions. They're gonna be fair, but I'm not gonna, you know, pull a gotcha or anything like that. Yeah.
DJ Envy
So what were some of your favorite outfits for people that are listening and driving into work right now? Maybe they didn't see the Met Gala. What were some of your favorite outfits and why? For last night, Men and women.
Zuri Hall
I mean, I loved. It's so obvious. It's so on the. But Rihanna and asap, like, they're always worth the way. I love how, you know, they are always doing their own thing and yet somehow feel very cohesive. Um, I believe Rihanna was in Mason Margiela. Um, I loved seeing Damson Idris. I just. I loved the hair. I loved the pop of red. I thought it was understated. Outside of.
DJ Envy
Was that diamonds Beyonce was wearing? Was that all diamonds? I. I've seen a report that said it was all diamonds, but I would have.
Zuri Hall
I couldn't imagine it'd be anything less. I mean, Swarovski Crystal, perhaps. I don't know.
DJ Envy
Don't. When they said diamonds, I'm like, that's about $20 million worth of diamonds.
Zuri Hall
Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, she looked incredible. I mean, she was shining head to toe. Blue Ivy was a vibe for that to be her first Met Gala car. I mean, she is. She's so cool. She's got such a presence, and you can tell that she, like, I'm so excited to see her evolution. Like, her star power that she oozes is so effortless. The shades, it was so sweet when I asked Beyonce, like, how are you feeling tonight? And she said, I feel so good. My baby's here. She pointed to blue, and it was like blue was just doing her Thing solo on the carpet. Jay's watching like a proud dad, and it's like we've all kind of watched her grow up. So to see her in a moment like that, completely cool under pressure. She was really fun to see.
DJ Envy
One of the. One other question. One of the Jenna girls had, like, a. A bodysuit. Then it was like a dress off of a bodysuit. Did I see something? I thought I seen people.
Lorna Rose
Kylie.
DJ Envy
I don't know the names make it.
Zuri Hall
She had.
Lorna Rose
She had blonde eyebrows.
DJ Envy
Yes.
Lorna Rose
You're talking about Kylie.
Zuri Hall
Wait, wait, wait, wait. Who? What?
Lorna Rose
I'll show you.
Zuri Hall
With the body.
DJ Envy
She had, like, a body, Sort of.
Zuri Hall
Yeah. That was Kylie Jenner. I don't know what. I don't know what design that was. She didn't stop and talk. And honestly, so much of my job, like, in the moment, and if I am not getting the information directly from them, I don't know until later. Right. Because in my ear, they're mostly like, so and so's on the carpet. Try to get them. And we're talking about the moment. And then our guys in the studio are covering the actual fashion details. So I'm getting the. How are you feeling? Who are you with? What was the prep like? Talk to the. Talk to me about the road to the gala, and then we'll toss back to the studio. And they've actually got the details being fed to them in real time. So unless someone comes up to me and says, I'm with Michael Kors and I'm wearing Michael Kors, I'm finding out, honestly, a lot of the time, like, the rest of y', all, like, right after Schiaparelli. Schiaparelli, yeah. Oh, that looks Schiaparelli, too. I mean, so structural. It's. Yeah, she was gorgeous.
Charlamagne Tha God
I want to ask about you, Zuri. What's the moment in your career where you felt underestimated? And how did you flip that?
Zuri Hall
I think, you know, this one Charlamagne, I think in New York, like, when I was. And I don't know if it was underestimated so much as underutilized through no fault of, like, the networks, but, you know, I was at mtv. I had signed this overall deal. I was super excited about it. I thought this is, like, my big break. I've actually been talking about it on my Instagram, like, this plot twist series, because there's some changes coming my way with my career soon, too, that I'm actually excited about. But I felt underestimated because it's like, put me in coach. Like, I Know what I can do if I'm just given the right opportunities. And I just think it was a lack of opportunity. It wasn't a time where there was a ton of development. You were a blessing. Right. Those opportunities with MTV and MTV2, with everything that you had going on, really helped shape me in that moment and sort of give me a confidence that I was kind of losing in that moment, quite frankly. But I think I've always been kind of underestimated. Traditionally, I've been shyer than people expect. And so growing up, the most you would hear me talk is if I was on stage or on screen. I think that's probably why I pursued this career. It was kind of like permission to take up space. And so because of that, when I would come into a room, I would always be underestimated. Like, oh, she gonna talk now. What's she gonna say once the mic come on.
