This week on #TheFriendZone, it's a shoot the sh*t episode. No Hot Button. No segments. Just whatever wants to come up. Brace yourself.
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Francesca
Eczema is unpredictable, but you can flare less with epglis, a once monthly treatment for moderate to severe eczema after an initial four month or longer dosing phase. About four in ten people taking Eblis achieved itch relief in clear or almost clear skin at 16 weeks, and most of those people maintain skin that's still more clear at one year with monthly dosing.
Asante
Emplis Lebricizumab LBKZ a 250mg per 2ml injection, is a prescription medicine used to treat adults and children 12 years of age and older who weigh at least 88 pounds or 40 kilograms with moderate to severe eczema, also called atopic dermatitis, that is not well controlled with prescription therapies used on the skin or topicals or who cannot use topical therapies. EBGLIS can be used with or without topical corticosteroids. Don't use if you're allergic to Ebglis. Allergic reactions can occur that can be severe. Eye problems can occur. Tell your doctor if you have new or worsening eye problems. You should not receive a live vaccine.
Dustin
When treated with ebglis.
Asante
Before starting ebglis, tell your doctor if.
Dustin
You have a parasitic infection.
Francesca
Ask your doctor about eglis and visit ebgliss.lilly.com or call 1-800-lilyrx or 1-800-545-5979.
Dustin
Martha listens to her favorite band all the time in the Jim, even sleeping. So when they finally went on tour.
Asante
Martha bundled her flight and hotel on Expedia to see them live.
Dustin
She saved so much she got her.
Asante
Seat close enough to actually see and hear them.
Dustin
Sort of. You were made to scream from the front row. We were made to quietly save you. More Expedia made to Travel savings vary.
Asante
And subject to availability. Flight inclusive packages are atoll protected.
Dustin
Welcome to the Friends.
Francesca
Every time I'm in the zone, my name is Dust. I'm Francesca, also known as hey friend.
Asante
Hey. My name is Asante.
Dustin
This is the Friend Zone.
Francesca
You're dirty.
Dustin
You're dirty.
Asante
Everybody was right about you. You're a piece of.
Francesca
I see you.
Dustin
I want you to know that. That's right and I'm aiming this arrow. Got a name on it. Two names, first and last. Actually, before I tell you who, I'll tell you why. Right now. There's a huge discourse online going on about the America's Next Top Model documentary on Netflix.
Francesca
I just watched some of it, baby.
Dustin
Three part series. Asante, I'm So glad that you guys.
Francesca
Watched two episodes in so much.
Dustin
Episode three made me cry. A thug tear. I was in this motherfucker.
Asante
Oh, damn, I did cry.
Dustin
Okay, so just get ready for. Just get ready for that. You know what I'm saying? Just get ready for that. But the first two episodes provided us with a lot of context, a lot of background information that I simply did not have previously. Watching Top Model was never my thing. I was never a regular viewer. But you know me, I very much have always been on my Issa Rae and so I was always rooting for everybody black. So I remember the season with Eva Marcille and this. Well, at the time it was Eva Pickford. I remember the season with Yaya Da Costa, who's gone on to do great things as well. Yes. I remember the. I remember Takara Jones, you know what I'm saying? Beautiful woman, went on to see success as a beauty brand, flat out an entrepreneur, you know, And I saw them, I saw the judges. Ms. Jennifer, Mr. J, Nigel Barker, Tyra Banks, you know, all the people that were a part of this thing that I remembered watching, you know what I'm saying?
Francesca
Even Janice.
Dustin
That's where we gonna hit the brakes. That's where we're gonna hit the brakes. Because that's who I see. And who's dirty. She's dirty. She's a piece of shit. I see you, Janice Dickinson. Now, again, I was not a regular viewer. I have actually forgotten so many things about that show, including her ass. I forgot that Janice Dickinson was even a judge on. I forgot she was even in that Top Model zeitgeist, you know, but when I saw her sitting up there looking like Ozzy fucking Osbourne, you know what I'm saying, on that panel, body shaming those girls, okay, because they were all young girls, less than 23, 22 years old, you know what I'm saying? Impressionable at a time when self image and your body, what you think your body looks like, can be critically detrimental to your well being overall. She set her. What does she look like? She just, she just, she just her kiss looking ass. She sat up there and, and talked shit. Called those girls fat. Said she needs to. Takara needed to lose £150 and Tyra said then she'd be £30. And she said good, she'd be better. Well, what you look like Janice Dickinson, okay? Cause you literally look like you had like you can drive an 18 wheeler. You look like you were able to do that. You look like you have Coleman products in your closet as a Supermodel. And you only got picked to be a supermodel because you had a menacing, villainous skull frontal development style, okay? Like, your forehead, it was a hammerhead edge and a sharp nose that represented evil insides and thoughts, and your eyes that pierced through your own. So when we look at you, it looked like you looking at yourself. You got backwards eyes. Everything about you is literally the wrong way. And you didn't sit up there and talked about these women, calling them ugly, Talked about teeth, hair, facial features, natural body weight compositions, things that these women could not change. And you got the gall to sit up there and say that when you literally look like you got a Harley, bitch. Okay? So. So I. I don't. I just went out on my end.
Asante
So it's like you were really censored when you said whatever you just said.
Dustin
Well, no offense to those that do, right? Because y' all don't look like her. We just talking about her. She definitely looked like she can put a kickstand down in a boot, you know what I'm saying? Like that. She looked like she can do that. And it's not ladylike. It's not model like. And it's none of the. The things and the pressures that she put on all of them women that was on that show and that was up. You say what you want about the photo shoots, whatever the whatever, whatever, whatever. If you watched it, you know what I mean? But her berating them girls verbally like that just did not sit right with me. I don't like no bully, especially not no ugly one. And y' all already know if you look like a thumbprint, you have no business talk. This is what she look like.
Asante
Janice.
Dustin
Hi, I'm Janice Dickinson. Me. That's what she looks like and want to talk shit. I have just never been more moved to curse, more moved to insult someone, more moved to hurt a feeling, twist a knife verbally in the back spine of a motherfucker. That's what I want to do right now. Because I watched her do that to them girls who couldn't say nothing back because some of them would have whooped your ass, Janice Dickinson. Okay? Had they been able to say what they thought, there's no way she would have gotten away with that in the real world. So fuck Janice Dickinson. She doesn't strike me as the type that would be in the least bit remorseful. So I don't feel bad about nothing happens to her or nothing. Nobody say to her with your pulled face ass. She literally looked like the Scream mask.
Francesca
Where is she now who cares? I literally haven't seen her. Did you just bite your tongue?
Dustin
Figuratively? Yes, I did, cuz I almost answered your question.
Asante
He almost did. And I really want to know the fact that he held it so long he censored himself.
Dustin
I'm really trying these days. I'm getting older, you know what I'm saying? I've been trying to like be more responsible, you know what I mean? But some people. I don't. But, but I do if I'm talking about her. Because some people deserve the worst of me. I feel like she's one of those people and the worst of me is actually one of my. Probably really the best. You know what I'm saying? I'm. I'm good at it. 100 success rate. So I just don't like people that mistreat others. I don't. Especially in a time like this. All the shit going on all the way that people are mistreating other people right now. That motherfucker scuzz bucket drug on the ground, face looking ass person cannot get away with that on my watch. So in a season where we look for an outlet, we look for opportunities to release the energy, the pent up hatred and resentment that we have toward the powers that be. Let it out on an ugly motherfucker like Janice Dickinson. Tweeter at her.
Asante
Yeah.
Dustin
You know what I'm saying? Let her know how you feel. The same way she brought it to them girls. Bring it to her ass and, and, and she deserves joy, the release.
Francesca
Let that be okay.
Dustin
Welcome to the friend zone. God damn it. You're weekly looking all things asante, Fran and Dustin. Because who in the hell want to be cussed out by Janice Dickinson? I'm not doing it. I ain't going. Okay. It ain't going like you think it's going to go. Janice.
Asante
Yeah, that's not. You know, I actually ran into Janice Dickinson one time many years ago. I'm so sorry.
Francesca
How? Where?
Asante
Well, you know, I was at work. I was at one of my jobs doing my job and she, she was quite lovely to me and it was just so, it was so random because the way that you hate her now. I remember seeing her and being like, look at this f. Like that's what I thought. But she was so nice to me and I was just like, well, you know, I don't know this bitch. So I just let her do her thing. And plus her daughter was a regular where I was at work. So like I was cool with her daughter. And she never gave Me get a new mama. But no, seriously. But I remember not liking her from. Because you said you were like, you watched Top Model but you weren't really caring about her at the time. I remember watching Top Model that first season. I was there locked in. I remember seeing her and the excuse was. Or like the thing was like, oh, you know how like American Idol. American Idol had Simon Cowell, Top Model had Janice Dickinson. The difference was even though. Because Simon Cowell was really rude at times, but he was really like, he would at least give you some constructive criticism afterwards. Or like, if he really didn't have it, he just didn't have it. Whereas Janice was being like, really heinous to these women at a, at a pivotal.
