The People's Donkey

Summary

The Breakfast Club – "The People's Donkey"

Date: March 27, 2026
Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God
Network: The Black Effect Podcast Network / iHeartPodcasts

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Episode Overview

This episode of The Breakfast Club centers on the memorable “People’s Donkey” segment. Every Friday, listeners call in to nominate someone in their lives for the mischievous “Donkey of the Day”—a lighthearted platform for airing grievances, sharing stories, and calling out foolish behavior. Charlamagne Tha God banters with callers as they roast friends, coworkers, and even the show's own phone screener, all while weaving in conversations about personal growth, self-awareness, and providing a supportive community atmosphere.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. "People's Donkey": Airing Grievances and Community Banter (02:50–11:59)

• Format: Listeners nominate someone in their lives as the “donkey,” often for minor betrayals, annoyances, or classic moments of foolishness.
• Charlamagne’s Role: He mixes humor and empathy, steering conversations from lighthearted teasing to genuine support and advice.

Notable Callers and Stories

• Deontay’s Grievance with Eddie, the Call Screener

  • Complaint: Eddie “picks and chooses who to answer” and purportedly lets through “crazy people” while leaving others on hold or hanging up on them.
  • Memorable Moment:

    “So Eddie is the clown of the day.” – Deontay [04:09]
    “Damn, Eddie. Damn.” – Charlamagne Tha God [04:09]

    • Deontay jokingly claims Eddie has “gay ears” because of the calls he answers, a moment both playful and delicately handled on air.

• KC from KC (Kansas City) Nominations

  • Nomination for Charlamagne himself, poking fun at the show's own traditions. [04:38]
  • Raises a point about “Woman of the Month” segments feeling dismissive, leading to a discussion about representation and lessons learned from those segments.

    “I learned that. That women be struggling and stuff.” – Deontay [05:14]
    “She don't even do real women. She do fictional women from movies.” – Charlamagne Tha God [05:19]

• Deontay’s Social Commentary

  • Suggests that a PSA (Public Service Announcement) crisis could be fixed if everyone “quit,” referencing Martin Luther King’s boycotts for comparison.

    “Martin Luther King did it.” – Deontay [05:54]
    “I think it was a little more sophisticated than that, but…” – Charlamagne Tha God [06:06]

• Janelle’s Theatre Story

  • Incident at a Broadway show: Frustrated by a “Karen” who kept telling her to sit down and turn off her light while looking for a lost item.

    “I can't even enjoy the show anymore, so I want to go for the talking.” – Janelle [06:53]

  • The crew teases that losing something important (like medication) might justify the disruption.

• Alan from San Diego: Vulnerability & Growth

  • Alan, a Navy veteran originally from Brooklyn, opens up about struggling with trauma and projecting pain onto his family.

    “I say the most harshest things to push people away because I feel like I’m not worthy of love and stuff.” – Alan [09:22]

    • He thanks Charlamagne for inspiration, referencing Charlamagne’s books.
    • Alan highlights personal responsibility, guilt about parenting, and mental health struggles.
    • Charlamagne responds with empathy:

      “You’re gonna get through what you’re going through because you’re aware of what it is that you’re doing…and you’re actively trying to do something about it.” – Charlamagne Tha God [10:11]

    • Alan attempts to shout out his sister’s salon “Soul Brooklyn” and asks to “spit some bars,” but is gently redirected back into supportive conversation.
    • Quote:

      “Give yourself some grace, my brother, and you absolute.” – Charlamagne Tha God [10:27]

• Sense of Community

  • Several callers express deep appreciation for the show’s role in their lives, treating the hosts “like family.”
  • Listeners vulnerably share struggles with grief, mental health, and family, and the hosts strike a balance between comedy, compassion, and accountability.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Change via Boycotts:

  “Wouldn't everything change if everybody just effort and quit? Martin Luther King did it. I think it was a little more sophisticated than that, but…” – Charlamagne Tha God [06:06]

• On Being Heard on The Breakfast Club:

  “I've been calling for two years, and y'all finally picked up.” – Alan [09:50]

• On Self-Awareness and Growth:

  “You’re gonna get through what you’re going through because you’re aware of what it is that you’re doing to people, and you’re actively trying to do something about it. Some people lack that self awareness.” – Charlamagne Tha God [10:11]

• On Community and Support:

  “Well, we not celebrities. I'm your family brother.” – Charlamagne Tha God [08:26]