Charlamagne Tha God
I never understood that, though, because I never understood why MTV just didn't use you the way he was using you. You could have been doing the same thing. The red carpets.
Zuri Hall
That's. That's true. But, you know, like, did we have shows like that at MTV at the time? Because I know the MTV that I, you know, we all wanted. That's true. That's very true.
Charlamagne Tha God
And the music awards, the movie awards. Yeah, plenty of award shows.
Zuri Hall
I know the irony is, as soon as I moved to LA and got the job at E. News, I got flown to New York to go cover like the MTV movies and all this stuff. Yeah. So there's. There was some irony there, but it all works out how it was supposed to work out, you know?
Charlamagne Tha God
But how do you handle rejection in an industry where everything is so public facing?
Zuri Hall
I guess I think I have always been so used to. No, like, I just don't know. Is. Not yet. For me, my senior year of high school, you know, our. One of our English teachers gave everybody a word. And mine was tenacious tenacity. I don't even think I knew. I had to Google it later. Like, wait, what? What makes me tonight. Tenacious. Tenacious. Say it. But then I was like, yeah, no, that checks out. I think I've just always been someone who was raised with this almost like a healthy delusion. Right. My dad is always like, you can do whatever you want. You can be whatever you want. And not in like a generic, cliche way like that, man really had me thinking, if I woke up at 18 and ran for president, like, they could figure it out. They move some things around, you know? Exactly. And he spoke that sort of life into me at such an early age. That no is something I never took personally. I'm like, oh, they just don't know me yet. They don't see me yet. So I never took that personally. It's. You just haven't been able to experience what it is. I know I can show you if you gave me the opportunity. So does it suck that it's a no? Yeah. But I'm gonna go get it somewhere else. Make it a yes somewhere else.
Charlamagne Tha God
How do you feel now? Because I know Access Hollywood just got canceled.
Zuri Hall
Yeah.
Charlamagne Tha God
How do you take that?
Zuri Hall
You know, it's bittersweet. It's the end of an era. I think it's the chan the changing landscape. Right. Like, it's been 30 years. Access Hollywood's been on the air. The syndication studio is shutting down. So that's affecting all of the shows that traditionally have relied on syndication. Karamo, the Steve Wilko show, etc. I think I don't want to say the writing was on the wall with this show specifically. I think just with that model, I.
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Podcast Host
You can have opinions. You can have, like, a strong stance. And then there's your body having its own program.
Dr. Maya Shankar
I'm Dr. Maya Shankar, a cognitive scientist and host of the podcast A Slight Change of Plans, a show about who we are and who we become. When life makes other plans. We share stories and scientific insights to help us all better navigate these periods of turbulence and transformation.
Guest Speaker (Career Story)
There is one finding that is consistent and that is that our resilience rests on our relationships.
Zuri Hall
And I wish that I hadn't resisted for so long. The need to change. We have to be willing to live
DJ Envy
with a kind of uncertainty that none of us likes.
Dr. Maya Shankar
Listen to A Slight Change of plans on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Mental Health Awareness Speaker
The story I've told myself about love or relationships can then shape my behavior and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of conn this Mental Health Awareness Month.
Debbie Brown
Tune into the podcast Deeply well with Debbie Brown and explore the journey of healing, self discovery and returning to yourself. We explore higher consciousness, emotional well being and the practices that help you find clarity, peace and self mastery in a world that can feel overwhelming. The world is becoming lonelier. We're not becoming more social and connected,
Dr. Maya Shankar
we're becoming more individualized, but we actually
Debbie Brown
need people in connection. If you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole, this podcast is for you. To hear more, listen to Deeply well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.
Zuri Hall
I'm hopeful that, you know, there will be some new iteration of the brand. I think a lot of things are just moving to digital, but I am also excited about what's next for me and there's still so many other opportunities. I still work with E. Right when I'm on these big award show red carpets, when I'm in those hosting positions, that's life for me. When I'm doing Fandango, big ticket interviews, one on one exclusives, that's an entirely different property. American Injury warriors coming back this summer on NBC. So yeah, we've still got that stuff. But I'm excited to have more time to actually build and focus on IP and ownership. You know, I launched my show not about Sports earlier this year and so I'm just excited to embrace the changes. I always roll with the punches. I love it. Honestly, the only thing constant is change. So you just gotta rock with it.
Lorna Rose
I know you, I know you interviewed the Devil Words product cast. Right. For the second movie.
Zuri Hall
Yeah.
