Three Hots And A Got

Summary

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The Friend Zone Podcast – Episode Summary

Podcast: The Friend Zone

Hosts: Dustin Ross, Hey Fran Hey, Assanté
Episode: Three Hots And A Got
Date: October 1, 2025
Theme: Mental health, culture, personal wellness, and the launch of "Crime Zone Month"—a deep dive into a chilling true crime case.

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Main Theme & Purpose

This episode kicks off the Friend Zone’s annual “Crime Zone Month,” where each host shares a true crime story during October. Dustin Ross leads with a case titled "Three Hots And A Got," centering on the disappearance of a murderer who remains at large. The episode explores not only the disturbing details of the crime but also delves into conversations about mental health, the unpredictability of people, community resources, music, and ways to show up for loved ones.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Pop Culture Banter & Starting Off

• There are quick, humorous exchanges about Tyrese and his dog allegations, a segue about pets and neighborhood dangers, and a stretch of humorous and cultural observations about pets in the Black community.
• The hosts share what they watched over the weekend, including Real Housewives of Orange County and Netflix’s Wayward, touching on “white women drama” vs. the vibrancy of Black reality TV.
• Fran shares about pulling a muscle and reflecting on the importance of warming up and self-care as you age.

Notable Quote:

• Fran on owning big dogs:

  "When you need to travel, nobody's watching your Cane Corso. Nobody." (04:42)

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2. Black Business Highlight: Saint Heron Community Library (17:00–19:40)

• Dustin spotlights Solange Knowles’ "Saint Heron Community Library," a digital archive of out-of-print Black and Brown literature, free to borrow for up to 45 days for U.S.-based users.
• The project’s aim is to fight erasure in an age of book bans, inviting listeners to use and contribute to the archive.

Notable Quote:

• Dustin:

  "This type of archival pursuit is what's going to save our history right now." (18:17)

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3. Listener Feedback Recap (19:46–31:06)

• The hosts read and react to listener comments about last week’s Q&A episode, focusing on experiences with studying abroad, the importance of art teachers, and humorous anecdotes (like someone listening to a 3x speed sports podcast on a first date).
• They speak on the viral “rapture” rumors and the vulnerability of people who fall for internet hysteria, underscoring empathy while calling out opportunistic manipulators.

Notable Quote:

• Fran:

  "Travel far enough and you meet yourself." (22:07)

• Dustin:

  "We give space to those people [who are vulnerable], but there was another group… who want to be the ones that figured it out." (27:22)

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4. Crime Zone Month Begins: “Three Hots And A Got” (34:24–92:24)

The Story (Main Crime Deep Dive)

• Case: In 2017, three bodies are found at an Idaho farmhouse. Initial checks suggest they're the residents: a man (60), his girlfriend (47), and her 13-year-old daughter. Investigation reveals a third, unknown woman among the dead.
• Twist: It's exposed that the man, Gerald Michael "Mike" Bullinger, was living a double life—married to one woman (Cheryl Baker), while dating and moving in with another (Naja Medley) and her daughter.
• Chilling Details:
  • Cheryl, the wife, was the actual purchaser of the farmhouse, deceived by Gerald.
  • Gerald’s pattern includes a history of domestic abuse and multiple secret relationships.
  • All three victims (Cheryl, Naja, Peyton) shot execution-style and moved to the shed. Family pets were also found shot.
  • Gerald vanished into the wilderness of Wyoming—a vast, bear-infested forest—and has never been found, alive or dead.
  • Forensics, police response, and overlapping accounts cast doubt on the thoroughness of the investigation, frustrating families of victims.

Significant Moments & Quotes

• Dustin (on Cheryl’s discovery):

  "She couldn't wait to turn a large shed on the farm into her own art studio. That was her plan for the shed that they found her in." (63:45)

• Asante (on police theories):

  "I feel like he snapped. Killed them and then snapped." (92:46)

• Fran (on the horror of not truly knowing someone):

  "That's one of the scariest things to me, how you just never know someone." (88:56)

• Dustin (on the underlying message):

  "Just be careful and really vet your potential partners… you just never know." (87:14)

Timestamps of Key Segments

• Case Introduction: 34:24
• Discovery of the bodies: 36:19 – 42:37
• The Gerald/Mike double life is revealed: 58:30 – 64:57
• Crime aftermath and theories: 77:32 – 87:22

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5. This Week in Wellness: Grief & Regret (94:23–105:58)

• Fran opens up about losing a dearly loved friend (“Miss Diane”) and the guilt/regret many feel over not having replied to a final message.
• The conversation covers collective guilt about not always showing up for loved ones, a topic other friends of the hosts recently also faced.
• The importance of connection, responding to friends, and making time for the people you care about is emphasized.

Notable Quote:

• Fran:

  "Don't wait for these panicky moments where it's like, too late… let the people you love know exactly how much you love them." (105:36)

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6. Music Man Segment: New & Classic Tunes (105:58–143:35)

• The team discusses new music, the problematic Young Thug album cover (with whiteface as “commentary”), and the challenge of artistry vs. industry image.
• There’s critique of industry priorities ("Why are great writers/singers overlooked in favor of less-talented, image-first artists?").
• A playlist of standout tracks closes the segment, including Tweet, Jane Hancock, Thundercat, Mariah Carey, Frida Payne, and more.

Notable Quotes:

• Fran (on industry success):

  "This is more of an industry issue… they're going to choose the JLo's and the Mariah the Scientists over other artists already giving you the vocal." (121:19)

• Asante (on Mariah the Scientist):

  "She frequently has bad performances to me." (113:52)

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7. TV Segment: Recommendations & Observations (148:08–157:21)

• Upcoming reality shows: Real Housewives of Potomac, Bell Collective, Never Ever Mets, Married to Medicine, Reasonable Doubt (Cash Doll guest-starring).
• Discussion of Apple TV’s unique approach—high-quality shows, little advertising—and recommendations for series like Wayward.
• General commentary on streaming, rising subscription costs, and the challenge of keeping up with so much content.

Notable Quotes:

• Dustin (on Apple TV):

  "These are television shows. Why wouldn't they advertise them?" (155:12)

• Fran:

  "I love Apple TV…it's definitely up there for one of the apps I frequent the most." (154:32)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dustin (on the crime’s aftermath):

  "He got. He's the got. So now you see three hots and a got… he got the hell on down after he committed this crime." (87:14)

• Fran (on regret in friendships):

  "It's hard not to beat yourself up when you see that the person had thought of you, reached out, and you didn't get back to them in time." (94:53)

• Asante (on grieving):

  "We want to be everything for everybody…and I hate that it has to come to something like this to want to be better. But we all always want to be better." (101:53)

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Flow and Tone

The Friend Zone sustains a familiar blend: open, warm, and direct but never shying away from humor—or calling out bad behavior. Crime Zone Month’s first story is told with chills, empathy, and genuine suspense, while the wellness and culture conversations offer balance and moments for healing. Music and TV talk provide palate-cleansers and laughs.

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Conclusion

"Three Hots And A Got" is a quintessential Friend Zone episode: true crime intrigue layered with cultural insight and emotional honesty. The crime segment’s mystery and horror serve as a backdrop for reflecting on the unpredictability of life, the importance of truly seeing the people around you, and finding comfort in music, wellness, and community.

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Quick Navigation (Timestamps)

• [17:00] – Black Business of the Week: Saint Heron Library
• [19:46] – Listener Comments / Recap
• [34:24] – Crime Zone: “Three Hots And A Got" Story Begins
• [77:32] – Crime Theories & Aftermath
• [94:23] – This Week in Wellness: Grief & Regret
• [105:58] – Music Man Segment (New music & industry commentary)
• [148:08] – What We’re Watching (TV)

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For more, listen to the full episode or check the next episode for another "Crime Zone Month" story.

Transcript

[Fran]

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[Dustin Ross]

Today.

[Commercial Voice]

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[Dustin Ross]

He has arisen.

[Commercial Voice]

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[Fran]

What what?

[Commercial Voice]

With a star studded premiere including Jenna Elfman, Nancy Travis and.

[Dustin Ross]

Hey, buddy.

[Commercial Voice]

A big home improvement reunion.

[Asante]

Welcome.

[Dustin Ross]

Oh, boy, that guy's a tool.

[Commercial Voice]

Shifting Gears season premiere tonight, 8, 7 Central on ABC and stream on Hulu.

[Dustin Ross]

Welcome to the Friends.

[Fran]

Every time I'm in the zone.

[Dustin Ross]

My name is Dustin.

[Fran]

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

[Asante]

Hey, my name is Asante. This is the friend zone. If you don't sit your goddamn ass down with them spaces in between your teeth.

[Dustin Ross]

And this week is one of the people whose teeth have been needing to have a seat. Okay. For a long damn time. They may be wet, though.

[Asante]

Oh, my God.

[Dustin Ross]

Tyrese. Okay, we gonna cut this shit short. It's not even. I'm not even going to go through all the motions. The rigmarole. Listen. Tyrese is apparently wanted by the Atlanta police after his. One after his Cane Corso allegedly killed his neighbor's dog.

[Fran]

Oh, my gosh.

[Dustin Ross]

Oh, Jesus.

[Asante]

Yep.

[Dustin Ross]

According to WSB tv, a warrant has issue for Tyrese's alleged animal cruelty. His Buckhead Atlanta neighbor claims that Tyrese's cane Corso dogs allegedly attacked their. Allegedly attacked their dog one night after they let their pet outside. They said that minutes. Minutes after they let their dog out, they found him dead.

[Asante]

Oh, no.

[Dustin Ross]

And the neighbor claims that Tyrese's dogs are always roaming freely, so they believe that they're to be blamed for the fatal attack. And one of. He's apparently received several complaints and warnings about his dogs. One of his neighbors says she felt unsafe multiple times with his dogs roaming around the neighborhood. Captain Nicole Dwyer of the Fulton County Police animal Services said, quote, it is the negligence on his part as the homeowner and animal owner just letting them roam free. Now, I want to stop it right there. I don't know anything about Nicole Dwyer. I haven't looked her up. But the fact that she ended that sentence with just letting them roam free, that was very urban, you know what I'm saying? So I don't. I don't know. But, but, but My mind's eye is painting a picture. Okay, Creating a profile here. I'll continue. She says, quote, and now they have killed an innocent animal. Police attempted a search warrant at his residence, but he nor the damn dogs were home.

[Fran]

Oh, it does not say damn.

[Asante]

It does not say damn dogs.

[Dustin Ross]

Them damn dogs. And the dogs are. They're eating people. The dogs are eating the dog. The dogs are eating people. The. Tyrese's dogs apparently allegedly ate his neighbor's dog up. Now, although Tyrese is a lying, crying, moist eyed mess all the time. Right. It's just some about neighbor complaints that make me have to hear the other side of the story, and I'm finding myself even have to hear it in Tyrese's case. Now the dogs is dead. The damn dog is dead. That's.

[Fran]

Yeah. But letting Cane Corso. Have y' all seen. Have y' all ever stood next to a king Course?

[Dustin Ross]

Yes. Yes.

[Fran]

Multiple Cane Corsos. And they're just roaming the streets. I might be siding with the neighbors on this one.

[Dustin Ross]

I don't know if they were roaming, though. That's all I'm gonna say. I don't know if his dogs are roaming. Sometimes when people have big dogs like that, they just get nervous around them and they feel threatened if the dogs get a little too close. And you know what I'm saying, Cane Corso does look like a crew cab pickup truck. It is that big, right? However, I just don't know.

[Fran]

But they.

[Dustin Ross]

But they're big and intimidating.

[Fran]

Wanted. I actually wanted one, but a lot of what deterred me from getting one is a. When you need to travel, nobody's watching your Cane Corso. Nobody.

[Dustin Ross]

They assume it's going to watch itself.

[Fran]

That's number one. And number two, there is that fear that you bring to the neighborhood that if the dog gets out, I mean, it's a dog. If it gets out and it's roaming, you get liability. And it's just true.

[Dustin Ross]

But it's Tyrese.

[Fran]

They're sweet.

[Dustin Ross]

But the only reason I'm really. The only reason that I will give some room to what the neighbors are saying and that the dogs may have attacked that other dog is that they are Tyrese's pets. So you know that they are disgruntled, you know? You know what I'm saying? They're disgruntled. They have to hear that crying. My Shayla. All that they have to hear all the time. Everything's a problem. They heard him begging, looking for Mary J. Blige a couple weeks ago. They hear all that. And them dogs are tired, so they might have went outside with a chip on their shoulders to get some. All four of their shoulders, you know what I'm saying? They may have gone outside with a chip on all four shoulders. So I don't know, but we just gonna have to see. We was just talking about dogs going to heaven last week.