Dustin
She was mean and mean spirited in a way that he was not. I agree with you.
Asante
Yeah. You know, it was a completely different thing. So when people excuse that. I love the fact that, you know, it's. It's come up and we're able to say, yeah, you were wrong or like, that was wrong. And I hope, like, if she does come up somewhere for air, she'll. She. She's talking about that. Well, actually, I don't care about her no more. I'm just glad you say that. She's right.
Dustin
I hope she's somewhere hugging a barnacle on the side of a boat at the, at the barn somewhere. But, but, but personally.
Francesca
But you know what? That's step sometimes.
Asante
Because what.
Dustin
You know, cause it's a difference between being rude and curt even and being flat out mean. And what I saw her doing to them girls was on that. And mind you, these are just highlights. This is her highlight reel. So there's probably like so much more. I don't even remember if she was a judge on the season that Eva and Yaya and them were on there. Was she on.
Asante
I don't remember that season.
Dustin
I don't remember watching her on this show.
Asante
I remember seeing her. I remember seeing her like, I remember first season, like everybody when they brought up old girl Ebony, when I saw her face with her hair, I was like, that's Ebony. Before they showed her name, I remembered her. I was like, that's like, Ebony is a fly. And when they showed all that in like hindsight, talking about how they really felt about her and that, I was like, oh, hell no.
Dustin
But I didn't know she was gay. I just thought she had short haircuts.
Asante
I remembered that.
Francesca
I didn't remember that from that season when they kept saying like, she was black and she was gay. I Was like, how did I miss that? I don't remember that part of the story.
Dustin
I thought she had a fade. Shit. I know she was gay.
Asante
It was so crazy. For real.
Dustin
It was just crazy watching all of that.
Asante
Like, watching Tyra be herself and have her little moments and then watching what was actually going on behind the scenes and how people felt about certain things. And then even hearing from Ken, mocking. Seeing that name for so many years.
Francesca
It was kind of funny.
Asante
It was like, what?
Dustin
It was his fault, too. Ken Mock. Three letters for both names. It was your fault. You know what I'm saying? He was the one. Him and Tyra call it what it is after watching it. Him and Tyra both danced around accountability in that documentary. Everybody did 100%, every single person.
Asante
They were acting like they were taking accountability. And I was like, but, bitch, you know, you didn't really do that, right?
Dustin
Like that. That is spider man excuse.
Francesca
They. I noticed.
Asante
Oh, yeah.
Francesca
That's the excuse of oh, it was the times. You know, times were different.
Dustin
I wasn't like that back then.
Francesca
And my thing is, people say that all the time, right? Like, even with Twitter. Oh, you got to excuse those tweets because of the times. I wasn't tweeting like that. Yes, those were the times. But you will absolutely not find no tweet where I'm calling people out on their skin color or their race or their weight. Like, yeah, there's. But so much you lean on about, quote, unquote, the times. And I get that on tv, it was a lawless. It really was a lawless time where no, you. How slow he did my pinky.
Asante
And I was about to say in the pinky is what took me out.
Francesca
You know what I mean? It's like, that's a character issue flaw.
Asante
Right.
Francesca
The times can. Can do. But so much to your personality. You have to be willing to play it, to play into it. And they were doing that, all of them, every single one of them played into being mean, giving good TV over, like, whatever, you know, exploiting the young girl's feelings, their mental health, their body image. I mean, it was like, insane watching. I didn't hear anybody, even Nigel Barker. Well, they would show certain things, and he would just sit there with his face like, I feel.
Dustin
I feel bad now. He said it. I feel bad now. But at the time, I didn't feel bad. You know what? I could accept that. I could accept that more than Tyra sitting in a chair.
Asante
Yeah.
Francesca
And then that voice she kept doing that was really bothering me.
Asante
It was condescending.
Francesca
And I just, you know, at the time, it's like, it was condescending as fuck.
Dustin
It was why I love Danielle from. I remember I didn't watch her season, but I remember when she was like, that was bullshit y and still strikingly beautiful. I hope that this documentary gives her some motion.
Francesca
The same.
Dustin
Oh, my God. What was the other girl's name? She had long. She had short hair during the. Shorter hair during the season, but long hair in a documentary. Beautiful chocolate skin. And she. What was her name?
Francesca
Not Ebony.
Dustin
No, not Ebony. It was another black girl. She had on, like, a tomato red kind of, like, blazer or dress, and she had, like, deep wave long hair and lashes. She was so pretty. No, I actually hung out with Kenya in Miami before. She's friends with my ex. And she was so nice and so sweet. She was so kind to me. And I really appreciate Kenya. I will always appreciate her for that. But what was Desiree, maybe? Or. Or I think it started with a D. Anyway. She was pretty.
Francesca
They all were, though. Every time one of them would come up on the screen, we were like, oh, she's still.
Dustin
What's the plus size girl that won? She was the first plus. She still looked pretty. You know what I'm saying? She said, yep, she opened the ice cream shop beautifully.
Asante
Yep.
Francesca
Nice.
Asante
She said, oh, friend, wait till you get to part three. It's gonna be funny. But Kenya, there's a part where she. She still looks like a model. She's, like, literally in the confessional and does something. I was like, it's just in her. It's just in her.
Dustin
Yeah.
Asante
So it's crazy watching these girls and seeing, like, you know, what they got going on now and for them to be able to speak out and speak up. But also, it sucks that it's still, like, some bullshit in there, you know?
Francesca
Yeah. And I remember Kenya because she. And I'm sure they talked about it in episode three. I just didn't get to fully watch where they were on her neck about her weight. And it's crazy because you look back and you're like, what was she, a.
Dustin
Size two, Beautiful body, beautif. Looking good.
Asante
Like, I know girls that look like that, and they're like. They feel bomb and pretty because they are so. To see that she felt taken down like that. She was literally punched to the ground about it. It's like, what the fuck is. Like, this is why girls look in the mirror and they just see elephants and they be looking like, the size of the damn pole on the microphone. It's like, you are so small, girl. Please don't do this to yourself.
Francesca
There's one white girl that cheated. I remembered that storyline, but I had no idea about everything else. Clothes. Yeah. The layers about production, coming to the bathroom and knowing that she was damn near blackout drunk with. With a local from Italy or wherever they were and letting him be in the house. Number one. These are young girls. She's drunk. I mean, it just.
Dustin
That should have never been an idea to have those guys come in the house and hang because who are they? What the fuck do you. You got young guys, young girls, and a bunch of liquor in another country. That's a recipe for disaster. And it's completely irresponsible on behalf of the person responsible.
Asante
And you would. You would think it's some sort of liability. Like, it'd be like, all right, you know, I know that this is us just recording y' all doing whatever, but we're in a different country. So there's curfew, no guests or visitors after xyz or no drinking, or you can only drink a certain amount, even though it's legal here for some of y'. All. Like, there should have been something, but there were. It was just. We treated this like we just were recording. We just ran the cameras.
Francesca
Yeah.
Dustin
Let them get drunk in the house and have fun, but don't bring guys into the house or anybody that they're sexually interested in, whether. What. Whatever the configuration is. You know what I'm saying? Like, that is not safe. And it was inappropriate as fuck. All the fuck. Completely inappropriate. Back then it was inappropriate.
Francesca
Cause I remember that scene being so funny. Like, I legit when they replayed it and the boyfriend was like, you had sex. Like, I remember that part was high pitched. And the screaming and his voice sounding really, like, stupid.
Dustin
Yes.
Francesca
And I remember that being so funny.
Asante
Bitch.
Francesca
You stupid bitch. You know, and so to think now, like, oh, my God. Meanwhile, we had no idea because what?
Asante
Fran. I laughed at that part too. And I remember laughing then. Right. But I ain't gonna lie. Old girl took me out in part three. I was like, damn, I feel like the same girl. Yeah. Just her talking about, like, you know, at the end they do little wrap ups and I was like, damn, I.
Dustin
Ain'T even gonna hold you. Her. The angle of her relationship with that boy, I don't care about.
Asante
I mean, I don't either. But just thinking about, like, just thinking.
Dustin
About what had that show.
Francesca
I can talk about it. I'm not gonna feel like it's spoiled.
Dustin
It's only one part I'm not gonna talk about until you know a part I'm talking about that I'm not gonna talk. You know what I talk about?
Asante
What do you talk about?
Dustin
You ever seen that clip from Jocelyn's cabaret when she went off on Nick and she's like, what are you talking about? What you talking about? Let me send it to the group because I got it. I'm gonna sit. Don't let me forget, because we can put it. Ty, we love you, but. Yes, I just. You the part that made me cry. Asante.
Asante
Okay, tell. Tell your part.
Dustin
I'm just not gonna talk about that part. That.
