Moved To Chorus

Summary

The Friend Zone Podcast – Episode: “Moved To Chorus”

Date: March 26, 2025
Hosts: Dustin Ross, Hey Fran Hey (Francesco), Assanté

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Episode Overview

In this lively and incisive episode, the trio cover a grab-bag of hot topics from Trick Daddy’s controversial dating comments, Broadway’s historic Othello premiere, viral celebrity drama, and the wildest true crime headlines. As always, music, Black wellness, and laughs are central, with the hosts skillfully weaving lightness into even the heaviest of subjects. Listeners are invited into candid, timely discussions about self-care, community, entertainment, and what it means to stay grounded (and entertained!) in a wild world.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trick Daddy's "Old Hoes" Controversy (02:19)

• Recap of Trick Daddy's comments: Trick Daddy (age 51) said that women his own age “need to lower their standards” and made derogatory statements about “old hoes,” preferring women 22–35.
• Hosts’ take: The crew ably roast Trick Daddy but pivot to finding a “positive” by commending his self-awareness—“Shout out to Trick Daddy for understanding that these women have to take an L to experience him” (04:54, Dustin).
• They highlight the intersection of ageism, misogyny, and transactional relationships, but keep things light and witty: “Shout out to Trick Daddy for his accountability and his actual realistic view of self. I am proud of that. That’s where the positivity ends.” (04:54, Dustin).

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2. Weekend Catch-up: From Othello to Invisalign (05:41)

• Dustin’s epic weekend: Details on the Broadway premiere of Othello—“Everywhere you turned, you saw somebody: Joe Biden was there... Jennifer Lopez, Colman Domingo, Tamron Hall, Nia Long... Jamie Lee Curtis and I had a conversation on the steps for five minutes” (06:02).
• Fran’s “spring renewal”: Haircut, teeth cleaning, and starting Invisalign—dishing the pros/cons and crowd-sourcing advice from listeners on managing pain and speaking with aligners on (10:07).
• Assanté’s birthday appreciation: A thank you for birthday wishes and musings on connections & unexpected messages that come around on birthdays (15:03).

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3. Music, Events, and Shoutouts (17:21)

• Glorilla Concert: “Shout out to Glorilla, her whole team... She came out and she lipsung ‘Giving Him Something He Can Feel’ in like a gown” (18:12, Dustin). Hosts celebrate Glorilla’s rise and energy.
• Cleo Sol Shows: Highlights from her three-night run at Radio City and collective FOMO for what was described as an “amazing experience” (19:40).
• Dustin’s Comedy Show: Heartfelt thanks to supporters: “I feel so supported and that was a great feeling. So thank you.” (21:23)
• Patreon Community: Promotion of interactive “Wednesday Wind Down” and other exclusive perks (21:35).

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4. Black Business Highlight: Yummy Tummies Kitchen (23:40)

• Spotlight on Melissa Johnson’s Brooklyn bakery: “Yummy Tummies Kitchen,” its struggle to stay afloat, and the power of community support (25:33, Fran).
• Emphasis on mutual aid and buying Black; shout-out for giving back: “She was handing out a lot of free treats... you can tell she’s really of the people” (25:58).

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5. Listener Letters and Previous Episode Feedback (28:04)

• Reflections on “Stack Like Jenga” episode: Listeners shared touching stories about navigating loss, adulting through grief, and family responsibilities (31:05), with the hosts balancing the heaviness with humor.
• Quotes:
  • “Like, I have to hold it together and make room for something super unknown, that’s tragic—but the paperwork for it, too... I have to manage the tragedy.”—Asanté (31:24)
  • “That fear of the day you’re going to get that call... Just a lot to worry about.”—Fran on only-child anxiety (33:25)

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6. Viral Salon Drama Talk (36:27)

• Social media outbreaks over salon payment disputes: Discussions of a viral video where a minor was physically assaulted for not paying for braids (37:25).
• Fierce opinions about business boundaries and the need for upfront payment policies to prevent conflicts:
  • “That’s a drag—a not no kids, so I ain’t with that part... You gotta stand up for yourself sometimes.”—Dustin (43:30)
  • Moral: “Stop being thieves y’all... don’t sit in someone’s salon and let them stand on their feet if you can’t pay!”—Fran (40:06)
• Hilarious, exasperated takes notably leaven the otherwise serious topic.

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7. Entertainment and Pop Culture Hot Topics (45:44)

Broadway’s Othello with Denzel Washington

• Historic moment: Breaks record for highest-grossing Broadway play previews ($2.8M). Salute to producers Kandi Burruss, Todd Tucker, and Brian Moreland.
  • “People have tried not to take Kandi and Todd as seriously as Broadway producers, but they doing the damn thing.”—Dustin (46:49)
• Kandi’s career evolution is celebrated.

Sherri Shepherd vs. Nia Long?

• Alleged spat: At Othello, Sherri says an “unnamed celebrity” accused her of “shading” them; Page Six claims it was Nia Long, and the hosts analyze Sherri’s vocal imitation for clues (56:32–57:34).
• “Nia Long drops the first letter of her words... That was Nia Long”—Dustin (57:20).
• Reflections on celebrity confrontation etiquette, “walking down on someone in person” vs. online beefing (58:23).

Omarion Scolds the Crowd

• Concert awkwardness: Omarion tells an unengaged Virginia audience to “get y’all asses up,” prompting debate on artist-audience dynamics (63:03).
• Wise advice: “They purchased a ticket to come see you... never be a situation unless they do something crazy where you become combative with the audience”—Dustin (67:57).

Facetune Claps at Nene Leakes

• Social media pettiness: Facetune’s official account jokes about Nene’s announcement of wanting to return to RHOA, saying, “Guess I’m going too.” (72:49, Dustin).

Angela Rye vs. Kevin O’Leary (CNN)

• Boundaries enforced: Angela checks O’Leary on live TV for touching her arm:
  • “Thank you. That’s my personal space. Don’t do it again.”—Angela Rye (75:10)
  • “She checked him... You, sir, don’t get to interrupt me or tap my arm.”—Dustin (75:23)
  • Context: O’Leary is a vocal Trump supporter with a pattern of overstepping, making this rebuke a satisfying one for the hosts and listeners.

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8. Wild True Crime – The Crime Zone (78:51)

• Utah Nurse’s Deadly Deceit: Nurse Megan Randall Sun Wall fabricated a cancer diagnosis for a friend, poisoned her, and sought a nonexistent $1.5M life insurance payout.
  • “So, she did it for nothing, y’all. The girl had no policy!” (82:59, Dustin)
  • Hosts unpack the disturbing psychology and the need for better professional vetting.
• West Virginia Child Abuse: Donald Lance and Gene White Feather sentenced to a combined 375 years for heinous crimes against their five Black adoptive children—locked in sheds, malnourished, and forced labor.
  • “You brought these children to West Virginia, a place that I know is almost heaven, and you put them in hell... This court will now put you in yours.”—Judge Mary Claire Acres (91:08)
  • Sombre reflection: Wishing healing for the children and hoping for systemic justice. (93:01)

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9. Wellness: Community Call to Save STI Clinic (94:30)

• Listener letter from Sonia Almonte: Shares closure threat of Multnomah County’s STI clinic in Portland and the larger dangers of budget cuts in public health.
• Fran pledges to amplify the message and provides contact info for county commissioners to rally community support.
• “This is a genuine public health crisis. We’re facing a lot of losses like this.”—Fran (97:53)

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10. Music Man / Songs to Play (99:08)

• Lizzo’s “Still Bad”: Shout-out for perseverance and industry respect despite haters: “It ain’t ever about her talent. Lizzo is good at what she does. She’s the real deal.”—Dustin (100:07)
• JT’s “Ran Out”: Celebrating her solo hustle and musical focus post–City Girls (104:37). Fran: “Shout out to her for being like, I’m gonna start again. Get it out the mud and watch it happen.”
• Lady Gaga: Deep appreciation for Gaga’s return to pop roots on Mayhem: “If this is a return to that form... I’m open to listen.”—Dustin (109:30). Multiple tracks are recommended (“Perfect Celebrity,” “Love Drug”).
• Featured music picks:
  • Lady Gaga – “So Happy I Could Die” (111:17, Fran)
  • E.J. Ross – “Superficial” & Jay Versace’s production teaser (113:46+)
  • Sequence (in tribute to Angie Stone) – “I Don’t Need Your Love” and “Can You Feel It?” (117:45, Dustin)
  • Jungle – “Back on 74 (Full Crate Remix)” (119:39)
  • Health – “Cyberpunk 2.0” (121:46)
  • Kendrick Lamar – “Hood Politics” (122:57, Asanté)
  • The Organization – “Can’t Stop No Player” (126:19)
  • Lady Gaga – “Love Drug”—new album sample (128:33)
• Hosts reflect on their personal musical histories and why certain songs strike a chord.

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11. TV & Streaming Recommendations (132:23)

• RHOA Season 16: Praise for the “showing out” of new cast members and Shamea’s quick wit in classic Atlanta arguments: “Episode 3 is hitting all the marks!” (135:06)
• Married to Medicine Reunion: Toya’s ongoing shade, signature fashions (or lack thereof), and iconic reads.
• Gross Point Garden Society: Special kudos to young actress Aris Harris for standout performances: “Our next Kiki Palmer. Our next Brandy... She just knows.”—Dustin (139:57).
• Yellowstone & White Lotus: Ongoing casual recaps and reactions as the hosts catch up (141:02+).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Shout out to Trick Daddy for understanding that these women have to take an L to experience him.”—Dustin (04:54)
• “Who in the hell wants Trick Daddy voluntarily?”—Fran (05:06)
• “Stop being thieves y’all... don’t sit in someone’s salon and let them stand on their feet if you can’t pay!”—Fran (40:06)
• “She checked him. And sometimes you have to do that.”—Dustin, on Angela Rye’s viral CNN moment (75:23)
• “She brought these children to West Virginia... almost heaven, and you put them in hell. This court will now put you in yours.” —Judge Mary Claire Acres (91:08)
• “I like the fact that JT is music focused... She’s hyper focused on establishing herself as a true rapper.”—Dustin (104:18)
• “So, she did it for nothing, y’all. The girl had no policy!”—Dustin on the Utah nurse murder plot (82:59)
• “Get it out the mud and watch it happen.”—Fran, about JT carving her own lane (105:05)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:19] – Trick Daddy commentary & reaction
• [05:41] – Weekend/catch-up: Othello premiere, Invisalign chat, birthdays
• [17:21] – Music events: Glorilla, Cleo Sol, comedy show recap
• [23:40] – Black business highlight: Yummy Tummies Kitchen
• [28:04] – Previous episode listener feedback
• [36:27] – Salon video drama & payment debates
• [45:44] – Entertainment news: Othello on Broadway, Kandi Burruss
• [56:32–57:34] – Sherri Shepherd vs. Nia Long confrontation
• [63:03] – Omarion chastises crowd at concert debate
• [72:49] – Facetune trolls Nene Leakes
• [74:04] – Angela Rye checks Kevin O’Leary on CNN
• [78:51] – Crime Zone: Utah nurse fake cancer/insurance plot
• [89:22] – Crime Zone: WV couple sentenced for child abuse
• [94:30] – Wellness: Save the STI clinic (listener letter)
• [99:08] – Music Man/songs to play: Lizzo, JT, Gaga, more
• [132:23] – TV recs: RHOA, Married to Medicine, Gross Point Garden Society
• [139:57] – Kids as stars: Aris Harris’s performance
• [141:02+] – Casual recaps: Yellowstone, White Lotus

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Tone & Energy

The conversation flows with their signature mix of heart, humor, and pop culture savvy, moving from the ridiculous (Facetune’s Twitter shade) to the deeply serious (true crime, wellness gaps) without missing a beat. Each host brings a unique lens, but collective care for community, wellness, and Black joy is clear throughout.

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For Listeners

This episode is a must-listen for fans of honest, unfiltered conversations about pop culture, music, Black business and wellness, and the beautiful (and occasionally absurd) chaos of everyday life. Whether you’re here for the headlines or the humor, you’ll leave feeling both entertained and informed.

Transcript

[Austin James]

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[Asante]

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[Dustin Ross]

Welcome to the Friends.

[Asante]

My name is Dustin.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I'm Francesco, also known as K. Friend.

[Asante]

Hey, my name is Asante.

[Dustin Ross]

This is the friend zone.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I need a man to make me feel pretty, to lick on my puff, grab both his nuts and suck on my titties.

[Dustin Ross]

That's right. Now what? We just play. Yeah, that's right. Well, we just played. It was actually a cartoon. Okay. It was from a Fox cartoon. I'm not sure which one may have been American dad or one of those shows with the people with the big eyes and the big jaws at the bottom. Whoever that artist is, shout out to you. But that's what that's from. And it was a joke, right? It was something that made us. We just. Asante just busted out laughing when he heard it, right? It was a joke. But that also must be what Trick Daddy, okay, thinks women really feel like because he brought his textured ass. Okay? We'll call him Textured. Okay. He brought his textured ass onto the Baller Alert show and let it be known that he prefers women ages 22 to 35. Which. There's nothing wrong with that, right? You like who you like. At 22 is legal, no matter how old.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

How old is your daddy?

[Dustin Ross]

He is. Okay? But he called. What. Where he crossed the line was when he went further and he called out women that are his age. Which Trick Daddy's in his 50s.

[Asante]

He's 51, according to Google.

[Dustin Ross]

And he said that quote, them old hoes need to lower their standards. Let's take a listen to a little bit of what Trick Daddy had to say.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Just to.

[Dustin Ross]

I tried dating women my age.

[Asante]

That's the hardest in the world.

[Dustin Ross]

Oh, man, they stuck in their way. And they wonder why they can't keep them. Now look, now you know they gonna.

[Asante]

Get you for this.

[Dustin Ross]

Now I wouldn't give a damn.

[Asante]

Them old hoes need to lower their standards and realize that this. Unless you want to.

[Dustin Ross]

Oh, unless you want to, old trick. No, unless the mother want a.

[Asante]

That won't.

[Dustin Ross]

They.

[Asante]

Unless they want a.

[Dustin Ross]

A swap out. A. That's a swap out artist. Unless them want a. A a. A yes man or a paymaster.

[Asante]

I'm the sugar daddy with no sugar.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah.

[Asante]

Sweet and low. I'm not doing.

[Dustin Ross]

Whatever you don't do, you don't get paid for. Like, stop always complaining.

[Asante]

Like, for real.

[Dustin Ross]

And he goes further, he goes way further, talking about wigs and eyelashes and women's grooming habits and how back in his day, nobody but bank robbers, prostitutes and drag queens wore wigs and all these things. But this ain't no show where you know me, I'm a black man. We black people on this show. This is a black show. We ain't going to just tear nobody down. I think that we should accentuate the positive this week, right? Okay, let's see. Let's give Trick Daddy sunflowers. They may be dead, but let's give him to them. Let's give them to him nonetheless. Now what I will say is shout out to Trick Daddy for having a realistic self perspective, a view of himself. Because let's be clear, he's talking about the women that he encounters. And he said that them old hoes, which means that it's transactional, right? So at least he recognizes that in order to have sexual gratification, in his case, it has to be purchased. So that's a good thing, right?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

He's.

[Dustin Ross]

He's employing sex workers. So great. Second thing, he said that them old hoes need to lower their standards. Shout out to Trick Daddy. Okay? He must have 2020 vision because he's aware that someone accepting or receiving him in an intimate way in a sexual way would be a lowering of said standards. He's sitting on this radio show right now in a T shirt with his belly flopping when he laughs. And on the belly of his T shirt, there's a big mout open on a face doing. Doing like this.

[Asante]

So when he's talking this, he.