[Asante]

That's all I was thinking this entire conversation, and I just was waiting for this, and I'm glad I didn't do it.

[Dustin Ross]

Rapture came. What if they thought the rapture, the start of the rapture, was his dogs attacking their dog? What if they went outside like, oh, my God, I didn't know it was going to go this way. Wow. Yeah. So Tyrese, man, it's just another problem. Once again, he's in the headlines for something other than an acting role or a new song, and I'm tired of it. I'm tired of his personal life. Get him on the Housewives sometimes. You see, in the case of Joe Gorga and Melissa Gorga, Joe is the talent. Melissa is just the housewife. Get Tyrese married. Get him on the Housewives. That's what we need to do, because he is dramatic to say, put out.

[Fran]

A statement, though I did see. I'm sure I just saw it. Lauren LaRosa.

[Dustin Ross]

Shout out.

[Fran]

Lauren LaRosa from the Breakfast Club. Incredible journalist. I just saw that. She said, he said, it's not what people think it is. Of course he's not. They're not looking for him. He's not hiding, nor are dogs. His lawyers are just figuring it out. That's the statement Lauren LaRosa just posted.

[Dustin Ross]

You know what's crazy about that? They're figuring it out. What's it, Tyrese? If there's nothing going on, what are they figuring out? Why are your lawyers even involved if there's nothing going on in everything?

[Fran]

I know his lawyers, sick of him.

[Dustin Ross]

They probably love him. Bring his ass in here every week. Look, always Coca Cola, okay? They've been with him since that bus. Doo, doo doo, doo, doo. But. Yeah, but we're tired of Tyrese, which is the focus of this conversation. Once again, we got to deal with some of his personal problems, you know what I'm saying? At least when Caesar from Black Ink Crew had that drama with a dog, we didn't hear him say nothing. Okay? But now we gotta listen. Yeah.

[Fran]

That was so messy.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah. Them dogs. I'm telling you, dogs can be a. Now, with that being said, welcome to the Friend Zone, your weekly look into all things Mental health, mental wellness, and mental wolf. Because who in the hell wants to be Tyrese's dog and wants to be at the behest of Tyrese? I, I, you know. I know. I don't.

[Asante]

You know.

[Dustin Ross]

Hey, Santa friend. How you doing?

[Fran]

Good.

[Asante]

I'm good. One of the things that I did this weekend, I was gonna wait for the TV segment, but I was watching Real Housewives of Orange County.

[Fran]

Is it season or you were going back in the archives.

[Asante]

So this season archives. I. So I watched the last season and I did not watch this season. And I think it's almost over. It is over. I'm not sure actually where it is, but I just saw that there was a season I ain't watching. I was like, oh, yeah, let me watch this season. So I'm only like on episode four or five of this current season, there was a former housewife that they brought back, Gretchen. So far going Housewives of Orange County. I'm not familiar. I don't remember rather. Long story short, because you're talking about dogs, there was a scene where she was talking about the girls and she was like, same old. How does the saying go? And it was the same old dog and pony show. And she was like, I knew there was a involved. So it's funny that you just say that. And also, I did not realize, but I think, I think, I don't know. This is such a random statement. I think that Heather debrow might be my all time favorite housewife.

[Fran]

I don't know.

[Asante]

That is, I don't have enough information. And honestly, this is only my second season with her. I have not spent like, I am curious almost to go back and see if I truly feel that way. But there are a lot of things about Heather I love how normal she is, how paid she is, how she can read when it's time to read. She tells the truth. She's not a liar. She's just like a. And she's an actual housewife. And like her marriage seems regular, but like again, only second season I've spent with her. I'm not entirely sure history. So I might go back and watch. But I feel like after just watching her from last season and these few episodes in this season, she's not doing a whole lot. But I was like, I think Heather Dubrow might be one of my favorite housewives. Like, if not top two.

[Fran]

I never watched that before. I didn't really watch Housewives, but I remember trying to start a. What is it? Beverly Hills.

[Asante]

Oh, yeah.

[Fran]

Just to do it was a Quarantine. I don't know. You know, people are watching all kinds of shit during quarantine, and I fell off pretty early. But it's just interesting to watch the white women, you know, versus the other seasons, which are the ones that I did watch.

[Asante]

So her being my favorite housewife is for a completely different reason than I would pick, like, Nene to be my favorite housewife. So when I say, like, my number one housewife, I mean, like, in a world of, like. I mean, that sounds so crazy, but, like, in a world if, like, Atlanta did never have. If the black ones never happen, and I had to deal with a white.

[Dustin Ross]

Just say, you like her.

[Asante]

No, I love her.

[Dustin Ross]

She don't have to be your favorite. You don't have to even put her above nobody. You could just be like, I really? With Heather Dubrow. And then you don't even have to qualify it like that.

[Fran]

Let me Google her.

[Asante]

I'm just saying, like, as. Like, from that. From what I've watched and how I've seen other bitches move and things that I've seen. Like, I just feel like, as far as my list is concerned, it's definitely not like. Like, who am I to say? Like, no, it's definitive. She is the one. Like, the way people go up for candy stuff. Yes. Candy is my number one, too. That's what I was gonna say. It's like, in a world of the. Yeah.

[Fran]

Never seen her before in my life and wouldn't and.

[Asante]

Well, I don't know. Maybe you would. I don't actually know really what she does. Like, I know she just got money, and just watching her with the other ladies as a cast member, I'm like, okay. Like, she is a really good housewife. Like, the Orange county, they do some things over there. But again, to your point, friend, it's just a bunch of white bitches being white. Like, it's not like they're over there doing the work or, you know, even having fun and, like, making dreams come true. They're literally just white arguing about white things. Like, you accused my husband. Or you talked about us getting raided by the FBI, and it's like, okay, well, I don't want to see my doing that. So I like where, you know what we do over there, but y' all doing some shit over here. You white bitches really be going crazy over here. That's crazy. So, yeah, it was a Housewives weekend. Yep. I mean, I watched a lot of. I actually watched this show on Netflix, and then I'll be. I'll Pass you the baton. I just want to pass it to you, friend. Because there's a show on Netflix called Wayward.

[Fran]

Oh, I keep hearing about it. That is.

[Dustin Ross]

I watched that.

[Asante]

It was really good. And it was about a.

[Fran]

A Tony. Tony Collette. Right. Who I really like. Yeah. I tend to like what she makes.

[Asante]

So I just saw her face. Didn't even know what it was going to be about. And I was like, oh, I got to turn this on. And then it was about the school. And I was like, oh, okay. So this is some shit that, like, back to the friend zone. Some shit you had put us on two friends. So that's what I watched, too. I binged that finished it. And I was like, damn, I ain't got nothing good to watch. And then I happened upon O.C. i don't know. I was like, oh, let me just go back and watch this season. Yeah.

[Fran]

Yeah.

[Asante]

What about you, friend? How was your weekend?

[Fran]

Painful. I told y' all last week. I pulled a little band on the left side of my back. And it's just been, like, not feeling good. Yeah. And it's like you don't know what you. What to do. Because if you stay still, don't move, and it feels like it locks up, you know? But then if you keep moving, then it still feels, like, overstimulated. So I'm in that weird limbo of, like, please go away. And trying to take care of it, but it's just me sleeping hard. Even sitting here right now. Hurts.

[Asante]

Oh, no.

[Fran]

When you pull those little things, especially as you're older, you pulling shit for no reason. But this one was my fault. Cause I cut corners at the gym and didn't stretch because I didn't have a lot of time. So I was, like, trying to do what I could. And I stupidly cut out the warmup, which you can't afford to do at this point either. You're 40s. And then, mind you, been at the gym how many years now and haven't had any injuries? Cut this corner. Now I have this fucking pain in my back. So.

[Dustin Ross]

Damn.

[Fran]

Just trying to deal with that. Yeah. And it just. You know, when you have a pain in your body, it just makes everything harder. 10 times harder.

[Asante]

Child just sleeping wrong. So that's all I know. I can't even imagine a gym injury at this age.

[Fran]

Oh, my gosh. So I haven't. Didn't have the. The best feeling weekend. But, yeah, we gonna work it out. What about you, Dustin Ross? Would you. That's what's up. What you get.

[Dustin Ross]

I was. We gonna work it out. The positive part, I'm trying to focus on that. I had a good weekend. I was working, so I had a good weekend. Was working.

[Fran]

Amen.

[Dustin Ross]

There was a party that occurred that was kind of close to my house that I went to that was really cool. Shout out to the recess group. Shout out to Vibes. My boy Jason, my boy Josh. Really dope event. Went and did that. But I was working all weekend. It was a working weekend for me. So that's awesome.

[Asante]

Amen.

[Dustin Ross]

Just working and fucking.

[Fran]

Come on now.

[Dustin Ross]

Amen. I just wanted to make y' all laugh, that's all.

[Fran]

Speaking of making us laugh, you wait. Actually, do you guys have any announcements, anything you want the folks to know before we do that?

[Dustin Ross]

Not this week I don't.

[Fran]

Not this week. Dustin, you do have the black business that you wanted to talk about this week, though.

[Asante]

I do.

[Dustin Ross]

So I'm very. As you all know, we love Solange Knowles around these parts and she has taken a dive headfirst into her artistry. And I mean it in the comprehensive sense of the word. She is a true artist. And one of her latest folk one, one of her. The subject of her latest focus has been creating this library that literally archives out of print books, magazines, newsletters, just all this black. These black pieces of literature. She has created a digital archive or a library that is accessible to everybody everywhere. And this is something that we need to be aware of in a time where books are being banned left and right, history is literally being pulled and removed out of museum collections all over the country. So I thought that this was the perfect timing for this, this to happen. So I'm looking up the website right now. It's called the Saint Heron Community Library. And you can just go to Library saintheron. That's I n T H E R O n dot com and the bright. The bio on the website says Saint Heron Community Library. Welcome. This is a literary center dedicated to students, artists, creatives and general book literature enthusiasts who are interested in exploring and studying the breadth of artistic expression. Our focus is to propel the advancement of education, knowledge, production, creative inspiration and skill development through culturally relevant black and brown literary works. Offered seasonally with book selections by guest curators, this new collection highlights renowned and modern artists practicing within various themes of poetry, visual art, critical thought, design, and much more. These works can be borrowed by readers for 45 days free of cost to our US based community. So this is huge, y', all. Something that we really need to amplify, push and Support, because the more people know about it, the more people will be able to populate it with other works that they may have archived themselves that are out of print. It's a community effort, so feel free to go library.saintheron.com Again, these works are available to everybody that's United States based, free for 45 days. You can borrow a piece for 45 days, check it out, read it, sit with it, live with it, return it, and continue. And I just think it's something really, really cool that Solana has done. So I definitely want to make sure that our audience was aware and that we share that and we push it, click it, like it, link it, love it, do all the things. Because this type of archival pursuit is what's going to save our history right now. And shout out to Solange for using her platform responsibly in that way. So, yep, the Saint Heron Community Library, baby. Make sure y' all check that shit out. Yeah.

[Fran]

And I'm intrigued. She's doing the honor system. That's so interesting. I'm like, okay, isn't it?

[Dustin Ross]

And it's charming in a way, right? It makes you be like, oh, damn. This is really like a library deal. So, yeah, I love it, and I hope everybody checks it out and contributes to it. And in with the post that's on her Instagram account that she used to inform everybody it was happening. The lead picture was of a. I'm gonna tell you exactly what the magazine was called. And I was like, y' all have to share this. But it's a picture of the Braxtons when they were a group. Trace, Trina, Tamar, and Tawanda. Here we go. It's a cover of Kick, which is a magazine that was black, gay and fierce. Urban culture. That's what this magazine was called. And it's the. The Head. The title of the magazine that month was the Color of Money. And there's a picture of the Braxtons on the front. For those of you who are on Patreon, you can see it yourself there.

[Fran]

Wow.

[Dustin Ross]

So it's just that kind of just archive local, you know what I'm saying? Black works that we need to know about. Think Jet magazine. Think Ebony, man. Think ebony. Think all these. These magazines that meant a lot to us. Right on. Word up. You know what I'm saying? All those magazines and more. So, yep, the Saint Heron Community Library. Go check it out, y', all, and tell salons we sent you if you get to talk to her.

[Fran]

No, you didn't.

[Asante]

So far.

[Dustin Ross]

So dope, so necessary.

[Fran]

Let's jump into the recap segment. Last week's episode titled Caught up in the Rapture, you asked us questions and we answered them. It was the Friend Zone Q and A episode. You guys loved the episode. I'm glad that y' all had so much fun with that. Like I said, we have a ton more questions, so there can absolutely be a part two next year. @ some point, y' all can send more questions in and maybe we can make this a thing that's, you know, a little more part of the show. Asante, who stood out to you in the comments from our listeners?

