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The Breakfast Club
Its All About Balance (Hoda Kotb's decision to leave the Today Show/Smokey Robinson's legal battle
00:18:35
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A
This is an I heart podcast. I'm the homegirl that knows a little bit about everything and everybody exclusive. No, she don't lie about that.
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Right? Lauren came in hot.
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Hey, y' all, it's Lauren LaRosa. And this is the latest with Lauren LaRosa. Y' all know this is the daily dig on all things pop culture, entertainment news, exclusive, and breaking news, but more importantly, the conversations that shake the room. Baby, we gonna get on into them all the time. I'm Lauren LaRosa. I'm your host. Thank you guys for joining me for another episode. If this is your first episode, don't go anywhere. Please make sure you become a lowrider, which is our podcast community, and stick right here with me for everything breaking, everything trending. Now on the podcast, you guys know when we open it up, we do the behind the scenes of the grind, which is a check in back on the grinding. Because I say it all the time. When you move in, when you shake in, a lot of times, you don't take the time to just make sure you're good. People don't ask you, are you okay? Because you always appear to be okay. And I am one of those people when people say, check on your strong friend, I am the strong friend. So, friends, lowriders, thank y' all for being here with me and checking in on me during this behind the scenes of the grind. Check in. And today, I am feeling unsure a bit, if I'm being honest. And I'm not unsure about, you know, like, life and career and like, all the things I think right now my. My unsureness or, like, my uncertainty. Unsure. I don't even know if that's a word y' all know. I'll be making up words. My uncertainty comes from, you know, being at a point in life, career, and all these things where I'm experiencing things for the first time in first generation college student, HBCU graduate. So walking into a dark room and having to find a light switch, I am very familiar with. But I think when you're doing it in career, when you're doing it in love, when you're doing it in relationship, whether that's, you know, a platonic friendship or like, you're, you know, a person you're trying to be with. All the things right now in my life, I'm experiencing things and people at heights and in volumes that I've never done it before. So right now, I'm blessed that I have people around me who've already been here, done this, and are and are operating at such a high level that can guide me, that can give me, you know, education, that can pull me up, that can call me out, that can remind me of responsibility, that can remind me to stay sharp, that can remind me to, you know, all of the things because it's needed. And the feeling of uncertainty that I'm referencing, I'm not upset about. It ain't making me nervous. I'm not. You know what I mean? It's more of, like, if I'm being honest, this is a. This is a new space for me. You know, These are new levels. These are new things that are happening. And I'm always one to say I want to make sure I'm doing it right, because I might not get a second chance at it. I don't have the shot. You know, that a lot of women who don't look like me as a black woman, when I get on a platform, when I'm. Whether I'm having a good time or I'm being that, like, serious, you know, person bringing you the story and the facts and the details, I take everything really serious and really personal because I might not get to do it again. I gotta work three times as hard. Honestly, I say six. And I also have to do it all while showing up effortlessly. And now I'm beginning to learn to deal with the critiques and the criticisms and. And I take it all in stride because for me, I look at those things as metrics of, like, okay, you know, if I'm Lauren talking with her marketing degree, these are ways to kind of look at your performance, look at how people are perceiving you, look at how your audience, you know, digest you and breaks you down to better and be sharper. Um, so I'm grateful to even have that understanding and that way of thinking about it. But it's. It's here. That is the feeling. That is where I'm at right now. Um, I don't know how you guys are feeling today and in this time, but, you know, always feel free to share with me. I'm Auren LaRosa everywhere, including Twitter and Instagram. But let's get on into the latest right now, because one thing I'm sure about is there is always a lot going on. Now. When I saw this story that we're about to get into, it really touched me because I talk about it a lot on all of my platforms. Having to take a leave of work to help my mother get through a stage four cancer battle. And you know what, the pressure and the anxiety and the uncertainty of that actually felt like in being on a platform and feeling like, hey, I might not get another shot at this again at the time. But Hoda, from the Today show actually back in January, decided to leave the Today Show. Now the Today show and, you know, Hoda's career, a very coveted spot. She had built her way into a very coveted position and all of the things, right? Very successful and very accomplished. But for a lot of people, you don't get to that place in your life and be like, you know what? I'm going to just exit and remove myself from this show, from this platform, from this daily grind, from this daily hustle. Uh, normally it's like networks will say, hey, we're going a different direction or your show is canceled, or things of that nature. But to voluntarily do it and not announce something else bigger, another show, another job, another something makes people wonder. Um, so hold it actually sat down with People magazine and they published this article on her where she actually went into more detail about why she decided to step away from the Today show and hold it revealed that her daughter Hope, who was 6 years old, was actually diagnosed with type 1 diabetes back in 2023. And because of that, Hoda says, I really wanted to and needed to be here to watch over her. So she stepped away from the Today show and decided to do other things with her life and her career so that she could do that. Now, I think anybody who hears that line alone of what I just said, instantly, you don't need any other further explanation. You understand as a parent, you understand as a person, you