[Dustin Ross]

I don't like them. He's doing all of that. The belly is shaking and the mouth is moving too, so at least he recognizes the visual elements of conversation. So let's recognize that. Shout out to Trick Daddy for understanding that these women have to take an L to experience him. Shout out to him for knowing what's the rung of the letter he's on. Shout out to Trick Daddy for his accountability and his actual realistic view of self. I am proud of that. That's where the positivity ends. Thank you and let's move on. Welcome to the Friend Zone, your weekly look in all things mental health, mental wellness, and mental hygiene. Because who in the hell wants Trick Daddy voluntarily. See how we didn't hear nothing? There you go.

[Asante]

Hey, friend.

[Dustin Ross]

Hey, Saute. How y' all doing?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

How are y' all doing? How are your weekend y' all get up to?

[Dustin Ross]

I had a great weekend myself. I ain't even gonna hold you.

[Asante]

I bet you did.

[Dustin Ross]

I definitely had a great weekend. I went to the Othello premiere, Broadway premiere on Sunday.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

How was that critical acclaim out here?

[Dustin Ross]

It was incredible. And the show itself was beautiful. But the real show on Sunday took place in the theater, in the lobby of the theater and on the stage. There was a lot going on, and we're gonna get into that in the main show this week. Yeah, I did that on Sunday. Also went to the after party at Tavern on the Green. It was absolutely incredible. I met so many people who I have watched on television for years and in movies for years and in media for years. You name it, Joe Biden was there. Okay, so, so, so we can even let Anna Wintour. I promise to God in heaven, Jennifer Lopez at Colman Domingo, Tamron Hall, Neil Long Shepherd, Jamie Lee Curtis and I had a conversation on the steps five minutes straight. Okay, like, like, it was like that. Everywhere you turned, you saw some Novi Brown. Oh, I love Novi Brown so much. Her, Angela Bassett. Like I said, Joe Morton, Rosie Perez. You know how much I love Rosie Perez. I was just looking at it.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

She's one of the ones that I would die.

[Dustin Ross]

And guess what else? She was nice to everybody. She was so nice and kind. Anyway, more on that in the show. So that was on Sunday and on Saturday, I was blessed to attend my friend Khalid Briggs. Shout out to Khalid, who's an incredible producer in experiential marketing and events. But he had a birthday party at his beautiful new spot in Brooklyn, and it was one of those apartment DJ situations. So we filmed it. Everybody had to wear a certain color.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I Love those videos.

[Dustin Ross]

Dope dj, Shout out to J Wigs. It was a bunch of dope DJs from New York who DJ. This is a dope experience. So I had a good one weekend nonetheless. Great weekend. What about y'?

[Asante]

All?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I had a good weekend. I mean, I was traveling. I was in New York all week after your show. I just ended up extending my ticket and staying extra couple days. And I feel good. I saw Mona got my hair trimmed.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, yeah, the Mona cut a little short right here.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I saw my eyebrow lady and got my eyebrows restored, which is hard out here. I went to the dentist yesterday and got my teeth clean. You know, I just feel like a spring renewal. You know what I'm saying? Just tying up some loose ends and feel really good. First of all, happy spring, everybody.

[Asante]

Happy spring.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

We made it through another winter. I know it's still kind of wishy washy out here. Still cold. New York was freezing one day, beautiful the next day, pouring rain the next day. So it was hard to know what to wear. Same with Portland. But I'm happy the weather is starting to shift and you already know spring and summer.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, baby. Yes.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Bring it down the day to swear. I went for a long walk this morning. I walk like three miles around the park. Just walk. Just got up and walked and put on my headphones and my playlist and it was so good. I was so happy, just enjoying the weather.

[Dustin Ross]

And you know why you did that? You got your hair done. You feeling good about yourself, right? Yeah. I'm going outside.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I didn't even get, like I told Mona, I was like, you know, my life has changed a lot. I didn't get the cute little curly girl cut. I was like, I'm really not there no more. I just need a good trim. My hair just needs to be long and healthy, y'.

[Asante]

All.

[Dustin Ross]

Long as now it was.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

It's so long. But it's short now because she cut off a lot.

[Asante]

I was about to say it was.

[Dustin Ross]

How many inches you cut?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

It was, oh, my God. I cut a lot if it needed it. Because think about it. I haven't gotten my hair cut in like two years. Yeah. So it was a lot of dead hair. Messed up hair, I should say a dead ends. And I told her your hair was dry.

[Dustin Ross]

She couldn't look like what it had been through.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Friends. But I feel better. I feel refreshed, especially seeing the dentist. Oh, and guess what? I'm starting Invisalign friend.

[Dustin Ross]

No, you are good, good friend. That makes you discipline.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Yeah, I think I Can do it.

[Dustin Ross]

You're disciplined, girl.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I'm gonna see what the pain is looking like. But I did have a question, though. Can I record the podcast with Invisalign on, or am I gonna sound weird?

[Dustin Ross]

You're not gonna sound weird.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Okay.

[Dustin Ross]

You may have. Well, don't let me speak.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Like a little lisp. Or is it gonna be like. I don't know. I don't. I'm just thinking, is there anyone we know that has a podcast that has Invisalign? Because I wanted to hear if I could hear if it sounds weird.

[Dustin Ross]

I don't know, because there is something in your mouth. You know what I mean?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Yeah. So I would assume my S's are gonna get a little.

[Dustin Ross]

That and this. You got a big vocabulary. So thus. Thus four.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

We'll see. But I start them in May, So. Ok, I'm getting fitted for them next month, and then I get the tray in May. And then in May, as he did, tell me, by the looks of my teeth and what needs to be shifted, it's not going to take more than a year. Which.

[Dustin Ross]

Wonderful. That'll go by quickly.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Yeah. He was like, I'd give you like, nine, ten months.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

So I'm like, the time's gonna pass anyway. It's something I wanted to do. I'm gonna see if I can deal with the pain. I know. Crystal said it's so bad, the pain, it is.

[Dustin Ross]

Debilitating. But.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

But it's debilitating.

[Dustin Ross]

Yes. Dental pain, friend. Like that. Well, now, mind you, this is. This is from when I had braces. Right. And I was 12. So this was a very long time ago. But the memories are just like yesterday. They're from yesteryear. And I literally. I used to have to sleep with a wet washcloth and my mouth just in between my teeth because if my teeth touched. Oh, they were so sensitive that if they touched, that hurt. So at that pain, on a positive note, that pain would only last the first day. So after that first day, then you would feel relief. You know what I mean?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Okay, so it's not the whole time.

[Dustin Ross]

No, it's. It's anytime you get. Well, that was when I had braces, so anytime I got my brace, I would get my braces adjusted once a month. Month. And every month when that would happen, that. That night and the next day, it was very painful. But after that, I was straight.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Okay. Okay, that's good to know. Because I didn't know if it meant that, like, every time I got the tray, it would just be pain. For, like, days on end.

[Dustin Ross]

I don't know. Because I don't know what the. That's more of a.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Braces and trays. Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

As far as the shifting time, you know what I'm saying? So I don't know. Well, but ask those questions. No, I know.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Once we. I have the. You know, it was the consultation because this a new dentist. My dentist retired, which I'm devastated because I adored him. But the new one, he sent us that letter in December. He said that is it okay for me. But I like the new dentist. My first time meeting him. He's very nice, and he does Invisalign, which was cool because my previous dentist did it.

[Asante]

I would have.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

He referred me. Yeah. This new one is, like a younger dude. He has a lot more to offer on there, so that was cool. So I'm gonna do it through him. It's extremely expensive as af. What?

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I'm kind of shocked that people paid for it and then didn't go through with it.

[Dustin Ross]

Make you want to go to dental school, don't it?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Holy. Like, what? And then people don't go through with.

[Dustin Ross]

It, but that lets, you know, make.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Me go through with it.

[Dustin Ross]

What to expect when it comes to the discomfort. Right, right. So you can get ahead of the, you know.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

Experience a little bit. Because you understand it that way.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Yeah. Any of you listening that have Invisalign, please leave comments on your. And tell the truth. Yes. Please give tips on pain management. Pain management for those first couple of days. And if it's. If it's similar to what Dustin's saying, where it just hurts the first day, just tell me your experience with it. If you went through. If you fell off because I started.

[Asante]

Spit out.

[Dustin Ross]

How many trays didn't hit the wall? That's what we want to know.

[Asante]

Oh, God.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

And if I do sound funny, y' all just bear with me. You know what I mean?

[Dustin Ross]

Right.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Beauty. Growing pains. All right. But that's it for me. That was my weekend and my. My plans ahead. Asante, what'd you get into this weekend?

[Asante]

Weekend was good. It was like a continuation of my birthday. And with that said, actually, we love.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

A lot of birthday.

[Asante]

I'd like to say. I didn't. I didn't say it last week, but thank you to everybody that took the time out to wish me happy birthday. It was a really fun time.

[Dustin Ross]

I was waiting you to say thank you.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I'm so done.

[Asante]

My bad, Dustin. Nigga. I know. No, but sincerely, though, thank you to everybody that wished me happy Birthday took time out to say, what's up, Instagram me, because I don't even be on Instagram like that. So the fact that people still watching my stories, you know, it's crazy that you don't post for a long time, but them numbers still be there and it be like, what are y' all doing like, here? So thank you to everybody. The random text messages that you get from people that just will still remember your birthday year after year is so funny to me. Like, just the people that will reach.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Want to hear from.

[Asante]

I didn't want to go there, take.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Advantage of those special holidays.

[Asante]

We're not doing Moesha music this week. We're not going there. But. But I will say I did receive a couple of interesting messages this year for my birthday, and I was like, but, you know, stuff like that sometimes can be a little reaffirming. So it's like, ah, okay.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

All right. But you got it.

[Asante]

Great week, great weekends. Also shot just really quickly and randomly. Shout out to Toya. Toya.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I didn't get to see Toy, and I'm sorry.

[Asante]

I love Kia. I love Toya. I love Cortez. Toya is just so beautiful and talented and blessed and funny as hell. Like, like, yes, she is funny as hell, but she's one. She is a beautiful person, too. Like, she's one of those people that can just be going through so much, but still just be, you know, rocking, like, everything is all good in the hood. She's not trying to give you any of what she has going on. The only thing she tries to give other people is love and joy and laughter. And I love her so much for it. So I just wanted to quickly say, I love you, Toya, girl. That is you, Kia, friend. But you my friend, girl. Like, I love Toya. I love you, Toya.

[Dustin Ross]

Shout out to Latoya D. Newton, baby.

[Asante]

Yeah.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Shout out to Latoya and the law girl. That's your podcast, in case you guys.

[Asante]

Yes. But that was it. Great weekend, great times, great laughs, great people. I had a great time. I'm having a great time.

[Dustin Ross]

Hey, I also have to give a shout out, too, because Interscope invited me and Crystal to the Glorilla concert on Thursday.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Oh, yeah. To the invitation, too, because they hit us up. But I was reaching out.

[Dustin Ross]

Shout out to Interscope. Shout out to Glorilla, her whole team. Shout out to E.J. king, her stylist. We had a great experience at the show, and Glorilla had brought out Queen Key, and they performed Hell Woods 2, which is a song I actually played on this show and I love it. And I forgot that I didn't even think about that happening. So I actually had that fan moment where it was like a surprise and I was so into it. I was hollering and screaming and shit. So it was great. Shout out to Glorilla. That was so great. And she came out and she lipsung giving him something he can feel in.

[Asante]

Like a gown and like an evening gown.

[Dustin Ross]

It was so. Her show was great. Go see on some real shit. Glorilla the show. So go see.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Yeah, I was sad I missed it, but I. I found out or realized that we'd gotten hit up way too late and, you know, I didn't have a lot of time in New York. Yeah, I was like, I gotta squeeze in the people. I gotta squeeze in. It didn't get. But I heard it was amazing.

[Dustin Ross]

Chris will held it the down.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

She told me.

[Asante]

I was in a mall last week. I seen Glorilla.

[Dustin Ross]

First of all, I feel old because I just.

[Asante]

I guess I don't spend enough time in the mall.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

You saw Gorilla at the mall.

[Asante]

No, no, no, no, listen, hold on real quick. There's a Savage Fenty store, which, you know, of course there is. I'd never seen the Savage Fenty store, so I was like, damn, the Savage Fenty store looks cute. Walking by the store, you know, they have the. Well, it was a big store, so there was like a middle ad placement in between the doorway. So that's, you know, just to know how spacious it was. And Glorilla's fine ass was like plastered on the little ad thing in the middle right before you walk into the store. She looks so good.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Like she been working out. Her body is. Yeah. So strong and healthy. It looks great.

[Asante]

She looks good. Shout out to you, Glorilla. Love loving having more fun, loving you. Doing more music, doing more tours, having features, having ad placements. Shout out to Big Glow.

[Dustin Ross]

We love seeing her star rise. My yes.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Shout out to Glorilla. And I saw another concert I didn't make it to is Cleo. Cleo Soul.

[Dustin Ross]

Oh, shout Out Cleo.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Yeah. She had her 3 night st. I believe Radio City and Antoinette hit me, Jade. Everybody hit me from the show, sending me videos and pictures. And Cleo looked beautiful. She sounded great and the audience looked amazing. I was like, damn. I heard it was just an amazing experience. So those of you that got to go, I hope you enjoyed it. But yeah, so the concert, those of you who are pulling up to la, hopefully she has a tour that keeps adding or just that, right? I hope it's a tour so she can keep adding cities and dates and we can try to box some people out and catch it there. But shout out.

[Dustin Ross]

I'm sure she will.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I know turn out.

[Dustin Ross]

Yes. People love Cleo Soul.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

She's so great. But before we jump in, do you guys have any announcements, anything you have to let the folks know?

[Dustin Ross]

I just want to say thank you to everybody that supported sent a congratulations. A well wish bought tickets pulled up. Thank you to you, Fran and you and Sante for traveling to my comedy show on Monday at City Winery. Great night, lots of love, good energy. I'm proud of myself. I'm grateful to Alex rago and Studio 17 for producing it. Shout out to Chris Morrow for being in the building. Loudspeakers was definitely representing that bitch. And we just. It was a great night. So much support. I feel so supported and that was a great feeling. So thank you. I just want to say thank you. That's all you did.

[Asante]

You're a big one, Dustin.

[Dustin Ross]

Thank you.

[Asante]

You were hilarious.

[Dustin Ross]

You were a natural. Thank you.

[Asante]

It was a great time.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Thank you.

[Dustin Ross]

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. I'm really grateful. Just. Just really got a heart full of gratitude. So that's it.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Absolutely. Asante. I know you're gonna mention the lives. The live stream.

[Asante]

Yes. Just. If you are listening to this, the date that it is dropping, which this episode, it should be out Wednesday, March 26, 8pm Eastern Standard Time. You can join us over at patreon.com the Friendzonepodcast, which is where we will be hosting our Wednesday wind down. We do it the last Wednesday of every month. It's where we get to have fun with each other. It has become a safe space for us to be even more of ourselves. If you can't believe that. Enough already. Lechat is the place where you get to be yourselves. And by golly, y' all be showing the hell out. I'm actually excited to come just to see what the chat is gonna say because y' all be some heavy hitters.

[Dustin Ross]

Y' all turn up every week.

[Asante]

I'm gonna start, like making a list and like, do some sort of, like, shout out for the chat or something or, like, do like a roll call and like, make sure some of y' all just be in the building every month because it's getting that serious. But if you have no idea what I'm talking about Again, go to patreon.com friends on podcast. Sign up, join us, learn about all the additional content that we have, we have a book club, the Situation. We also have a TV watch club, the Binge. And yeah, we're just a great little gated community of fun and friendship and more of us.