• Lighthearted Humor:

  “He got gay ears, so I’m sure that y’all probably—but listen, let me tell you something…” – Charlamagne Tha God [09:04]

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Key Timestamps

• [02:50] – "People's Donkey" segment kicks off with Deontay's call.
• [04:09] – Deontay calls out Eddie, the phone screener.
• [05:14] – KC discusses "Woman of the Month" segment.
• [06:53] – Janelle shares her “Karen” encounter at a show.
• [07:23] – Alan from San Diego opens up about grief, trauma, and parenting.
• [10:11] – Charlamagne provides advice and encouragement about mental health and self-awareness.
• [11:29] – Alan, hoping to rap, is gently steered away from rapping to keep the emotional tone intact.
• [11:59] – Episode wraps up the “People’s Donkey,” and Tim Shriver is announced as the upcoming guest.

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Episode Tone & Atmosphere

• The episode blends The Breakfast Club’s trademark comedic roasting with moments of vulnerability and real talk.
• Charlamagne acts as both instigator and mentor, imparting wisdom while maintaining the show’s irreverent, relatable vibe.
• Listeners engage as both fans and family, seeking validation, advice, and a chance to voice their gripes in a safe, entertaining space.

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Conclusion

"The People's Donkey" segment once again showcases The Breakfast Club's ability to mix humor, personal testimony, and cultural commentary. Friday’s episode is less about who wins the title and more about collective catharsis, laughter, and the healing power of sharing stories—anchored by Charlamagne’s unique mix of roasting and realness. Whether you tune in for the jokes, the life lessons, or the sense of community, this episode is a vivid cross-section of everyday truths, struggles, and triumphs among listeners and hosts alike.

Transcript

[Podcast Host]

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[Angela Yee]

Let me get this straight. You're in Italy child pretended to be the white Italian man's fiance.

[Podcast Host]

Hard to believe.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

This is Michael, my nephew. Then you ended up catching feelings for the black Italian Cousin Brothers. On April 10th she came for the pasta and got lost in the sauce. Please just tell me that you support me. Damn.

[Caller Deontay]

No.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Is he fine though? Come on baby. You can eat, pray and love me. Baby, you be in Tuscany B13 only Peterson April 10 may be inappropriate for

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[Caller Deontay]

Yep.

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[State Farm Commercial Voice]

It's your time to nominate a donkey of your own.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Remember now, that is how they choose. Watching now. 800-585-1051. Yeah, it's dark here. Today for Friday, March 27th, is the People's donkey. You know, every Friday, we allow you, the people, to call in and give somebody the credit they deserve for being stupid. So good morning. Who's this?

[Caller Alan]

Hey, what up?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Do what up, though. Who this?

[Caller Deontay]

Deontay.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Deontay. Who you want to get the biggest he haw to?

[Caller Deontay]

To the dude, Eddie, who be answering the phone. Why is that? Eddie put me on hold before I was trying to get my baby mama donkey today. Put me on hold for like 40 minutes, then hung up on me. Then when I was supposed to give my info to you, Charlemagne for my book tried to come out by me. You put me on hold. He answered the phone and was like, all right, what's your input?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Then I hung up on that sound like Eddie S. Yeah.

[Caller Deontay]

So today I caught up my other cell phone, and he answered, but he wasn't answering off my other phone the last couple times I called. So he got to get the dunk here today just for picking and choosing who he want to answer the question because it be some crazy people he'd be letting through the phone. And I called J for a real reason, and he just hung up on me for no reason. So Eddie is the clown of the day.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Damn, Eddie. Damn.

[Caller Alan]

Clowned out.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

And don't try to edit him either. Eddie, you need to hear this.

[Caller Deontay]

And he got gay years because he answered all the gay calls.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Damn. God damn. Eddie F from Philly. Philadelphia Eagles fan. Philadelphia 76ers fan.

[Caller Alan]

Damn.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

People know Eddie F. Boy, God damn, Eddie got gay ears. Good morning.

[Caller Deontay]

Who's this KZ man?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

KC KG from kc. Who you want to get a biggest

[Caller Deontay]

he haul to baby Charlamagne?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Oh, God. Come on, man. They got to be other people that y' all want to give donkey to other than I'm gonna go, I'm gonna start doing donkey myself on Friday if y' all can't do better, but go ahead.