[Asante]

All right, a lot of people in the comments here on the Spotify streets. The first person that I see here is Ramona. Ramona says, I was the kid that didn't go to the to the college I wanted to go to out of state because my dad argued me down and I went to a college nearby. My life went haywire with the baby, et cetera, et cetera. But I made it through. But there is a lot what there is a lot of what ifs. I see my younger sisters travel, and when they went to a school that they wanted to, my dad didn't say a word because of what I went through and not letting me choose. But I'm so proud of my sisters. Just thinking back to that whole conversation we were having about traveling friend and absolutely just the experience that you had. I always encourage people, especially when I see younger people, to go live a life because when you get older, you just don't know what's going to happen or where you're going to be at. So even though you have those what ifs girl to what if you went somewhere else and got kidnapped or something? You just don't know. So look at you at home with your kids and then you got your sisters out there and you're happy for them. So just keep giving them that positive energy for being out there in the world. I also want to give a shout out to Yazzie. Yazzy says shout out to friends music teacher. My second grade art teacher, Ms. Austin, pulled my mom aside one day to let her know that she should tap into my interest in the arts. That year, Ms. Austin entered me into my first art competition and I won. I still create art and currently work in architecture. Architecture As a result of that of that interaction, shout out to you, Yazzie. I just think that's dope. And honestly, I don't know if you're black, Yazzie, but I was having a conversation with somebody over the past week about black architects and I just thought that was so dope. I just think architecture is dope. I don't spend enough time thinking about like the design in home space and this is just a random call to action. If you are a black person that's into home decor and stuff like that, do your big one. I just want to let that out there. But that's it. That's what I have out there in those streets. What did you find out there, friend?

[Fran]

So on Twitter, Photography EAS said. Fran made such a wonderful point in the Caught up in the Rapture episode about studying abroad during your collegiate years. While I didn't go to Brazil, I did go to Rome, Italy, and my entire life changed after that semester abroad. I changed. I became. I slowed down. Slowed down because that rat race was killing me. After my time in Europe, I approached school so differently and saw the best grades of my life at Cornel. I wish it had not taken so long, but I'm so happy for the experience. I was simply renewed because I finally saw the world and realized how small I am in it. But most importantly, I realized how important it was to actually take in this big world, notice how tiny things can hold a bigger purpose and really see. All that aside, I highly recommend to any students I mentor to study abroad and go see the world, live among people other than the people you know, experience cultures that broaden or deepen your horizons horizons and you will leave changed. And then she quotes travel far enough and you meet yourself. By David Mitchell from the Cloud Atlas so I love that a lot of people are sending in their study abroad experiences, which also made me happy to see all the different countries we went with, you know, and the different experiences we had. Especially considering you're so young at that point in your life and you really don't know when else you'll have a semester or a year to just leave, you know, and, and study and hang out with people and not have to worry about real world problems for a while. So I'm glad a lot of you got to experience that as well. And we have a lot of college listeners that I'm hoping felt a little inspired of like, you know what? I didn't consider studying abroad maybe something I should take a look at.

[Asante]

So do it.

[Fran]

Hopefully this will be that nudge right? In the podcast in the podcast in the Patreon streets, Tashira said I was dating a man that would listen to a Sports Podcast in 3X.

[Asante]

Hell no.

[Fran]

He never saw me again. Why Are we listening to this on the way to our first date? And then someone underneath Kiana commented, oh, so he was crazy. Crazy. I'd say you dodged the bullet. 3x is crazy. I mean, what, because 1.5 already feels like edgy for me. I can't imagine double that.

[Asante]

I'm sorry if he's catching the information. Kudos. But I feel like that's going to distract me.

[Fran]

But that was anxious. That would mean to me that you're a very anxious person and that's how I would take it. And it would just be too much for me. I couldn't.

[Dustin Ross]

And you ain't finna be rushing me when we have a conversation. Just because you listen to everything in 3x, you expect me to speed it up? Nah, I'm a human. So we're gonna talk normally.

[Fran]

Let's slow it down. King Tiffany said, the way Dustin been watching Rapture videos, it's how I've been watching unknown number reactions. Tiffany, I'm so glad you brought this up because that has been so funny on TikTok. Have y' all seen those videos?

[Dustin Ross]

I have not.

[Fran]

In the. In the videos it's people sitting with their family, their moms, their cousins, siblings watching it. And they wait to the part where the detective says that it was the moment.

[Dustin Ross]

I know exactly what you're talking about.

[Fran]

I didn't associate it with the react.

[Dustin Ross]

The film. I know what you're talking about. Yes.

[Fran]

So dang funny. But anyway, Emmy Hale says, I think the rapture thing started with a pastor in South Africa. I believe he got online months ago saying he received a word from God that the rapture would occur in September of 2025 and somehow that spread like crazy on the Internet. And here we are today. I actually saw clips, clips of that man talking. And I wondered how did he convince all these.

[Dustin Ross]

What was his name? David or Pastor Dave? What was his name?

[Fran]

Joshua? I don't know.

[Dustin Ross]

Pastor Joshua or some.

[Fran]

Something like that. She said. It's just sad because some people clearly in very vulnerable situations were truly deceived by this. Deceived by quote, unquote, Christian people furthering the image of those with any kind of faith as completely unserious and not trustworthy in a time where leaning into faith could actually be really beneficial. But we all know how convincing the talking heads on social media can be and how easy it is to latch onto something and start hyper fixating and. And attribute it to what's going on in your life. For the people in that camp, I honestly have a lot of empathy for them, but for the deceptive people themselves and some of these other people that were running with this and acting a plum fool, they're just grasping at straws and want to get out of jail free card for all the hell they're causing on earth. And to that I say, too bad, girl. You're the author of your own misfortunes and you're stuck here just like the rest of us. Deal with it.

[Dustin Ross]

I feel exactly like this person. Exactly. There are people who were vulnerable. Yeah. Who were vulnerable to that. And, you know, we give. We give space to those people.

[Fran]

Absolutely.

[Dustin Ross]

But there was another group of people who I'm focusing on, who want to be right about something and who want to be the ones that figured it out. You know, all these years we've been living, and y' all think that this is the person who has finally figured it out and cracked the code. And they want to be what they call in the Bible, righteous over much. And so they want to be almost condescending with it and as if you better do it, because if you don't, you're gonna. We got it figured out. So you bet I'm talking to them.

[Fran]

Right.

[Dustin Ross]

So I agree with this person.

[Fran]

Yeah. And then lastly, Jessica said I had not heard that Diane Martel passed away. So the news was a shock for me. Fresh out of college, she gave me a chance to work on a number of projects, including a Beyonce music video. She was an amazing woman outside of her resume, and that resume is long. If everyone in entertainment was like her, I would have stayed in the industry. She definitely left a beautiful mark on me, and I pray she's resting. Well, thank you for another great episode. I love that that one of our listeners has a relationship with. With Diane Martell. Rest in peace. That's a true story.

[Dustin Ross]

Sorry we had to break that to you, girl.

[Fran]

Yeah, I'm sorry if that was broken through us, but we just wanted to make sure to send some love to Diane Martell and her family and everything she put out into the world, Dustin Ross. Did you find anything in the Twitter streets?

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah. Forgive me, because I can't remember the gentleman's name, but do you remember the really dope librarian that had kind of been getting a hard time online?

[Fran]

Michael.

[Dustin Ross]

Some of the people. Michael.

[Fran]

Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

He is the host of the new Reading Rainbow I saw. Can. He clapped that for me, like, let's give it up.

[Fran]

And he looks perfect. You know, when something is made for someone. I saw the clip.

[Dustin Ross]

It just works. It just works, friend. I agree. Even Visually, like, this is perfect for him. It is the perfect vehicle. We need Reading Rainbow now more than ever, man. I just, I got a bunch of funny shit in here. You know, starred and liked for me to share, but we gonna leave it right here on a positive note. I love that for this sect. Shout out to the Reading Rainbow. It is back. You can go to readingrainbow.org and get more information. You know, Reading Rainbow, for those who don't know, was launched in 1983 and it became PBS's most watched program in the classroom. So it meant a lot to people of a certain age. I am people of a certain age. So, you know, we happy that your babies can learn how to read. Some of you motherfuckers ain't watch Reading Rainbow and you can tell and we have to read things. So yes, this is available again and I want people to know it, I want people to watch it. We have got to support this and if we're able to contribute however we can to make sure that it continues, let's do that. And congratulations to brother Michael.

[Fran]

Congratulations. And you know, it was cool to see that his hair, he didn't change it. I don't know why. That was like so cool. They let him look like be himself. The shirts he wears, his hair stayed the same and energy that made me happy because I felt like this is really gonna be well done.

[Dustin Ross]

And when we know his story, we love affirmed like that. You know what I'm saying? We love seeing him be able to be special because he's special, because he's a dope, unique person. So I don't know, y' all know I love shit like this. This just really made me happy. So I just, I could have talked about a few people's mamas, but instead I just, I'm just gonna leave it here. It's a positive place.

[Fran]

And that means that we are done with the intro. Let's jump into this week's episode.

[Dustin Ross]

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 need 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.

[Commercial Voice]

ABC Tonight Shifting Gears is back.

[Dustin Ross]

He has arisen.

[Commercial Voice]

Tim Allen and Kat Dennings return in television's number one new comedy.

[Fran]

What What?

[Commercial Voice]

With a star studded premiere including Jenna Elfman, Nancy Travis and.

[Dustin Ross]

Hey, buddy.

[Commercial Voice]

A big home improvement reunion welcome.

[Fran]

Oh, boy, that guy's a tool.

[Commercial Voice]

Shifting Gears season premiere tonight, 8, 7 Central on ABC and stream on Hulu.

[Fran]

Actually, before we get started, I did want to apologize for the live stream that we were unable to host last week due to some technical difficulties. We really tried. We did see that you guys were in the comments having a blast, which was good to see. And even when we put out the apology on Patreon, a lot of you were like, we were having fun. We just hope you guys are good. So we're always appreciative of that type of energy. But it will be rescheduled this week, this Wednesday, which is what, October 2nd or October 1st?

[Asante]

The first.

[Dustin Ross]

October 1st.

[Fran]

October 1st. We will be hosting our live stream just at the top of the month as opposed to the end of the month. And you'll still get the end of the month at the end of the month. So we're not skimping, we're making up for it. Exactly. We'll see you at 8pm Eastern Standard. So we apologize for that, but we'll definitely be there this week and we'll have fun like we always do. This week's episode starts October, which is the Crime Zone month. Y' all know how we get down during this time of the year. With Natalia, Grace and a couple of the other episodes, we kind of kicked off a new thing and we figured this would be a good month to keep it contained. Dustin Ross, you are actually kicking off our Crime Zone month. So go ahead.

[Dustin Ross]

That's right. I started to make y' all clap with me so I could go, we gonna start this shit off right we got Dustin Ross in the house tonight. But, yeah, we about to get it cracking. It is crime zone month. We look forward to this time of year every year. You know, I was always taught some different things about Halloween and about that time of the year, so it feels so good to just enjoy it and have a little fun. And one of my favorite parts about this time of year is that we have decided to dedicate our whole month of October to spooky season, AKA juicy ass. True crime stories that have you scared to go to bed. You know what I'm saying? That's what we do around here. And, oh, have I got a story for you. I got one for y'. All.

[Fran]

This early out here.

[Dustin Ross]

Hey, listen to me. So this is an interesting story. It's very layered and very just. Oh, and it's true. That's the thing. So this is actually a story about a killer that got away. And so.

[Asante]

So they still on the run or the walk?

[Dustin Ross]

We don't know. But what we do know is that we're gonna call this story this week three hots and a got.

[Fran]

Okay, let me text y' all that.

[Dustin Ross]

Three hots and I got. Cause somebody got the hell on. Now, the crazy thing about this story, right, is that none of these people really could have even seen this coming until it came. It's one of them situations where you just don't know until you know. And sometimes people are really good criminals. And in this case, we have a person who was good at committing this type of crime. So let's start the process, shall we? Picture it. 2017, Idaho.

[Fran]

Oh, that's how it always starts.

[Dustin Ross]

Maybe Utah, but the state is Idaho. That's where they was at. So it was in 2017, a horrific crime takes place, right? And then all of a sudden, the suspect, the prime suspect, just vanishes in thin air, never to be seen again, never to be heard from again. Just gone. Yeah. Even leaving behind, like, a long trail of clues, leaving behind all these things that will really identify this person as the person that the. The person of interest. And somehow they got away. How does this happen? I'm gonna let you know.