[Dustin Ross]

The Friend Zone, it's a personal interactive experience. So if you want to. It's like Russ recording the podcast. I'm speaking about our lives on Wednesday, the last Wednesday of every month. It's a conversation that we have live where you can interact with us through the comments. We talk to us, we talk to you. Y' all talk to us is very much a more personal experience. So if that's something that interests you, you know, then come with us over there.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Yeah, right. Come read with us. Come watch some tv. Come hang live something for everybody. All right, well, let's jump into the black bit. It sounded like it was good.

[Dustin Ross]

Damn, that was good. Red Bull be good. I said, they got somebody black in the kitchen. Red Bull been good lately. These past like two years.

[Asante]

Them flavors you right, because you know, the watermelon was hitting, but then they came out with some berry flavor and I was like, oh, I know. When they got the taste right on this one, they was like, all right, this is the one.

[Dustin Ross]

It's seasoned. It's just good.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

So I have to shout out. I don't know if I'm pronouncing it right. It's either tikane or tikan takan T I k T I k A N N E to can maybe to cans underscore art on tick tock. Tag me to a video of a young entrepreneur asking for some energy towards her dessert company. It's called Yummy Tummies Kitchen. You can check it out@yummy tummiesny.com it's an East Williamsburg bakery specializing in banana pudding, cupcakes, custom sweet treats, and it's owned and operated by Melissa Johnson. She opened it in 2021, but obviously she was just kind of reaching out to the community. Like, please. I opened this up for us. And the only way that I can sustain is if y' all come through. So it's located in case you're interested, at 793 Grand Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211. You can call her at 917-815-6007. They're closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but you can check them out Wednesday through Sunday from 2 to 8pm I was looking at the menu. They had everything from chocolate covered strawberries to brownies to all these really beautiful custom buttercream icing. Cupcakes, cheesecake with like the fruit toppings, banana pudding, cake pop something for everyone. I did notice because of that video she made on Tick Tock. A lot of people in the community have been coming out and she did have a long line, which is always cool to see. And because of that, she was actually handing out a lot of free treats to the community like brownies and cupcakes. And I thought that was really cool.

[Dustin Ross]

Very cool.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Right? You can tell she's really of the people and it's nice to see that people are responsive to her, to her video. If you want to check her out on TikTok, it's W, not W. Y T Kitchen on Tick Tock and Yummy Tummies Kitchen on ig. And once again, the website is Yummy Tummies New York or ny. I should say dot com.

[Dustin Ross]

Support that sister. Man. I'm gonna go get some.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Right? I'm kind of sad I didn't. I wasn't able to check it out while I was there. But shout out to can underscore art for tagging me because she knew that I would mention it on our platform. Boost that and send some more energy her way. So shout out to Melissa Johnson. I hope you get everything you deserve with your bakery.

[Dustin Ross]

For sure. Mj. I'm gonna pull up on you. Mj. I like red velvet cake. Make me some.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Oh, my God. Why do we like the same thing? People say I'm hood for liking red velvet cake and.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah. And am so. What? Yes, very much. Right? Hood. You hear me? Hood. Yeah.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

It's just always gonna hit. I'm sorry.

[Dustin Ross]

Welcome to the friends. The first few weeks of school are in the books, and now is the perfect time to keep that momentum going. IXL helps kids stay confident and ahead of the curve. IXL is an award winning online learning platform that helps kids truly understand what they're learning, whether they're brushing up on the math or if they're diving into social studies. It covers math, it covers language arts, it covers science and social studies too, all the way from Pre K through 12th grade. With content that's engaging, personalized, and yeah, it's actually fun too. And in case you didn't know, IXL is used in 96 of the top 100 school districts in the U.S. i know how well IXL works, as in an aid and a supplement to what your kids are already learning because my family members have used it. I have some bad kids in my family, okay. And they needed a little help to sit down somewhere and focus and IXL aided them greatly in that way. Now you can make an impact on your child's learning and get IXL now and the Friend Zone listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today at ixl.com friendzone visit ixl.com friendzone to get the most effective learning program out at the best price.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Last week's episode titled Stack Like Jenga thank you Jade featuring Jade and xd. We were joined by Jade of all Jades and Xavier Dalot of the Jaden XD podcast to discuss the right capital for them. That was so fun. I love merging worlds with them. Of course we discussed the woes of adulting and as always, those of you listening really enjoyed this episode. That always makes me happy. You also enjoyed the topic, saying that it was much needed because a lot of you are going through similar things and so a lot of you had a lot to say. Who stood out to you?

[Asante]

Asante A few people stood out to me. I was in the soundcloud streets. But before I share this comment, I also would like to thank Jaden XD for coming on right as you said friend, we love emerging the two worlds. Me more so because of how ridiculous the both of them are. But this was an especially amazing episode because of how transparent and just free and open and honest about some very heavy topics and so just I appreciate them both for their for all of their information. You know, that's just one of the cool things about our podcast is that we have such a cool circle of friends that are going through so many different but still similar things. So shout out to the two of.

[Dustin Ross]

Them for sharing and willing to talk about dead people. We talked about dead a lot and just dying and death. We talked a lot about dead dead Z that's what we should have called the episode.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Crazy.

[Asante]

Shout out to dying Shout out to desean Branch in the soundcloud Streets. Deshaun's comment says it's been a minute but I had to come over here to sound to the SoundCloud streets to say a few things. 1. Yes yes yes. This episode really resonated and I just appreciate how as a Day one listener I have li I've lived a number of similar life changes that you all are and then appreciate and when you all talk about them. 2. This episode definitely applies to that as I just navigated the death of my father who I was estranged from as I dealt with signing the documents.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Only Dustin he took himself out and.

[Dustin Ross]

Is took out took out France on the board.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

No I'M not. No, I am not.

[Dustin Ross]

I'm sorry. Asante.

[Asante]

Goes on to say, as I dealt with signing the documents with my siblings to have him cremated, pick up his ashes to drive them to his service and create his obituary, I just kept thinking, I can't believe I have to do this. I can't believe I'm adult enough to do this. Now. Looking at my Canva account as I create marketing for my business and still seeing his obituary and my brothers, who I also created a few years back, I am just in shock that I am now the adult in the room who has to do these things. And it was a lot. Thank you all so much for your honesty. I always feel less alone.

[Dustin Ross]

Shout out to you. Thank you. You know what I'm saying? So I hope you laughed at that. That was the point of that moment, just to bring some joy to you. So shout out to you for real.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

And that's so real about sitting in the car, making these decisions and being like, oh my God, like, I'm really the person that has to decide this stuff.

[Asante]

Like, I have to hold it together and like, put my feelings aside or just put my life aside and not only make room for something super unknown, that's tragic, but, like, the paperwork for it too. Like, I have to manage the tragedy. That's true.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Or like they said, going to. To the funeral home and asking about cremations, like I said on the show, that's what really tripped me out. Like, oh my God, not me walking into a funeral home.

[Dustin Ross]

Like, oh, anyway, years ago, I'm sorry, but years ago, one of my. Somebody in my family told my sister that they would just go out into their garage sometimes and scream at the top of their lungs. And that stuck with me for some reason. You know how you just remember stuff and you just. It just sticks with you? And I know exactly what that person meant now because there are literally moments in life where you can't just do nothing but just fight the air and scream for real. That's all. Go on.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

And a lot of people can relate.

[Asante]

What about you, friend? What'd you find?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Let's see. There was so many comments. It was honestly like. And I have so many screenshotted, but I'm gonna try to see which one I'll pick. Mimi said, stacked. For real? For real. Such a dope episode. It's like if Living Single and Martin ever did a crossover episode on Fox, if y' all ever revisit the topic and continue the conversation on dealing with those mortality, quality of life and afterlife Arrangements. It would be so dope to hear the perspectives of Fran and XD navigating as only children. And then also those of you with siblings. It's on the rare side for more than one only child on any time or whenever there's a panel, as I am one as well, and smack dab in the middle of 30. And adulting is adulting. The different perspectives and gated community interaction really is mind saving love and gratitude to y'.

[Dustin Ross]

All.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

And that was something I actually had in mind. But I felt like, you know, you can sense intuitively when a conversation just felt. It just felt full. I was like, we're good here. But I did want to tap into the only child scary part of the only child piece because that's something that my best friend shout out to Claude, who is also an only child with also a single mom. And we're in the same position. You know, our moms are getting older. They're both in New York City. We live away and just the pressures of wondering if they're okay, what they need, how you can be of service. And as they age, just that fear of, like, the day you're going to get that call or not, because they live, you know, alone, like, things like that. So just just a lot to worry about. So, yeah, we'll definitely put a pin in that and maybe revisit at some point. Queen Bella said. I appreciate how delicate you all approach conversations. I thought with the topic I would be triggered. But the humor added enough of a balance to make it through the episode. My mom suddenly passed away three years ago from asthma, and it literally rocked, blocked my world. I was thrusted into all of the responsibilities. Being the oldest of two, I had to set aside grieving so I could plan the arrangements and write the obituary. Thank God I at least had my dad to help. She left me in charge of handling her affairs. And y', all, I had and still have no idea what I'm doing or how to retrieve the money she left for me and my brother. As much as it hurt, I had to carry on and be an adult and parent to my son. Adulting is hard at least as. But we push through. So shout out to us for navigating in real time. It definitely takes a village to stay emotionally stable because without my mother, I have to lean on the love and support from the people closest to me.

[Dustin Ross]

God bless you.

[Asante]

Much love to you. Much, much love.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

And there were a lot of messages, you know, similar. Yeah. Of people's parents passing or their siblings or their kids and Just that rugged pool that we talked about a few episodes ago too, of just trying to sit with God. Like, oh, my God, help me get through this, because this is beyond painful. So thank you to those of you who shared your stories. Obviously, I wish I could read them all, but those are the two that I read for now. We love you guys for sharing. I'm glad that you found the topic. I know it was heavy. We tried to break it up with some humor, but I know that it was also helpful. Or at least that's always the goal with our Friend Zone episodes.

[Dustin Ross]

Yes.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

And that's it. That's it for no Dustin Ross.

[Dustin Ross]

Y' all always be forgetting about me on this party.

[Asante]

Really?

[Dustin Ross]

I'll be saying that because I don't think that's true. I just keep it inward, you know what I'm saying? But yeah.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

What did you find in the Twitter street?

[Dustin Ross]

I hate to stay down and low because I know we talking about heavy stuff or whatever, but it. This one touched my heart too. And I'm sure to touch a lot of people. No, for real.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

No. I never know with you.

[Dustin Ross]

Shout out to at Tierra Brienne at T I E R R A B R I A N N E who shared a story for her that was, I'm sure, personal in that way too. She said, I wish a would charge my card 100 for being late to a hair appointment. We both gonna need our hair done when I'm through with you. So that's all.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I knew it. I knew it.

[Asante]

Why would she say that?

[Dustin Ross]

She said, we both gonna need our hair done when I'm doing.

[Asante]

But a hundred dollars.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

It's a lot of craziness.

[Asante]

I mean, does it go back towards your next appointment or something?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

No, it does not. That goes towards you being late. But have you seen that video of the girl dragging?

[Asante]

That was terrible. That was terrible.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

It was up because it turns out she was only 15, the girl that she dragged. So that was like, yikes. I mean, I know she didn't know because you're supposed to be 18 plus to even book in the first place. So obviously the little girl lied. But still, to be dragging people like that, I was like, holy.

[Asante]

I seen a video where a woman was. She pulled a gun out at the hair salon. She didn't have enough money to pay, stylist or.

[Dustin Ross]

No, the client.

[Asante]

The client, she have enough money to pay. And the stylist was like, you gonna pay me my money? And the girl pulled out her gun. And so another girl was like. She was like, Wait, wait, I'll pay for it. And then the stylist was still like, no, that's not the point. She still need to pay. Meanwhile, the girl got the gun out. Oh, trying to get out. I'm like, this is crazy. So people don't need to be putting their hands on people, but at the same time, people don't need to be trying to render services that they can't pay for.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Like the girl was saying, like, she was like, I don't want to have to drag a client across my damn salon. But after a while, you start feeling crazy because it's like, why the did you let me sit here for that's this many hours knowing, like, you really finessing me and think you just gonna walk out of here these people's livelihood? So I can understand the rage.

[Dustin Ross]

Well, I can understand because I love what I do.

[Asante]

Can we talk about they thought like.

[Dustin Ross]

Two people that really love their work, you know what I'm saying? They really are passionate about cosmetology and hairstyling.

[Asante]

Can we just break it down for a minute, though? Like. Like a few things happen with that one, right? So, yes, she has on her website. I don't service anybody under the age of 18, but also, I hate, you know, when I go. One of the things I love when I go to the nail shop is, you know, now that they're like, you know, if you want to tip your stylist, they have like a little flip book of everybody's QR codes.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Oh, they're Venmo for cash app.

[Asante]

Venmo. So it's like at the stylist, you should have put your QR code up there, cuz what happened is the girl, I guess her daddy paid for it, but he cash up the wrong brother.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

To the wrong cash app, supposedly.

[Asante]

So like the st. So it's like everybody had. Was a little bit at fault here to some degree. So not to the point to where anybody should have had hands laid on them. I was like, I mean, did you.

[Dustin Ross]

See her dragging her across that floor by her hood like that?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

It was bad. It was bad. She got charged. I saw.

[Dustin Ross]

I know what size shoes she wear.

[Asante]

But you know what for putting her hands on a minor.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

And it was. Her feet was 100. It was for 150, though. That's the part that blew me. I'm like, dang, all those people. She called her mama, his ad, nobody.

[Dustin Ross]

She went flying like Amy Winehouse. You sent me flying. I mean, that little. That. That child was on the move back.

[Asante]

That's A lot of money, friend. Like. Like when you. If you live in, like, paycheck to paycheck and you make the ends meet, but every now and then, you get a.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Then don't sit in someone's salon and let them stand on their feet. Get your cousin to braid your hair, like, right. You crazy. And the girl told her, listen, let me just take it out then. And then you could leave. You know what I'm saying? We meet. You meeting me halfway at that point. And the girl said, no.

[Asante]

She was 15 years old.

[Dustin Ross]

She was not gonna be reasonable.

[Asante]

To her credit, her hair was. Was done at that point.

[Dustin Ross]

To get it in blood. And then I'm willing to fight for it.

[Asante]

Okay, look, at that point, I'm gonna need to charge you if you're gonna take it out.

[Dustin Ross]

All I can tell you is there would have been some third degree burns on the. In the salon that day. Cuz if you try to fight me in a hair salon, you gonna be right into Marcel. That's all I can tell you myself.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

But the one that killed me was the other girl. That is. It was at the salon, waiting for the next appointment. She stepped over the girl.

[Asante]

She did.

[Dustin Ross]

Wait, what?

[Asante]

Oh.

[Dustin Ross]

Oh, yeah. In the video, the girl whose appointment.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Was next just stepped over her little legs and was, like, adjusting her pieces of hair on the thing. I was like, y', all, this is a movie. But anyway, it's all wild. Stop being thieves. Y' all stop being thieves. You don't got it. You don't got it, right?

[Dustin Ross]

Yes.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Your hair twists like the rest of us.

[Dustin Ross]

Anyway, girls, you're gonna be on that linoleum, too, by the seat of your pants. That girl, her butt cheeks was literally on that. On that tire.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Imagine when you go to school the next day, bro. And that video of you, like, it's all bad. You know, kids are crazy.

[Asante]

You know, I don't like that.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

And she's in, what, high school?

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Oh, God.

[Dustin Ross]

She was in low school that day. She probably flow school because the way she swept the floor with her that day, I said, what? I could tell you'd be working with your hands and arms and shoulders all day. That was a strong woman. Her arms, her arm strength alone was impressive.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

She dragged her down a set of stairs.

[Dustin Ross]

Y' all felt.

[Asante]

I hope I am never in a position to have to like or where my body and mind tell me, like. Like, this is what I have to do. Like. Like, I don't.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

You never.