Asante
No, you're not gonna talk about that part.
Dustin
No, because I want Fran to experience that the same way we both did.
Asante
Oh, okay. Okay, okay. You know what I mean? Yes, I do know what you're talking about.
Dustin
So that's all. But other than that, we can talk about everything. That's what we're gonna talk about. We're gonna talk about everything.
Asante
Just old girl talking about, like, how everything played out with her and her boyfriend.
Francesca
Oh, she goes into depth of, like, what happened to the relationship.
Dustin
Yes.
Asante
I'm sorry.
Dustin
I'm not trying to be insensitive, friend, but, you know, I have a very small bandwidth for that sort of thing, you know, and now.
Francesca
And my thing is, it was a very long time ago. I'm amazed that she's. But. But she was also, like, embarrassed on national television. We don't know what that's like.
Dustin
That's true.
Francesca
So that's a whole different.
Asante
So that's why. That's what. So that's what me up. Because I had, like, laughed in and laughed again when it came up. But then at the end, when she talked about what happened, her boyfriend and how they, like, she. He moved with her to New York. And.
Dustin
Yes.
Asante
Dustin, that was sad because I can't imagine.
Francesca
Wait, okay, y' all gotta say what it is.
Dustin
I'm about to, because I know context. I'm so sorry. We being so impressed. Professional. But it. Okay. She said that after the show, he had. She was living in New York. He had came to live in New York with her.
Francesca
And you wait, after the show, even after he was embarrassed.
Dustin
Oh, he had came to live with her and they were trying with their relationship, but because the show was so popular, it was a monster hit. Those girls were famous. So they would walk down the street and get recognized. Well, in her case, because of what happened on the show, people would be like, oh, she's a cheater or what? You know, I'm saying he was walking down the street and that part was hard for him, you know what I'm saying? And it led.
Francesca
Kept having to relive it and it led to them breaking up.
Dustin
Yes. It's not.
Francesca
New York is the worst place that.
Dustin
See, that's. So if you know about New York is New York street harassment. You get why there's a comical element to this. I'm not saying what happened to her.
Asante
Was funny, but you element does exist on the scale. Absolutely. Mine just slid the other way inside. I'm just saying. You're not. You're not. Mine slipped the other way. But I see how. And I agree that it could have slipped.
Dustin
I felt like I'm just going, I ain't even going to hold you. And she. And they showed them taking a stroll like through Central park when they was retelling the story. You didn't see people yelling at them, but like, you just my mind's eye sometimes, you know what I'm saying? It just made me like.
Francesca
There'S on the Ford train getting. That sucks.
Dustin
It does.
Francesca
And shout out to him for trying again. Damn.
Dustin
Well, fuck him. He had a famous girlfriend, you know what I'm saying? He wasn't. No, he didn't have no good heart. He was benefiting. And only to leave her like, damn.
Francesca
She blowing up on tv. Damn.
Dustin
Well ain't. Must ain't hurt that bad. Are they crying and acting out performing? Anyway, you had sex, right?
Francesca
That was so crazy.
Dustin
I know she wanted to be like that meme when he said that you had sex?
Francesca
No, when she was like, think of the absolute worst thing I could have done. It's so crazy.
Dustin
How would y' all tell. How would y' all have told y' all partner if it was y'? All? Not that, but like, if you had to.
Francesca
If you had to tell your partner that. I wouldn't have told him on the phone. I would have gotten through my season. I would put that shit hard comes first. And I need to focus. And I'm not gonna be crying or fighting with somebody on the phone while I'm trying to win this damn show. And then when it was over and I won, hopefully then we gonna have to.
Dustin
Then you would have ghosted him anyway. So you out of there.
Asante
But you're out of there. So just wait. Why don't you just wait?
Dustin
I'd be like, how would you have said Asante? How would you have told.
Asante
See, it's crazy because what Fran just Said is so I feel like that is the answer. I've watched one too many seasons of Real World and seen it happen one too many times where you're just.
Francesca
Y' all arguing on the phone. Nobody doing that.
Asante
Everybody know I don't do the phone thing like that anyway, so I'm gonna have to just get through the season. You know, I'm gonna try to let you know what's up before the reunion if. If. You know, I don't. I forgot how the sequestering worked back in the day with all that. Or even if they did the reunions anyway. I just know that I would have said it not on camera. Because we're not doing that on camera.
Francesca
No.
Dustin
Maybe.
Francesca
Like, that's gonna be chronicled.
Dustin
You gotta call. Okay.
Asante
Hello?
Dustin
They started talking. All right, well, I need to talk to you about something.
Asante
And.
Francesca
Oh, God.
Dustin
Before we do, I want you to know that I don't ever want to embarrass you or disrespect you. And so I feel like the right thing for me to do is talk to you about this. Now, the other night, I was drinking with my friends, and a couple guys came over. At first, everything was cool. We was just having a good time. Everything was on.
Asante
You had sex. Sorry, I shouldn't have said it. I'm terrible.
Francesca
But you can't say. You can't tell them. I don't want to embarrass you when you literally embarrassed to embarrass them.
Dustin
The cameras ain't. You know, it's television. The cameras ain't there. You have to pretend like the cameras ain't.
Francesca
They caught it.
Dustin
So I'm Pretend like the cameras ain't. It didn't mean nothing.
Francesca
And y' all love to say that.
Dustin
I just want you to know I love you and I'm so, so sorry, baby. That's what I would say. And then I'd be like, what you.
Asante
Want to eat now? Now what you want to eat?
Francesca
Season comes out, and they gotta watch that episode with you.
Dustin
Now we can argue, because I already apologized. So you and I never liked your mama.
Asante
You know what I'm saying? I ain't gonna lie. If you're going on TV or if I'm going on tv, I might, like. We might need to go ahead and set up a system, depending on what. What type of show you get booked for. If it's like. System?
Francesca
You mean, like, be open when you're single during filming? Yeah, and then we figure it out when you come back. I'm not mad at that. Because. Come on, now who's mature?
Asante
Yes, because you know what?
Francesca
Realistic.
Asante
If you go on TV and you up in there with, you know, some things you like, and y' all make good tv, now, if you up in there doing porn, then, you know, I guess. I mean, this relationship is over. But, you know, if you. But while you're in t on TV doing your thing, I'm gonna be out here doing my thing too.
Francesca
So, you know, it reminds me of Las Vegas. Remember Real worlds where era long.
Asante
Yeah.
Francesca
The only reason I remember this so clearly is because Trishell was on that season, Rewatched it. Yeah, Trishell Arisa outing.
Asante
Was there a girl named Robin on there?
Francesca
It wasn't Robin. It was. I can't remember the name. She was, like, from Portland too, I think. But Aralana, her boyfriend, agreed to be open. I don't know. I don't remember if they agreed to be open for the show or if they were just open as it is. But his only rule was, do your thing. Just do not fucking a roommate. Literally his only boundary. And it's exactly what she did. And then I have the nerve to get mad at him when he was pissed about it and was kind of, like, icing her out and she was just acting like a victim. Yeah.
Asante
20S.
Francesca
I know. They were such babies. You know what's crazy? Iron looks the same.
Dustin
That's her name is still beautiful. I always.
Francesca
It is, right? Because we were watching, and I was like, I wonder what she looks like. Where is she now? And I looked her up. She looks the same. It's crazy.
Asante
I know what she's talking about.
Dustin
If she have a son, she should make him a junior. That's all I was gonna say, because I feel like that name would be.
Francesca
Cold for a boy.
Dustin
Hell, yeah.
Asante
This just popped up in my head. But I know, because I know we're done talking about top model, but Dustin, I just mentally remember the girl you were talking about with the red blazer, and she is gorgeous, you know?
Dustin
You remember, right?
Asante
I don't remember her name, but I just remembered who you were talking about because I kept. This is so random, but I kept waiting to see, like, some. Some of the other girls. And I'm sure a lot of girls were like, no, I thank you. I've moved on, or whatever. When they showed, like, little clips of Camille, I wanted to see her because she was the one. She's like, my name's Camille. I'm, you know, however old. And this is the walk that's gonna make me Famous. Like, I remembered her, and I remember them trying to make her choose between, like, do you want to go to school or do you want to be a model? And it's like, I'm gonna do both. Like, and, like, they tried to make her a little problematic for other reasons. But that black girl you were talking about, I just remembered her face sitting here, and I'm just like, damn, she is beautiful. As today. She was beautiful.
Dustin
Exactly who I'm talking about.
Asante
Yep.
Francesca
Oh, my God. And I saw the clip where she had. Where Tyra had made Bri close her gap or basically told her, like, you have a choice. Close it and stay or leave it and go. And then in the next season, opened up on white girls gap to make her look like Lauren Hutton. A young Lauren Hutton. What?
Asante
And it was so dumb and, like, crazy. She was like, we're doing makeovers, and guess what? I'm gonna widen that gap. Girl, We're.