Lorna Rose
And Stanley in the second movie. It's very reminiscent about. I feel like what you talk a lot about in your Plot Twist series, about how things have to move and adapt and change. What has been your decision to share as those things are happening intentionally. Right. Like we read about you, but you're deciding to give us your voice on it as it happens.
Zuri Hall
Yeah. I think it's because of that. Like people may read about it or they may experience me as a host. Yeah, I think I got so comfortable being seen without really being seen. Right. Showing up, hosting the show, being impressive and focusing on accomplishment only. Like that's always been kind of a safe space to exist. Like when I'm struggling or when I'm confused or when I'm not sure. It's easier to, like, be in hiding for that and then pop back out when I have something impressive and interesting to say. And the older I get, the more comfortable and confident I get, which is who I am and, like, where I am in any given moment, the more I am willing to embrace vulnerability publicly. And I think we're all in a really interesting time. You know, there are a lot of women, especially in transition black women, particularly in the workforce right now, who at a disproportionate rate, are losing their jobs. Right. It's tough right now for everyone, but I think especially for us. And as I see the comments and I talk with my followers, I was like, this is honestly a blessing in disguise, because if I'm willing to be vulnerable about my show going away and I'm willing to do it in real time and be like, I'm not figuring it out totally yet, but I've been here before. I've had to ride the waves before. I've had to navigate the plot twist before. I've always come out on the other side. And the reason that I can do this in a steady way is because of what I've learned. So let me share that with you. Let me share why my life didn't collapse. Let me share why I'm excited about a not entirely known future. Like, that came through a lot of work, a lot of therapy, a lot of figuring out who I am and what my identity is outside of my job. So when I lose a job, I don't. I don't lose myself because I've done a lot of work to figure out who Zuri hall is when she's not on air. And so being transparent with the plot twist series is just something that I wanted to share in case it helped anybody else who's also like, what am I doing with my life? This is not what I saw for myself. This is not what I expected. I did everything right. And still. And the feedback's been great. So I'm gonna just keep telling my business in small doses, what's something you
Charlamagne Tha God
had to unlearn to grow in this business?
Zuri Hall
Something I had to unlearn. Oh, that's a good one, Char. Something that I had to unlearn in this business was, yeah, that opportunity sometimes and success and. Or lack thereof is not directly tied to my worth, truly. Because as someone who growing up, my career, my ambitions, my accomplishments was my identity when I was passed over for something, when it was, okay, maybe next time, but not Now I really. I used to take it personally sometimes, just in. In small moments. And I've realized there's such a political game to. To a lot of this, you know, and so often the reason that it's someone else versus you has nothing to do with you. And there's also something beautiful about being able to say that is for them. Like, what is for them is for them. What's for me is for me. And. And I'm not going to tell myself a lie about who I am or what I deserve just because someone else in this moment thought that that wasn't who I was or what I deserved. And so, yeah, just embracing my worth outside of my job and who decided that I deserved an opportunity. Yeah, I just had to unlearn my worthiness, being attached to my output, my creation, my. My achievement.
Charlamagne Tha God
Dope.
Lorna Rose
Can I. We've got time for one more.
DJ Envy
Okay.
Lorna Rose
I just want to ask, what point in your career did that come in to, like, did that set really set in like. Like you actually live that every day?
Zuri Hall
I would say E. E. When I was at E. News every day, right. Like I Access Hollywood in the day to day now. But I would say halfway through the. The original E. News experience all those years ago, I had to figure out how to unlearn that for my sanity, for. For my mental, like, wellness, because it was. There was a really rough patch, you know, where I think I was asked. A lot of folks were being asked is an entirely different regime. And I've talked about this publicly before. They're not there anymore. And they were lovely and great, but, you know, sometimes the tides turned. It's like, okay, this is the trend now, or this is what we expect now. This is what we want.
DJ Envy
And.