[Asante]

Because honestly, I wouldn't know what to do in a situation like that because it's like someone is literally playing with you in your face, telling you they're not going to pay you. You know what I'm saying? Like, I can't tell the thing. I can't tell that girl she wrong for wanting to drag that girl. Like, it might have been the third or fifth time that week. She might have been short of on something herself. So it's like, I can't bar her for doing that. I just don't want to ever be in a position where some shit like that happens to me.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I honestly think, and I know people might disagree, you just got to start making people pay up front. Yeah, I'm sorry, but there's really no other way around it.

[Asante]

Like, paying a real system. The whole cash app, the whole cash up thing. You got to get a real system that's going to take a credit card that's going to hold.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

But regardless, cash at me at a deposit.

[Dustin Ross]

50 deposit. At least up front.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

That because people still run off paying you the rest. So just give me the whole thing, like. And if you don't like the style, then maybe we can talk about it after. But give me the whole thing before I even see you. That's the only way.

[Dustin Ross]

Like prostitution, make it pay up front.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Okay.

[Dustin Ross]

If you want to get behind.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

It's just too wild out here to. To not get your money up front. I'm sorry.

[Dustin Ross]

That's a drag. A not no kids, so I ain't with that part. That girl was 15. Had she been 18. Hey, I'm on the stylist side. You know what I'm saying? You gotta stand up for yourself sometimes.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Anyway, that's it for this week's intro. That means we could jump into the. This week.

[Asante]

No, I'm not done because.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Oh, okay.

[Asante]

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Let's jump in, y'. All. Let's jump in, y'. All. I'm playing. I'm playing.

[Dustin Ross]

All right, y', all, look, the weather is cooling down, the days are getting shorter, and I want to be at home. And I know I'm not alone. Although I'm alone in my own home. But that's another conversation. Listen, as your trusted destination for all things home, Wayfair has everything that you need to cozify your space this fall. And that's everything from comfy recliners to warm bedding and autumn decor. There's something for every style in every home, no matter your space or your budget. Wayfair's even got espresso makers, y'. All. So you can make that latte or that espresso martini right there at the crib. You know the one. Wayfair makes it easy to achieve your home goals with curated collections and room ideas, plus free hassle free delivery even on large furniture. And listen, I just copped a beautiful all modern like three tier table that I had my eye on for a minute. I got it from Wayfair. He came. You know, I'm headstrong and stubborn so I put it together myself and I looking at it, I could just be so proud of my blood, sweat and tears. But even if I didn't want to do that, they have so many options for home assembly delivery straight to your door. It's incredible. I love of my table. In fact, you may be seeing it soon. Around these parts, you can cozify your space with Wayfair's curated collection of easy, affordable fall updates. From comfy recliners to cozy bedding and autumn decor. Find it all for way [e-mail] that's W a Y-F-A-I-R.com Wayfair Every style, every home.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

This week's episode is a dust Dustin Ross production. What you got for us this week?

[Dustin Ross]

Well, sometimes, you know, I think the best thing for you to do is to stick to what you know. And one of the things that I love doing, y' all know, is reporting entertainment news. And so we're gonna do that this week. But we're also gonna add just a little spin to it because a few of the news items towards the end of our conversation are crime zone based. So it's a little bit of a fusion, y'. All. Some cool stories and some cool news. So let's get to it. Like what did New York say on Flavor of Love? Let's start, shall we? That's right. So first things first, shout out to none other than the Candy Burris and her husband, Todd Tucker. As I told you guys earlier in the show, I had the honor. The honor, excuse me, of attending the Othello premiere on Broadway. But the newsy part of this item is that it actually the play Othello on Broadway starring Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal, it breaks the record for the highest weekly gross for a Broadway play ever.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Wow, I saw that yesterday.

[Dustin Ross]

So think about that. We're talking about.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

It's kind of insane.

[Dustin Ross]

I'm talking. Have you all met Audra McDonald? You know how much money she brought into the. You know how much Hamilton brought into the box office? Let's Talk about these monster Broadway plays. So Rent, you know what I'm saying? People have. Have kind of discounted or tried to not take Candy and Todd as seriously as Broadway producers as they are and their producing partner, Brian Moreland, but they doing the damn thing. And firsthand eyewitness of it, Dustin Ross. I was there. I saw literally a plus list celebrities. Okay. Irene Gandy. Okay. Who is. Who is a Broadway legend and veterans. She was there showing respect. Vanessa Bell Callaway. Angela Bassett. Like I said. Joe Morton. Like I said. The. The girl that said, dude, the thing. Her. She walked right past me. Literally everybody you can think of. But I'm talking about a list stars and a list megawatt talent. So I just want to say this is really dope. And another newsy nugget of this is that it was a full circle moment for denzel Washington Because 50 years ago, Denzel's second ever role ever back in the 70s was in Othello. So this is a return to form, a return to the stage for him. And it's special in that way. It's a limited engagement. Go get your tickets. Tickets are expensive. They're ranging from 300 to a thousand dollars. And they're flying out the door right now, and they're only going to get even higher. So good, though. Good. Because it's a lot of black people employed in this. Yeah.

[Asante]

Crazy.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

And is. Is retiring soon.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

This is really our last opportunity to watch him in action. I think he said he has like one film left or something, and then he's bowing out, which is passing the.

[Dustin Ross]

Torch to his son, his brilliant, beautiful wife Pauletta, who all, as we all know, is a respected entertainer, actor, and every damn thing else she wants to do. So this is dope. I thought it was something we needed to talk about. They actually pulled in over $2.8 million in the first full week of previews. It just opened now, so the previews alone pulled in almost $3 million. So this is a moment. I hope that this leads to a Tony nomination and win for Candy. I know that's what she wants to do. You know, she left the Housewives of Atlanta to pursue her dreams and. And really step. Step fully into her shoes as a Broadway producer.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

That's how you do it.

[Dustin Ross]

That's what they've done. The Wiz was a runaway success. She was nominated already for the Piano Lesson. So now we're. We're shooting for, rooting for and hoping for a Tony nomination for all of these people, but especially for Candy.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

This makes Me wonder if. If on the heels of this, will she go back to Housewives?

[Dustin Ross]

I don't. I don't see a reason.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

See, that would be kind of backwards.

[Asante]

I don't think she's. I don't even think she's thinking about Housewives. I feel like her name.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

She's just where she's at. Yeah.

[Asante]

You know what? I was gonna say an unrelated. Semi unrelated. Because I feel like her and Housewives, because I was gonna talk about Housewives first. So this isn't even. Because you just mentioned it, Fran. I felt like even mentioning it was kind of just so. Like, not even a big part of this conversation. But Kandy, as a black woman, just having been in a successful music group, to reawaken success on television, to have another breath of life breathed into the group, and then to pivot all the way to Broadway and just continue. And, well, to acting herself and then to Broadway, because it was crazy.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

And then her writing career.

[Asante]

Yeah, her writing, like, thrown in there. But it was crazy to see her as a reality TV star, you know, coming off of being in. You know, they say that you're washed when you do that, but then for her to be successful in that and then for her to have a serious acting career or start building the bones of that, you know, after being a reality star, because they say, oh, if you're a reality star, you can't be acting like Candy is just blowing my mind. And it's just amazing to see.

[Dustin Ross]

So it's great to see. And the difference between Candy Burris and most other reality stars is that Candy came into the reality television world already established. She was already Candy Get Down Burris. She had already written songs, made a bunch of money. She had already won a Grammy for songwriting. She had already written no Scrubs, already written Bills, Bills, Bills, already written that NSYNC song that got sampled in the Ariana Grande track. Already written so many songs. No, Scrubs got re interpreted again through that Ed Sheeran song. So her and Tiny ate off that, too. Candy has always been Candy outside of Housewives. And what was actually the most interesting thing for me was how good she was as a reality star. Right? Because that Kandy was not one of those people who got on that show and tried to play it up or act big or be extra confrontational. She was interesting because her life, the life around her, her family, her friends, her romantic partners, her kids, all of that shit was interesting. And so she's a rare case where she could actually. She adds value to the show. Show. She can come back to the show and what I thought was really great. She's been doing a lot of press lately for Othello, right? And in her press run, people are asking her about returning to the Real Housewives of Atlanta. And she was speaking in a couple interviews. One in particular was with Bryce, I think his last name is Sanders from ET Entertainment Tonight. And she was saying how she loves the Real Housewives of Atlanta. She wants the show to do great. And she was saying how she actually is in. Her and her husband, Todd Tucker are in an overall development deal with NBC Universal, which we know is a parent company from Bravo, where they're developing original shows not featuring them, but with other talent as well. As their movie broke records on Peacock, they have new films coming out and so they're introducing all of those things. They're giving the first look to NBC Universal. So she's still working with the network, still heavily working with them, just in a different capacity. So it's a. It's a different case for her. And I think that smart. I love to see it. Candy is a person who has always maintained her value independent of whatever project she collaborated on with other people. She always maintained the Candy Burris value by working. Literally by working. And so that's, to me, how you're supposed to do it, you know what I'm saying? And she's heavily in support of projects that she is involved in now and. And has previously been involved in, you know what I'm saying? That's the way that you do it to me. So I love Candy. That's it. But speaking of the Othello premiere, y', all, of course, you know, it's a mess afoot, right? We couldn't just have this beautiful history breaking, history making, record breaking moment without some shit going on. So while I was at the premiere, I saw John Murray shout out to the brother. John Murray, executive producer. Yeah, it was great to see John. He was in good energy. Good spirits always is, you know what I'm saying? Great energy. Sherry was happy and smiling and it was great to see. Though when we went into the lobby of the theater is when we kind of separated ways. I went into the theater, I assumed they went in and that was it. Well, I love the Sherri show and I watch it because Sherri shepherd is funny to me. She makes me laugh. You know, she's a comedian first, so she's always got that undertone of comedy. But on her show, she's speaking about her experience at the Othello premiere and she said she got into it with somebody. So much so to the point that she went down to the ladies room during intermission and waited 15 minutes to confront the person that did it. And she said, it happened in the lobby. So how I missed this, I don't know. But it was a lot going on. And Sherry shepherd is a. A list celebrity. She's not going to have a loud baddies confrontation, screaming and holler, you know, See, they probably whispered like they was on power. What you mean you don't like that idea? It was. It was low key. But what Sherry said. What Sherry said, excuse me, on her show, was that before the curtain even went up at the Othello premiere, an unnamed celebrity grabbed her arm, spun her around, and said, you've been shading me a lot. So let's play a clip and actually listen to what Sherry had to say happened to her.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

And then we gonna Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal's show, Othello. So this unnamed celebrity actress who shall remain nameless. I'm standing there talking. Somebody grabbed my arms and they forcefully turned me around. So I'm in a good mood. So I go, hi, what's going on? Cause I know her. And she says to me, she goes, you've been shading me a lot. That's what she said to me. And I said to her, I said, no, no, I haven't. Cause I was really confused. And she. And she goes, yes, you have. And then she just walked off. Now, let me tell you something. First of all, I know who I shade. Cause I don't shade many people. It might be one person. I shade. And I never have shaded this unnamed celebrity. And I'm like, you know. So she came up to me in front of everybody going, you know, you shaded me. And then she walks off. So, you know, unnamed celebrity. So I was mad. I was really mad. And I said, you know what? You don't freaking get to do that to me. So I went to the bathroom during intermission. I said, stood there for 15 minutes waiting for a meeting in the ladies room.

[Dustin Ross]

That's what she said. Well, news outlets are reporting, including Page Six, that it was Nia Long.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Oh, I would not have expected that.

[Dustin Ross]

They said it was Neil Long, y'. All. And now I'm gonna play this again. And I want y' all to listen. I'm not gonna play the whole video, but I just want y' all to listen to Sherry mimic the voice of what the person she said said. She's not talking because remember, Sherry is an act comedian so impression.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

That's a smart way to say it without saying it. So this unnamed celebrity actress who shall remain nameless. I'm sitting there talking. Somebody grabbed my arms, and they forcefully turned me around. So I'm in a good mood. So I go, hi. What's going on? Cause I know her. And she says to me, she goes, you've been shading me a lot.

[Dustin Ross]

Who she sound like?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I didn't catch that voice.

[Dustin Ross]

You didn't catch it? Catch it, Catch it.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

She says to me, she goes, goes, you've been shading me a lot.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah. Because Nia Long drops the first letter of her words. You didn't say to me a lot. Nia Long does that. And that's. That was Nia Long. So Page Six reported that it was Neil Long. You got to watch, as you can see how she talks.

[Asante]

Oh, my word.

[Dustin Ross]

She always takes the first letter down of her words. But, yes, they said it was Nia Long. And I saw Nia Long. She looked beautiful. She had on all black, like a black turtle. She looked gorgeous. And I saw her. Yes, I did. I did. And so that happened, y', all. Which I got to say about it because it preached some stuff. Oh, sidebar. Nia Long also made a post after Sherry talked about this on her show. Nia posted a beautiful selfie, and she captioned it about last night with any lipses and the kiss emoji of the. The heart with the. The happy face with the heart. Like it's kissing emoji about last night. That's what she posted it.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Now we reading into everything. She could have been flirting with somebody or.

[Dustin Ross]

Or she could have been flirting with danger.

[Asante]

Well, Fran asked a very good question. She said, you've been watching the show, Dustin?

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah.

[Asante]

Has Sher?

[Dustin Ross]

I don't remember nothing about saying about that. All I remember her talking about was when Nia Long broke up with her son's father. I remember her reporting on that. But if I remember correctly, Sherry was speaking on. As you know, she was supporting me. She talked about it. So I don't know if there's something else that we don't know, but I do know this. You know, I've. I'm not a person who argues with on the Internet. Y' all know, that's not my ministry. I'm not never gonna get into a beef with nobody online and be going back and forth making lives, and that ain't my thing. But I will walk down on you when I see you. And so I can understand that that's something that Can. Could possibly happen in real life. And so I definitely. I. Sherry ain't lying, you know what I'm saying? Sherry reported that from her show, from her stage.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I wonder what made her go to the bathroom during intermission, one on one. Because what did she text her, like, meet me at the bathroom.

[Dustin Ross]

You know, everybody go to the bathroom. We go to a Broadway play for intermission. That's part of the thing. You see, you go down. That's how I saw Jamie Lee Curtis. I went to the bathroom. So, like, she. And she was coming up the steps, so we talked, you know what I'm saying? You have to go to the bathroom during intermission, or at least especially at our age, down by the bar, you know what I'm saying? You get out, you go to the bathroom.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

You. Right, you.

[Dustin Ross]

You're more than likely going to see, right, the cute person you saw or the. You want to check, you know what I'm saying? In the bathroom.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

You're right.

[Dustin Ross]

Sherry went to the bathroom.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I wonder what she would have done.

[Dustin Ross]

Grab her bathroom be packed. She probably would have grabbed Nia's arm back. You grabbed my arm. Grab her arm. You know what I'm saying?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

But yeah, so crazy.

[Dustin Ross]

Ain't this a lot, y'? All? So, yeah, I just thought y' all want to know about that. That's hot. Ain't is.

[Asante]

I'm crying because.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

He said that's hot.

[Asante]

I'm crying because it's such a. It's such a blind item to me. But also it's like, damn. What. What is going on On When I.

[Dustin Ross]

Tell y', all, everybody, look, I did not tell y' all a black shirt. I told y' all she looked good.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Gorgeous.

[Dustin Ross]

You know who else looked really, really good at that premiere? And this was my first time seeing them in person. Nicole Ari Parker.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Oh, yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

Nicole Ari Parker. She had, like, messy friend. What is it called? Like, beach hair. You know what I'm saying? She had that. And she. And just her. I've never seen her in person. So her.

[Asante]

Her.