Francesca
It was Danny. Danielle.
Dustin
It was Danny.
Francesca
Wrong model. It was Dann.
Asante
That was like, she really stood up there and argued with Danielle. Like. Like she. Or like, not argue with her? She gave her that ultimatum. Right? I was like, are you serious, Tyra? Like, I didn't know. I didn't remember watching that. But to watch that back and then to hear. Because I didn't. I remembered hearing about it. I didn't remember watching it. But I never heard about the one where she widened the girl's gap. So that fucked me up, watching that. I was like, what?
Francesca
I was like, I was. I don't remember that season where she had someone widened, But I do remember Danielle having that decision because there was a white girl that had jacked up teeth and they were, like, messing with her teeth too.
Dustin
Yeah. So her name was Jolene or something like that or.
Francesca
I don't remember, but I know she. I saw the clip too, where she was talking about how to this day, she has dental issues from that, which is crazy that y' all put this girl in a position. These girls already didn't come from money. You gonna mess with my teeth to get certain pictures and not even do it properly.
Dustin
If anything, it should have been something they. They wanted themselves. They should have presented it like, yo, we have this option. Is that something you're interested in? You know what I'm saying? Because free dental work is a great thing. Then that was very expensive dental work that they did to those ladies. And had it been something they wanted, it would have been a win.
Asante
Win.
Dustin
But forcing that sort of aesthetic change on somebody. I used to Have a gap in between my teeth. Now, I wanted mine closed so I wouldn't have. I would have had my legs crossed at the ankle in the chair. Yeah. And that's why I had braces. When I was 12 years old, I had braces to close my gaps. And I still have a thin. A really thin gap. You can see it now.
Francesca
You see it.
Dustin
You see it.
Francesca
Yeah.
Dustin
So you know what I'm saying?
Francesca
And they were asking me, when I was asking about Invisalign, they were asking me if I wanted it closed. And I was like, no. And you know when they're like, you sure?
Dustin
That level of pain, there's no way I would be responsible enough to keep the Invisalign trays on. It has to be permanent.
Francesca
That's what has made me. That's what made me kind of throw.
Dustin
It across the room.
Francesca
Yeah. Because I don't like consistent discomfort. I just don't know how well I would do with that.
Dustin
And it's.
Asante
She has a gap in her teeth. So I was always a little opposite. I was always like, I want to get my teeth, like just. Just like my mom. But everyone was always like, you got such nice teeth. And I'm like, well, they're boring. You know, Like, I was so random like that. So to watch that, thank you. But to see that it's. To see Tyra do that, it was kind of weird. It was like the hair was already emotionally damaging to those girls. But somewhat reasonable of an ask to me, it was like, all right, I can see you're doing models. You want to do makeovers, cool. Maybe you do something like hair and makeup, fine. But to go in their mouths, are you going to start giving these girls Botox in the new seasons? If this shit's going to keep going, are you going to go ahead and be like, you know what? We're just going to do complete facelift. You've got too much booty tooch. We're going to give you, like, you know, are you going to do, like.
Dustin
You know, whatever.
Asante
Child.
Dustin
I hope Janus is somewhere like now with droopy D looking ass.
Asante
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Francesca
They say. If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together. At Amica Insurance, we're built for our customers and prioritize your needs. Visit amica.com and get a quote today. Now I do wonder if this documentary is not going how they how they thought. There's a part of me that feels like they put this out because there's gonna be a new season.
Asante
Ding, ding, ding, ding.
Francesca
And I feel like there. They may have thought that this would get everyone excited about it again and talking about it and you them being held quote, unquote accountable. Because obviously y' all saw in the beginning episode, in the first episode where she was like, oh. People rewatched it during COVID and obviously they had a lot of opinions and were unhappy and it didn't age well. And this would be the opportunity to kind of like rectify those things. But this is not showing any of them in a light that I feel would be like, people would be receptive to a spinoff. So there's part of me that's wondering if that's. That was the true intention and if that shit's about to fall flat.
Dustin
It was. She flat out says, wait until you see what we have planned for cycle 25.
Asante
She does.
Francesca
Oh, shit. In the end of episode three.
Asante
Yep.
Francesca
You know what? I fucking felt it. Because it was like, why are they doing this? There's no accountability.
Dustin
And guys, we gotta address it before we start to. We have to figure out that part to just address it head on. They would be.
Francesca
That's exactly it.
Dustin
And that's what. That's the conversation.
Francesca
Her PR team.
Asante
The only way I would watch another season of Top Model is if Tyra is the one contestant and she is put through all of the things she put those girls through. Like if every week one or if every week a handful of them girls get to come back and put Tyra through some and then they can cry and have one of those fake ass moments that Tyra used to have back in the day. But for real this time, I'm here for it.
Dustin
Let Tiffany yell at her. You see, Tiffany cussed her ass out too, friend.
Asante
I don't know if you saw which one, Stephanie?
Francesca
I don't know.
Asante
We were all rooting for you. The one that they said.
Francesca
Yes, where she got so triggered and flipped the out of that girl. Is she on it?
Dustin
Well, no, but her message, they talk.
Asante
A lot about it.
Francesca
Dang. I wonder where she's at because that was a crazy.
Dustin
She made an Instagram post talking about you, Tyra Banks and all this other shit.
Francesca
Like recently.
Asante
Yeah, like hours ago.
Francesca
Wait, and we're sure it was her account?
Asante
Yeah.
Dustin
Oh, if I'm not mistaken, it's Tiffany the Goat number one or some shit.
Francesca
Come on. Tiffany the Goat.
Dustin
She was like, tyra she was going off in that cast.
Asante
Yeah. She was like, tyra, the shade room and all your weird fans.
Francesca
The shade room.
Dustin
You know what I said? She has had it. That's what I thought, y'.
Francesca
All. How crazy. And seeing the girls, like, crying and like, what's the one. I don't remember her name, where she. She feels that she got the. The edit of being, like, lazy. And remember they said Less moonvest didn't want a Latin girl, and so they replaced her, which confused me because I'm like, this. This is clearly a woman of color. She don't look Latin, but she was a woman of color. So I was like, that was very confusing.
Asante
It was crazy because she was the one that was arguing with EBONY on their season. And then when they showed it, because that's. Do you remember who friends talking about. Mm, mm.
Dustin
I ain't watch that shit.
Francesca
She had, like, wet hair in the.
Asante
When they talked about the comics, all.
Dustin
Of them made it except the girls from season three, which was the season that Eva was on. I don't know nobody else. And I know the Danielle girl, the Dani girl. I know, but that's all the black girls. But that's it.
Francesca
I remember Naima. Oh, I remember Naima.
Dustin
I don't know nobody else.
Francesca
Yeah, but she was, like, crying and I was like, damn, these girls are still hella wounded from this damn show.
Asante
Yeah.
Dustin
Some of them need to get over it. It's gonna be winners and losers. You know what I'm saying? A competition. So some of this. You know what I'm saying? Crybaby, crybaby. You know what Jocelyn said?
Asante
So.
Dustin
Asante. You ne. You definitely know what she said. Oh, crybaby. Cry baby. Suck your mama tea. But I, you know, I still do. There still is a way to be respectful and. And give people dignity as human beings, right?
Francesca
Yeah.
Dustin
None of those people on this show did that. They were completely inhumane in the way that they spoke to those young ladies, in the way that they did not offer them any type of exit plan or strategy, no assistance. Like, just threw them out there and let them. And that is how the real world works. You don't get a cushiony exit in life and you don't get a plan. It is up to you to figure out how things are going to happen for yourself. But if this is a program that you designed, then you need to have thought it out that far. You need to think about what happens next for these girls. You know what I'm saying? It should have been a thought.
Asante
So that's the one that Fran's talking about. She's the one that said she was doing theater.
Dustin
Oh, okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know exactly who you talking about.
Francesca
She's doing theater now. Like, that's her.
Asante
Well, it was a part of her journey after the show. It was just a part of it.
Dustin
Yeah. Wasn't she doing real estate at first or something?
Asante
Yeah, she was doing real estate in New York, and then she went to theater, and then she. And she's like, and now I'm back home.
Francesca
Okay.
Dustin
So I guess she was saying theater is home. So she's. I guess she's being in theater, baby.
Francesca
You know, and it's sad, too, because, like, Jay, the one with the blonde hair, Jay Emanuel, he was saying, like, at the end of the day, this is the fat. No, you did. This is the fashion industry. And they had to.
Dustin
I want to talk to him about his experience.
Francesca
They had to be reckless about what their life was going to be as models in this industry. That is about weight, you know, that it's weight conscious. Higher face, you know, so he's like, we had to be real. Like, they had to be realistic. We had to be realistic. But at the same time, the whole point I thought of the show was to create change.
Dustin
Yeah, that's what, you know, that's what she said.
Asante
That's, you know, women of all races.