[Asante]

Well, it was Idaho.

[Dustin Ross]

Let's start there. But on. So we can to pick this story up from June 19, 2017, right when the police arrived, right. They were called and arrived at a quaint farmhouse property right. In Idaho to conduct a welfare check on the new residents of the house. Someone had just recently moved in to this home. It's a farmhouse out in Idaho. The residents that had moved in were a 60 year old man, right? Age 60. His 47 year old girlfriend, okay. And her 13 year old daughter, her teenage daughter. Those were the three residents that were occupying this farmhouse who had been issued a welfare check. They had just moved into this farmhouse. They were so excited to be there. But in the recent days, nobody had heard from all three of them, right? A 60 year old man, obviously he had people that were looking for him. 47 year old woman, that's her prime, you know what I'm saying? People were looking for her. And then her daughter, 13 years old, of course people were looking for her as well. So the officer is walking up to the property, right? And when he first arrives at this ranch farmhouse, he immediately is hit with a smell that kind of just stopped him in his tracks.

[Fran]

Oh, boy.

[Dustin Ross]

Instantly he hit this smell that was, it was notable throughout everything else that a farmhouse, ranch could smell like. Now, I don't know about you, but when I think about a farmhouse or a ranch, a lot of smell I think about, yeah, horseshit. You know, say it'd be a one of them dog, chicken. You know, farms just smell like outside. And so if something cut through multiple forms of and smells, because there's varying degrees of that, I can't take it. Nature of a smell, right? Animal is up there on the list next to baby.

[Fran]

Okay?

[Dustin Ross]

But in this case, something permeated that smell so strongly that he was able to smell it immediately. And he knew what it was before he even took a step further, right? It was the smell of something rotting. Okay. There was a shed that was located near this farmhouse, right. And he could tell that that's where the smell was coming from, that's how strong it was. So at this point he knew that there was a matter that needed to be handled and he radioed in for some backup and started going towards. Before he started going towards the shed to investigate. And the closer he got, the stronger the stench got. And there were tons and tons of flies. All of a sudden he noticed that there were all kinds of flies like circling around it. And so he proceeded. And when he finally opened the door to the shed, the sunlight shined through the crack and into the storage area that was right in front of him. And right there on the floor he saw what, a bright blue tire. Okay. It's for the people on Patreon, because the tarps literally be this color, like IKEA bag. Okay. So he sees this tarp and it's dragged over something, right? He sells there's something underneath the tarp as he pulls it Back, he slowly reveals the bodies of three people that are laying side by side, riding state. Yikes.

[Fran]

I can't. I would. I can't even imagine.

[Dustin Ross]

Now, he found that, and he could tell that they had been brutally killed and left to ride in the shed for days because again, the smell is strong and the flies are buzzing. What Beyonce say when she got that album of the year Grammy. The beehive is buzzing. So here we go. The flies was flying, okay.

[Asante]

Oh, my God.

[Dustin Ross]

And I wonder, do the bugs change when you die? If you're a good person, I wonder. The bugs change, right? Like, if you a horrible person. I wonder. Yeah, Like, I wonder if you're a good person. If, like, you have fireflies, you know what I'm saying, surrounding you and butterflies. I wonder if you guys. If you're a rock. Yeah. I wonder if you get that. Because I feel like I'm gonna have, like, you know, nice stuff, you know what I'm saying? Like caterpillars, you know what I'm saying? Like, you know, gentle things that'll just lay on me and preserve me as opposed to eating me to my core. But anyway, so that happens, right? He sees the three bodies. They've been there for a minute. Also, y' all remember this is June of 2017. So what season is that? Summer.

[Fran]

Peak Summertime.

[Dustin Ross]

So the heat had kind of sped up the decomposition process of the bodies, and it was hard to kind of determine who they were, that's how long they had been laying there. And so obviously, you would assume three people, you know what I'm saying? Three bodies found, three, the residents of the home. It's pretty much clear that, you know what I'm saying, these are the people who occupy the home. Right? But once the authorities were able to identify the bodies using dental records and things like that, two of the individuals, two of the bodies were residents of the home. The third body was not. Okay? So, yes, the three bodies were there. Two of them were the residents of the home. The third body was not a person that lived there. So that bigs two questions, right? Who's missing, who's missing, and who's the stranger? And really three, because where is the missing person?

[Fran]

Right?

[Dustin Ross]

Right. Okay. So as the puzzle pieces started coming together of this case, people are just like, damn, you really never know a person until you know a person. Right? Let's leave the case right here and go back to the beginning of how the occupants of the home got to know each other. And then we're going to come back to this point. In the story. Right. So now we're going to tell the story of how they came to be the occupants of the home. Remember, 60 year old man, 47 year old woman, her 13 year old daughter. Right, the 46 year old. 46 year old woman or 47 year old. Hold on, let me see how old her. She was 47. So her name was Naja Medley. Right? Naja. N A D J A Again, she was 47. She had a 13 year old daughter named Peyton who was her entire life, but nausea had had a tough life before she, before 2014 when her husband passed away. Right. She also, right around the time that her husband passed away in 2014, she had sadly lost a child shortly after its birth. Right around the same time. So her husband dies, she gives birth to a baby that passes away right after birth. Right. And so because of these losses, it's just really her and her daughter Peyton for a long time and they're really all that each other had in the world. At the time, Najah was living in Ogden, Utah. Right. And she was working as a massage therapist. And she wasn't in a hurry to find love again because she was widowed and dealing with, grieving the loss of her husband and her baby. So she was going through a lot. In 2017. Excuse me, in 2015. So this is two years prior to the murder. Right, to the murder. So in 2015, people tell the story as if there was a really charming man who kind of came into her business where she was a massage therapist and wanted to get up on her table, you know what I'm saying? He needed a massage and he wanted one from her. They had a connection and a spark immediately. His name was Mike and he was undeniably striking to Naja. Now when you all look up these people, I do want to give a disclaimer. I didn't, you know, I, I, I'm just telling y' all what the people have said. They gave accounts to the police and stuff. Okay? So this is not me saying the person is striking because it would have been strike out for me. But I'm telling y' all with the people who have given accounts of these stories and these, these occurrences have said to the police, I just want to make that clear because I know y'.

[Asante]

All.

[Fran]

But when you're watching docs, right, does this not always happen where they'll be like, she was a world class beauty and then they show her and you're.

[Dustin Ross]

Like, let's not even get on the recent lady on Tick Tock. I was about to tear her ass off, too. You know who I'm talking about? Pretty privileged, so we'll just leave it there. But I'm so tired of people giving themselves too much credit. But let's go forward. So he comes into the massage parlor, right? I shouldn't say massage parlor. She was a massage therapist. And so he came into her place of business and he needed a massage, you know what I'm saying? Right away, it was a spark between Mike and Najah, and they just started a relationship, you know what I'm saying? Now, remember, she had just lost her husband, lost her baby. Here comes this guy into her business. Mike appeared to be a catch to her. He was a private pilot for clients that needed him to fly all over the country at any given time. You know how it goes when you fly in private. You go when you want to. You know, you charge whatever you call. So he made good money because of his job. He was well traveled. And he also told her that he was a divorcee of 10 years. So he was 10 years off of being divorced, which is an ample amount of time for people to find somebody like you or be ready to date again. So. So for her, this is like, you know, like Mary J. Blige said, a dream, a simple fantasy, you know what I'm saying? This is literally what she was looking for and didn't even know it. So their relationship again begins to blossom. And it starts off slowly, even though it grew really, really serious as the months went on. They would do after work hikes and shit, you know what I'm saying? With him and her and her daughter Peyton. And he was really showing his commitment to them. Them, you know, and wanting to create a family with them. He made the daughter Payton, a huge priority in his life, too. He was doing things with her. This is 2015, so this is at the height of social media. So he was all over Facebook with her daughter. It's Utah. He's teaching her how to skeet, shoot and shoot and all that other. And, you know, they doing leg raises and drills outside and just. They were. He was having fun with her, though. He's old, so him doing active stuff like that, it's funny to a 13 year old. So he would get out there and move around, you know what I'm saying? And so he would pick her up from school, take her to school, all those things. So he was really making himself a fixture. Yeah. In this woman's life, and he wanted to be there. Naj's friend said that they saw a really dramatic Change in her way and her. Her temperament. When she met Mike and saying that, they said that he was the first reason that she had smiled in a long time. And she had a constant happy low now because, again, remember, she was fresh off a grieving. Two losses, one being a baby, which is a huge loss for someone to grieve. So she was also getting dick again. So she was happy. You know what I'm saying? That she was.

[Fran]

And he was showing up for her kid, which I'm sure is valuable. Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

Showing up. So far, it was clear to everybody.

[Asante]

Trying to figure out who the bodies are. Sorry.

[Dustin Ross]

Because they definitely hit the floor like that song said. So France making me laugh because you.

[Asante]

Said they hit the floor like the song.

[Dustin Ross]

Let the bodies hit the floor. Let the bodies. I love that song. Oh, I love his version, too. I was thinking about the original.

[Asante]

I know, I know.

[Dustin Ross]

I'm old. Okay.

[Asante]

No, no, me too.

[Dustin Ross]

So this is going on again. All her friends and family are saying she's happy. And because she was so happy, she was posting everything about their relationship on Facebook. Right. She would talk about the things they would do. One of her Facebook posts said, you know, went to see Cheap Trick, Joan Jett and Hart tonight, thanks to my ever so thoughtful boyfriend Mike. This one of her actual Facebook posts. She went to the Cheap Chick Joan Jaden Hart concert. Now, if that is your. If those are the people you like, that's a good concert. Because I like hard. I ain't even gonna hold you. I would have been in that. In that show, belting from the audience till now.

[E]

I always got by on my own.

[Dustin Ross]

I love that song. I love. I love Alone by Heart. They got a couple of them, too. But anyway, so I might have been in the bathroom on Joan Jetting them.

[Asante]

Well, maybe not.

[Dustin Ross]

I could have really did jump. I could have went to that concert. I could have went to that concert. Anyway, so she was happy about that. There are other posts she made. Like, awesome day at the fair with my little family. Love you guys. They had went on a trip to Yellowstone that was impromptu. And she was like, because my boyfriend is awesome. Love you, Mike. But all relationships, you start off great in the beginning, and then things may change a little bit more as time goes on. Growing pains. You exit the honeymoon phase. Things move on, on. So according to Naj's best friend, there was a little turmoil that started as time went on. She had asked Mike two or three times for help paying her mortgage. Right. They've been dating for all these months. You know, he's all in. I'm talking about in it. And so with the daughter and everybody, you know, he's all in. And so she had asked him, you know, what's up? You laying up over here, you know what I mean? Like Remy said on the love and hip hop New York reunion that year, what you laying up over here? You know, you laying up with this woman. You don't want. You have nowhere to wash my ass, you know what I'm saying? I think that's how Naja felt. So she asked him to, like, help pay the mortgage, you know what I'm saying? And after a few times of her asking, he ended up firmly declining, right?

[Asante]

Saying no.

[Dustin Ross]

And he said they was moving too fast and he couldn't do this. But Naja wasn't trying to hear that because as she had been spending time with him, she saw one of his paychecks, which reportedly showed that he made about 10k in a month. You know what I'm saying? So she was like, you got 10k, you run that, you know what I'm saying? Like, I need some help with these bills, you know what I'm saying? So she knew that Mike made a lot of money as a pilot. She didn't understand why he was resistant to helping her. And this dispute really, like, came to a head and they broke up for a minute, right? But of course, they weren't able to stay away from each other. And Najah is reportedly is reported to have texted one of her friends. He'd quote, he told me separation wasn't making him feel any better. We really have a hard time being apart at this point. So men, after all that distance, you know what I'm saying? He.

[Fran]

But how he telling her we moving too fast, but you're bonding with my child and you're doing leg raises, like.

[Dustin Ross]

Going to see Jones.

[Asante]

He was holding out on paying the rent because he didn't want to play in two places. Like, I thought he was going to be like, oh, girl, we just moving in, but we moving too fast. I was shocked.

[Dustin Ross]

So because they were apart, he really wanted to be with her. He couldn't take it anymore. And so he wanted to make their casual relationship more permanent because he really couldn't bear to spend that much time away from Najah and Peyton after they had broken up. So her plan worked. You know, like Kya said, snatch the cat bag, sometimes that's what you gotta do. You know what I'm saying? And her plan worked.

[Asante]

Okay?