[Dustin Ross]

She had, like, charisma for a woman.

[Asante]

You know what I'm saying?

[Dustin Ross]

Like, she was. She just had an energy. And I was like, I totally.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

The X factor.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Yes.

[Dustin Ross]

Nicole Ari Parker had it. Do you hear me? Let me think. Who else? Novi Brown, like I said, you know, from Sisters. One of the leads. She's an incredible talent. She was there looking gorgeous. Just everybody. I'm not even going to go down the list. Coleman Domingo, shout out to you. Coleman.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Coleman, look great. Oh, these are all the People that were there.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah. Look at Nicole. I'm telling y' all in person.

[Asante]

She has.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I like her coat.

[Dustin Ross]

She's got the vibe. Do you hear me? In person. For real. Yeah. Oh, she has star quality. For real, for real. I like her, but everybody was there. That's the did the thing lady. She was there. Yeah. Academy Award winner, and you know what I'm saying? Look. Look at this.

[Asante]

Look at this.

[Dustin Ross]

I'm telling y', all, everybody was in the house.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

And that's also cool that everyone was supporting.

[Dustin Ross]

Hell, yeah. That's why Candy. Oh, Spike Lee. Shout out to Spike Lee. Spike Lee was there. And his wife, Tanya Lewis Lee. Yeah, everybody was there. I'm telling y', all, everybody was there. At this point, he hit my hand so hard when we spoke, brother. I was like, what's up, Spike? Yeah, he heavy handed. Spike Lee, heavy handed.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

He looks like he would be the.

[Dustin Ross]

So speaking of somebody else who was heavy handed, also this past weekend, you know, the Millennium Tour is going on right now, and recently, Omarion was performing at a crowd in Virginia. And apparently the crowd wasn't giving him as much energy as he wanted while he was on stage. And he addressed the crowd. Now, this is Omarion, Mr. Eucalyptus in the shower himself. Okay. Mr. Hot tea in the Morning. You know, a yoga pose. Him zns. Omarion got on that stage and said, oh, y'. All. Get y' all asses up. What the wrong with y'? All? Get y' all ass up. Because the crowd was not supporting him. Y' all way to do it.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Did they get up?

[Dustin Ross]

I seen some hands, you know, doing like this. Omarion do work out, you know what I'm saying? He can dance, so you know them hits gonna be quick and sweet. He ain't the one you might want to fight, but. But Omarion cuts the crowd out. What do y' all think? Have we gotten to an age where people are no longer enjoying the moment at live events? And now we're seeing reactions like this from artists who are typically peaceful. Or do you think Omarion was tripping? And it's never okay to address the crowd in that way at a performance, because your job is to get that energy from the crowd through your performance organically.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

What do y' all think about this?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I wonder if what he. Cause I think what happens, too, is that everyone gets so affected by how it's gonna transl online because everything is filmed. And I don't know if maybe the panic or anxiety he felt set in because he thought the videos were gonna you know, people be like, look, nobody was standing. Look, nobody.

[Dustin Ross]

Right?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

And maybe that made him just be like, y', all, can y' all get the up? But also, when you go to concerts, people are experiencing it through their phone 100%. Which is so wild to me because how many times have you filled a con, filmed a concert or an event, and you literally never went back to watch it on your, your phone? Like, it's just there, you know, like, who goes back? I mean, I'm sure somebody does, but I don't.

[Dustin Ross]

But that's real, though. You don't want to.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

So you might as well enjoy it and have it in your mind and be fully present. And people just don't seem to be into that. So I'm sure it's annoying either way. But no, he should not have cursed them out and told them, these people paid to be there, came out of their schedule to come see you. Like, it's your job to get them to stand up. Up.

[Dustin Ross]

I just yell back, well, do the Verizon thing.

[Asante]

Remember when he was in front of.

[Dustin Ross]

That Verizon banner.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

With the red on?

[Asante]

Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

Like, do that, do the, do the Bob BBQ thing with that, that girl, Young Barbecue, whatever her name is.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Or eat a watermelon. Where you going? Where brother at?

[Asante]

Wait a minute. I think it's kids at this show. I agree he should bring the watermelon. No, I'm just kidding, friend. I agree that. Sorry, that went so many places so fast. I agree that he should just be performing, but I also agree that people just don't enjoy concerts the same. I feel like all of these things are true. Like, I feel like he has a reason to be upset, but I don't necessarily feel like he should be addressing the audience. I, I hate to be like, you know, his job is just perform, but all you're supposed to do is go up there and perform. And if the audience isn't giving you that energy, use that and try to transmute that into like, you know, making it a really high performance. So the, that are sitting there recording. It can be like, you know, the people, they was whack. But that was still a good ass show. So they can report it appropriately. Because there are plenty of shows I've been to where people will be like, oh, that was whack. You know, the singer, they just sat there the whole time. But then sometimes they'd be like, listen, they sat there but they were singing. It was a vibe. Like it was a point to it. You know, some people would just sit There with their phone out so they can't connect to what the vibe is. Because when they gonna get up and dance or what are they gonna do the 1, 2. But it's like, you know, did you come to see a dancer or did you come to see a singer? And in Omarion's case, it's like they came to see a singer and dancer. Did that mean that they want to sing and dance, too? No, you know, they came to see the show. Like, one of the things that make me laugh is when artists, they put the mic out out to the audience to sing the song now. It's a good moment. It's a good time, you know, especially if the audience knows your. Knows the words. But sometimes the artists will do that, like, at really key moments where we want to hear them.

[Dustin Ross]

Don't do it.

[Asante]

So I'll be like, Mary. So I'm really always. I'm really always yelling at the artist. I. I'd be like. I'm like, no, hold the mic up. I paid for you, not them. I need to hear you. But I'm just joking. I'm not trying to troll them for real. I hope they never hear me when I do that. Like, I'm just literally being a fool. But, like, I think that it's really important as an artist to just keep tapping into your artistry. Like Omarion, at that point, he should have just went to auto drive and just, you know, been like, all right, you know, I know these moves by heart, so let me do them. Actually, since they ain't doing, let me freestyle a little bit right here and see who paying attention, who actually give a. Like, you know, you, Gloria Gibson. Use it. Use it.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Or you could bring it up or maybe in a more playful way, right?

[Asante]

Like, okay, I guess y' all sleep out there. I'm gonna have to wake y' all up.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

So y' all ready for this?

[Asante]

Not no big.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

She be like brothers, y'. All. All right.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah. Do some crowd work or. He should have twerked. See how I got a reaction out of y' all that.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

That may have.

[Dustin Ross]

He should have twerked.

[Asante]

I mean. Yeah, exactly.

[Dustin Ross]

Do what you got to do, though, to get the energy. The thing about it is, when you.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Those people sing an oldie, sing a oldie, but goodie, sing icebox, sing something from something.

[Dustin Ross]

They purchased a ticket to come see you. So to me, it should never be a situation unless they do something crazy or egregious, where you become combative or confrontational with the audience, y'. All. There Together. These motherfuckers came to see you. So, like, there y' all are on the same side. You know what I mean? It's no reason for you to attack the audience because you're not getting energy. Figure it out.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

You know what I'm saying? And do something else. Omarion, like. And. And I know he. Omarion is a person who I assume is at his wits end because he didn't took a lot of shit. And they said that, you know, but that ain't our fault. We didn't do nothing, you know, so.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

It was a bad day, too. Like, he's a human being. He probably was having a bad day.

[Dustin Ross]

Maybe he got Invisalign too.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Imagine you having a bad day and then you go perform and they not standing up. It's just like, we'll walk off.

[Asante]

You know what, Lee? You know, I. I hate an artist that walk off, but it's like, I don't want to promote artists attacking the audience because I don't want that to be like, well, shit, if they can do that to us, then, well, we could do that to them. Because I. I don't like seeing the videos of the random fans running up on stage, running up my artist, because it's like, that is never cool. So it's like the last thing I want is Omarion to be like, get y' all asses up. And some be like, oh, you want me to get up? I'm gonna get up there with you, and then I'm gonna just show you how to dance. But then security just rushes your asses in on stage.

[Dustin Ross]

Let the friend zone we. When we do go back on tour, because we will at some point, a live show. But when we do go to a live show, if you tried to come up on our stage or at one of my shows, my comedy shows, you try to come up on my stage, you're getting fucked up. Straight up, you're getting fucked up. And that's just it. And it's understood. That's what I mean. So everybody. To me, a large part of creating an environment that doesn't even open itself up to that kind of craziness is on the artist. The audience's job was to. Or not even job. The audience blessed you by buying a ticket to come see you. Your job is to keep their attention because they came to you, got the.

[Asante]

Money in the pocket, bro.

[Dustin Ross]

So you figure it out. To me, it's never okay to attack beyond, right? It's never okay to attack the audience, to me, unless they attack you. In that case, yeah, attack them down. Okay.

[Asante]

Like, who's that burner boy? The way he be throwing that kick at the. When they run up on him and like, damn, burn. The boy is not. And it was like a reflex. I saw like three different videos where he did that.

[Dustin Ross]

I was like, what the hell? So now you see it. I love you. You get that? Okay, anyway.

[Asante]

Good one, Dustin. That one got my blood boiling a little bit.

[Dustin Ross]

You know how to be saying. You gotta. It's an ad lib. Hey, you know, I.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Okay, taking me out.

[Dustin Ross]

So continue with our theme of verses thus far, right? Because we had, you know, Othello versus the box office.

[Asante]

Then we had.

[Dustin Ross]

Cause they done kicked all them records ass. Then we had Nia Long versus Sherry Shepard, right? Allegedly.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Allegedly.

[Dustin Ross]

Then we have Omarion versus the Virginia crowd. Continuing with the theme of verses. This one is a digital one. So this is for our tech guru, Asante. Now we got Facetune versus Nene Leaks. Oh, you know the Facetune app, right? So the Twitter account. I don't know her. How you know, anyway? Because if I did, I show with a Facetune this eye out. Look at me. Me.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

They can't see it does.

[Dustin Ross]

Patreon can.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

They can.

[Dustin Ross]

Anyway, so according to the Twitter account, Pop Teens, right, which is spelled just how it sounds. The T, H, P, T, I, N, G, Z they quoted. They tweeted nene Leaks. Sante is so you and the G. What happened there?

[Asante]

What happened with the Jeezy. Spell it one more time.

[Dustin Ross]

Anyway, they reported. They said Nene Leaks says she's open to returning to the Real Housewives of Atlanta. And her quote said, if they called, I would answer.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Cool.

[Dustin Ross]

We ain't even gonna unpack that because I don't know how she gonna go back somewhere that she said was a hostile work environment. Drugs usage, drug accusations was made. They. They beat her down mentally. Said they was racist, sued the network, all that. But now that they've resolved that place, she's ready to go back. She don't take the call, so whatever. Well, I'm not the only one who thought it was ridiculous because apparently the Facetune app team thinks it is too. Because the Facetune Twitter account, right, quoted that tweet and said, as a matter of fact, I'm not even going to tell you first. We're going to tell Patreon. Look at the camera and read this, y'.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

All.

[Dustin Ross]

Tell me, can you read what they say? The Face Tune app, Is that the real account?

[Asante]

Yes.

[Dustin Ross]

The Facetunes Twitter account quoted that tweet from pop teens and they said, guess I'm going to. That's what they said. No, yeah, absolutely. Kudos to whoever's running the social media over at Facetune. That was funny. Why would they do Nene like that? Now, it ain't no secret that Nene loves to manipulate her pictures in that way. Like she a little blur or a lot of blur. I mean, they, they, they call it cartoons or animation. That's what they call it. Because she literally looks Disney in her pictures.

[Asante]

But why is this not the first time? The Facetune app trolls.

[Dustin Ross]

They've been getting down. They've been getting down. You see, I don't know who is on that team and must be Sheree or somebody.

[Asante]

I found a post on Reddit from three years ago where Facetune had said, we are loving you to Nene.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Oh, no.

[Asante]

Like, what is going on?

[Dustin Ross]

Ain't that funny, y'? All. I was cracking up. So that was just a little, little Tech Tuesday for y' all on this recording Tuesday, continuing with our theme of verses, and this is a good one, y'.

[Asante]

All.

[Dustin Ross]

Recently on cnn, there was a debate and they had Angela Rye. It was on Abby Phillips show. Angela Rye was one of the commentary commentators on there, and so was Kevin o', Leary, which we know him from Shark Tank. He was one of the Shark Tank host, Canadian businessmen and Mr.

[Asante]

Wonderful.

[Dustin Ross]

Mr. Wonderful is what he calls himself, 70 years old. Well, on the show, Angela Rye, who we know is going to say it like she means it again, a brilliant political commentator, brilliant media personality, talking head yet, and a very necessary voice in black America and political media and all of that. Right? We protecting Angela Rye. Well, she checked him. She checked Kevin o', Leary, actually checked the dog shit out of him for being in her personal space. I actually have a clip and we're going to play it because I want you all to hear it. So actually, here it goes.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

To know that you want certain priorities. He literally tweeted to the members of Congress, the oldest profession on earth have to touch me. Literally tweeted to these members, thank you for doing this. I don't want you to touch me. That's my first ever. Do it again. Thank you.

[Dustin Ross]

But he literally check that ass. Okay. It went on about her business. You don't have to touch me. That's my personal space. I won't ever do it again. He was so offended. And she told him, thank you and continued our.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Oh, that's what he said. I heard him saying, I'm gonna do it again.

[Asante]

That's gonna never do it again.

[Dustin Ross]

So I'll never do it again.

[Asante]

And I don't want you to. To do it ever again.

[Dustin Ross]

She checked him. And sometimes you have to do that. First of all, he interrupted her as she was speaking. That's number one. And you, sir, don't get to interrupt me and tap my arm so that I can. What? Allow you to talk and stop saying what I have to say when I was speaking first. Are you out of your damn mind? She checked him. Now, a little bit of background on Kevin o' Leary so you can understand why this was so sweet. He's a Trump supporter, okay? He's from Canada. He's been speaking very pro American over in Canada. And any media opportunity he has, he wants to be known. As you can see, he was featured on CNN as a part of that political roundtable about American politics. He was over there sitting at that table, and he was being contrarian to the. The very obvious points that Angela, Rai and Abby feels that other people are making. Making. So recently, in January of this year, he was at Mar a Lago, or as I like to call it, hell on earth. But he brought up the subject because you know how Donald Trump and his team have been talking about this ridiculous notion of making Canada the 51st state, right? So when he was with Trump in January. Canada, Canada. You gotta laugh. So when he was at Mar a Lago in January, o' Leary brought up the subject of Canada, which could have pushed Donald Trump to think more deeply about it. Per the Washington Post, the quote from o' Leary is this. I don't know if it was something that I said that got him thinking about that, and maybe that was the beginning of something, but I can't claim that I gave them the idea. Who knows? I have no idea. So he's gloating and having conversations as if he was the one who gave Donald Trump the idea of adding Canada as the 51st state to the United States. Just ridiculous. Attached to fame, attached to wanting to be seen or talked about. And it's ridiculous. He also has very frequently backed the second Trump presidency. He publicly declared his support on news outlets like Fox News and cnn. And he flew to Mar a Lago in January, like I told you. And he was also at the president's inauguration in D.C. so that's it. You know what I'm saying? That's who he is. That's what he would. That's the energy he had. That. That's why that condescending ass microaggression of an arm tap moved Angela ride a chorus the way that it did. And she checked that ass right there on that table on cnn. So I would love that. Anything else you want to say about this?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

That was well said.

[Asante]

Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

Okay.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

And shout out to Angela Rye, because I know, I'm sure her comments from the incels is probably overboard. So when you take that chance, it's always a risk. But shout out to her.

[Dustin Ross]

Shout out to her. And you know what? That, that negative blowback in the commentary from those people, probably nothing new for her. That's probably another day, just another day at the office for her.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Yeah, you know, that's very true.