[Caller Deontay]

My donkey is because, man, when Jeff doing the woman of the month and this and that, man, at the end, when she get done, y' all be making her feel real low, man. But y' all be going real quiet. Come on, man, let her make it.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Can I ask you a question?

[Commercial Announcer]

Thank you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What have you learned anything from the 1. Have you learned anything from the women of the day that she does?

[Caller Deontay]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What you learned? What you learned? What you learned?

[Caller Deontay]

I learned that. That women be struggling and stuff.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Hello. She don't even do real women. She do fictional women from movies.

[Commercial Announcer]

No, but I do fictional women from movies.

[Caller Deontay]

Thank you.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Thank you.

[Commercial Announcer]

Not real women, sir.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Not real women.

[Caller Deontay]

Hey, I got. I got a question. I got a question on. For real. Uhhuh. PSA stuff. Can't that get fixed if everybody just like and quit?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

No, it's actually going to make it worse, I would think, but no, you know what? You right though, cuz. Cuz the airlines would start complaining. They wouldn't be making no money. So you basically like a boycott is what you're saying.

[Caller Deontay]

Yeah. Yeah. Like that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Maybe.

[Caller Alan]

I'm just saying.

[Caller Deontay]

I just thought. I throw that up, cuz. Martin Luther King did it. Hey, hey, love y. Hey, love y.

[Commercial Announcer]

Like you said.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Hey, man, black people are the best, man. Hey, man, everybody. Wouldn't everything change if everybody just effort and quit? Martin Luther King did it. I think it was a little more sophisticated than that, but. Good morning. Who's this?

[Caller Janelle]

Good morning. This is Janelle, AKA Remix Curl. Hello, Breakfast Club Charlamagne.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Hey, Janelle.

[Commercial Announcer]

Good morning.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Who you want to get a biggest. He haw to Janelle?

[Caller Janelle]

I want to say I went to Growing show and this Karen woman, she told me to sit down. I just dropped like my. I dropped something. I stood up to look and I shined my light. She's like, excuse me, can you sit down? And then she kept telling me stuff to do. Like I took up my phone. She's like, excuse me, can you turn it off? I was like, okay, I can't even enjoy the show anymore, so I want to go for the talking.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Okay.

[Caller Janelle]

Yeah.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

All right. Well, thank you for calling. What she was calling from. I don't know where she was going

[Commercial Announcer]

from, but she said she went to a Broadway play and she had. She lost something. She stood up and caught her flashlight on looking for it in the middle of the play.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, sit your ass down. You talking about ain't no current. Depending what she dropped. No, for real. It depends what she dropped. Come on though, y'.

[Commercial Announcer]

All.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Medication or something. She needed it right then and there because her sugar was spiking. I'm serious. I don't know what she. It might have. Must have been important.

[Commercial Announcer]

Oh, God.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Good morning. Who's this?

[Caller Alan]

Yo, this is Alan. How's it going?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

What's up, Alan? Where you calling from?

[Caller Alan]

Yo, I'm Calling from San Diego, but I'm from Brooklyn, New York. I was like, I'm a veteran.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Like, oh, you a veteran. Okay. Don't ask, don't tell.

[Caller Alan]

Charlemagne, yo.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yes, sir.

[Caller Alan]

Yo, real quick, when you doing another book signing? Because I need you to sign my books. Like, you don't no more. You just went.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

But I will be at the Black Podcast Festival in Atlanta April 25th.

[Caller Alan]

You want to be in Atlanta? You know, like, I'm trying to learn how to use the back door.

[Caller Janelle]

Like,

[Charlamagne Tha God]

use the back door.

[Commercial Announcer]

We love a battle right now.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

He said he trying to learn how to use, like, trap.

[Commercial Announcer]

Don't hold us.

[Caller Alan]

I'm not going to hold you. Like, okay. So on iHeartRadio, I've been listening from, like, the first episode all the way forward. I'm on, like, year 2021 right now, and I love y', all, like, you feel me? Like, Uncle Charlemagne, you my uncle. I feel like I got to chop it up with you. I'm talking to celebrities right now.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Well, we not celebrities. I'm your family brother.