Francesca
Bodies of all sizes, height, you know, that's why Eva was such a stunner. She was like, what, five, six or something like that? Which was unheard of. And so even how they were telling the story of how they picked Ebony, how she was like, the unexpected beauty. Which. Hilarious, right? Because.
Dustin
Gorgeous.
Asante
And then look how they. And then look how they treated their unexpected beauty on the show. Like, what the.
Dustin
And then you not put that on the doorknobs. She should. That's when it should have turned. That's when I wish Top Model would have been on Zeus.
Asante
Not for real.
Dustin
Okay. She should have got a whoop her ass.
Asante
That was the same girl that did theater. So her name is Giselle. Yeah, Giselle.
Dustin
That's the same person.
Francesca
Yep.
Dustin
Wow.
Asante
Yep. That was her play.
Dustin
Wow.
Asante
And Dustin the beautiful. Because I have to look these women up. Dustin, the beautiful black woman with the red you kept talking about. Her name's Dion. Dion Walters.
Dustin
Yeah. She's gorgeous.
Asante
She is gorgeous. But I don't remember her season. But that was a terrible, terrible thing that they did to her, and I think so for her season. They talk about it in Part three, but coming into It. They knew that she had. She had some gun violence in her life. So then they had to do a photo shoot where she had to, like.
Dustin
Recreate being shot in the head.
Asante
Yeah.
Francesca
Shut up. Like, on purpose.
Asante
Yeah.
Francesca
Nah, come on.
Asante
And at the time, she didn't put the, you know, two and two together. You know, like, she said she thought.
Francesca
It was just coincidental.
Asante
Yeah. And, you know, us, the people didn't know that at all either. But the point that I was thinking about was, like, it was crazy how overall, in the documentary, Tyra kept going. Like, we were learning how to put together stories. And so it was like, y' all just kept removing your morals to put these stories together. And then y' all sold it to us initially, as, you know, like, we want to change, you know, the way that people look at the modeling industry. But then you want to turn the show into Fear Factor, and, you know, you want to haze these girls. It's like, how do you keep losing the messaging and then pretending. Right. Iconic. Iconic. We'll never forget. You were doing that. Hell, yeah.
Francesca
With the spider.
Asante
But it's just crazy watching Tyra just sit up there and be, like, half accountable.
Dustin
And then, like.
Asante
Yeah. And then some of the other girls, you know, some of them girls keep giving her the shit. But then some of the girls do agree it was the time. But to your point, friend, it's. I guess it was the time. But did no one. I felt like even me as a. A production person, I'd have been like, all right, hold up. Like. Or, like, I would have whispered in somebody's ear and be like, I'm about to lose my job today. And, like, because y' all are men, watching these girls, recording them and putting these stories out, and y' all are so scared to lose your job that y' all don't want to put. Y' all don't want to stop someone from being put in danger. Can you be.
Francesca
And that's the part where I wanted to hear them admit, I was willing to exploit these young girls because the show was doing so well. We were the most watched on upn, and I sacrificed them for my personal success. I want to hear you say that.
Asante
Yeah.
Francesca
Because there's no way around it. And then apologize and be like, it was my ego, you know, Because Tyra, remember, she was saying, like, they kept telling her, you're never going to have this level of success again, like, you. This lightning in a bott level of success. So there was a part of her that was gonna do anything she needed to do to keep it that way. But I didn't hear her say that, and I thought that was weird. That's why I've sensed that there's a comeback. And that's the reason she wasn't gonna go too deep into, like, the truth of it, right?
Dustin
With her trench coat.
Francesca
It did end with her breasts so goddamn high. So what?
Dustin
Goddamn detective coat.
Francesca
But I did see Jay Manuel at the end of episode two, I believe he was saying that's when he was ready to quit. Right? Because he started feeling bad about it and feeling like he wasn't himself. He was just part of this game.
Dustin
That was talking about, like, well, you know, sometimes we make our choices, but you got to do what makes you feel good, you know?
Francesca
But what season was it that he left? Because I'm so suspicious. I'm like, did you leave because it was starting to dwindle, or did you.
Dustin
I think if I remember correctly, at season nine, he expressed that he wanted to leave, and that's when him and Tyra fell out. And then in season 10, he came back and worked from 10 to, like, 15 or something like that. And then they fired all three of them. If I remember correctly, the time.
Francesca
Fired all three of them?
Dustin
Yeah, him, Ms. J, and Nigel.
Francesca
What?
Dustin
I don't remember that. I wasn't watching the shit.
Asante
Yeah, you know, you know, you know, you know, American.
Francesca
Replace them with.
Asante
I was shocked to see who they replaced Tyra with. I was like, I really.
Francesca
Wait, they fired Tyra or she left.
Asante
I'm gonna leave. I'm leave. I'm gonna leave a little something for you to watch because.
Francesca
No, I'm blown. Right now that they have a season without any of them.
Asante
You will be blown to see who replaced Tyra.
Francesca
I was like, was it. What's the white lady that ended up doing the other fashion show? The white model, Heidi Klum.
Asante
What's her name?
Francesca
Heidi. Was it Heidi Klum?
Dustin
No, it wasn't.
Asante
No. But it's crazy because they showed Heidi Klum in, like, a highlight reel of America's Next Top Model in Germany.
Francesca
I was like, oh, my God, that's so mean.
Dustin
Okay, you better get that check, people. Gonna work.
Asante
Okay.
Dustin
You hear me?
Asante
Yes, but no.
Dustin
They replaced her with the most miscellaneous of choices that you could ever make.
Francesca
No, I have to know.
Dustin
I don't even want to spoil it for you.
Francesca
I can't even Wait. Please just tell me.
Dustin
Literally the most.
Asante
I don't even want to say. I honestly don't even see the script.
Dustin
Miscellaneous.
Francesca
Is this someone we know?
Asante
Dustin. My jaw dropped and I went.
Dustin
I like, holler.
Francesca
Shut the up, y' all, shut up.
Dustin
That's. She the one you need to be.
Francesca
Telling this girl has as a contact in this industry position. She like, no, because her agent is God in heaven.
Dustin
You gotta pull it closer, darling. Actually, keep it there, because who. You can't even. Even if it was closer.
Francesca
It's Rita. Y' all are lying. The show moved to VH1 in Recycle 23 in 2016. It included Rita Ora as Tyra's replacement. And the judges were Ashley Graham, Drew Elliott. I don't know who that is. And. And Law Roach.
Asante
Oh, he don't even talk.
Dustin
Laura Rose don't even talk about that shit. I didn't even know he was on there. You know what I'm saying?
Francesca
He only talking about that because he's funny as fuck.
Asante
Yo. This is black history. This is black history.
Francesca
I am stunned.
Dustin
You hear me?
Francesca
The loud.
Dustin
So is the audience.
Francesca
It was the way that AI, when I typed who replaced Tyra, AI was, like, thinking. And it kind of stayed stuck for a second.
Asante
Even AI for a millisecond. That girl, you ain't gonna believe this.
Dustin
The AI talking like this.
Asante
Blair said, okay, listen.
Dustin
You don't say, okay.
Francesca
Whoa.
Dustin
Don't make no damn sense, man. You wonder why that went down to. To toilet, you know what I'm saying?
Francesca
We watch these. These cycles. Those ones I need to watch.
Dustin
Are they even streaming?
Asante
Okay. Wow. Yeah.
Francesca
Oh, that just.
Asante
Can you believe I got a six pack I got to change?
Francesca
You believe Tyra say she was fired or she left?
Dustin
She was fired. She got the ax. Okay. She said. She said they told her, no, no sacred. And then that's another thing. She started acting weird. And then. And she started acting more weird because she kept repeating what. Apparently, one of the ghosts of executives at the network, Twitch, she kept speaking of this realm of executives at the network without renaming names, because if it was me, I'd have been like, jan Smith told me to tell this motherfucker. You know what I'm saying? Cause what you got to lose at this point? But she kept saying the executives told her no sacred cows. She kept saying that. And she was whispering like she was in that ice cream commercial.
Asante
So. So when it came time.
Francesca
When it came time, sacred cows.
Asante
When it came time to do the show and fire the two Js, and a Nigel in the email initially said no. Like, to Dessa's point, she was like, no sacred cows. And then they show that they got fired. And then they skipped to how she was replaced. And then she was like, no sacred cows. And I was like.
Dustin
Then it cut to a clip of Mr. J, Mr. J laughing at a meme where somebody had. Did you know that meme Trump did? It was just like it. The one that Trump did about the Obamas. They did one with a cow and Tyra's face. And they showed Mr. J laughing at.
Francesca
It, like, okay, that didn't happen. I was like, what?
Dustin
I'm like, no sacred cows.
Francesca
Wow. They fired Tyra. That's so wild. I mean, not.
Dustin
They gave her ass the boot. They told her, get out. You didn't fuck the show up. Ain't nobody watching this shit, acting crazy and kooky. What the fuck is wrong with you? Get your things and go. That's what they told Tyra Banks. Get all that makeup.