[Dustin Ross]

So shout out to her. She's one of those voices that I think we need to protect, like Jasmine Crockett and especially like Maxine Waters, who's at an age where she needs to be protected just in general.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

Speaking up about protect them. Even Roland Martin or Ms. Juicy, whoever you think the person to be. But we need to prot that voice, you know what I'm saying?

[Asante]

Wow.

[Dustin Ross]

So these nat, these last two items fall underneath that true crime umbrella that we so love here at the Friend Zone. Right. And this first story I just was completely blown away by it took place in Utah, which we love Utah. Here at the Friend Zone. We always find something to talk about going on in Utah, be it the big pops or, you know, whatever. Whatever is going on. Right. Utah is just. Just a different place. I put it like that. But in Utah, a nurse has been accused of killing her friend after convincing her that she had cancer for over four years.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

What?

[Dustin Ross]

Just so that she could cash in on a $1.5 million life insurance policy.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Oh my God. Not the long con. Four years.

[Dustin Ross]

Four years. So according to NBC News, y', all, there's a 47 year old nurse named Megan Randall Sun Wall. Right? And she convinced her 38 year old friend, whose name was Casey Lynn Terry, that she was battling cancer.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

How?

[Dustin Ross]

This is what happens when you don't necessarily seek medical attention on your own. You have a friend who's a medical professional and can just a lot of people do that, you know what I'm saying? And in this case, this wasn't her friend. So police are saying that Megan had. Was going through financial problems and she created this plot for years and had begun to medicate her friend Casey and just built trust with her, all while planning to collect on her insurance policy when she passed away. So the police have amassed over 28,000 text messages, y', all, between these two ladies, that date back to 2019. And these text messages show that Casey fully believed that she had cancer based on the word of her friend Megan.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

That is crazy.

[Dustin Ross]

The messages even had stuff in them, y', all, where Megan was talking about, quote, unquote, helping Casey die. Right. And how her money troubles would be solved when she got that life insurance payoff. And so on the day that she actually gave her the drugs to die, first responders came, and they found Megan and Casey alone in the house. And that they had been in the house alone from 10:00am until 9:00pm Right, right. And that Megan, just hours before they arrive, had texted Casey asking if she wanted to take promethazine to be asleep when this is happening. So she was feeling like she was going to pass away any day now or whatever, but she was actually being poisoned by her. So Casey's uncle had ended up calling 911 after Megan tried to tell him that Casey had a DNR or do not recitate or respond, whatever it is.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Yeah, yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

And she was saying that she didn't want that Casey. She. Megan said that Casey did not want to go to the hospital. So of course her family kicked in like that. You know what I'm saying? They rushed in or whatever.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Where were they this whole time?

[Dustin Ross]

At the house. At.

[Asante]

At the house, like down the street.

[Dustin Ross]

Apparently, in the area. Yeah. So they called her family rushed in, and of course, they had been believing the young lady that she had terminal cancer for these past four, almost five years, you know what I'm saying? But the truth was that she had no cancer and no health issues at all, y'.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

All. That's insanity.

[Dustin Ross]

So the nurse, Megan, she's now locked up in a Utah county jail. She has no lawyer on record, okay? Because who's gonna take that case? And guess what else? This is the biggest kicker right here, y'. All. They found no DNR paperwork in the lady's house. So she didn't even have. This lady wasn't even medical. Right. No power of attorney in Megan's name. So she had no legal permission to be making these sort of health judges.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Was she even a real nurse?

[Dustin Ross]

She was a real nurse, but guess what was not real? The life insurance policy. Wait, so she killed this young lady for nothing because she thought that the young lady had a $1.5 million life insurance policy, and the police have been unable to find any sort of life insurance policy whatsoever. It.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Wait, wait.

[Asante]

Wow.

[Dustin Ross]

What? So she did it for nothing, y'. All.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I'm so confused.

[Asante]

Oh, my God.

[Dustin Ross]

The girl had a $1.5 million life insurance.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

So they was. She was like, I guess believe in each other.

[Asante]

I thought my Internet went out. It was so quiet. I was like, oh, my God, that's it.

[Dustin Ross]

And that's exactly what she gets, is the shocking revelation that, no, sweetheart, you're actually going to jail because you murdered someone and you're not seeing the dime of that money. Even if there was a life insurance policy, she wouldn't see it, right? Well, yeah.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I mean, but I'm surprised the family. Because if someone has cancer, right? And if they were there enough towards the end, where were they during the diagnosis? Yeah, like, four years of her being battling cancer. Like, where were they? They didn't have questions. They didn't say, let's take you.

[Asante]

Like, she must have been isolating from her fan or isolating that girl from her family or, like, doing some sort of, like, mental warfare with her.

[Dustin Ross]

And these are adults. There's only so much room. There's only so much room. You have to be inquisitive about a person's life. You know what I'm saying?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Don't share that type of information with their family. Damn.

[Dustin Ross]

But this why you should, right? Because of cases like this. You never know.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Yeah. Yo, that's crazy, though. But the fact that she didn't even know whether or not the girl had the life insurance is the part that's blowing me. And then missed out. Right? She would have had to tell.

[Asante]

She just knew there was a policy. But she didn't know, like, the company. She didn't know the policy number. Like, how. Like, how was she even gonna try.

[Dustin Ross]

That girl probably lied to her, Tay.

[Asante]

No, but I'm saying, like, in my mind, like, what was her plan? You know what I'm saying?

[Dustin Ross]

Follow through. Yeah.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

They weren't married. It wasn't her mom, daughter. Like, what?

[Asante]

She was just like, oh, she. She's going to get money when she's dead. I'm going to kill her.

[Dustin Ross]

Well, y' all know why this is confusing to us.

[Asante]

I just wish you would have said something like.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Yeah, this. This. This wasn't a well thought out.

[Asante]

I just wish she could have blamed it on soda or something because she.

[Dustin Ross]

Probably had her head full of soda. Sugar, got it, losing her mind. Ounce, 150 ounce. She got the medical grade, y'. All.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

This is a crazy.

[Asante]

Isn't this crazy? It's insanely stupid. And this is why people need to leave people alone. Because the fact that your thought is.

[Dustin Ross]

Lukon yak.

[Asante]

Hey, I can't even Think of all the money or effort that she put that big ass bottle, all the effort she put into that over the past five years.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

That's why I was like, oh, she.

[Dustin Ross]

Did a long, like did not run the background. I can't tell You True Crime YouTube videos I watch where these people make these dumb ass decisions trying to commit crimes where you don't follow through, you don't plan ahead for 5, 6 different outcomes of the. You know what I'm saying? The situation, like there's just no real. They're just dumb. This is why they're these criminals in the first damn place. Right?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

It also should be out that somebody would take the time to do this.

[Dustin Ross]

To somebody and go ahead, take us. I'm not gonna forget my point, go ahead.

[Asante]

Mine is a pivot to something ridiculous.

[Dustin Ross]

Real quick. There needs to be a. There needs. You want to talk about reform? We need reform when it comes to vetting the medical professionals in this country and the teachers. We need, we need more reform when it comes to who is allowed to be in those critically important positions. Because how did this ding back, crazy ass, spiral eyed ass, how did she get in the, how did she get in the scrubs in the first damn place? Somebody was willing to do something like this.

[Asante]

She probably said, well, I'm not a doctor, I didn't take a note.

[Dustin Ross]

We need cognitive assessments, you know what I'm saying, of these people because how did she get through? Now go ahead, say let's put pivot. I'm tired of talking about.

[Asante]

I was just going to say, I know that people say shows such as Beauty and Black are ridiculous, but there are certain things that are super real in them, like how stupid people can be. Cuz all I thought about was in Beauty and Black when the one stripper was like, let's rob them. And it's like, why is this your thought process? Like why does it seem like first.

[Dustin Ross]

Place you go with and then the.

[Asante]

Way like in the friend, I know you ain't watching. I'm just trying to, I guess not spoil it for people that care about it. But like, like the fact that this person's thought process was we deserve this, so we're going to take from someone else so we can have a better life. Your life is unfortunately and you know, in hopefully a lot of cases, fortunately your life. So it's under your control. There are a lot of things that happen that are out of your control, but that doesn't mean that you need to go and take control of anyone else's life. Not even your fucking kids. Like your kids. You're there to help them and raise them as beings to send them out into the world. So the fact that someone would decide to go sign up and be a nurse to. To care for others and then misuse and abuse that power to try to come up with some scary, I guess. Did they even try to come up on some money? I can't wrap my head. Sorry. It's dumb. She's dumb. And I hope she rots under the.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Jail and this lady provides medical care somewhere.

[Dustin Ross]

Scary, right?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

That's scary.

[Dustin Ross]

Even more scarier. Let's go across the country for our last story. Across the country, across this country, the good old West Virginia. Virginia, okay? And one of my best friends in, in life shout out to Kenesha, she lives in West Virginia. So I got a special place in my heart for West Virginia, but not for these right here. So a West Virginia couple is actually going to spend the rest of their lives in jail, which is right where they belong, after they were found guilty of forced labor, human trafficking, child abuse, violating civil rights and neglect. So these motherfuckers deserve it, right? And I just want to say, before I even go any further, these people were sentenced to a total of 375 years in prison. Okay? So that's how reprehensible what they did was, right? Clap for that. I mean, if you say, if you're a stripper, make it clap.

[Asante]

Honestly, that's the. The charges you read out sound heinous. So it sounds like they deserve it. So good for.

[Dustin Ross]

Well, check this out, asshole. Back in 2023, Donald Lance and Gene White Feather, right? They were arrested after their five black adoptive children were found in conditions inside a shed that were horrible. When the police arrived at the home, they found a 14 and 16 year old locked inside a shed on the property. The teenagers told the police, y', all, that they had been inside that shed all day with only a little RV porta Potty and no running water. And they were last given food around six in the morning, right? They said that the couple made them sleep inside the shed on that concrete floor. And that was later corroborated through surveillance videos that the police got, or whatever. The 14 year old boy, he had open sores on the bottom of his feet. The Police also got three more children who were ages 6, 9 and 11 from the couple. And they were outside the home as well at the time that the police discovered the first two. So none of the kids was inside. All five of the children were malnourished according to the police reports. And they smelled a body order. Yeah, body odor. A judge, like I said, through the book at the ass, gave them 375 years combined. The guy got 160 years and the woman got 215 years. So that's where the. The. The. The. The number comes from.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Right? Damn.

[Dustin Ross]

And the judge tore their ass up. Shout out to this judge. It's a 8th Judicial Circuit Court judge, Mary Claire Acres. Now, I don't know anything about her and her politics or any of her other judgments. I'm only referring to what she did in this case. I want to make that note. I don't know her, but she said, quote, judges in West Virginia. So let's just. I'm just. I only. I want to be clear. We're focusing on this case. Stole. So the quote from the judge to these. These. To these people was this. You brought these children to West Virginia, a place that I know is almost heaven, and you put them in hell. She said, this court will now put you in yours. Yes. Okay. She said, and may God have mercy on your souls, because this court will not. And then she went on to sentence them in that way. So. So I just thought, wow, I was blown away when I saw the story, when I found out what was going on, when I saw there was photos attached of the shed and these. Let's put their faces on the Patreon Summer Jam screen. Those are the people. Yep. That's the face of terrorists.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Black children. And forced them into slave labor.

[Dustin Ross]

So again, their names. Let's name these Donald Lance and Gene Whitefield. Feather. G E A N N E. White Feather. So that's their names, and that's what they did. And may they get it in prison. You know, there is something to be said about the justice system that exists within the prison complex and the prison system. They will be held accountable to someone for what they did after they start to serve their sentences. So, yeah, man, God bless those children, man. They're so young and they have so much that they're going to now have to live with the rest of their lives. Yeah, but I wish they them recovery. I wish them recovery and. And peace and healing. That's what we wish them and them people. You, Donald Lance, Eugene White Feather. Your last name. White Feather. Anyway, you weird ass, y'.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

All, you know, I hope they find loving families that will reverse the damage.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, me too. I absolutely do. So that's it this week, y', all, for Hot Topics and Horrible Topics with these true crime stories.

[Asante]

Right? But I'M shocked you ended so heavy, Dustin.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, well, not me like that. Hey, hey, hey. I got a dog sign that was for the real listeners. And that's it for this week's Hot Button.

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[Asante]

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[Francesco (K. Friend)]

This week in Wellness, I wanted to highlight a listener who reached out via email. Her name is Sonia Almonte and she said hi friend. I have been an avid listener viewer of the Friend zone podcast since 2016 and truly believe in your ability to move mountains for important causes. I wanted I wanted to bring to your attention a pressing issue affecting the community in Portland. I work for a national nonprofit organization that supports health departments and I recently learned that the Multnomah County Health Department's leadership announced the closure center of the Sexually Transmitted infection clinic effective June 30th. This is particularly concerning given the rising rates of STIs nationally. With Multnomah county reporting a rate of 27.5 cases per hundred thousand residents, the closure of this clinic represents a significant setback. I have been communicating with their supervisor who is diligently working to ensure continuity of care through disease intervention and partnerships. This closure will impose a considerable strain on their team and the community they serve. Access to essential STI and HIV services will be severely limited. We're facing a genuine public health crisis and need your support in amplifying this message locally and if you feel comfortable on a broader scale, I attached a flyer created by a community member to help Help spread the word. Specifically, we seek the community to inform the serious public health implications of this closure to your county commissioners, whose intervention is crucial. Thank you for your attention and support. And she did post the flyer which says The Multnomah County SCD clinic will close on June 30, 2025, unless Multnomah County Commissioners choose to fund it. Which is crazy to think about. What the that we're just at the mercy of, that thousands of our community members trust and depend on these sexual health and HIV prevention services that are offered with love and not judgment. Where will it go? This care and expertise can't be replaced. And she also listed out the Multnomah County Commissioner with their emails, their numbers. I'm definitely going to attach the link to that below in the description box. Those of you watching, if you want to maybe take a screenshot, however it is that you guys watch, I know this might not be clear enough. Oh, there we go. The glare. Just shut that down. But either way, I'm going to put a link below that. You'll have access to the flyer with all the numbers in case you're interested in calling and helping save the STD clinic. This is actually the county I live in as well, so thank you for sending that my way. I hope that us mentioning it on the show and reading your email and listing out the commissioner numbers will help in some capacity.

[Asante]

Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

Because I'm coming to visit and I don't want to worry about that when.

[Asante]

I'm about to have fun.

[Dustin Ross]

You know what I'm saying?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

And it's crazy, too, I know with this administration, there's been so many cuts and budget cuts and firings and reconfiguring. Reconfiguring of things that are very necessary and crucial to our community. So I'm sure we're going to be seeing a lot of emails like this, a lot of posters and flyers and people just trying to figure out how we can save ourselves in these communities. So thank you for reaching out to me, Sonia. I hope that we help.

[Asante]

Thank you, Sonia.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Right, so I wanted to use this week's wellness segment. Obviously, we have a. A really big, beautiful, helpful platform and I'm hoping that, you know, we can chime in in some way. So that's it for this week in wellness.

[Dustin Ross]

She had a beautiful name. What was Sonia's last name?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Sonia Almonte.

[Dustin Ross]

What a beautiful, sexy sounding name that is, right?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I don't know. She's listening like, oh, my God.

[Dustin Ross]

It's a beautiful song. I hope you kept confidence this weekend, girl. You got a good name. Name you. She should always tell people her full name. What's your name? Hi, I'm Sonia.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

She does have that kind of name.

[Dustin Ross]

I like that. Yeah. Power.

[Asante]

All right, this week in music, we have a lot of visuals. I would like to first highlight Lizo for cursing on Karisha on the Internet. No, I'm just kidding.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Oh, no.