[Dustin Ross]

So, hey, you know, sexual warfare, it works. So because he wanted this Relationship to be more permanent. Mike ended up purchasing a ranch in Caldwell, Idaho. This is the ranch, okay? And he told Naja that he could not let her think that he was not ready for commitment. And so he officially invited her and Peyton to move into the ranch. And he promised the two of them anything they wanted, whether it be open field. You want horses for the fields, you want dogs, you want rabbits, Anything to make them happy and allow them to have a full life since they had all this land and this ranch. Right? Nausea, of course, because she loves Facebook, you know what I'm saying? She was updating her statuses, showing how she was so excited, you know what I'm saying? To. To. To, you know, make this her new life. They were starting their new life together, and they were both so excited, and she was dedicating all of her time to decorating the ranch into a proper home for her and her man and her. Her daughter, you know what I'm saying? Their family.

[Fran]

Damn.

[Dustin Ross]

So they move in. She starts putting up fences around the yard. She's building pins and coops and. And rabbit runs and shit, everything for the animals. Because this is her new life, you know what I'm saying? That he created. She got her man back. Like we rolling. So Najah and Mike, both, they felt like they had found the perfect person. They were happy. This was a dream, and it almost felt too good to be true.

[Asante]

It seems like it was.

[Dustin Ross]

It was. So In June of 2017, nausea, needed to take a trip back to Utah. Remember, they were in Utah, but now they've moved to Idaho to the ranch, Right? He bought the ranch home in Idaho. She needed to go back to Utah to pick up some of the horses that Mike had actually purchased for their ranch. Right? Mike couldn't go because he had to work. You know, he had to fly. Being fly, you know, stay fly. He had to work. He wouldn't be around. So Nigel was like, well, I'll go. You know what I'm saying?

[Fran]

What did I miss? Why? Why? So they've been in Utah this whole time. So why is the ranch in Idaho?

[Dustin Ross]

They just picked that I had, like.

[Fran]

He randomly was like, let's move to Idaho. I got this ranch. Okay?

[Dustin Ross]

You wanted to build a new life.

[Asante]

Because I don't know what Utah's like or what. Well, I know parts of what Utah's like, right? But I don't know what Idaho is like. So I don't really know, like, if they just like the open and they wanted to move somewhere else open, or they were like, Like, I didn't know why they chose that either. So I was curious about that.

[Fran]

Maybe I missed something about his work.

[Asante]

But also, when did they. But also, when did they move into the ranch?

[Dustin Ross]

2017. Remember, they had been there a month. They had just moved in.

[Asante]

Okay, so they've been there for a month.

[Dustin Ross]

Okay, so on the weekend of June 9, right? When she was supposed to leave to arrive at the. When she was supposed to, excuse me. Arrive at the pickup destination for the horses, Right? At this point, again, they're living out there on the ranch in, in Idaho at this, this point. Peyton's living there. The daughter, Mike, is traveling for work this time. She has to go pick up the horses to occupy the stables on the land that they have now. She never showed up. Weekend of June 9th, she never comes to pick up the horses. So the people from the. The worker that was facilitating the exchange or whatever, he was like, well, maybe something happened. Let me just reach out or whatever to see, you know, what's going on. Well, Naja never answered any of his phone calls and never returned them. Right? So the worker was like, something's wrong or whatever. By this point, family and friends of Naja and Peyton, you know, they were both saying that, that, hey, we've been trying to reach out to them. We're not getting any, any feedback. Nobody's returning any of our calls. Like, something's wrong. So at this point, people are noticing that we haven't even heard from Peyton since June 6, which was three days prior. And that was the last time that her friend said that she had sent them any text messages. One of Peyton's friends, Sydney, who was like her best friend, started to grow more and more concerned by the day. Mind you, she's 13, so she's like, me and Peyton are both addicted to our phones. There's no way she would not have.

[Fran]

Texted us social media updates, Facebook for.

[Dustin Ross]

The mom, like, something is wrong. So nobody at this point could get a hold of Mike. They couldn't get a hold of Peyton. They could not get a hold of Naja, the mother either. Right? So Sydney, Peyton's friend, convinced her to step in and like, try to help. She went to her mom, you know what I'm saying? Like, hey, something's going on. I need to find my friend. They called 91 1, has somebody dispatched to go over to the property to check out and see if everything was okay. Mike's relatives, the older man, his relatives who were looking for him. At this point, mind you, this is a 60 year old man right. Who's been divorced for 10 years. Obviously, he has people that are concerned about him too. They start looking for him. They can't find him, so they call the official welfare check. And now we're back where I started the story where the officer comes onto the property and finds the three bodies. Right? Right. Okay. So obviously the. The two body. The one person who was not a part of the family, who was there dead was a woman named Cheryl Baker. Okay.

[Fran]

Okay.

[Dustin Ross]

She was an Ogden, Utah local. Okay, so she was from Utah, where they were from where they remember. They moved from Ogden, Utah to.

[Fran]

To Idaho.

[Dustin Ross]

To Idaho. But she didn't have a connection to Peyton or Nausea. Like, there was no connection to them. And at this point, we don't know why she's one of the bodies that's there or whatever. And so the. All the questions, the question that we all have was like, why was she on the property? Why is she dead? Like, who is this woman? You know what I'm saying, Harpo? Who this?

[Asante]

So.

[Dustin Ross]

She didn't have a connection to Cheryl. She didn't have a connection to Nausea. She didn't have a connection to Peyton, but she had one to Mike. So the two bodies that were there on the property were Naja's body, deceased. Young Peyton, deceased, and this woman named Cheryl Baker, deceased. She did have a connection to Mike. And her connection was that she was his wife of seven full years.

[Asante]

I knew it.

[Dustin Ross]

Up until the time of death.

[Asante]

I knew it.

[Dustin Ross]

It. Whoa.

[Asante]

I knew it.

[Dustin Ross]

Mike's name is Gerald Michael Bullinger. Okay, so Michael is his middle name, Gerald is his first name. And Gerald and Cheryl, whose names rhyme. But don't you know, Gerald and Cheryl. Anyway, they were married for five years before Gerald had started dating Nausea. So at the five year point in their marriage is when he went to the massage establishment. And I feel like saying parlor is seedy. So he went to the massage est massage establishment and met her five years into his marriage with Cheryl. Okay. He went on to date her for two years, and now we're at 2017.

[Fran]

Whoa.

[Dustin Ross]

Welcome to the Friends. Rated M for mature. Who are you?

[E]

A wandering spirit seeking vengeance.

[Dustin Ross]

You live. I thought we killed your whole family, but here you are, little wolf.

[E]

My name is atu. Every member of the Yotei six will suffer.

[Commercial Voice]

Get lost in the hunt.

[Dustin Ross]

Forge a new path at the edge of Japan. Ghost of Yotei, available October 2nd on PS5.

[Commercial Voice]

ABC tonight. Shifting gears is back.

[Dustin Ross]

He has arisen.

[Commercial Voice]

Tim Allen and Kat Dennings return in television. Television's number One new comedy.

[E]

What? What?

[Commercial Voice]

With a star studded premiere, including Jenna Elfman, Nancy Travis, and.

[Dustin Ross]

Hey, buddy.

[Commercial Voice]

A big home improvement reunion.

[Asante]

Welcome.

[Dustin Ross]

Oh, boy.

[Fran]

That guy's a tool.

[Commercial Voice]

Shifting Gears. Season premiere tonight, 8.7Central on ABC and stream on Hulu.

[Dustin Ross]

You ready for more?

[Fran]

Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

Not only was Gerald. We ain't gonna call him Mike no more. We're gonna call him his name Gerald.

[Asante]

Can we keep calling him Mike?

[Dustin Ross]

You'll see. So not only was Gerald cheating on Cheryl, the wife with Naja, right? They lived eight miles away from each other the entire time in Ogden. So the whole two years of that relationship, he's going back and forth between two homes that are eight years apart. I mean, eight miles apart apart. Only eight miles apart.

[Fran]

How did he do that? So the reason he was to his house.

[Dustin Ross]

Never more on that in a second, right? She. The reason he was able to do it was because, well, he was able to live this double life because he was able to move, navigate back and forth so easily because they live so close, right? One of Naj's best friends told the police that she always thought it was weird that even though they were so close and so in love, Najah and Mike or Gerald, she never spent any nights with her boyfriend. She only recorded NASA staying over his house one time. And she just figured that the guy was uncomfortable with people in his space because it had been 10 years that he had been divorced and kind of isolated from dating. So sometimes people need a minute to like, let people matriculate or, you know, get in or whatever.

[Fran]

And some people just don't like people in the house. But that's still weird if you're in.

[Asante]

A relationship and some people have other families.

[Dustin Ross]

We've gone on to find out through Cheryl's friends, right? Who was his wife of five years is when he met Naja Wright. He couldn't even get any proper funding to buy that ranch house.

[Fran]

Oh, my God.

[Dustin Ross]

In Idaho. You know how the house came to be that he. That he told Najah and her daughter that he bought for them. Cheryl purchased it, and he told her that it was gonna be their retirement home and he was fixing it up for them. Cause remember, she's in Ogden, Utah, right.

[Fran]

Brother, what is your plan?

[Dustin Ross]

So the property that Gerald lived on with Nigel wasn't even his home, y'. All. Cheryl had purchased it completely on her own. And all the while, Naja is on Facebook sharing photos, saying how excited she is to decorate this house. That Mike, her boyfriend, right? Because remember, she's calling him Mike online, but his Name is really Gerald. Right. So that's how he was able to.

[Fran]

Like, be free, finesse it.

[Dustin Ross]

Yep. So Cheryl, right. Had been gushing to her colleagues as well during this time. Right. About how she couldn't wait to spend her time, her retirement, in this beautiful countryside home with her husband, who she loved so much. Right. Cheryl was a creative.

[Fran]

She loved someone on Facebook. Matched up the pictures, huh?

[Dustin Ross]

She loved crafting, she taught art. She made her own wedding dress for their wedding. Like, she was a creative woman. Woman. And she couldn't wait to turn a large shed on the farm into her own art studio. That was her plan for the shed that they found her in. Right. And so In June of 2017, she had just retired as a teacher on June 6, because, remember I told you, Cheryl was a teacher. She taught art. She had just retired on June 6, and she wanted to see her property that she had invested in for her retirement home while her husband was away working or whatever. Right.

[Fran]

Oh, my gosh.

[Dustin Ross]

And again, she retired as a teacher. She had been teaching the deaf and the blind and teaching them art. She was just a phenomenal woman. Right. She had agreed to. To Gerald, who was her husband. The agreement, the agreement that they had made was for her to stay behind and kind of maintain the Utah home while he was going to live in a trailer on the Idaho property by himself and fix it up as he's renovating the home or whatever and getting it ready for her to come move in. That was the plan that he sold to her to get her to purchase the home.

[Fran]

This is crazy, y'. All.

[Dustin Ross]

After she retired again, this is her husband, the house she purchased, whatever she decides, you know what, I'm gonna drive five hours. Because there was a five hour distance between Ogden, Utah and the space in Idaho where they purchased the home. She decided she was going to make the five hour drive and pleasantly surprise her husband with an impromptu visit. You know what I'm saying? It's summer, she's a teacher, and she's officially retired at this point. So now she feels like it's nothing but time and space in front of her. She can go up there and surprise him, you know, to be nice. It'll be sweet.

[Fran]

You think she was suspicious or do you think she was trying to be just like, let me surprise Gerald. For her to not have told him, you know what I mean? And just pop up to me. I always wonder if there's a level of like, let me see what this.

[Dustin Ross]

If I can catch you.

[Fran]

Yeah, yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

Well, people have asked that question and nobody really knows, right? At this point, nobody really knows. We don't know. But. So at this point, like I said, it was a few. It was weeks before she was supposed to be up there. But now that her job was done, you know what I'm saying, And she had the time in front of her, she was like, fuck it. I'm gonna go. Early surprise, my man. So when she got there, nobody really knows what happened next, right? Nobody knows. Now, you could assume that she got there and knocked on the door, or she got there and saw activity on the property and thought that maybe, you know, the car that she saw there was people working on the property or whatever. You just never know. But I know we can all safely assume that she was confused when she got to this property and saw a fully functioning home, lights on, activities. You know what I'm saying?

[Fran]

A family in there, Number one.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah.

[Asante]

Why are y' all squatting in my house?

[Dustin Ross]

You know, we don't know what happened. We just know that she arrived. We don't know if Najah opened the door and let her in. We don't know what happened. From this point, nobody, right?

[Fran]

Wow.

[Dustin Ross]

We don't know. Maybe they both. Maybe they met up face to face and compare stories, and maybe they just were like, oh, my God, YouTube, whatever. We don't know.

[Fran]

They confronted him.

