Podcast Summary: The Breakfast Club – Keke Palmer’s New Series “Southern Fried Rice” Faces Cultural Appropriation Backlash

Date: October 24, 2025
Host Featured: Lauren LaRosa (with mention of DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, and Charlamagne Tha God)
Main Topic: Keke Palmer’s new Key TV series “Southern Fried Rice” receives social media backlash and accusations of cultural appropriation for its premise, centering an Asian lead character at a historically Black college/university (HBCU).

Episode Overview

In this episode, Lauren LaRosa dives deeply into the social media controversy surrounding “Southern Fried Rice,” a new series from Keke Palmer’s digital network, Key TV. The show, executive produced by Nakia Stephens, is criticized by parts of the Black community for alleged cultural appropriation and centering a non-Black perspective in the HBCU experience. Lauren breaks down the criticisms, key responses from the creators, and her nuanced personal reaction, all while capturing the energy and complexity of the conversation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Series Background & Criticism ([02:22]–[09:18])

• “Southern Fried Rice” Premise:
  The show follows a Korean American woman adopted by a Southern Black family who decides to attend a fictional HBCU. The series aims to explore themes of identity, belonging, and cultural navigation.
• Immediate Backlash:
  “I have seen... all of the backlash about the series itself. And granted, I knew Keke Palmer had Key TV... But y' all know the algorithm don’t be algorithming sometimes, so you might not see every post and everything. So I hadn’t heard of this series. I just knew she was, you know, doing stuff over there...” — Lauren LaRosa [02:40]
• Timing Sensitivity:
  The show’s release during HBCU homecoming season (October) makes the topic even more sensitive for Black alumni and students.
  “They chose a hell of a month to drop a series about a HBCU that was going to get dragged because it’s homecoming season.” — Lauren LaRosa [05:40]

2. Creator Credibility & Black Storytellers ([03:40]–[07:00])

• Nakia Stephens’ Background:
  Lauren gives a summary of Nakia Stephens’ history in digital Black storytelling, mentioning her company “Damn Right Originals” and past work supporting Black narratives.
• Significance of Black-Led Production:
  “Black creatives don’t get, you know, the ample opportunities, especially not in a Hollywood, you know, movie making, TV show making series making space. It just doesn’t happen because they ain’t telling that many of our stories. So I thought it was dope.” — Lauren LaRosa [04:35]

3. Social Media Responses & Community Concerns ([09:47]–[13:46])

• Highlights from IG Comments:
  • “...in this current climate where they’re snatching funding and literally trying to erase our schools... we have a responsibility to amplify our own stories... and we’re centering that perspective on an Asian girl rocking bamboo earrings? Is this not a bit tone deaf, Kiki?”
  • “Even if she grew up in black culture, why not further explore her Asian culture?”
  • “I think this project seems dope. Regardless of what people may say. ...You have a lot of people growing up outside of whatever culture they’re originally from constantly feeling judged and misunderstood... I can’t wait to watch.”
• Lauren’s Observation:
  Comments were “in shambles,” with sharp divisions but also some measured perspectives.

4. Keke Palmer’s Response ([13:46]–[15:12])

• Keke Palmer posts a video acknowledging the controversy and defending the creative team and the importance of supporting Black storytellers:

  “While I can’t speak to [Nakia’s] inspiration for the show, I can speak to her dedication as a creator... Look, what you like is subjective, but the support of Black creatives is not. And it’s a task that Key TV takes on with pride.” — Keke Palmer [14:40]

• Emphasizes the value of Black creators experimenting and growing, urging audiences to give new perspectives a chance.

5. Nakia Stephens’ Reflections ([20:20]–[22:28])

• Nakia Stephens directly addresses the criticism and provides context for the show’s inspiration:

  “For those of you who’ve been following me... Southern Fried Rice is 10+ years in the making... It was inspired by my own and my friends’ HBCU experiences as students at Savannah State University, the first public HBCU in Georgia... I saw how hard and challenging and fun and beautiful it was for [non-Black students] to navigate a historically Black space... My ultimate goal was to spark conversation around culture, around belonging and around identity.” — Nakia Stephens [20:40]

• She highlights the predominantly Black, HBCU-alumni creative team, expressing pride in the work and gratitude for Key TV’s support.

6. Lauren’s Personal Reflection and Broader Context ([22:28]–[29:38])

• Lauren acknowledges the sensitivity of cultural gatekeeping around HBCUs, sharing her own experience as a Delaware State University alum.

  “My experience is not another HBCU student’s experience. But I think we all can understand. That’s why as alumni, we go so hard for our schools. That sacred. I want to protect just keeping certain things in that experience...” — Lauren LaRosa [25:22]

• She describes the duality and “code-switching” pressure Black people face in majority-white spaces, and the reprieve that HBCUs uniquely offer.
• Lauren recognizes why people are upset but cautions against pre-judging the series without watching it, calling for nuance and understanding of artistic intention versus reception:

  “If people just don’t give it the chance because of that first initial hit... you just don’t get the fair shot for it to be conveyed. So I’m going to watch the full series and I’ll come back here and do a full breakdown.” — Lauren LaRosa [23:30]

7. Takeaways and Appeals to Creators and Audience ([29:00]–[End])

• Lauren urges critics and supporters alike to actually watch the series before final judgment.
• “If you’re going to critique something, you need to know exactly what you’re critiquing and why... For some people, HBCUs is the only space they’ve ever experienced that was okay for them to be them. So it’s very sensitive to us. You know what I mean? So I get it.” — Lauren LaRosa [29:45]
• Emphasizes the importance of storytelling aligning with intention when addressing sensitive topics.
• Announces plans to review the series in depth and invites both creators on to continue the conversation.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On HBCU Culture Sensitivity:
  “They made sure that the HBCU was fictional, which is why it’s important to have Black creatives telling Black stories. Because, yeah, that’s important.” — Lauren LaRosa [07:07]

• On Series Premise:
  “Black culture is the only culture I know. Okay?” — Coco (Main character, from show trailer as replayed by Lauren) [09:47]

• On Creative Support:
  “Whether you like it all or some or none, I say give these creatives a chance to grow as we continue to grow in supporting them.” — Keke Palmer [15:04]

• On Art and Intention:
  “I think art is subjective and I think we also have not even watched the full series to really be able to critique it and call it some of the things that it’s being called.” — Lauren LaRosa [22:53]

• On Emotional Connection to HBCUs:
  “It’s a feeling that I can’t really explain. Anybody who’s went to an HBCU, you understand exactly what I’m saying... That feeling of never having to feel that exhaustion, even though they’re going to be the majority versus the minority, it’s just going to be different.” — Lauren LaRosa [25:24-25:49]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Series Introduction & Backlash Context: [02:22]–[09:18]
• Trailer Reaction & Social Comments: [09:18]–[13:46]
• Keke Palmer’s Response: [13:46]–[15:12]
• Nakia Stephens’ Statement: [20:20]–[22:28]
• Lauren’s Personal HBCU Reflection: [24:00]–[29:38]

Conclusion

This episode of The Breakfast Club offers a thoughtful breakdown of the controversy around “Southern Fried Rice”—balancing criticism, creator intent, and personal reflection. Lauren LaRosa encourages a nuanced approach to judging new stories in Black spaces, promotes genuine support for Black creatives, and promises to continue the discussion with more perspective after viewing the series.

Join the conversation: Lauren LaRosa invites listeners to share their thoughts on social media: @LaurenLaRosa EVERYWHERE!