Francesca
Remember that? This was UPN9.
Asante
I remember that. It was UPN. I remember. What?
Francesca
Oh, it was.
Asante
Oh, yeah. I don't remember the number was. I just remember it was upn. I feel like it. I don't remember what UPN it was, but I just remember that theme song playing every week, you know, ending with, you want to be on top? I remember the. I remember thinking how shady it was at the end of every episode, how a girl would disappear from the photo.
Dustin
I was like, oh, I used to fall out. That was so funny to me.
Asante
It's a little dark. Oh, no.
Dustin
I used to be looking for it.
Francesca
If I do it, I'm about to.
Dustin
Do it every time when they would disappear.
Asante
And it sucked that that. It sucked that that shit happened with Tiffany. But that was one of the first double eliminations that I remember happening in my lifetime. So for when they both disappeared from that photo, I was like, oh, hey.
Dustin
Let'S take it back to that elimination. Tyro fucked up ass gonna pull out a blank piece of paper. You know how she show everybody they picture when they get.
Asante
Yes, she gonna pull. Neither one of you came out of.
Dustin
The last two look at a white piece of paper.
Asante
I chose nothing.
Dustin
Both of you are eliminated. The way I would have spit in her goddamn face. You know what I'm saying? You gonna insult me?
Francesca
We were. We were blown at Tyra saying. Cause your grandmother. What'd she say? Your grandmother didn't pay her light bill to get your baby. Yeah, I said, God, what they had.
Dustin
What kind of swimsuit they have her in. So goddamn.
Francesca
Did she tell her that in confidence? And you just gotex.
Dustin
Was it Got Tex?
Asante
Who was that?
Dustin
Swimwear company friend. You would know. Was it gotex? It was a. It was a swimwear brand that was like luxury swimwear. Hold on, let me look this up. It was back in the day. Day, like Coach Purse, Dooney and Burke time. You know what I'm saying?
Francesca
I know. I don't know. I was never swimwear, but that's taking me because.
Asante
Why would she say that?
Francesca
Why would you say that?
Asante
And then when Jay said that they edited more stuff out, I was like, well, what else did she say?
Francesca
Like, remember Ken Mock was like, we actually.
Dustin
Head and shoulders had no neck ass. Kenmock. No neck ass. Sitting up there looking like a LEGO person with just a block of head and block of body on that thing. Talking about all that terror he unleashed on them young girls. His ass needed, too. He need to be fried, too. Ken Mock, what other show did he do?
Francesca
Because that name. Or was that.
Dustin
Was it Real World or something like that?
Francesca
Because I feel like I kept seeing his name somewhere else, but maybe it just was all the years of.
Dustin
Well, for what it's worth, very. A very chic name to be. Yeah, that's a fly ass name. I ain't gonna hold you. You know what I'm saying? Especially working television and fashion. Kin Mock. He could have.
Asante
He's been a producer. Oh, God. He. I mean, he produced Autumn little UPN shows because he went from America's Next Top Model. He did the Pussycat doll shows.
Francesca
Oh, okay.
Asante
I didn't watch that, of course. And then he said on there. He did American Idol. He said on there, he did Making the band.
Dustin
A real. We're making the band.
Francesca
That's what it was.
Asante
And they were showing the clips of the original one with Old Town. Yep. I remember that seat. I had watched that season because I think it was like, on ABC or some. I was on, like, what the is this doing on MTV now? Like, I remember being young and, like, not really knowing or remembering shows switching networks. So I remember that being interesting to me.
Dustin
Yeah, I never watched that one. I didn't watch it, you know.
Francesca
Did he? Yeah. Till he did his own did. Kenmock had nothing to do when Diddy took it over. Right.
Dustin
I hope. I know.
Asante
I don't believe so.
Francesca
Yeah, I wouldn't think so.
Asante
Yeah. I feel like they had sold it off to mtv, so maybe it was like the new producers and by then.
Francesca
But I don't know, like, they just took the name. Yeah.
Dustin
Men ain't that. I'd have roasted that whole judges panel, and they all are easy reads. I would have Went down the line like a sheet of paper, left to right. Okay. And work that whole judges panel on my way out. Why not? Y' all want entertain? You want a show? I'm about to give you a motherfucking show. Let's go.
Asante
Especially knowing in hindsight that them girls couldn't really work any damn way the way I would've just walked as well.
Dustin
Show your ass.
Asante
What I might look, I might get. Work off the strength of curses.
Francesca
Work like there was a stigma.
Asante
Yes.
Dustin
What they said.
Francesca
I'm asking.
Asante
Well, see, I'm not gonna spoil what they say, but I remember personally just feeling like. Like, I don't remember what it was. But, you know, there's always been some sort of, like, stigmas. Like now even for, like, reality TV.
Francesca
Stars, like, oh, sure, they feel like it's trashy.
Asante
So imagine being, like, a model from tv. Like, they're looking at them like. Because a lot of people, I remember being like, oh, I remember hearing this a lot like. Like, oh, you know, like, if they have, like, a name, it's like they don't want you to be bigger than, like, the brand and shit like that. So, like, they're wanting to walk you in. What? They're not going to want you to walk in shows because they want people to, like, look at the clothes, not be like, oh, that's, you know, xyz.
Dustin
Which is crazy because then they hire an actress or an actor and give them $60 million to take four pictures.
Asante
Yeah.
Dustin
You know what I'm saying? But you don't want the talent to be bigger than the brand. That don't make no goddamn sense. Sense.
Asante
Because imagine how cool it would have been that, like, you know, you didn't know that you hired somebody from America's Next Top Model and now they're being photographed. Yes, it's their name, but, like, they're also be, like, at the XYZ show wearing XYZ or just, you know, XYZ show and wearing their stuff like that. It makes you look hotter.
Dustin
Then there's a conversation, though, right? Because there has been people that cut through even with that stigma. Wendy Harlow.
Asante
Yep.
Dustin
Flat out one of the. One of the biggest models in the fucking world. Okay? Globally. And she came from motherfucking Top Model. So it begs the question that she.
Francesca
Came from Top Model.
Dustin
Exactly. You know what I'm saying? And so the question is, like, is it you? You know what I'm saying? Like, what is it? Cause the talent is going to push through one way or another. You know what I'M saying, I don't know. As a person who works in the capacity of being talent, I try not to get caught up in that because all I can worry about is me and how good I am at what I say it is that I do. You know what I'm saying? I don't ever want to get caught up in feeling like the machine is fucking holding me back or whatever, because I just feel like that is a path to nowhere when it comes to advancement and making progress. So a part of me looks at this conversation. Not those specific women, but this conversation of. Of just because you came from the reality TV space, you can't do anything else. There have been a lot of people that made it through, you know what I'm saying? Not a lot, but there's been enough to prove that it's very possible if your talent or your uniqueness or your thing, you know what I'm saying, is strong enough. And so I just feel like that's where people that work as talent need to focus. That's just how I feel personally.
Francesca
And it's interesting how in music, it's been completely different, right? Because I think American Idol got super cheesy after season two or three, but they still pushed through. We had Kelly Clarkson, Fantasia, Jennifer Hudson, who's still working, you know, like.
Dustin
And it's a egot. Carrie Underwood, Jordan Sparks Underwood, who is highly revered.
Francesca
Right. Daughtry.
Dustin
But Adam. Adam. I was about to say Adam Levine. He ain't come from there. He from Maroon 5.
Francesca
Oh, Adam Lambert.
Dustin
Lambert, Yeah.
Francesca
I do remember Adam Lambert because he.
Dustin
Worked at Claude Clay Aiken, Ruben Studdard. Shit, these are household names, whether you like it or not. Now, I can't tell you nobody that came from the Voice. And that's no disrespect to any of the talent because I know that some incredible talent has come through the voice. But I personally, I never watched the.
Francesca
Voice, so I can't.
Asante
I've watched the Voice and don't remember. Like, I feel like now I look at it differently than I watched American Idol. Like, I feel like we watched for those people to win, and then they. They. They did something right. Like, sometimes they'd give. Get a little album out. I feel like the top. However many people would get albums on, I'd be like, damn, why is everybody getting the album out but the Voice? I. Everyone, I guess, with social media gets lost in the sauce. It's like, all right, well, that was a cute TV show. And then I never hear from whoever again or hear from Them later because they did cut through. And I just forget that they were on the Voice, so.
Dustin
And the Voice is still airing, right? I know. American Idol comes on the Voice.
Francesca
Wait, you said American Idol is too.
Dustin
Wow.
Francesca
Who are the judges?
Asante
Excuse me?
Dustin
American Idol fucked up. Bless you, friend. They should have had a judges panel comprised of talent past winners, right? Yep. They should have had Kelly Clarkson. They have Carrie Underwood, but she's maga, so she no longer gets the staff from me. They should have had Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, Adam Lambert, and Dolce as the.