just understand whether you're not a parent. I'm not a parent, but I get it. Anyone who has ever dealt with a loved one who is experiencing something as traumatic as, you know, an illness that can grow to be terminal if not managed well, and all those things, you 100%, 200% get it. But even if not, you understand now. When Holden decided that she was going to take a step away, they. They had this huge episode for her, and everybody that, like, she had worked with, she had known, she had loved, decided to come on the show and just give her her flowers and make her feel good. Upon her departure, there was like a parade of people. Maria Shiver, Simone Biles, Andy Cohen, Kathie Lee Gifford, Jimmy Fallon. All of these people showed up to say goodbye to Hoda. And it was. It was a very emotional episod. Her co host, Jenna Bush Hagar, burst into tears as they did this huge glass of champagne toast to hold upon her exit. Her daughters, Haley who was 8 years old, and Hope, who was 6, which is her daughter, who was actually diagnosed with the type 1 diabetes, also joined them on set as well. It was a beautiful moment. It was very emotional because she's been a part of this show and a part of this brand for so long. But watching that back now, understanding and knowing everything that we know now, it definitely makes you think a lot about, you know, as a woman or as a parent or as a person learning how to or figuring out when it's time to balance life more over career. And I think I'm always struggling with that because of, you know, just being a caregiver for my mother and my grandmother and the things that I talk about a lot here on the podcast and on my YouTube channel. Lauren Therosa TV but hearing her story, I'm like, man, all of these months and all of this time, and it's no one's job to have to tell us why, especially when it comes to something like this, you know, illness or, you know, anything medically that you have to, you know, now watch and keep up with. But you just never know what people are going through. You just never know what people are going through. You never know what they're experiencing. It doesn't matter at what point in their career, how high they're operating or anything. Since then. It's been five months since Hoda walked away from the Today show. And in that time she's been doing a bunch of new stuff. She created like a whole life for herself, a new life for herself. And she's actually had, of course, more time to spend with her daughters and be able to, you know, plan for their future and, like, figure out, you know, best healthcare for her daughter. But she's also launched a wellness company. It's called Joy101. And that wellness company comes with an app. And within that app, you know, of course, they're giving you information and education and resources. But she also is going to couple that with live events. There's a subscription newsletter that will center like all around joy and mindfulness meditation and wellness and things that really can impact your self care and your healthcare as well. But I think the biggest thing that I took from this article there was a quote from Hoda where she talked about the small things now that fill her day. And I think when you're a person who lives such a big life in front of the world, a lot of times you don't get a chance to enjoy the small things. And if you're enjoying the small things, you don't feel the impact of that joy at all. It's so different when you don't have the noise and the hustle and bustle of having to be here and do this and prepare for this and do that. And she's getting to feel that now at age 60. And I'm really happy for her, number one, because of course she gets to prioritize her daughter's health. But number two, I think being able to enjoy those small things after not being able to, it gives you just this refreshing and replenishing look on life and on career and on, you know, your priorities and where you put them that I think every person honestly deserves to experience. Hopefully it doesn't come from, you know, finding out that, you know, a loved one is, is ill or is battling, you know, something with that can potentially impact their life if not managed well. But it is a good thing to be able to have something just remind you to kind of like sit and smell the roses, right? So Hoda says it's really cool to just realize that there's so much more to life. I wasn't able to bear witness to my kids daily lives because of what I was doing. I got to see Helly sing what a Wonderful World at 9:50am I would have missed that. I used to have to. I used to think life was the big things, but it's really all about the stuff that happens in between. I can't tell you guys enough how I feel like my life, my decision making, my prioritization was altered by being able to take the time off of work. I took almost, I would say, like four to six months off of my job when I was at TMZ to just solely figure out what was about to happen with my mom. And it was really scary. It was really dark. People don't understand what you're dealing with. And it's something sometimes that you can't really talk to people about because they don't really get it. So sending some love and some prayers and some comfort and hugs and all of the things to Hoda and her family, you can't do that enough. Being a person in that position. Regardless of, you know, how she's been able to turn things around for herself and find new spaces in career, in life and be experience the beauty of experiencing these new moments, it's still a very different place for her and her family and her baby girls. So sending them some love now. In other news here on the latest Motown legend Smokey Robinson. So there was this lawsuit that had dropped, accusing the singer of sexual assault. Now, moving forward, Smokey Robinson has decided to fight back. He's filed a $500 million defamation lawsuit against the four former housekeepers who accused him, accused the singer of the sexual assault. Now, this case was actually filed by Smokey Robinson and his wife Frances this week in California, and it accused these housekeepers of fabricating the sexual assault allegations as in a part of an extortion lawsuit. Smokey Robinson says that the alleged victims who filed their case anonymously went on family holidays with a couple, went on family holidays with Smokey Robinson, and their family celebrated holidays together and all of the things. Now, Smokey Robinson, who is also under criminal investigation now in Los Angeles over the accusations of sexual assault, of sexual assault, has denied