[Commercial Announcer]

Yeah, D, but you should teach him

[Caller Alan]

how to get to the back of your donkey. You know? Like, it's like, I'm not gonna lie. I'll be hearing y' all stories and, like, how y', all, like, screwed up, but then you kept your family. Like, I'm like, dang, I'm trying to do that, and it's not working. I'm like, damn. I'm really, like, I got out the Navy, like, mental stuff, like, practicing out on my family. I don't have nobody. I'm like, you know what? I'm going through, like, one of those little moments right now. I was like, let me just call the Breakfast Club. Second of all, the dude that be

[Caller Janelle]

answering the phone,

[Caller Alan]

he mad cool. Take easy on him. Like, all right, he cool. That's the people now.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah, he got gay ears, so I'm sure that y' all probably. But listen, let me tell you something.

[Caller Alan]

Watch out.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Do you have a therapist? Do you have a therapist? Do you have a counselor? Are you talking to somebody right now? I think that you need to be talking to somebody. Okay?

[Caller Alan]

So, like, I had lost, like, my best friend to, like, suicide and stuff like that.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Sorry to hear that.

[Caller Alan]

So I've been, like, crashing out and all of this, and, like, I say the most harshest things to push people away because I feel like I'm not worthy of, like, love and stuff. Like, I have to do with trauma. I read your book. You feel me? I got all three. I had to rebuy him so I could get the hardcover.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I appreciate it. I got you.

[Caller Alan]

All right.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

I think you lying. No, you're not. You're not. You know, listen, I appreciate it, brother. You're dealing with. You're dealing with grief right now, and you're dealing with trauma. And, you know, I don't want you to project that trauma on other people. So I. And I also want you to give

[Caller Alan]

yourself protected it onto my daughter. I said some very, like, because at my age, I went through some trauma stuff, like, at 10, like around 10, 11. And she hasn't been through none of that. And I feel like I'm the person that is putting her through it. I'm saying some. I see some mom stuff. I'm like, dang, Let me call the rest of the club, see if they pick up. I've been calling for two years, and y' all finally picked up.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Well, let me tell you something. I'm gonna tell you why. You're gonna get through what you're going. What you're going through. You're gonna get through what you're going through because you're aware of what it is that you're doing to people, and you're actively trying to do something about it. Some people lack that self awareness. So, man, give yourself some grace, my brother, and you absolute.

[Caller Alan]

I feel like we don't have any black leaders, like, right now. Currently. I've been, like, listening to, like, a lot of, like, what's going on. I feel like you are a solid black leader, but, like us, because, like, you're very intelligent. You articulate your words even though you be sister, like, slurring up, like, a couple of times, like, damn, DJ Envy. Like, three years ago, he did some DJ event in Virginia, and I went to see him. I was like, I'm going to see DJ Envy. He was playing the same mix in the club. I'm like,

[Charlamagne Tha God]

that sound about right?

[Caller Alan]

Nah, I'm finished. He was fired.

[Commercial Announcer]

He was fired.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yeah.

[Caller Alan]

Thank you.

[Commercial Announcer]

Said you was fire.

[Caller Alan]

But also, like, I also want to shout out my sister real quick.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

She.

[Caller Alan]

She does like. So Brooklyn, you go look her up. She fire like, she has no home. Like, like, salon and stuff like that. You can check her out. Soul Brooklyn.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Well, salute to Soul Brooklyn on Instagram. Hey, man. Yeah, you keep doing the work, man. I'm rooting for you, my bro.

[Caller Alan]

Can I spit some bars real quick?

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yes, please.

[Commercial Announcer]

Get it.

[Caller Alan]

A lot of them be like, yo, let me spit some bars, bro.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

We gotta go. Yeah, this call was going, so, bro, I didn't want you. I don't want you to ruin it by spitting no balls. But thank you, man.

[Caller Alan]

I know I'm not a rapper.

[Caller Deontay]

I'm good.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Listen, Black Effect Podcast Festival, April 25th in Atlanta, Georgia, my brother. We'll see you there. Thank you for calling. We do that every Friday. It's the People's Donkey, 1-800-585-1051. Or you can go to the iHeartRadio app. Go to the Breakfast Club page and click on the Talkback app and send us a message.

[Commercial Announcer]

Well, when we come back, Tim Shriver will be joining us.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Tim Shriver is an activist. He's a film producer. He is the chairman of the Special Olympics since 1996. He is the founder of an organization called Unite and he is also the nephew of President John F. Kennedy.

[Angela Yee]

Period.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

Yes.

[Commercial Announcer]

Big resumes. Yeah. My goodness, he's still drunk from last night. All right, we're gonna talk to Tim Shriver when we come back. It's the Breakfast Club.

[Caller Deontay]

Good morning.

[Charlamagne Tha God]

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[Podcast Host]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.