The Breakfast Club BEST OF – The Casey Crew, Jess and Rome Interview

Podcast: The Breakfast Club (iHeartPodcasts)
Date: December 25, 2025
Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God
Main Guests: The Cast of Good Times, The Casey Crew (DJ Envy & Gia Casey), Jess and Rome

Episode Overview

This "Best Of" Breakfast Club episode celebrates family, co-parenting, and the evolution of relationships. The hosts revisit standout interviews with the cast of Good Times (marking 50 years since the show’s debut), The Casey Crew (DJ Envy and Gia Casey reflecting on marriage and parenting), and a candid, often hilarious conversation with Jess Hilarious and her co-parent Rome. Throughout, the hosts and guests explore the joys, challenges, and complexities of family life, parenting, and maintaining healthy relationships—whether married, separated, or co-parenting.

Key Segments & Insights

1. [07:00] Open Lines: "Get It Off Your Chest"

Audience members call in to vent, joke, and discuss relationships, with plenty of classic Breakfast Club banter:

• Callers riff about the show's recurring innuendos and request a segment be renamed from "Get it off your chest" to "Get it off your mind" ([06:11]).
• Relationship woes and side-partner drama dominate the calls, with the hosts giving tough-love advice.
  • Charlamagne: "You need to go find that somebody, because it’s not going to be with him." ([08:09])
• Humor, shade, and a few wild detours abound as listeners and hosts riff off one another.

2. [13:25] The Cast of Good Times: 50 Years On

Guests: Ralph Carter, Bernadette Stanis, Jimmie Walker

The iconic cast reflects on the show’s origins and its cultural legacy:

• How They Landed the Roles:
  • Bernadette Stanis recalls being discovered at a beauty pageant.
  • Ralph Carter talks about his Broadway roots and being scouted by Norman Lear ([16:21]).
  • Jimmie Walker shares how skepticism led to his unlikely casting ([18:11]):

    "I'm just a hardcore standup. That's all I do... They told me there was a script. I said, this sucks!" — Jimmie Walker [18:34]

• Thoughts on the Netflix Animated Reboot:
  • Bernadette Stanis expresses disappointment, clarifying it’s not a true reboot.
  • Ralph Carter: "I was quite disappointed with the actors who took time to sign on to that project... I won't use the past tense with them right now, but I'm disappointed." ([23:21])
  • Both critique the portrayal of Black families in the animated series and lament missed opportunities for a reunion or thoughtful continuation.
• Theme Song Debates: The cast recalls how the theme ("Hanging in a chow line/jive-in") remains famously misunderstood, with multiple lyrical interpretations ([30:50]).

3. [32:20] The Casey Crew: Real Life, Real Family

Guests: DJ Envy (Rashaun Casey) and Gia Casey
Interviewers: Charlamagne Tha God, Jess Hilarious

The married duo discusses their new book, "Real Life, Real Family," and open up about family dynamics, parenting philosophies, and building healthy home environments.

Highlights:

• Origin of "The Casey Crew":

  • "One of us said, well, how about the Casey Crew? Our last name is Casey. We have a whole crew of kids... people said, yeah, we love that name." — Gia ([32:59])

• Addressing Trauma and Modern Parenting:

  • Gia on modern terminology: "The difference now is that we have words to identify how we feel... when it's articulated, then you're able to communicate... there's value there."
  • On reading social media comments:

    "The comments are food. And they also bring me happiness when they're good. It lets you know that you're reaching someone... I was raised to be a very strong and resilient woman." — Gia ([36:37])

  • The couple talks about debunking the myth that financial privilege removes all parental stresses.

• Different Parenting Styles:

  • Envy is the disciplinarian: “Because I said so.”
  • Gia prefers explaining decisions and building open communication.

    "I really prefer the explanation. My parents never said no just for the sake of saying no." — Gia ([41:43])

• Navigating Transparency with Kids:

  • The importance of honest discussions, even around uncomfortable topics like sex, as their children grow and become exposed to real-world situations.
  • Gia: "If I didn’t set them straight, they were going to be absorbing wrong ideas. So I told them sex feels good… but it’s meant for someone that you love." ([47:50])

• Mission Statement & Family Values:

  • The family operates by a shared ethos of unity, mutual respect, and accountability.
  • Envy: "We always have each other's backs. That's one thing we always do." ([51:42])
  • Gia: "When they leave our house, I want everyone they meet to know they're well loved." ([52:52])

• Lessons Learned:

  • Gia shares how over-explaining led to their son expecting explanations for everything, which required recalibrating boundaries ([49:34]).
  • Both stress giving children a foundation of love and communication but also establishing authority and structure.

4. [66:00] Donkey of the Day: Santa Claus & Chimneys

Host: Charlamagne Tha God

An irreverent, tongue-in-cheek segment about a man who got stuck in a chimney while evading arrest—compared to Santa Claus in the process.