all these allegations from the jump. Even when I reported this on the Breakfast Club, they made it very clear that he had denied these allegations and that they felt and believed and alleged that this was just a shakedown for money. Now, Smokey Robinson's attorney says that, like I said, the allegations were a money thing. Now, Smokey Robinson's attorneys also filed a motion to dismiss the woman's lawsuit, the original lawsuit against him, arguing that they should have not been granted the ability to remain anonymous. And that's been a conversation around a lot of these recent, you know, sexual assault, sexual harassment, these various lawsuits. When it comes to these big names is knowing that, you know, these big names are involved and knowing that it will pick up in headlines and whether this person is found guilty or not, whether the charges are dismissed or not, these people who are names face very serious consequences in the midst of all of that, because of public perception, because of brands wanting to back away even before these things are settled. And when I say settled, I don't mean like a settlement paid out, but I mean like whether a judge rules guilty or not. And sometimes even if there are settlements behind the scenes or not, because brands don't like mess. So there's been a big conversation around, like, should that be allowed? Because, you know, on one end, you have these names who they're facing the consequences in real time. But then you have the accusers who are granted this level of protection because they're able to remain anonymous and file as Jane Do's or John Doe's and things of that nature. Now, the lawsuit that Smokey Robinson filed says that the Robinsons did not abuse, harm, or take advantage of the plaintiffs. They treated the plaintiffs with the utmost kindness and generosity. Now, to give you guys some background information on the original lawsuit that was filed, the Women filed this lawsuit in LA Superior Court earlier in May of this year under the pseudonyms of Jane doe, Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2, Jane Doe 3 and Jane Doe 4. It was a 27 page legal action, and they allege several different incidents that they say dated back all the way to 2006, which accused Smokey Robinson of pressuring them into sex. All four women who are Hispanic say that they had not come forward until now because they feared losing their livelihoods. You know, they didn't want any retaliation against their family and they were afraid that they would be embarrassed. Now, some were embarrassed or not embarrassed. Some of these women also said that they were afraid that if they came up with the allegations, their immigration status could be affected because this is their place of employment. Now, the women themselves are seeking $50 million in damages and they want a jury trial. Now, the LA County Sheriff's Department opened an investigation, a criminal investigation into this after this lawsuit was filed, which Smokey Robinson said at the time that he welcomed, because he's like, yo, the more exposure to this, the more exposure to the truth. That's powerful. So bring it. Let's do it. And if you guys remember when this happened with Jay Z, when there was that woman who accused Jay Z and Diddy of sexually abusing her after the BMAs some years ago, back in the early 2000s, Jay Z said the same thing. He said, let's not even talk civil. Bring a criminal case. Let's really look on the inside of this. Because the more exposure, the better. Because Jay Z then was standing on, hey, I didn't do this, and y' all not about to play with me like I did. Smokey Robinson is taking the same stance now. Mr. Robinson. Smokey Robinson. I don't even have to. I shouldn't have to remind you guys, but, you know, he was Motown's first hit maker. He wrote, you know, number one records like Mary Wells, My Guy and the Temptations, My Girl and Powerhouse in all of this. So, of course he's fighting back to preserve his legacy, to preserve his career. You know, he has family and his wife that was also named in the woman's original lawsuit that he's also trying to protect. And, you know, accusers have the right to say what they believe happened to them and, you know, try and bring, you know, what they believe should be proper action or consequence if, you know, they did go through these things. But he's. Smokey Robinson is fighting back. And I think that it's fair that both sides are able to speak on Their own behalfs defend themselves. Question for you guys though, do you think it's fair in these circumstances or not even, you know, just with big names like a Smokey Robinson or a Jay Z, who also said that same conversation of like, yo, this whole Jane Doe thing is unfair because I'm facing consequences in real time. So should this person. And not even consequences, but the same public scrutiny I'm having to endure. It should be a fair even ground of like, if we gonna do this, we gonna do it. Do you guys think it's fair that Jane Doe John Doe can be a thing in these type of lawsuits? And I do understand, and I've said this on air, even when we cover these things on a breakfast club, that a lot of times, you know, if you are a victim of sexual abuse or harassment and these different things, the retaliation from, you know, fans of these big major names and, you know, things that the celebrities themselves might not send your way, but just because of the fandom around them, it might be triggering for victims. It might be too much for victims who are not, who are not. These names, they are regular people to handle. So I know that the, the ability to do the pseudonyms leans into that. But we've seen a lot of these cases be dropped. A lot of these cases kind of tumble and come out to be faulty and not thoroughly investigated before the claims are brought. So it's creating a new conversation. I would love to have it with you guys. So please tag me on social and let me know what you think. Jane Doe John Doe, Is that still a thing? Should that still be a thing? Especially in these very high, you know, volume, highly platformed cases when you're talking about a man like a Smokey Robinson. So tweet me. Let's have the conversation. I'm Lauren LaRosa. This is the latest with Lauren LaRosa. And at the end of the day, man, there's always so much to talk about. I tell you guys this every episode on Low Riders, every single time you guys are here and talking about it with me. I appreciate you. I'll see you guys in my next episode.
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This is an iHeart podcast.