[Asante]

It was really funny.

[Dustin Ross]

What you heard meant.

[Asante]

It was just so funny because friend, that literally just reminded me. She was like. She's like, isn't she doing streaming now and then it's like the next viral streaming clip I see her, it's calling Karisha on the phone to address that. Anyway, Lizzo's back with more music. I talked about her previous video video release for Love in Real Life. That was about three weeks ago.

[Dustin Ross]

I like that song.

[Asante]

Yeah, that song is hot. I. I really like that song. When she followed up to show you case more of her new sound, sound with Still Bad. That song came out about 12 days ago. There's a video to go with it. So if you. If you're loving Lizzo's new look and her new sound, go watch her music videos. Love in Real Life is a hot track, but still bad. I like the track too. And if you just like seeing Lizzo again, go watch the videos. People like.

[Dustin Ross]

You know what I think is crazy. Tay and friend, when people criticize Lizzo and all the negative talk we hear about her, it ain't never about her talent. It's never, Lizzo can't sing. It's never Lizzo can't dance. It's never. Lizzo's not a. I don't like, like her performance. They. They pick something else about her not to like. So I just want to make that point because Lizzo is good at what she does. I told y' all when I saw her in concert at Terminal 5 and was literally. I. I didn't. I didn't know her music. I just knew that song that they played at the end of Love and hip hop when the credits roll, which was feeling good as hell or whatever. That's what I. That's what I knew about Lizzo. And Sean Ross, friend of the show, invited me to go to her concert and I was. When I say blown away. Never lost stamina. Vocals had. The crowd was very white, predominantly white, and she was very pro black. And the things she was saying on stage, it has been like there was no sugar coating of anything. Like, she was very clear. I just was impressed all the Way around. So that's why I go hard for Lizzo on this show and everywhere, because to me, she's the real deal, and she impressed me with her talent. Talent. Yeah.

[Asante]

I mean, well said, Dustin. You made a lot of great observations. I mean, people do pick and choose what they want to be mad at Lizzo for about. I saw me and Crystal actually saw Lizzo perform live once. So, you know, seen her know that she's a performer, but also it is a dope. It's kind of. It's dope to me when certain people have a different audience. And so for Lizzo to make such pro black and pro body positive music and, you know, just pro bad bitch music, you know, for all bad bitches. Even though she's, you know, pro black first, but her audience be predominantly white, it's still like they have to receive the message. And so I feel like those white people are the ones that become allies. Those are the white people that we don't have to take the time out to be like, I ain't got time to explain it to you.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah.

[Asante]

But because they see someone like Liz on what she's going through, and she's teaching them through her art and her music, and she's still a great performer on top of that, you know, in addition to, you know, like, at her base course, she's a great performer. I feel like it's just amazing when people like this do get.

[Dustin Ross]

Get the.

[Asante]

Do get what they deserve, man. So I feel like Lizzo, she deserves more. She's already gotten a lot, but there's a longer way for her to go. There's more in her career, and so I'm excited to see whatever this next phase is going to be for. You see, they announced that film.

[Dustin Ross]

Tay, you said what? You see, they announced that film she's starring in. She's playing Rosetta Thorpe, sister Rosetta Thorpe, the godmother of rock and roll or whatever.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Oh, wow.

[Dustin Ross]

Lizzo's producing it and the timing of.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Her pivot in music, too. Yeah, that's pretty.

[Asante]

Your godmother, Rock and roll sister Tharp and Amazon biopic. Okay.

[Dustin Ross]

Hell, yeah. So, like, Lizzo, there's a lot more to come from Lizzo, who already has an Emmy and Grammy. Multiple Grammys, you know what I'm saying? She's. She won an Emmy for that. Her show about the dancers or whatever.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Oh, the one I love.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Oh, okay.

[Asante]

Well, it's about damn time. Shout out to you, Lizzo.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Right.

[Asante]

Just want to make sure I highlight that. Thank you. Dustin, for your added comments. Yeah, okay.

[Dustin Ross]

We don't around about no damn L. I like Lizzo.

[Asante]

Hell, yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah.

[Asante]

At the top of this, I mentioned Karisha, but I actually am going to talk about the city girl that's still releasing music. No shade to Karisha. JT has a new song out. It's called Ran Out. There's a music video to go with it. I'm feeling the sound. I'm feeling the visuals. You know, jt, I feel like a lot of people, you know, there are things to be said about jt. There are things to be said about her. I don't really need to say them. All I'd like to say is she's still in the race. She's still in the room. You know what I'm saying? JT's still pushing music. She's still figuring out her artistry. She's still playing with her artistry. And I think that's dope. And I think that that's. There's something to be said about an artist that's going to persevere outside of being in a group. Like, there's sometimes there's, like, the quick route, and sometimes people are just gonna be dropping shit on you, and sometimes there's the long route where they're just gonna, you know, keep doing little things here and there until they find a lane that they really want to be in and play with. And I feel like JT just really needs to hit that lick so she can really be like, all right, this is me and my ultimate bad bitch form, and I'm just gonna run full steam ahead.

[Dustin Ross]

I love the fact that JT is music focused. Right. I think that she obviously is a fashion girl. She's a fashion darling. All the top houses dress her. She goes to fashion week and sits front row. So she. She's understood in that way through her expression as an artist face, too. Well, she's a. She's beautiful.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

You know what I'm saying? So, like, I love that she takes the fashion and she takes her interest in aesthetics and directly brings it back to the music. JT is all about her music and so love her hater or whatever. I love the fact that she's hyper focused on establishing herself as a true rapper, a true musician, a true artist. Like, that's her focus, and I love that. I appreciate that.

[Asante]

Yes.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

And humble enough to. To start from scratch, essentially. Right? Because she had to, like, carve herself out, away from the city girl sound to what she wants to make, not being embarrassed to be performing at pool parties and smaller shows and slowly building up her personal fan base, which I think says a lot about, essentially. Yeah. Because most people wouldn't even. They'd be so embarrassed, you know, to view that as some type of failure. So shout out to her for being like, I'. Ma. I'm gonna start again. Get it out the mud and watch it happen. Yeah.

[Asante]

Yep. Shout out to you, JT girl. Rooting for you. Last person I would like to mention for this part portion of the show for artist Dimension, Then we can move right on to songs to play. Play is Lady Gaga. Okay. Lady Gaga dropped the album Mayhem. And I don't know if we talked about it. Did we talk about Mayhem on here? I feel like. Okay. I feel like time had went by and we hadn't really talked about it.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Because I think we talked about her at the Grammys and just being, like, happy to see her again.

[Asante]

Yes.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Yeah. And the video. Right. Because they dropped the video or something, and we were excited about the video. Yeah.

[Asante]

Yes. At the Grammys, Lady Gaga was nominated for several awards, but most notably her duet with Bruno Mars, Die With a Smile, at the time, which was a track that I missed, because I remember we were talking about that, and I was like, damn. Like, I missed that track. But that track was really, really hard, like, catching on the back end. Like, I really wish I would have with it then, but I'm also that night's friend. I think you were mentioning they. I think. Well, I don't want to say, but I think Verizon. Maybe I might be misspeaking, but there was a commercial break, but it was actually the music video release of Abracadabra.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

So cool.

[Asante]

I was like, wait, this ain't a commercial. Is this a video? And so, like, for me, it was hard because, A, it was cool that they were doing that, but, B, it was the return of the Lady Gaga, of. Of a form of Lady Gaga that I grew to love because the original former Lady Gaga was, you know, a little bit different. Different than, you know, Monster Guy Guy became. But either way, I was happy to see this guy guy, because she lost me at Joanne, you know, I feel like I need to go back and revisit because I am a person that just appreciates good music, but she had lost me a Joanne. But for this album Mayhem, she definitely had me back. And. And I listened to the entire project a few times over, and I'm enjoying it, so I want to make sure we talked about it.

[Dustin Ross]

I think the departure started at Artpop. I think that's where people started being like, I don't get it. You know what I'm saying?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Two left.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah. This ain't that. This ain't what it was. And I ain't gonna lie. I'm. Take me back to the bloody performances on stage. Take me back to the meat dress. Take me back to. I love that lavender blonde.

[Asante]

You know, Take.

[Dustin Ross]

Take me back so happy I could die. Take me back to.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

That's my shit. I love that. That's.

[Asante]

Happy in the club with a bottle of red wine, Stars in our eyes.

[Dustin Ross]

And we having a good time.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Come on.

[Dustin Ross]

What? That's so. That. Take me back to that now. I haven't listened to this. What? What?

[Asante]

Oh, come on.

[Dustin Ross]

Don't. Don't. Don't take. Don't give me nothing else. Give me that.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

As one of my songs.

[Dustin Ross]

I liked Joanne. Joanne had some moments. Because I love Lady. You remember how much I love that song with her and Bradley Cooper, you know? Y' all know I love Lady Gaga as a vulture. O O.

[Asante]

You're the. You're the only reason I watched that movie. And I with it.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

You love that damn song.

[Asante]

It was a good.

[Dustin Ross]

It was a good. For real. It d. Just. It's just something about it.

[Asante]

100 in the room. I hope they ever talk about that song. And you in that room with me. All the one person, and you would be that person.

[Dustin Ross]

It's the white version of 86 by Don Rashad. For me, it's a song that just, like, literally makes me laugh. For you, it just takes me there. It's a classic for me. And the way they sing it, when they do, they break that at the end. I just. So, yeah, I like. I say all that to say I do with Lady Gaga. You know what I'm saying? I with her as an actor. I with her as a singer. And so if this album, this Mayhem album, is a return to that form of Lady Gaga, I'm open to listen.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I actually didn't realize it was out, so I'm glad you said that. So I'm gonna definitely listen on my walk today.

[Asante]

I can still hear you in my head. And I was trying not to say anything because I don't want you to keep going, so. Yes. Well, I'm glad that you both love and revere Lady Gaga as much as I do. With that on the table, I would like to offer you both the recommendation of the new album, Mayhem. There are a lot of great songs on there.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Yeah.

[Asante]

One of my. A pick that I would just like to throw on the table. The song Perfect Celebrity is a song that I really, really with on the project from Gaga. But also she has a song called Zombie Boy, which I was. It was going really hard for me, and I couldn't figure out what it was. And then I looked in the credits. James Font Laroi, one of the writers on it.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I was like, always the through line.

[Asante]

I just know. And he. And of course, obviously, but he's on the dial with a smile track, like, as one of the writers. So. For which was a track that James.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

He'S brilliant out here. I mean, years pass and he's still on everyone's project.

[Dustin Ross]

Unheard of, still necessary and violent.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Like, what? Wow, What a lifeline.

[Asante]

I offer you guys to check the album out. And for those of you listening, if you have had a chance to listen to it, let me know some of the songs that you are feeling off of the album. And if you haven't had a chance to listen, go listen.

[Dustin Ross]

Okay, that's you talking to me because I haven't had a chance to listen. And I'm actually gonna go.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I am, absolutely.

[Asante]

I had already said to y' all before. I was like, my recommendation to y', all, but also me. Well, you also got your headphones on.

[Dustin Ross]

So you listeners, I'm a listener.

[Asante]

That's it for the artist to mention portion of this. Now we can get into songs to play. I would love to hear what songs y' all have been listening to, friend.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I'mma start off with Lady Gaga. So happy I could die.

[Dustin Ross]

Just already I feel it right here. Don't y' all feel it right here? Just make me tingle.

[Asante]

And then the way she comes in, so smooth.

[Dustin Ross]

And that beat.

[Asante]

Yeah.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Lavender blonde. The way she moves, the way she.

[Dustin Ross]

What you do. Lady Gaga. Silence of the Lamb too.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Open up your heart Heart and your mind and me just know.

[Dustin Ross]

Yes. Knee high, knee high yeah, yeah. Knee high, knee high.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Pain as I.

[Dustin Ross]

Allow and I am, and I am.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

And when something falls out of place I take my time I put it back I touch myself till I'm undress.

[Dustin Ross]

Yes, friend, be your best friend, your.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Family Open the.

[Asante]

Know she probably do that live too and it's all right oh, darn.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

All right. It's cool.

[Asante]

It's cool.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

So that was that then also.

[Dustin Ross]

What a song. I'm exhausted.

[Asante]

Love it. Love it.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

There's a new artist that I got put to named E.J. ross. And you know who put me on because he put out a video on TikTok playing a snippet or dancing To a snippet, I should say, because he produced a new like summer record for this artist Jay Versace, who y' all know is like a dope ass producer now. So he who also I saw was saying he's moving to Portland. I was like, what? What? I don't know if he's here yet, but I still. I saw people tagging me like, you gotta hang out.

[Dustin Ross]

Great minds think alike. Don't they?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Shout out to him because his pivot has been legendary.

[Dustin Ross]

Absolute.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Of course. Right? So of course the song was beautiful. It's not out yet, which was disappointing. But nice teaser because it made me go to EJ Ross's Spotify and he had a song called Superficial and this is how it goes. Superficial. You think so little but you're instrumental for my life for my life and I wish it was all was so.

[Dustin Ross]

Simple but my mind just can't decide.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Wrong from right I know she's not a keeper But I can't leave her and I know this all too well it's cause I feel I know her.

[Asante]

Deeper than anyone can see her sing.

[Dustin Ross]

Sing.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I'd be better off if I listen more. Oh, I can't though. Comes to you someday I realize that.

[Asante]

You were me.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

It'S so good. I'm gonna send y'.

[Asante]

All.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Actually, I'mma just send linking below to the tick tock of Jay Versace playing the teaser because the record is so good.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, same don't get that tick tock.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

See, right. I'm not. I'm like, dang. Actually I'm like low key if I saved it because I know that I did. I should just play the teaser, right? Oh, you know what? I'm gonna do that. That's gonna be my third pick for today. It's a teaser. It's produced by Jay versace. This is E.J. ross Ross. And I think the song is called. Did he title it? No, I guess it's a full out teaser. This is how it's titled. Okay, hold on. It's also funny to see Jay Versace so grown up. I'm like, this is a whole adult now, but this is how it goes.

[Dustin Ross]

I want to go on vacation.

[Asante]

Hell yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

Yes. It's in a, you know. Yeah. Dope little designer trunks and the fact.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

That he produced that too. So check that out. I'mma link the TikTok below so you could find it. And Also check out E.J. ross. He sounds really, really dope. And those are my three. Those are my three for this week.

[Asante]

Love that friend.

[Dustin Ross]

All right.

[Asante]

Dustin Ross, what do you have for the people?

[Dustin Ross]

So first of all, rest in peace to Angie Stone. You know, we lost her. Big tragic loss. Shout out to Angie Stone. She was a part of the sequence. The first song I'm gonna play is by the sequence. It's called I don't need your love.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I want to take this moment out to speak for all the ladies who never had the opportunity to say what I'm about to say. You see, my man, he's always busy doing this. That the fellas. I don't know what he's doing, but whatever it is, it ain't with me. So why don't you get yourself a piece of paper and a pencil. Take some notes while I talk to you about time you see. Cause I'm lonely now I ain't gonna wait till tomorrow in fact I might not be here tonight. If you ain't got time to spend time Time to make time for my love if you ain't got time to spend time I like it. And I don't need your love.

[Asante]

Oh.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

No the way you think I do Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

I had to start off with an inspirational track for women's history month. Hell yeah. So that's. I already sent it to y'. All. Yeah, that's the sequence. I don't need your love. Okay. And I'm gonna play one more song by them. I'm might have four songs this week.

[Asante]

I'll play one more song.

[Dustin Ross]

This.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

This is can you feel it by the sequence. If you feel like jamming, clap your hands.

[Dustin Ross]

So just so y' all know, I need to get with the sequence. You know what I'm saying? That's a little sequence for y'. All. Another song I want to play this week. This is actually by Jungle. This song is called back on 74. This is the full Crate reference remix.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Crate I love crazy.