Zuri Hall
And I wasn't willing to meet that moment in a way that felt out of my integrity, just how I report, how I host, how I show up, not saying there was anything wrong with it. It just wasn't how I wanted to show up on air. And so I was not on air as much, you know, and so to be willing to sit with that and sit in that silence and sit with the work that I was doing, it was a whole lot of therapy going on at that point, because I have much else to do. I think that's when I first just really like started to live that. And it's been about four or five years of really living in that truth. And it's still a journey. Don't get me wrong. I have not. I do not have it all figured out. And I Still have moments of, like, second guessing myself, or am I doing this right? Or could I be doing something differently? But overwhelmingly, I think the more I've built up the other pillars of my life, my family, my friends, my community, hobbies, I'm riding horses for the heck of it. Like, there's just such a full life that has nothing to do with my career. And I think, ironically, the moment that I kind of released the need to have this all work out one way, the opportunity started flowing more. It's like, you can't chase. It will run whatever it is. It could be a man, it could be a job. Like, you cannot be in constant pursuit because energetically, you're saying, I don't have this thing. I'm trying to get this thing. But when I stay grounded and planted, and it's like, I am here, I am enough, and these things come to me, I know it sounds woo, woo, but the minute I just fell back, even when it was because I was just too tired to chase anymore, it came. It's like, oh, well, if you're just gonna sit there calmly and, like, open up to what will be, let me just go ahead and slowly, you know, work my way to you with this opportunity. And that's when I knew that things were supposed to be there, because sometimes I was chasing things that weren't supposed to be mine that would have ended up being more of a curse than a blessing.
Charlamagne Tha God
What was his name?
Zuri Hall
We got a few of those, which. Why you want to.
DJ Envy
Well, Zuri, we appreciate you for joining us this morning.
Charlamagne Tha God
No, I love Zuri. I don't think I've seen the growth from the beginning. So it's just whenever I see Zuri on these red carpets, I'm like, that is so dope. Cause I remember, you know, 10 years ago when they did not know what to do with Zuri hall at mtv, and she was just, you know, up there every day, you know, and I'm just like, yeah, she's just doing what she should be doing.
Zuri Hall
Absolutely. Thank you, thank you, thank you for
DJ Envy
joining us this morning.
Zuri Hall
Thank you for having me, y'.
Dr. Maya Shankar
All.
Zuri Hall
I appreciate it.
DJ Envy
And, you know, like I said, I'm gonna put you in touch. Like, if you need an intern for next year's red carpet, somebody carry your bag.
Lorna Rose
He's really good at carrying things. He used to do it for DJ Clue.
Zuri Hall
Really?
DJ Envy
That was a good stab.
Zuri Hall
That was a good stab.
DJ Envy
I like that. That was crazy.
Lorna Rose
Go ahead.
Zuri Hall
Every day I wake up, wake your ass up.
Podcast Host
This is an I heart podcast. Guaranteed human.
Air Date: May 5, 2026
Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God, Lorna Rose
Guest: Zuri Hall
This episode features television host and journalist Zuri Hall, fresh off her 2026 Met Gala coverage for E! News. Zuri discusses behind-the-scenes moments from the red carpet, her experiences navigating the evolving media landscape, building trust with celebrities, embracing vulnerability, handling career transitions, and the importance of self-worth beyond professional achievements. The tone is candid, empowering, and sprinkled with humor and camaraderie from the hosts.
Beauty is Pain: Zuri humorously shares her experience with “corseted” fashion and high-necked jewelry at the Met Gala.
“It was corseted. I’ve got the scars to prove. The necklace was so high. It’s painful. But beauty is pain.” — Zuri Hall, [02:27]
Glam Squads and Last-Minute Fashion: Preparation begins early (glam team at 8:30am) but fashion details often get finalized at the last minute.
“You’d be surprised how last minute the glam is for us... My dress, this was the longest out I’d ever prepped. I think a week and a half, two weeks out. But sometimes I’ve had gowns that are getting the final touches, like the day before.” — Zuri Hall, [02:44]
Fashion Details from the Field: Zuri describes doing interviews on the carpet while studio teams handle breaking news on designers, leaving her to learn final outfit details alongside the viewers.
“So unless someone comes up to me and says, ‘I’m with Michael Kors and I’m wearing Michael Kors,’ I’m finding out... like the rest of y’all, right after.” — Zuri Hall, [07:13]
Clip Economy and Caution: Celebrities are more guarded in interviews due to the viral nature of out-of-context soundbites.
“We live in a clip economy at this point... I think people have become more cautious, they’ve become more savvy.” — Zuri Hall, [03:44]
Trust Building: Over time, Zuri has earned trust with celebrities, resulting in candid interviews—like a rare stop by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson at the Met.
“I take pride in people coming to me... they’re gonna be fair, but I’m not gonna, you know, pull a gotcha or anything like that.” — Zuri Hall, [05:08]
Favorite Looks: She shouts out Rihanna and A$AP Rocky for always being “cohesive” and trailblazing, Damson Idris for his stylish minimalism, and Beyoncé’s dazzling diamond ensemble.