[Asante]

Like, we have no idea.

[Fran]

Wild out. Yeah. There's no way.

[Asante]

We don't even know, really, if he did it.

[Dustin Ross]

We don't know what happened.

[Asante]

Obviously, it looks like that, but it's like, we don't know.

[Dustin Ross]

So the police assume that Gerald must have discovered that the two women have found out about each other and, you know, unraveled the secret life that he have. And that's when the officers believe that he became violent because his whole world was crashing down in an instance. Right, Right. The police alleged that he took out his anger not on just Cheryl, but on Naja and Peyton as well. Right. The three gruesome bodies were identified to belong, like I said, to Naja Payton and Gerald's wife, Cheryl Baker, who. She was 56. So when the bodies of the victims were analyzed, it was clear that they had all been shot in the head. Head. Execution style.

[Fran]

Wow.

[Asante]

See, And I was gonna say, we don't even know if there was, like, some mafia tie or something. I don't know. I'm just saying because we don't know. Is there more information you're gonna give us on this main gentleman? Like, does. Does he have a rap sheet? Okay, so.

[Fran]

Sheesh.

[Dustin Ross]

Their corpses Were discarded into the shed. So he shot them in the house, apparently laid them in the shed. In addition, y' all know this was a farm, right? Ranch house, on the farm. And remember he had promised them all the animals and things that she was going to pick up the horses or whatever. So when the police got to the property in June, on June, whatever day, it was 16th or whatever, some of the animals were alive and roaming around on the property. There was a snake and some rabbits, you know what I'm saying? But several animals, presumably family pets. The animals that lived on the ranch were dead. There were dead birds, three dead dogs.

[Fran]

Who had like, they had been killed.

[Dustin Ross]

Just like the victims. They were shot execution style.

[Fran]

What the fuck?

[Dustin Ross]

Mm.

[Fran]

Now that is weird.

[Asante]

Like he snapped, killed them and then snapped.

[Fran]

Yeah, like he walked through the whole house like, like.

[Dustin Ross]

Well, nobody knows. Again, we don't know what happened. The only person that don't would know what happened would be Gerald or Mike Gerald himself. Right? But he's nowhere to be found.

[Fran]

To this day.

[Dustin Ross]

To this day, Cheryl's relatives have come forward to say that the whole time Gerald was having this affair with Najah on their family member or whatever, right? This is Cheryl's family. They said that nobody's noticed any signs of him pulling away from Cheryl. So it wasn't like they were on bad terms. Nothing was going on. They remembered.

[Fran]

Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

They described him as a supportive husband who made time to spend holidays with the in laws and go on outdoor family adventures. And they thought that they had a perfect marriage. He was such a good liar that he was able to do that. Just like Naja's friends were so confused, you know what I'm saying, by the news reports saying that Gerald had a wife. One of Naj's friends was so confused as this, as these reports, because at this point, the is on the news, you know what I'm saying?

[Fran]

Everyone knows what's happening.

[Dustin Ross]

NASA's friends were calling the police. Like, y' all got that wrong. He was not married to no other woman. Like they were together. What if her and now him and Nas were together? Everybody shot that. He had this double life thing going on or whatever, right?

[Asante]

So he didn't have any priors or anything. He was a good guy. Everybody thought he was a good guy.

[Dustin Ross]

Everybody thought he was a good, good guy. Right. People were making speculations about why this was going on. Cheryl's brother, right, Cheryl, his wife that came up there and found out about all this and then was murdered. Her brother speculates that the only thing he the only reason he can realize, he can think that Gerald would do this is to reap the benefits of selling the original home in Utah. Right. Have her sell the home or whatever in Utah. He takes half the money and then.

[Fran]

Runs off with, oh, like all of this is premeditated.

[Dustin Ross]

That's what he's saying. Everything is set up.

[Fran]

Up. Imagine that.

[Dustin Ross]

Yep. But we don't know. Nobody knows why. There are some people who theorize that Gerald was trying to be on some polygamous, you know what I'm saying? And like, eventually get to a point where Naj is so dependent upon him that she's willing to do whatever he wants to do, then he can bring his other wife in. It's either.

[Asante]

That's not how this works, you know, but nobody knows.

[Dustin Ross]

But what has been uncovered. Right, right. Is that there was a first wife that Gerald had before he was married to Cheryl. Right.

[Fran]

Okay.

[Dustin Ross]

This has been uncovered. There was a woman named Jackie Garcia who he met in the 70s when they were both freshmen at BYU. Okay. In Idaho. During his time with her, he served in a mission in Manila. And then he married Jackie in Salt Lake City at the Latter Day Church. Latter Day Saints Church. She. Jackie has been going on record saying that from the very start, she got a bad feeling about her groom. She said she knew it was a mistake as soon as they got home from the honeymoon and that. That 10 years of their marriage would show his true colors. She said, quote, you could catch him red handed, God could be pointing at him and he'd still lie all over the place. Right. That's what she's on record saying. She said that she started experiencing, excuse me, physical abuse at his hands. She said the first time. Time that she was shown the darkness inside of him was during their first year of marriage. They had been arguing and she found herself on the floor as Gerald loomed menacingly over her. And she remembers looking up at him, asking, you wanted to hit me, didn't you? And she remembers him saying, yes, okay. Not long after that, he actually did start being physically violent with her. She said the routine became that if they would argue, he would hit her one time and then she would be quiet it. And she tried to make it work. She reached out for help. She even tried to get him put in a therapy group for people who were batterers and who abused women. But their marriage came to an end in 1988 after years of infidelity on Gerald's part, in addition to violence and manipulation and all that stuff. And he quickly began a relationship with a woman who became his second wife. Nobody really knows anything about her, but it is claimed that he left that wife to marry yet another mistress that he was cheating on her with. The mistress that he married after the second wife that he was cheating on the second wife with was Cheryl Baker.

[Fran]

Oh. So he had a pattern of this.

[Dustin Ross]

You see what I'm saying?

[Asante]

That has to be so wild for that first wife to see all this. And it has to be scary, actually, because you said, he's still on the lamb. So it's like.

[Dustin Ross]

Well, he also. Cheryl and Nigel are very different. Cheryl was interested, you know, she was artistic and she was interested in, like, spiritual things. And he had her. She had him going to Hindu temples with her and all these other different religions. Naja was an ardent atheist.

[Fran]

Oh.

[Dustin Ross]

So he was able to, like, you know, flip or whatever. And just as his first wife, who was on record reflecting on him, she said, quote, he compartmentalized. He was whatever way somebody needed him to be scared.

[Fran]

Described him, like, sociopathic, where they can mimic. Yikes.

[Dustin Ross]

People wonder if Cheryl, like, you said, friend, and like, you asked Asante if she was suspicious of an affair or whatever. You know what I'm saying? The last text message that was received by a friend of Cheryl from her was around the time that she would have been heading to the Idaho property. And it read, quote, take care of my dogs. I don't know if I'm coming back. End quote.

[Asante]

I don't know if I'm coming back.

[Dustin Ross]

That's what it said. Yeah. Now, people think that Cheryl may have had an. You know, when you see this message and you think about the gruesome context of, like, what happened afterwards, People are assuming that Cheryl has some sort of inclination. Inclination that something bad was going to happen when she got up there. Maybe she didn't know what she was going to walk up on or whatever. There are some people who wonder if Cheryl even sent that text. Text, if that was even her. You know what I'm saying?

[Fran]

Right.

[Dustin Ross]

Nobody really knows. Yep.

[Fran]

And it's hard to read the context of that because it could also be lighter where she's like, girl, I'm headed to my ranch, my retirement. I might not come back, you know, take my dog.

[Asante]

It's a gut wrench.

[Fran]

Wow.

[Dustin Ross]

You never know. Cheryl was not active on social media. She didn't really fuck with all of that. So that's why he was able to be so freely posted.

[Fran]

I was gonna ask. She never posted the home to be like, this is the rancher retiring? You know, Older folks love to talk on Facebook.

[Dustin Ross]

They love that Najah called him Mike and on her status updates. So there was no tagging going on or anything like that.

[Fran]

See, I thought you were gonna say that because Najah was posting pictures and was a little more, like, expressive about the relationship. Somebody, and they're only eight miles apart. That means their connections are probably very close, you know, their degrees of separation, I should say. And so I thought you were gon say somebody matched up some pictures and was like, wait a minute. That's house, you know, here.

[Dustin Ross]

Okay. And here's where things get, like, just crazy to me. Anyway, so the policing authorities believe that Gerald had a distinct head start right before anybody even knew that any of these ladies were missing, passed away, any of that. They said that he had 10 whole days to be on the run and start his life before anybody even started looking for him or any of the ladies. According to the police investigators, y', all, Gerald spent the first 24 hours in Idaho after the death of Naja, Peyton, and Cheryl. So that means that he slept, like, in the farmhouse with the three of them, what, on the property that first day or whatever. Right.

[Fran]

Dark.

[Dustin Ross]

One of the neighbors told the reporters that she had actually heard screams near the property in the middle of the night around the time when the murders would have taken place. But she said that she wasn't sure if it was an animal or a woman. And she figured that a neighbor who lived a little bit closer to the farmhouse will repeat that, will report the activity if it really was serious.

[Fran]

Girl, you didn't to want to report it. Case.

[Dustin Ross]

Okay. Now, other neighbors actually reported hearing gunshots around the time of the crime.

[Fran]

But remember happening.

[Dustin Ross]

Remember, it wasn't a big deal. People shot out there all the time hunting animals, and you heard gunshots all the time. He would be out there teaching Peyton how to shoot guns. And so gun hearing gunshots was not something out of the ordinary in this area. It's always.

[Fran]

But hearing gunshots and screaming, screams and.

[Dustin Ross]

What animals sound like a woman.

[Fran]

You know what I'm saying? That, to me, is a little bit different.

[Dustin Ross]

So I've seen them videos where the dogs be saying words and stuff. It sounds like a dog says a word, but that'll sound like a woman. You know what I'm saying? So what do you mean that the animals screaming, like, anyway, that happened? Nausea. From the victim's manner of death, it appears that they may not have been a stroke. Struggle. Right. So it looks like he just literally. Right. They all died from a single gunshot. Wound to the head, all three bodies. So it seems like Gerald had, like, time and control over how this took place. There was some strategy and a mission. You know what I'm saying?

[Fran]

Almost I was wondering, how did he go up against three people to then kill them, execution style? It's just like. Like, how did he do this?

[Dustin Ross]

Well, it seems, and that's hard to imagine, right, that he had. Nobody tried to fight him back. So there's theories. Some people feel like Gerald was already home at the farmhouse with Naja and Peyton when he saw his wife's car pulling up. And people have theorized that once he. He knew that the jig was up once he saw her and he couldn't take it, he just took out Naja and Peyton first and then waited at the door and got her when she caught. When she came up. Some people think that. Some people have thin. Again, these are theories. We have no idea what actually happened. Yeah, some people have theorized that Gerald shot Naja and Peyton while they were still sleep. And this would make sense, that if Cheryl arrived to the property late at night, you know what I'm saying, that would explain the screams that the neighbors heard or whatever. People think that, but ultimately, we just don't know the specifics. We have no idea. What we do know is that investigators say that at the morning of June 10, Gerald casually went to get breakfast in the next town over in Napa, Idaho. And he was not in a rush to get away or anything. There's cameras, footage of him in these places. He wasn't afraid to show his face in public. After he enjoyed that morning meal, he headed back to Utah. Once he was in Utah, he switched his truck for Cheryl's car, which had been having some maintenance done on it because he was trying to throw investigators off of his trail. At this point, officially on the run. And then finally, on June 11th, Gerald Mike was seen on video entering the Bridger Tayton National Forest in Wyoming. Okay. And that is the last known location of Gerald, and it was the last time the police were able to track him. After some searching, the authorities were able to find Cheryl's car at an abandoned campsite. But Gerald was nowhere to be found. Found. There are a variety, like I said, of theories on his whereabouts. People think that he could have hitched, hike, hitchhiked out of the national forest and maybe even done that out of the state of Wyoming. Some people also theorized that Gerald just continued through the woods and took his own life out of Guilt Canyon. County Sheriff Kieran Donahue said that he said on multiple times that his instincts lead him to believe that Gerald is in fact dead. And he said, whether that be from intentional self harm or exposure to the elements, it could be either or.

[Fran]

Right.