"Whoever made up the story of Santa Claus was high as hell, ok? It's the only explanation." — Charlamagne ([64:03])

The riff opens to a broader debate about Santa’s plausibility and the myths people believe, sparking laughter and playful shade from the cohosts.

5. [68:00] The Jess & Rome Interview: Co-Parenting Masterclass

Guests: Jess Hilarious and Rome

A raw, witty, and openhearted conversation about evolving from young love, to family drama, to best-friend-level co-parents. This segment stands out for its candor, chemistry, and realness.

Key Discussion Points:

• How Their Relationship Began:
  • They reconnected as young adults over social media—specifically, a basketball emoji in Rome's DM.
  • Their first big date was at Six Flags. Jess admits, "She introduced me to a lot, actually. We both was the same age, but she helped make me become... a man." — Rome ([69:59])
• The Legendary “Window Incident”:
  • A wild retelling of a fight involving a broken car window, surprise walk-ins, and involvement of the police—with each giving their own take, contradicting (and teasing) each other to hilarious effect.
  • "I can literally walk past this man naked, and he wouldn't even—girl, what? It ain't like that." — Jess, on the platonic but close nature of their relationship ([76:29])
• Dealing with New Partners and Boundaries:
  • Rome admits he used to be controlling about who Jess brought around their son but grew to trust her decisions ([81:20]).
  • Jess: "I don't like when I… cause I even tell him when he doing wrong, too, like, yo, don't treat her like that. Do right or just be single… when you have kids, it's different." ([82:20])
• Generational Trauma and Growth:
  • Rome vulnerably discusses losing his mom, not learning how to love properly, and repeating negative patterns seen in his father.

    "Every relationship I've went into, I had an expiration date. I said, she gonna get what she gonna get, I'm get what I'm getting, I'm gone.… I've never gave a woman a chance to really love me." ([83:20])

  • He admits to having kids out of vulnerability after past breakups, not always making healthy decisions.
• Crucial Realization: The Shift to Friendship & Healthy Co-Parenting:
  • Rome: "When I stopped caring about who she dealt with... that’s when I knew it was over, feelings-wise."
  • They both acknowledge the importance of communication, accountability, and putting the child first.

    "A lot of people are scared to have uncomfortable conversations… We just put everything on the table. It’s about our son." — Jess ([94:04])

  • Rome publicly apologizes for past mistakes, breaking down the factors behind bad decisions and expressing gratitude to Jess for her support and forgiveness ([88:18]).
• Final Takeaways:
  • Sensitivity, tough talks, and grace are key for successful co-parenting.
  • Both agree their story can help others—and have plans to write a book about co-parenting.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Ralph Carter (Good Times):
  “We give respect to the spirit of Miss Esther Rose and Jeanne Dubois… These are wonderful people that helped us along the way.” ([16:21])

• Bernadette Stanis:
  “Our audience missed something… they want the completion of it. My thing about the animation was… it’s not it at all.” ([23:09])

• Gia Casey:
  “There’s value there [in calling things ‘trauma’] because now we can see each other. We understand each other.” ([35:38])

• DJ Envy (on parenting):
  “We always have each other’s backs. That’s one thing we always do.” ([51:42])

• Jess Hilarious (on co-parenting):
  “A lot of people be scared to hurt each other’s feelings. We just put everything on the table.… it’s about our son.” ([94:04])

• Rome (on vulnerability and growth):
  “I never really knew how to be alone. I feel like I gotta have somebody laying next to me… but I never gave a woman a chance to really love me.” ([83:20])

• Charlamagne (Donkey of the Day):
  “Whoever made up the story of Santa Claus was high as hell, ok? It’s the only explanation… And the fact we created this one size fits all story that doesn’t even make no damn sense…” ([64:03])

Conclusion

This roundup episode is a dynamic ode to family—whether by blood, choice, or circumstance. It artfully blends nostalgia (Good Times at 50), honest conversations about modern Black family life (The Casey Crew), and a no-holds-barred deep dive into the messiness and beauty of co-parenting (Jess and Rome). Expect laughter, advice (sometimes harsh, always real), and a strong undercurrent of resilience and love.

Must-listen for:

• Anyone navigating co-parenting, blended families, or relationship transitions
• Fans of Black pop culture and classic TV
• Listeners who appreciate raw honesty, humor, and heartfelt storytelling

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Audience Call-In/“Get It Off Your Chest”: [07:00–13:20]
• Good Times 50th Anniversary: [13:25–32:10]
• The Casey Crew (Parenting & Family): [32:20–53:34]
• Donkey of the Day (Santa/Chimney): [66:00–68:00]
• Jess & Rome (Co-Parenting Deep Dive): [68:00–94:15]

Original tone maintained: warm, candid, funny, and unapologetically real.