Francesca
Such a great idea.
Dustin
Yep. And give them. Give them the bag, too. And Fantasia. They could have had Fantasia, you know what I'm saying? There's so many people that could have really done a good job judging. And who. Who better than a person that knows.
Francesca
The experience that went through it has had years out in the field. I think that's a genius idea. I'm so surprised. Nobody has come up with that idea that me, I only. I only knew it was a voice, honestly, because Claude was working with them.
Asante
Okay.
Dustin
Shout out.
Francesca
He was the vocal producer. He was the vocal producer for the artists on. I don't know what season it was, but that's the only reason I even knew about it.
Dustin
And they always have great judges, so they. They obviously invest in their team, you know what I'm saying, when it comes to talent. But the contestants for me have been miscellaneous, you know what I'm saying? And that's unfortunate because I know a lot of people have come through there that were great.
Asante
So, honestly, the Voice, as I look, I literally just googled, like, the Voice winners. I wish I would have, like, put this up on here, but I don't know any of these people. I know y' all don't. I know y' all don't.
Francesca
Yeah. I don't recognize. Damn. Not even one like, it.
Asante
Like, I just, like, scroll through this list and, like, there's not even a name that I can think of. Like, I don't know what. I wonder what happens to these winners.
Dustin
NBC got to figure that out. You know what I'm saying? The NBC has to put something together with that as far as, like, giving them some sort of record deal and a guaranteed number of albums or some shit. I don't know. But they got to figure that out because we need to know who those people are. Obviously they're talented. You know what I'm saying? They won.
Francesca
Yeah.
Dustin
And the Voice. I know you have to get the attention of the judges with your voice for them to even fuck with you. So these people obviously have skills.
Francesca
So that's the one where they turn around on the chair and press the.
Dustin
Button and why didn't they use that song for the theme song? They know damn well they should have used totally clips of the heart.
Asante
Turn around.
Dustin
That should have been. They know that should have been the theme song. They know that.
Asante
Turn around Bright eyes.
Dustin
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Asante
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Francesca
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Asante
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Francesca
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Asante
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Dustin
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Asante
Extending their holiday offer of half off unlimited wireless. So here's the idea. You get it now, you call it an early present for next year. What do you have to lose?
Dustin
Give it a try@mintmobile.com Switch limited time.
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Francesca
You know what, speaking of, of Claude.
Dustin
Go ahead. I'm sorry.
Asante
Sorry friend.
Francesca
No, it's tiny.
Dustin
You are so Turn around bright eyes.
Francesca
I did want to shout out Claude worked on Jill Scott. Claude and Chuck Lewis York worked on Joe Scott's new project, new album that she just released. I just had to shout that out.
Asante
Still revelation.
Francesca
You really were having a phenomenal month because Duran Bernard just won the Grammy for the album they produced. Yeah, and then they worked on a record called Pay youy on Tuesday, which is one of the songs on Just Scott's new album. They wrote and produced on it. And then you can hear Claude's backgrounds, which was so funny because I didn't know about that song. I only knew about the other one. And I was listening to her project, and I was like, that's the singing. Am I crazy? Like, I knew it. And I text him like, this is you on Beautiful People. He's like, yes, that's him in the background. So he's on Beautiful People and pay you on Tuesday. And that made me happy, because you can also hear the Shindellas actually shout.
Dustin
Out to motherfucking Louis York and Weirdo Workshop. Killing it. Yes.
Francesca
They're having a phenomenal month. And when I saw Jill Scott, she did this really cool thing where she has been highlighting everyone who's worked on the album.
Dustin
Okay.
Francesca
Like, each single person. And then she writes a little blurb about what they brought to the project, like, how she feels about them. And I think that's really cool. Right? It gives you insight into the producers, the engineers, the background singers.
Dustin
Just all the elements of recognition, too.
Francesca
They deserve all the elements that come together to help you put this project out. And I love that she did that. And it made me happy reading what she wrote about Claude when she wrote about Chuck. The Shindellas, you know, we love them, so just have to congratulate them because they're doing such a great job chucking them. It's a great album.
Dustin
I do background.
Asante
Chuck.
Dustin
Y' all could have let me get on that. You know what I'm saying? I would have loved to do that.
Francesca
Have y' all had a chance to listen to any of the Jill Scott project?
Dustin
Not yet. And I had definitely planned on it, but now that I know Lewis York is all over that thing and. And the Shindellas, too. I'm definitely gonna listen today, so.
Francesca
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Asante
I've been listening to bits and pieces here and there, and the project sounds bomb. I was like, damn, Jill. Yeah, she sounds so good. It sound. Yeah. I was like, I need to really, really sit with this. Especially single.
Francesca
It's called To Whom this May Concern. And I think it released. Was. Did it release last week? I believe she has a song with. Hold on. She has a song with. Too Short. She has a song. Where is it?
Dustin
I hope she cussing on there.
Francesca
She has a song called To Be Honest with Jid. That is so a Jid. I never know which one he goes by. It is so good.
Dustin
I can't wait to listen to that album, I'm as well.
Francesca
It's a good project. It's a really good project. I'm happy. Just Scott is back.
Dustin
Me too.
Francesca
I feel like it feels nice to hear the people that we like, love and revere, because music now, you know, is just in a really weird place. Everybody kind of sounds the same and chasing each other's formulas. And so when you have someone from the. From back in the day that cuts through with their sound, it just feels like refreshing. I'm happy.
Dustin
Speaking of a refreshing sound and also a sound from back in the day. This is so random, but there's a girl on Baddies who does music named Biggie, and she put out a clip rapping over this. Yes.
Francesca
The Dominican girl.
Dustin
Yes. You know who I'm talking about.
Francesca
I remember her. Cause I would only see the clip.
Dustin
She has a song. I'm telling y', all, on some. I am dead serious. Like, no, I'm not even trying to be funny. No. She's like, in this. I'm just gonna play it. I don't give a. It's. She posted it to her Instagram, and I had to put it on my stories. That's how dope it was. And it's like a throwback to 96 rap. Let me find it. Hold on. I just want y' all to hear it. Like, I was. I was shocked.
Asante
Cause I like that record with her and Tasiki, so if she got another one, keep them coming.
Dustin
Biggie, she's in the hair salon getting her hair done. Let me see. Biggie. Oh, shit. It's so good. Y' all on. Everything I love is good. For real. Let me just go to my story.
Asante
I am open, Dustin.
Dustin
I can never find people's shit when I need to find it, and I hate that. But I really want y' all to hear this, because I was that impressed. And it's. It's a throwback sound to, like, 90s rap. And she did it intentionally.
Asante
I'm open to it because I heard. Because when I heard the record with her and Tsiki, I was like, this sounds so good. And then when I seen the video, I was like, all right. This is like. Like, this makes me want to go to the club to hear it. And, like, you just don't hear records like that already, let alone from a baddie. I was like, that's fly.
Dustin
I'm gonna send it to our group, and then I'm gonna play it for y', all, because it's that. It's literally that good. I was shocked that she even. It made me take her seriously as a rapper. Listen to this song.
Francesca
Oh, That I got on don't come out to December I get money every summer, spring for winter every day I ball if I fall I'm a lifter BBS Stones I ain't never got my.
Dustin
Touch I be on some other Y'.
Francesca
All be on some sucker shit.
Dustin
They don't know my government.
Francesca
You can call me the big one, mama face card never on decline Mama.
Dustin
Big and I'm still fine.
Francesca
Nice.
Dustin
I was shocked. I was shocked. I was like, yo, and, and the, the, the concept. I was like, yo, she really tried. It's not just her saying, I'm a bad and I'm gonna beat your ass at night. You know what I'm saying? Like, this is literally a real rap song. She was spitting that. So. So shout out to Biggie.
Asante
That beat sounds good too.
Dustin
Hell yeah. You know I love that kind of hip hop, rapity rap music. So I was very, I was very happy.
Asante
Okay. Shout out to Biggie. You know my fucking little pivot.
Dustin
Yeah.
Francesca
What else? Y' all been listening to that. I feel like a lot of stuff has come out.
Asante
I've still been rocking that Don Toliver. I can't stop playing it.
Dustin
J. Cole for me. Mm, J. Cole, J. Cole.
Asante
Shit sound good too.
Dustin
Ti. Speaking of J. Cole, Ti's son Damani, who raps just like J. Cole, but still sounds original and dope. He put out a bunch of dope content. He's rapping to this beautiful dark skinned model and like rapping about how beautiful she is and spinning her in circles. And they in like this all red background. It looks like, think like the colors performances. It looks like that. But I was so impressed. That's been dope for me. A bunch of rap shit. I swear. Vezzo got some dope new shit out. Juvenile got a bunch of dope new music out. It's a lot of shit out right now. Juvenile, Juvenile, he got some dope new shit out.