[Dustin Ross]

A lot of people complained about that. A lot of people complain about law enforcement's insinuation that he's probably dead. They want him to. They. They want law enforcement to actively look for him. And they said that they've just given him time to flee the area. Close friends believe that Gerald is too egotistical to take his own life. So people think that he's on surrender. There was an anonymous individual who knew Gerald for more than a decade that was on record saying if you know about sociopaths, you know that they're unlikely to kill themselves. He would have to feel guilty and he does not have a conscience. Law. This is important. Law enforcement said that the area, the 3.4 million acre area that he disappeared into, that national forest in Wyoming, they said that it's littered with grizzly bears, bears, wolves, coyotes. And even though Gerald apparently has taught survival training classes in the past, that's how he was able to show Peyton a lot of the things that he showed her thing. The. The law enforcement is saying that even if he's able to sustain himself for a little while out in the wilderness, he would have had to find more welcoming accommodations before winter fail. So it's June. How long was he really going to last out there?

[Fran]

A lot of things shows with those survivors. Yeah, they be on under some crazy terrain and weather, and they make it figuring it out.

[Asante]

Sometimes they don't even be the most fit person. It'd be just the most resourceful skill set. Yeah, the most resourcefulest of people.

[Fran]

So if he was teaching that too, then he might really be out there still on some. I'm good. You know, that's some crazy.

[Asante]

They need to. The fact that they found a T shirt or a sneaker or something just to even say like, well, we think he's dead because we keep finding trippy things with his DNA. They're just like, no, we think he did because of where it was at. So like, he couldn't have lived through that. All right, well, can y' all look and make sure for like a body or something?

[Fran]

You know, it's the part I'm not understanding with us trying to figure out or, you know, hearing all the theories. What was the forensics, you know, blood splatter. Where was the blood splatter? Was it in the shed? Was it in the house?

[Dustin Ross]

Different you know, like blood that they had have is from the three victims. There was none of his blood or anything on set. All the only blood evidence they have is from the victims. So the forensics are evidence.

[Asante]

So like where, like, so you said they were shot in the head. Where were they shot?

[Fran]

Like he shot them in the bedroom or, you know, they can see the blood splatter to know exactly and kind of like connect how this all went down because it just seems like there's just so many theories but no actual story.

[Dustin Ross]

They stayed in. They don't report anything on the findings of the forensic statistics. And they believe that he did the execution somewhere, cleaned it up and basically moved the bodies into that. That's all they know, is that the.

[Fran]

Body sounds like shoddy police work. You know those documentaries where families get pissed because they feel like the police didn't even try?

[Dustin Ross]

Hell yeah. And they end up solving the crime themselves most of the time.

[Fran]

Right. Or Tick Tock does.

[Dustin Ross]

So on July 20, nine days after Gerald had entered that national forest, there were a couple of workers from a rec center who reported seeing somebody looked just like him in a tent at a camp spot about two hours from where that car was found. Oh, and on June 28, a tip was received from somebody who thought they saw Gerald driving south on Interstate 15 near Salt Lake City. So they say that they have used police dogs, helicopters and infrared technology to and to execute this expansive and intensive quote unquote search for the killer, but to no avail. Veil 1 Sheriff actually plainly stated that they collected evidence that indicates Gerald is dead. And he stands firm that they cannot be closed minded in this investigation. So he's saying that even though they found some evidence that suggests he's dead, they can't say that until. Until they basically come up with a body. Right. And I thought this part was interesting as well. One of the most like, eerie things about the case is that all Inaj's Facebook posts are still up. So it's like a time capsule, you know what I'm saying? You can read hard.

[Fran]

Yeah.

[Asante]

Really.

[Dustin Ross]

The whole relationship all the way up until the point where she was on her way posting wow, front yard. And it says that a photo. One of the last things she posted was a photo of Peyton, her daughter and nausea with her dog and a scenic picture of the rural front yard that she loves so much.

[Fran]

On the house. Not knowing that was sheesh. And he's still gone.

[Dustin Ross]

He got. He's the God. So now you see three hots and a got not a cop. That's what they tell you when you go to jail. But in this case, it's three hots and a guy because he got the hell on down after he committed this crime. Allegedly. So just be careful in a world of Hinge and Tumblr and Grinder and all the things, you know what I'm saying? Just be careful when you meet people, you can meet somebody face to face like they did did. Just be careful and really vet, you know, your potential partners when you bringing somebody in your home or coming into theirs, because you just never know. And this is still somewhere in the world. Somewhere.

[Fran]

This wasn't that long ago, 2017.

[Asante]

But part of me feel like he was in the forest trying to reset his scent or whatever and hitchhiked with some other people and kept moving and got two other families somewhere. But I hope he did not make it.

[Fran]

Wow.

[Asante]

Because that's crazy.

[Fran]

Yeah, that was a crazy.

[Asante]

Because we literally don't have any idea what happened on in that farmhouse. Like, you can't even. Not that I would want to see this, but you know, people like make this things in a movie. It's like you can't even make this into a movie. Like you'd have to literally just make that part up.

[Dustin Ross]

I think it's like a juicy movie.

[Asante]

I mean, it'd be a cool movie, but like that part is lit. I mean, premise, sure. But like that's a part that's like, literally there's just. No, there's nothing.

[Dustin Ross]

We don't know.

[Asante]

We have no idea.

[Dustin Ross]

And that's got to be a horrible position for the families of those victims to be into hell.

[Fran]

Yeah.

[Asante]

For somebody that they knew, somebody that, that was in their lives, that they thought was taking care of their family member. And then you find out that your family member is gone and you have no idea really what happened. Because again, as I was saying earlier, like, I don't know this man. And for me to say I hope he's dead, like it could have been some mafia, like he could have owed some debt somewhere and they came in and cleaned up the bodies. Like, we're gonna teach you a lesson. I'm just saying. I mean, well, clearly, as we find out later, as he's eating breakfast at the diner the next day, like, what the hell? So that's why I was like, I feel like he should be dead, but cold blooded killer, you don't have enough evidence. For real. Well, according to them, they do.

[Fran]

That's one of the scariest things to me how you just never know someone. Someone you know What? I mean, like they say he was so kind. You were mentioning him building relationship with Peyton. Yeah. Where Cheryl was so happy. They like get the retirement home to be bamboozled for that many years. Like that's such a long con, you know. And people. I just. That's. To me, that's one of the scariest realities.

[Dustin Ross]

I agree.

[Fran]

Be sleeping with somebody. Someone that's plotting on you.

[Dustin Ross]

Like literally sleeping with the enemy. Right.

[Asante]

Or could just snap. They might not even be plotting on you. They could just.

[Fran]

Because like they just have that darkness, that. That capacity, I guess you'd say, to take that is.

[Asante]

And how do you even vet that? Like, I feel like that's scary to think about. Like obviously you have to have some sort of discernment. I know that first wife is sitting there like, wow. But like how do you feel?

[Dustin Ross]

And it makes you wonder.

[Fran]

It makes you wonder too because a lot of people also keep things private that they're going through in the relationships. Like maybe she was seeing some red flags. Maybe he was abusive. But we only heard, you know, the kind of Facebook. Yeah, the Facebook posts. And then like kind of how Jackie said where she didn't know until she knew. You know what I'm saying? And maybe this was a thing where he was showing his hand, but we just don't know because we never got to hear their side of it. So.

[Asante]

Cuz even with Cheryl, like, you know, maybe Cheryl and maybe he want her.

[Fran]

To send that text. If she did send that text.

[Asante]

Like, like, like let's assume she did soon because you know, there's so many loose ends.

[Dustin Ross]

Right.

[Asante]

Let's assume she did send the text. Right. We don't know if Cheryl maybe did secretly have some reservations about him that she just never shared with her family. And like we just don't know. And it's just scary because I don't know. This is. This one me up. Dustin. This is Kirk crazy.

[Fran]

Me too.

[Dustin Ross]

I couldn't even go to sleep at first last night. Anyway, so. Yes. So that's what's going on. So listen, you know, in an era where people are always looking for their happy ending.

[Fran]

Nausea. What?

[Dustin Ross]

Nausea Medley.

[Fran]

Medley. Oh, it came up too.

[Dustin Ross]

Nausea Medley. Yep.

[Fran]

Oh, I see them. Oh, that's so sad. They look like just a regular midwestern.

[Dustin Ross]

Happy family striking.

[Fran]

A happy Midwestern family. For him to do that to this child though too.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, that's. That.

[Fran]

That's like unspeakable levels of darkness. And he's out. Yeah. It says Killer in the national park. Yeah. Wow.

[Asante]

I hope his body is forest floor.

[Fran]

Yeah. You wanted it, you got it.

[Dustin Ross]

You got it, baby scared. So that's our story this week. Y' all be careful. And if you see if you are in anywhere in the country, hell, we don't know where this could be right now.

[Fran]

Right.

[Dustin Ross]

Look up Gerald and nausea and get a. Get a clear picture. Yeah, you can call 911 immediately if you see him. And yeah, God bless Naja Young, Peyton and Cheryl. God bless.

[Fran]

Look at him. Look at him smiling in all these pictures. I can't. Let me get this off my screen, friend. Rest in peace. Prayers to their spirits, cuz. Wow. Talk about blindsided, man.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah.

[Fran]

All right, that's segment.

[Dustin Ross]

Pray for the dogs. Y' all talked all that last week. Pray for them dogs too. You know what I'm saying?

[Fran]

That he w out.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Fran]

Maybe I wonder if cuz the animals were like trying to get at him, you know what I'm saying? Maybe they was running. Yeah. The animals see you attacking, they're like, wait a minute, what's happening over here? He kind of had to protect himself probably. I don't know.

[Asante]

I feel like he's. I mean, obviously we don't know, but I feel like he snapped. I feel like he was like, just kept going and it was like, well, this isn't gonna. All right, sorry. Bye.

[Fran]

All right, let's jump into this week's segments.

[Dustin Ross]

Welcome to the Friends. Rated M for mature. Who are you?

[E]

A wandering spirit seeking vengeance.

[Dustin Ross]

You live. I thought we killed your whole family, but here you are, little wolf.

[E]

My name is Atsu. Every member of the Yotei six will suffer.

[Commercial Voice]

Get lost in the hunt.

[Dustin Ross]

Forge a new path at the edge of Japan. Ghost of Yotei available October 2nd on PS5.

[Commercial Voice]

ABC tonight. Shifting gears is back.

[Dustin Ross]

He has arisen.

[Commercial Voice]

Tim Allen and Kat Dennings return in television's number one new comedy.

[Fran]

What What?

[Commercial Voice]

With a star studded premiere including Jenna Elfman, Nancy Travis and. Hey, buddy. A big home improvement reunion welcome.

[Dustin Ross]

Oh, boy, that guy's a tool.

[Commercial Voice]

Shifting Gears season premiere tonight, 8, 7 Central on ABC and stream on Hulu.

[Dustin Ross]

Your sausage McMuffin with egg didn't change your receipt. Did the sausage McMuffin with egg extra value meal includes a hash brown coffee for just $5 only at McDonald's for a limited time.

[Asante]

Prices and participation may vary.

[Fran]

So this week in wellness, I did want to get a little bit personal. Aside from having this, this band in my back that has been whooping my ass this weekend, I also was dealing with the fact that unfortunately the mom from Lone Miss Diane did pass away, and that was very, very challenging. I'm, like, trying not to.

[Dustin Ross]

I'm really sorry.