“Rihanna and A$AP... are always doing their own thing and yet somehow feel very cohesive.” — Zuri Hall, [05:41]
“Blue Ivy was a vibe... she’s got such a presence, and you can tell... her star power that she oozes is so effortless.” — Zuri Hall, [06:16]
Working With Limited Information: Zuri reflects on the actuality of her job, often improvising and focusing on in-the-moment feelings and presence over exhaustive outfit details.
Being Underappreciated and Making Moves: Zuri reflects on feeling underutilized at MTV, how opportunity can trail ability and readiness, and the importance of perseverance.
“Put me in, Coach. I know what I can do if I’m just given the right opportunities... I felt underestimated.” — Zuri Hall, [08:08]
Support and Confidence Building: Charlamagne recalls seeing Zuri’s talent early on, lamenting the network’s failure to fully harness it.
“I never understood why MTV just didn’t use you...” — Charlamagne, [09:25]
Dealing with Rejection: Tenacity as a defining trait—Zuri credits her father with instilling an unshakeable belief in herself.
“My dad is always, like, ‘You can do whatever you want.’ ...No is something I never took personally. I’m like, oh, they just don’t know me yet. They don’t see me yet.” — Zuri Hall, [10:04]
Industry Shifts: Zuri discusses the bittersweet cancellation of Access Hollywood after a 30-year run, blaming broader shifts in media syndication.
“It’s the end of an era... So that’s affecting all of the shows that traditionally have relied on syndication... But I am also excited about what’s next for me.” — Zuri Hall, [11:14],[14:19]
Owning Her Narrative: She’s embracing the transition by focusing on independent projects and new media—her own show “Not About Sports,” American Ninja Warrior, and red-carpet hosting.
Intellectual Property and Ownership: Zuri expresses excitement at having more time to create her own opportunities and content.
Being Seen vs. Being Known: Zuri discloses how she’s learning to show her authentic self, not just her accomplishments, through her “Plot Twist” series.
“I got so comfortable being seen without really being seen... The older I get, the more comfortable and confident I get with who I am...” — Zuri Hall, [15:28]
Representation and Connection: She discusses the importance of being open about industry instability—especially for Black women—so others don’t feel alone or like failures, and to normalize transition.
“As I see the comments and I talk with my followers, I was like, this is honestly a blessing in disguise, because if I’m willing to be vulnerable about my show going away... in real time... let me share why I’m excited about a not entirely known future.” — Zuri Hall, [15:28]
Detaching Self-Worth from Achievement: Zuri shares her biggest lesson: learning her value is not tied to career milestones.
“Something that I had to unlearn in this business was... success or lack thereof is not directly tied to my worth, truly.” — Zuri Hall, [17:41]
Letting Go To Let In: With growth, Zuri describes opportunities coming more easily when she stopped “chasing” and simply trusted in her inherent value.
“The moment that I kind of released the need to have this all work out one way, the opportunity started flowing more... You can’t chase. It will run, whatever it is...” — Zuri Hall, [20:08]
On building trust in media:
“You start to build the trust, right, where I take pride in people coming to me... they’re gonna be fair, but I’m not gonna pull a gotcha...” — Zuri Hall, [05:08]
On embracing vulnerability:
“Let me share why my life didn’t collapse... why I’m excited about a not entirely known future. That came through a lot of work, a lot of therapy, a lot of figuring out who I am and what my identity is outside of my job.” — Zuri Hall, [15:28]
On resilience and detachment from outcomes:
“It’s just embracing my worth outside of my job and who decided that I deserved an opportunity.” — Zuri Hall, [17:41]
Charlamagne Highlights Zuri’s Journey:
“I love Zuri. I don’t think I’ve seen the growth from the beginning. So it’s just whenever I see Zuri on these red carpets, I’m like, that is so dope. Cause I remember, you know, 10 years ago when they did not know what to do with Zuri hall at MTV...” — Charlamagne Tha God, [22:10]
DJ Envy and Lorna Joke About Carrying Bags:
“If you need an intern for next year’s red carpet, somebody carry your bag…” — DJ Envy, [22:34] “He’s really good at carrying things. He used to do it for DJ Clue.” — Lorna Rose, [22:42]
Zuri Hall’s conversation offers a transparent look at life behind the red carpet, the challenges of a public career, and her evolution towards embracing both professional resilience and personal authenticity. Listeners get actionable advice on self-worth, adapting to change, and creating meaningful work outside traditional structures. The episode is an honest, inspiring glimpse into the ever-evolving world of media, celebrity, and self-discovery.
For more, listen to the full interview with Zuri Hall on The Breakfast Club, aired May 5, 2026.