Francesca
I haven't seen that.
Dustin
Yeah, really dope. We got a song called bbb, I think it's called, but it's dope. Let me think who else? And I honestly. The Kid Leroy.
Asante
Black bitch.
Francesca
The Kid Laroi.
Dustin
The Kid Leroy got a song called a Coldplay that I've been stuck on since that ALB album dropped. I played it on the show a couple weeks ago, but it's that damn good. A cold play by the Kid Leroy. I'm telling you, like every time I behold my chest like that Picture with the heat graphic Every time, every time I hear that song.
Francesca
Oh, I see your girl Mary J. Blige has a new song, and I love it. More than a lover Just popped up on my new music thing.
Dustin
I was like, this is the lane you supposed to be in. I like the production style. Her voice sounds great on the song.
Francesca
Wait, I want to hear it. I'm gonna just play. I haven't heard it, so let's hear it. More than the lover Mary J. Blige.
Dustin
Smile and he's still opening my door.
Asante
His sense of humor I'm addicted I want more Call me crazy but I hate to give him space.
Francesca
But he.
Asante
Ain'T tripping cuz he feeling the same way.
Dustin
And if that spark of days it.
Asante
Won'T affect us much Cuz we got.
Francesca
So much more than just that surface.
Dustin
So many things about you.
Francesca
My man.
Dustin
My friend, my brother my, my love.
Francesca
So tight, so real My family way.
Asante
Closer than a brother.
Francesca
No matter what it is I could come running for some comfort.
Dustin
Okay, see what you think. I love it.
Asante
That sound good. That sounds real, real good.
Dustin
That's the kind of beat she need to be singing over. I like the. The old school record scratch feel of it. The piano, like, that's the vein. That's the lane she. Excuse me. That she needs to be in. I was not happy with that last album. I don't even talk about it. I never even talked about it. It's called gratitude. And I was not. I didn't have none.
Francesca
Damn. And for you to say that because we know how much you love her.
Dustin
I. I'll fight somebody. Fist I fist fight somebody about Mary J. Blige. So, like, yes, I was. I was very greatly disappointed. Again, the heat graphic. I was so disappointed. But this sounds so much better to me. And this is the kind of music that she needs to be making. I think that'll translate really well for live performances in front of a piano. You know, she could do a stripped version. It's just a lot. It's pretty. Like that's what she needs to be doing. So Kudos, Mary. I really sighed a huge sigh of relief when I pressed Play. I was like, ooh, thank you.
Francesca
I love that both Mary and Juice got her out. I see that Victoria Monet has the music too. I haven't heard it yet. A lot of people dropped, apparently. Oh, you heard it? It's good.
Dustin
Fire. All the visuals are fire. She looks beautiful and it's sexy. It makes you feel like the 90s. It's just. I Love it. Love it.
Francesca
I'm a fan of hers, so I like pretty much everything she's put out, right? Yeah. Actually. Let's play it. Let's see how it goes. Let me. Victoria Monet. You so athletic. You sure know how to run from feeling. Letting pride decide for you. But you're still just like glass. I can see where you need some shining. But you're scared to break. If you let me hold you. I just wish you would let me be all right or die. Let me love you back to life, babe. Let me give you peace of mind. You know I'm alright with your rain or shine. If you let me be a winter go. Let me love you through those moments. I do. Oh all the things love, baby, if you let me.
Asante
Yeah, it's a fly record. It's delicious.
Dustin
Game things like that make out iron. You can do anything to it, you know what I'm saying?
Francesca
While we were listening, Dustin was like don't. To make you want to skate backwards.
Dustin
It does, don't it? It does. Looking over his shoulder. Okay. It makes you want to do that. But I like it though. I like the vintage feel. It's. It's really good R and B music. So I'm very pleased.
Francesca
Very same. That makes me excited for her project. I know Alex Isley dropped the single and she's dropping an album, which I'm good. You know how I feel about her. It's supposed to be coming out next month, so. Counting down.
Dustin
Ronald Isley got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Did you know the Isley brothers just. They just got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Francesca
Come on, Uncle Ron.
Dustin
I was nervous too. When they got down there to take the picture.
Francesca
It took long. No, you didn't. He looks great. I think he's aging so great. I love the like he just looks so smooth with it. I think he's aged really great.
Dustin
You know what I call that? Old goals.
Asante
Oh my God.
Dustin
Old goals. It's a certain way I want to be when I'm old, you know what I'm saying?
Francesca
You not lying. You are not lying. I'm getting started on it now just to set it in motion.
Dustin
You already got a vision. You didn't talked about it before about how you want to be the. Oh, your hair is. You're going to grow gray and embrace your gray, you know what I'm saying? And have the healthiest olive oil down ass gray hair we ever seen in.
Asante
Our life.
Dustin
Walking through houses. You want to be the little lady.
Francesca
You know the little lady you see that has the little muscular arms because she stays fit. She's always in like athleisure and a cardigan.
Dustin
I was gonna say aloe. You're gonna be in your aloe. No, no, you're gonna start wearing.
Francesca
It would have to be like a local.
Dustin
Like 100 cotton, locally sourced. Yes, absolutely.
Francesca
Eco like Maya. Maya always makes me laugh. She always goes shout out to shameless. Maya, I love you.
Dustin
Yeah.
Francesca
Is it our ch. Is it artisanal? That's. She always says that to me.
Dustin
Okay.
Francesca
But yes, we all have goals for our old age. Is there anything else y' all want to tap in? A tap in about? Before we jump out of here, I.
Dustin
Want to say thank you to everybody that bought a ticket to my New York show. I think there's two tickets left. Like, literally two. So we basically sold out.
Francesca
So God is by now is most likely gone.
Dustin
I mean, you know, just the Lord.
Francesca
Let'S clap it for that. That's a big deal. Come on now.
Dustin
I'm very, very grateful and so congratulations. Thank you, man. I just. It's another year. This is the second year in a row that I've done city winery on St. Patrick's Day. I'm gonna start doing it every day.
Francesca
What a blessing. I love that idea.
Dustin
So grateful. So just want to say thank you. That's it. And I'll see everybody there. March 17, 7:00pm I'm going to talk my shit. I wrote a whole bunch of funny ass shit. That's going to shock. It is shocking. I can't wait for y' all to hear the things I'm gonna say on this stage. So, yes. March 17th. I see y' all at City Winery.
Francesca
I love it. Anything in Santer? We rolling out.
Asante
Well, if you are a member of the gated community and you're waiting for the announcement, it's here. Because next week is going to be the last Wednesday already. It's the last week. Next week is the last week of the month. That's right. So that means that Wednesday we will be having our wind down. That will be at 8pm Eastern Standard Time. Go to patreon.com friendson podcast for more information on that. As long with. As long as.
Dustin
As well as I got you back.
Asante
Thank you. Thank you. Culpability. As well as more of our premium content, which includes commercial free episodes of the show and our other shows. Our book show, as I love to call it, what we are reading right now, it is a really great book.
Francesca
It is a really good book thriller.
Asante
It's so good. Some of y' all didn't already finishing y' all just watching us act a fool about it. I've been doing long form reviews on it. I think we're going to be shortening it up for the next couple of weeks and then for the last one I'll do another long one. That way we can like just talk about some of this because it's so funny how the story has moved along. But that's culpability. If you want more information about that, go get that book and join us on Patreon to hear about the that we're talking about it as well as our other show the Binge where we watch shows. Right now we're watching Netflix show his and hers starring and a myriad of other people along with Crystal Fox just because I love saying Crystal Fox and.
Francesca
That'S it for me and that means that is it for us. We love you guys so much. We appreciate you guys hanging out with us. Another week and we will catch you next week.
Asante
In the meantime, stay black and protect your magic.
Francesca
Bye y'. All.
Dustin
This is Friend Doll with Venmo Stash.
Asante
A tag on one hand and ordering.
Dustin
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Trip Expedia Made to Travel Flight inclusive packages are atoll protected.
Hosts: Dustin Ross, Hey Fran Hey (Francesca), Asanté
Main Theme:
This episode dives deep into the new Netflix “America’s Next Top Model” (ANTM) documentary, unpacking the toxic culture behind the influential reality show. The hosts share strong reflections on body shaming, production manipulation, and the lasting effects on contestants’ mental health and self-image. Personal anecdotes, sharp humor, and real talk about pop culture run through the whole discussion.
The Friend Zone crew (Dustin, Fran, and Asanté) center their conversation on the recent buzz around the Netflix ANTM docuseries. They dissect its revelations about the show's problematic legacy, especially regarding bullying, body image, diversity, accountability, and reality TV's broader impact. The discussion branches into related reality TV scandals, nostalgia for throwback music, and updates within Black entertainment and culture.
For anyone who missed the episode, this summary captures the outrage, humor, nostalgia, and insight that The Friend Zone is known for, all while centering the ongoing impact of reality TV—on individuals and culture alike.