[Dustin Ross]

There's some viby.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I've played that before, but I'm happy you played it again.

[Dustin Ross]

Cuz it's one of those records.

[Asante]

I just like that it was a.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Big hit thing with that in this weather too.

[Dustin Ross]

That's what I'm trying to tell you. So this last song I'mma play is by Health. It's called Cyberpunk 2.0. 2.0. Here we go.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Sam. I like it. Drive around.

[Asante]

Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

That's the kind of vibes.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Pensive.

[Dustin Ross]

Exactly. And that's cool.

[Asante]

Sometimes.

[Dustin Ross]

Sometimes you need to just that.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

No, you didn't.

[Dustin Ross]

You know, you need that sometimes. So that's it. Just vibes this week. What about you?

[Asante]

T. The first song that I would like to play 10 years ago, Kendrick Lamar. Ten years ago, on my birthday, March 15th 15th, 2015, Kendrick Lamar dropped to pimp a butterfly. A butterfly was music. It was art. It was history. I mean, I love Kendrick Lamar. I. I mean, I love music. So it's like, I love, you know, Kendrick Lamar, and unfortunately, I love some of his enemies, too. But Kendrick Lamar holds a special place in my heart because as much as I am of the belief that artists should, you know, get in the booth, bitch. Yes. I think it's beautiful when artists can perfectly marry, you know, their culture. They can marry politics, they can marry history, they can marry Christmas. They can marry Christmas doing, you know, different styles and versions of art. So pimp a butterfly was originally supposed to be to pimp a caterpillar. It was supposed to be like a play on Tupac, but then I think he changed it to pimple butterfly because he said he wanted it to be like a lighter, you know, a lighter play with the word pimping and stuff like that. So there's like, so many different levels to what he does, you know, visually, just with everything he does and how he puts it together. So on this project, I would like to highlight the song hood politics because I love Kendrick Lamar. There's so many other songs that I could have played, but hood politics was the song that I found myself. As I was revisiting the album this month, this was a track I was revisiting over the month. Here we are, hood politics.

[Dustin Ross]

K pick up the phone every time I call going to voicemail up don't tell me.

[Asante]

They got you on some weirdo rap.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

This feels nice.

[Dustin Ross]

No socks and skinny jeans and call me on Shan's phone.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I've been named one since day one.

[Asante]

You boo boo your own boy you.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Block that you're from boo boo little.

[Asante]

Ho you went to school with boo boo baby my man, you knew boo boo we was in the hood 14 with the deuce deuce 14 years later.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Going hard like when you still want a dead homies on a dead homies I don't give a about no politics and rap my I know homage done a deuce ain't never coming back my so you better go hard every time you jump on wax my what they talk about your is where it's at.

[Asante]

My came in so yes, that was an offering from a Kendrick Lamar classic and his catalog of classics. The next song that I would like to play, I don't know if I played this song before, but, you know, how songs just be stuck in your head, and then you, like, look at the year and you like, why was I singing that song in that year? There is a group called the Organization. I feel like I might have played this already, but I'm gonna play it again. They have a song called Can't Stop no Player. Can't Stop no Player used to play on the radio. So that is the only reason I think about this song, and I still listen to it to this day. Here's how it goes.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Oh, God.

[Dustin Ross]

Izzy Brothers sample.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

What would you call this kind of music?

[Dustin Ross]

That's what we used to call. I had to think about.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

And it's like that buster.

[Asante]

And you know, it don't stop on the spray paper. Mix it with these. I'm ready for summertime.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Oh, my God.

[Dustin Ross]

I'm about to get my ass in the gym. I got enough time to pull out a little one, too, before fourth of July. So.

[Asante]

Yes. That was just.

[Dustin Ross]

Hell, yeah. Hell yeah. Hell yeah. Hell yeah.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I got it. Ready for summer. Okay. K phrase.

[Asante]

You are a.

[Dustin Ross]

What Tia Kip say like.

[Asante]

The last that I'm gonna play just because y' all hadn't heard anything from Lady Gaga. So I wanted to give you guys a sample of some of what she's got going on in her project. Project. Again, there's a lot of different sounds on the project. Some of it, I feel like, is a little bit like disco.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Y.

[Asante]

Some of it's a little rockish. So there's a lot of different things happening on this project, but it is like a form to Gaga in the sense of she's doing, like, a beautiful marriage of these different sounds without just throwing some together. And still she's showcasing her voices, you know, Stephanie or Lady Gaga, rather. So the song that I'm gonna play, the song I'm gonna play is called Damn. I really want to play Perfect Celebrity, but I'm trying to not. I'm gonna play Love Drug. Here's how it goes so far. I'm sold.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Yeah, it's what you want from her?

[Dustin Ross]

Y' all know I love a raspy white vocal. I love this.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

She's on her Pet Benatar tonight, but I'm gonna fight the feeling. I liked it.

[Asante]

So yes, Stephanie, be her king.

[Dustin Ross]

Thumbs the upper.

[Asante]

I had a hard time choosing which track, so imagine the ones that I didn't get to play. So go check out that bomb beautiful Bean footage of an album and say.

[Dustin Ross]

Why I liked it. Right?

[Asante]

Okay. Yes.

[Dustin Ross]

I like. I like the. The 80s tinged guitar riffs that that. That really, I. You know, that really struck to you. Yeah, it spoke to me. I love that. I love the melody. I love that she was singing in her lower register. I like it when it's down there.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Yes.

[Dustin Ross]

I'm impressed. I wanted a bigger chorus, but I feel like I'mma get that later in the song. I feel like. I feel like she's going to build up to that later in the song.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Right.

[Dustin Ross]

Do we get a big vocal moment towards the end of the song? Asante.

[Asante]

The song switches up a little bit, but we get. We do get a little bit more vocals.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah. See, so, yeah, I like it. I approve. Here, here.

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[Asante]

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[Francesco (K. Friend)]

So I was just parking my car and then I saw you. The Gecko. Huge fan. I'm always honored to meet fans out in the wild. The honor is mine.

[Asante]

I just love being able to file.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

A claim in under two minutes with the Geico app. Well, the Geico app is top notch. I know you get asked this all the time, but could you sign it?

[Asante]

Sign what?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

The app. Yeah, sure. Oh, that means so much. Oh, it rubbed off the screen when I touched it. Could you sign it again? Anything to help, I suppose. You're the best.

[Asante]

Get more than just savings. Get more with Geico. All right, well, that's it for the music man segment. Now I would like to throw it right back to you, Dustin Ross.

[Dustin Ross]

So first of all, Real Housewives of Atlanta season 16 scene is incredible. I don't know. People having problems with it being new cast, new girls, you know. Oh, it took so long to come back, all of that. Well, yeah, it did take a long time. Because you know what? Perfection takes time. Earlier, like Mariah Carey said, love takes time. Okay, so they put a lot of love into it. God damn it. And I'm enjoying it. I think the new girls are showing up and showing out. I thought that when Carlos King said Kelly Pharrell looked like she was on the Flintstones, that he Wasn't even trying to be funny, but that was, was. I'm impressed with everyone. Shamia is holding court on that goddamn show this week.

[Asante]

Throw that out there and keep it moving.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, crazy this week. What you want me to do? Beat my feet on the ground and drive the car? So anyway, hey, this week Shamia had a back and forth with Angela Oakley on the show and they were. It was classic Real Housewives of Atlanta. They were at an event that Kelly threw at the Ball Mine store in Fips Plaza. A the proceeds were going to charity. It was a mommy and daughter event. They all had brought their daughters and most of them were in matching like little floral gowns with their waters. And it was classic Real Housewives of Atlanta. And we got a classic Real Housewives of Atlanta argument between Shamia Morton and Angela Oakley. And what made this one so sweet, number one, it didn't go all crazy. Nobody was trying to fight security, didn't have to intervene and hold anybody back. It was just a verbal back and forth, forth. They were both cracking jokes. We used to call it panning or staying in where I'm from, but a lot of people call it the dozens, you know what I'm saying? But that's what they were doing. They were arguing and trading insults and both of them were thinking in the moment. Y' all know I'm a big proponent of that. That's all I respect. I don't respect no pre written oath. I' ma say this when I see that. I don't respect that. I respect the. That could have the heat of the moment. Accept that's what they were doing. And when I tell you, it was so funny. And Angela Oakley always smiles when she talks. No matter what she's talking about, she's always, you know, you know how you meet those people and they always smile no matter what they saying. Yeah, that's how she is. So even in this argument she was smiling, which was. And she's taller than Shamia. So the combination of her looking down and smiling when she was saying what she was saying, it took us there. Shamia was. Shamia had the classic black girl pixie cut. Carol Brady, like short, you know, long in the front, Fantasia s short haircut, big earrings. She had an off the shoulder shirt. All that beautiful skin showing and she was, she was turning her back on Angela and her earrings was clanking and making noise and shaking when she was turning around. There were things that made it so rich.

[Asante]

Yes.

[Dustin Ross]

Watch this episode. This was episode three, I believe, of season 16. Watch the episode and watch that back and forth this season is hitting all the marks, y', all, I'm telling you. Another show that had a lot of good in the moment, authentic exchanges and, and, and funny times, was this Married to Medicine Season 11 reunion part one.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Oh, damn. They're there already.

[Dustin Ross]

They are there and they're going there at the reunion. Toya, you know, she never gives a damn what she said has been having.

[Asante]

Me rolling all season right into this reunion.

[Dustin Ross]

Lame. And she looked beautiful. They all look pretty.

[Asante]

Did look especially beautiful.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, they all look pretty. I didn't necessarily like everybody dressed, but I don't give a. You know what I'm saying? I will say going on me either, but I was trying not to do that. I was trying want to just tear ass all.

[Asante]

I don't hate her like that, but I just couldn't get with it. I do as a girl.

[Dustin Ross]

And I didn't want to go there. You know, I didn't want to go there. But yeah, she looked crazy. You know what I'm saying? Her face, her sweet tea. Someone that. Someone that chose for us to call her sweet tea. A smart woman who was a military vet. She works with the. The Air force in some capacity right now. Now she's very, very smart in that capacity. She just lacks people skills and she needs a real stylist. That's what I'll say. I don't want to tear her all the way up like Toya. Mind you, she married Quad's ex husband. So they was talking about Toya moving into her new home. And Andy was like, this is like your.

[Asante]

Your fourth home.

[Dustin Ross]

Fourth home since you've been on the show. And Toya was like, yeah, it might be my fifth. Then she just immediately says, I tell you, I didn't move in anybody else's house, though I can tell you that, that she just said that he's sitting right next to Sweet Te looking dumb, looking like Forest Gump. And she gonna sit there talking about, well, I'm. I'm on the d. She started trying.

[Asante]

To like, my name's on the mortgage.

[Dustin Ross]

Mind you, Toya is in this beautiful huge floral gown, strapless with a big short peplum skirt over top of a long gown underneath. So she's. Her dress has a press presence. All her. Her shoulders and look beautiful. Hair pulled back in the top, but long in the back. She looked like a literal doll. And she's sitting there being mean as hell to Sweetie. It was great.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

It was cool.

[Dustin Ross]

Well, until Sweet T went on the Internet talking about her Ah, okay.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

And so that was her only friend. Low key.

[Dustin Ross]

Well, Contessa. But anyways. But it was funny because when Toya was tearing Sweet Tea up, Quiet was literally busting out laughing because she couldn't believe the Toya was saying either. It was. It wasn't even rooted in her this D for Sweet Tea.

[Asante]

It was like, because it was Toya being toyed. To be honest, it was quintessential toy on Sweet Tea. But it just looked like, here go Quiet hating. But it was like, no, Toya. Here she go saying some wild.

[Dustin Ross]

Yet again. Everybody was laughing. I also want to give a shout out to Charles Harbison, who owns and designs Harbison Studios. What's up, Charles? But he. He designed the dress that Dr. Jackie was made, was wearing. Beautiful. Like, bone column size. He's really, really dope. Really cool dude. Really dope designer. So shout out to you, Charles. Shout out to you, Charlie. Yeah, but the show was good as fuck. You know what I'm saying? So make sure you watch that episode, the. The Reunion and Part two, which comes this week. Week.

[Asante]

Is it a three parter?

[Dustin Ross]

Oh, yeah. Y reunion. Also, I got. I can't get out of here. I got to give a shout out to one of my favorite actresses, which we can call her. And singers. Okay. Because she does that, too. And performers, because I've personally seen her take the live stage. She is casted in the new show that I've been watching, which I've been telling y' all about, the Gross Point Garden Society that airs on NBC. And Peacock Cock, she plays the daughter of Asia. Naomi King, I believe is her name, the young lady who was on how to Get Away with Murder. She's one of the leads. And guess who plays her daughter and nailed her scenes, was acting her ass off in this NBC show, okay. Which airs and is a big deal. Guess who it was.

[Asante]

Who?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Who?

[Dustin Ross]

Aris Harris. Yes. When I say Eris, how old is she now? She's got to be seven or eight. Seven or eight.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Oh, my God.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

That's so cute.

[Dustin Ross]

Aris got down. Do you hear me?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Imagine a scene, girl. She just has always known what she wants to do.

[Dustin Ross]

Just this is a prime example of a born artist. She literally just. It's just. It's just.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

She just knows.

[Dustin Ross]

And I feel like we're really on the cusp of watching our next Kiki Palmer.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

I can see that.

[Dustin Ross]

Just Child star that literally does it all and. And is completely just rightfully placed into the mainstream media and getting the look she deserves. Our Next Brandy. You know what I'm saying? I feel like that's what we're viewing right now before our eyes. So just know Lil Mama was sitting in that kitchen at that scene talking to Asia Naomi King about her behavior and the. And. And making. And her. The way she was emoting. It was a. It was very important. It wasn't a flash in the plan scene.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

It was important.

[Dustin Ross]

And she had a couple of them, so. So just make sure you watch this latest episode, because Eris got down her little self. You know, I was again, I was looking like Tanisha in front of that bad girl's clubhouse. Oh, go on, Eris. I was impressed.

[Asante]

I watched that and catch up on that first, because that's it for me. I started Yellowstone, friend.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

You didn't like it?

[Asante]

I mean, I'm three episodes in. I'm just telling you, I've started it.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

It's not hitting for you. I love.

[Asante]

I mean, no, it's. I mean, it's doing what it's supposed to do. It look, it's a great bedtime show.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Okay. I think it's so good. Like, I loved it. We were literally addicted to it.

[Asante]

Now, I'm not gonna lie. This episode, because it's the one with the daughter and what happened with the mom. This episode is taking me out because I'm like.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

And all I'll say is that daughter is a character.

[Dustin Ross]

Like a daughter. Like Jackie. Chrissy said my daughter. I'm gonna say my daughter. Is she a daughter?

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

And before y' all get out of here, White Lotus. What the fuck?

[Dustin Ross]

I haven't watched the latest episode, but they go there with the incest.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

You know what? We're just gonna wait till now.

[Dustin Ross]

So it must be some nasty ass.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

What is this storyline?

[Asante]

All right, y', all, let's go get on that.

[Dustin Ross]

Them kids. If them kids are each other. I don't know if.

[Asante]

Again, if you are listening on Wednesday night. You know what? You know what? I'm gonna watch as soon as we get off of here. So that means if you watching. If you're watching this on patreon, Wednesday before 8pm Eastern Standard Time, check us out. I'm gonna be prepared for the wind down, so. Okay, catch us at the wind down, 8:00pm Eastern Standard Time, so we can talk about this. And I hope. I just hope we don't stay black and protect your magic, y'.

[Dustin Ross]

All.

[Francesco (K. Friend)]

Love you guys. See you tomorrow. Bye.

[Dustin Ross]

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