[Fran]

Yeah, she passed away. And now that was. Is devastating. Like I said, she was probably one of the kindest people I've ever met in my life. And one. And, you know, I'm thankful that I had, like, skipped out on that flight and had the intuition to go and see her and spend that day with her and just really holding her family in all the ways that they've needed to be held these past couple of weeks. Thank you to also, a lot of you have left comments about how kind the family has been while you have engaged with them, either from ordering their products or just telling them, oh, Fran sent me. You know, I came here from the friend zone, and how they would send you guys little, little notes in your packages. And that, to me was always very her, or as the kid would say, very Diane coated. Because she would always send me little care packages because they had their farm. And she would send me herbs and, you know, all kinds of amazing things that she felt I should put into my diet or to take care of my skin or my teeth and my hair. Same with my partner. She would send him things. And she always send us little notes, handwritten notes. Like, literally handwritten notes with little smiley faces, little hearts. And she was just an angel. And that is such a. It's hard to know that you're just, like, never going to get one of those notes, never going to talk to that person. And the part that I wanted to bring up, too, was the fact that I kind of panicked a little because I was like, oh, my God. Remember, I've been talking about the fact that I have been trying to be a better friend, a better person with the people I love and how I show up and respond to their texts and show up to their birthdays and I'm there for them and let them know I love them. So I panicked because I was like, let me look at our texts, you know, let me make sure that I didn't miss something. And of course, I was beating myself up because she had just sent me a video of, like, a little. Like a cat, the. But the feline one, the big ones, the ones that hang out when you go hiking. But y' all know that she sent me one that had just crossed their lawn, and she sent me the video saying, look at this little thing that popped in, and it was like eating a rabbit, like. And I didn't respond, you know, and that was the Last text that she sent. And it just kind of. I had to not beat myself up about that because I did see also that before that I had seen. Sent her a text saying, I love you. I'm always thinking of you. I hope you know how much you mean to me. I miss you. I have to figure out a way for us to spend more time together. And so she knew how I felt about her. But it's so hard not to beat yourself up when you see that the person had thought of you, reached out and you didn't get back to them in time. And I was in and I was sharing that with a couple of friends. And it's so interesting because a lot of us are actually going through similar experiences right now where, you know, and I'm not going to put anyone's business out there, but friends that lost someone recently, and when they went to look, they also had not returned their calls or had not responded to their final text or had not shown up to something, you know, that was for this person, like, just different experiences that we're all trying so hard not to beat ourselves up about. But it's hard not to, you know, even with us reading right now on not only that, with us reading the Matriarch for Patreon, ironically, the po. The chapters we were reading this weekend for this week's episode, she was saying she being Tina Knowles, which is the. The memoir that we're currently reading for the page Patreon, she was saying that the same thing happened to her with her dad where, like, she left him in the hospital to go to a friend's wedding, and he died by himself in the hospital. And she carried that guilt of, like, damn, you know what I'm saying? I wasn't with him, and he had told her, like, I don't know. I feel like the doctors are saying I'm gonna die. You know, a lot of things that she told him, don't worry about it. You'll be fine. I'll be back on Sunday. Morning. Morning. And he literally died that Sunday. And she didn't make it back in time. And, you know, just she mentioned how that was a scar that she carries still. And I think the hard part is, like, we try to be so many things for so many people, and it's you. You don't know if you're always going to get it right. And it's hard because, like I said, I've been trying to not be that friend that takes forever to respond to you because nothing is ever that important as far as Whatever you got going on in your day that you can't just, like, respond to your friend's text in a timely fashion. You know what I mean? And I know a lot of us are like, oh, we're not meant to. The biggest conversation around that I see is, oh, we're not meant to be accessible like that. You know, the way that our phones and social media and all these things have been made us accessible, where we're like, always on, always expected to respond, always expected to be reached and have something to say back. And I get that to a certain extent, but I think when you really care about people and they mean something to you, I think we. And I speak for myself, but like I said, I feel like this is a collective issue that I do see people talking about online and in my personal life just trying to be better about. About that, because then you end up in a situation like this where you didn't get to send that last message. You know what I mean? Or get to be at that last gathering or get to answer that last call or even be the one to initiate that last call. So it's. It's just not a good feeling. And I just wanted to kind of put that out there in case anyone else is experiencing the same or in case you've been battling, like, how you are relating to the people in your life or maybe not doing a good job either and wanting to get better. Like, don't wait for these panicky moments where it's like, too late, you know? And like I said, I'm thankful she knew how much I loved her. So I'm not going to be too hard on myself, but it is hard to be like, damn, that was just a sweet video that made her think of me. At least I could done is. You know what I mean?

[Asante]

Yeah. You're not a friend. I was telling you before last week, my uncle passed.

[Fran]

Yeah.

[Asante]

Rest in peace.

[Dustin Ross]

To my uncle Gerald.

[Fran]

Rest in peace.

[Asante]

Which is why I was like, can we call him by his other name?

[Fran]

Oh, yeah. Damn.

[Asante]

But look, you had no control over that. That's all I was like. But no, he was. The thing that I always have to remember is how great he was. So, yeah, I think that a lot of us are dealing with that. We're in that same place. And it's so, so hard because. Because like you said, we want to be everything for everybody. And certain times, I. There are a lot of times where I slip. Like, there are so many things that I don't have to work on, and I hate that it has to come to something like this to want to be better. But we all always want to be better. And I think that there's nothing wrong with that, especially if you want to just keep considering the loved ones we want to keep in our lives and how we want to do good for them and by them and to keep honoring those that are gone. So, you know, rest in peace to that beautiful spirit, that beautiful woman, that matriarch. You know what I'm saying? And same for my uncle and same for all the people out there that are dealing with it. Because, friend, you are totally not alone.

[Fran]

Yeah, and that was the part that kind of tripped me out, that it was probably like, four or five different friends right now, literally in this month that were like, oh, my God, let me tell you how I didn't return this call and this person passed, like, this week. You know what I mean? Because a lot of us have lost a lot of people in the past month. A lot of us have lost a lot of people in this past month. So it's just been heavy. So that combination of, like, beating myself up about that, the loss of her, and just knowing that that's not someone I can speak to in that capacity. Obviously, we connect with people in different ways as they pass on, but. And then the pain in my body, I just felt like it was all connected. Right. You just feel so. Just like, all right, this is just not a good time. So please send your prayers to the family. Like I said, they are absolutely wonderful. And I was telling the daughters because they, you know, are in a really heavy place right now. As you can imagine, that I'd never seen family show up for someone the way I did see them. I'm talking about they had around the clock show shifts in the hospital where if she opened her eyes at any point, was there, someone was there.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah.

[Fran]

And they did it in shifts of 2. They stayed throughout the night just for protective reasons. Because, you know, hospitals, you never know. Just there's always someone there to the point that I know the hospital was like, how is this possible? Like, she had so many people show up for her. And that, to me, someone said a lot. You know what I mean? It's just said a lot about her, how she showed up for people, that people felt like they were gonna drop everything to make sure that she felt held in such a heavy time. And so that's another way, you know, for us to do better, I guess it's like, just to be there, not just in these times, but just in all the times that we possibly can.

[Asante]

Because those little times really, really matter.

[Fran]

They really do. They really do. And I see how even showing up for my friends birthdays and making that a thing. Right. Like I flew to, to New York for Jade's 40th, made sure to be there for Dustin's first stop of his tour. You know, like these are things that are valuable to me because I'm working on making sure the people I love know exactly how much I love them. And so I just had to share that. It's just been a rough month and I'm super sad and devastated because that is such a huge loss.

[Dustin Ross]

But I'm really sorry for both of Yalls losses.

[Fran]

Yeah, it's just one of those, one of those times of life. Right. But that's it for this week in wellness. Just want to put that nudge out there in case you've been struggling with, you know, working on being a better friend. Friend. This is the nudge to get you to get that in order. So that's it. That's it for this week in wellness.

[Asante]

This week in the music man segment, we're gonna just keep it on going and I just have a few things I want to touch on. I hate to start off negative actually. I'm not going to start off.

[Dustin Ross]

Thank you.

[Asante]

Randomly we talked about an artist named J. Steven. Are you familiar? Do you remember refrain you were talking about this artist? Because I tried to remember the artist you were talking about and I was like, oh, I think I heard of that one. And then I looked and I was like, oh, it wasn't that artist. It was this other artist. I know that sounds like a lot.

[Fran]

Yeah, it was recent.

[Asante]

Yeah, yeah, it was like over the past like few weeks. Well, J. Stevens, she. I follow her on Twitter and she. I told you she released a video for her latest single which was after here. Let's. Let's make sure I'm putting the right single here.

[Dustin Ross]

Seven.

[Asante]

You said seven.

[Dustin Ross]

Last night I was inside of you.

[Fran]

That was my. The sun grown ass man.

[Asante]

She really. She literally just released her music video for After Body. That was the single that I played and I thought that she's interesting and cute. Just real quick side note because you said seven. Seven. The artist. Seven. Streeter, singer, songwriter. She was on this Netflix show called Hit Makers and that's a really cool show. I know that there's all those music competition shows and how they can be kind of eh. This was more of like a songwriter showcase and like to show how like the camps work and I thought that that was so interesting. It was dope. Have you seen. Seen anything about this show, Fran or Dustin? Hitmakers, hit makers.

[Fran]

Never heard of Netflix?

[Asante]

It's on Netflix. I never heard of it. Never seen it. And then I was like, oh, this is kind of cool. Like, let me watch it. And then I watched it. It was only six episodes. They had the songwriting group Nova Wave. I think you talked about them before. Fran is the two. The two women, Chi and Blue.

[Fran]

Oh, this. This was a while ago. Yeah, yeah, yep.

[Asante]

You talked about. You talked about them a while ago. So when I seen them on the show, like, that's so cool. I think Fran talked about them. So. Yeah. Anyway, Jay Stevens and I just want to bring her up. Sorry about that side thing. It's just that he mentioned her, and I had to mention that Jay Stevens. I just want to randomly say she.

[Dustin Ross]

Said that she's talking about after seven.

[Asante]

I mean, yeah, I know, but you. I heard seven, and that was where my mind had went before you started singing the song. And so then I had to just get that out there. Apparently, Idris Elba has a daughter, and Jay Stevens claims she is it. And I did not know that.

[Fran]

See, I saw that because people were saying that, like, something about. What is it? Nepotism, right? Nepo babies saying, like, it only works when the Nepo baby's actually talented. And they were posting a clip of her, and she said she's just Elva's kid. But then underneath that, I saw her say she was joking. So I was like, okay. Is she not okay?

[Asante]

So I was gonna ask that. This was my call to action, to.

[Fran]

Ask, Because I'm like, did she say that? Knowing that it would make the clip go viral? Because I know people play that game too. So I was just kind of like.

[Dustin Ross]

Let'S just Google this shit to believe.

[Fran]

I didn't know we had children.

[Asante]

Well, that was why I brought it up, because when I saw that tweet, I googled it and I couldn't find it. And so then I was.

[Fran]

We had children. So it just. Oh, but.

[Asante]

Oh, now when I go look at the tweet, it has under it. Okay, I'm deleting this tweet because too many people are believing it, and I'm not trying to receive a secret cease and desist. See, the actual Elba daughter told you. All right, see?

[Dustin Ross]

So it's fake news.

[Asante]

It's fake news.

[Fran]

And, I mean, it worked, though, because we talking about it.

[Asante]

But I had talked about her before the fake news, so I don't know why she decided the daughter, she's pretty too.

[Fran]

Yeah. I never knew that. She looks just like him. Wow. What's her name though?

[Dustin Ross]

Nissan. It looks like iss.

[Fran]

Oh, okay.

[Asante]

I mean, gorgeous.

[Dustin Ross]

Esan Elba is a hard ass name too, for a girl that is.

[Asante]

And she fine.

[Fran]

So this girl made this.

[Asante]

Which actually upsets me now, like, damn nerves.

[Fran]

It is funny because at first I was like, oh, I didn't know he had a daughter that was like this dope ass artist. Cuz I don't know if a lot of people know Idris Elba is a really dope dude. He does a lot of gigs, so music, you know, that would have been interesting. Like, okay, he has this dope ass daughter that's an artist as well. But this.

[Dustin Ross]

Didn't he used to date a reality star too? If I'm not mistaken, he dated. Wasn't he in like a relationship that we wouldn't have expected him?

[Fran]

Wasn't it like K. Michelle?

[Dustin Ross]

K Michelle? Was it her?

[Asante]

It was.

[Dustin Ross]

Or Carly Redd? It was somebody we couldn't remember.

[Fran]

Yeah, I feel like it was K. Michelle. Cause I remember people didn't believe it.

[Asante]

Well, J. Stevens, you literally had me and now you lost me. Because that makes me upset. Because really I try to focus on artists for their music and I was just gonna be like, damn, is she his daughter? Like, that's really cool. But now knowing that you just said that for no reason, I'm pissed off. And now we're gonna get negative.

[Dustin Ross]

They dated for eight months in 2014.

[Asante]

I mean, wait, who was it? Which one was it? Long time came and said eight months.

[Fran]

I wouldn't have thought it was.

[Dustin Ross]

Well, for real, when you. When you busy. That ain't but four phone calls in three days.

[Fran]

You ain't.

[Dustin Ross]

What they call it? A flash in the pan. Let's move on.

[Fran]

Especially y' all live in different cities.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah.

[Asante]

The Global Citizen Festival.

[Dustin Ross]

I wouldn't even tell nobody. It's hell. If that's the case. I got about 30 exit. Okay, good.

[Asante]

The Global Citizen Festival happened.

[Fran]

Yes.

[Asante]

A lot of people performed. Cardi B performed. Ira Starr performed. She looks phenomenal, by the way. She's always looked great. Love, Ira Star looks phenomenal. And also Young Thug's ex.

[Dustin Ross]

They broke up.

[Fran]

They didn't break up.

[Asante]

Oh, so they stayed together. Okay, well, Mariah the scientist, Young Thugs.

[Fran]

I was gonna be like, Jerika is an artist too.

[Dustin Ross]

I didn't see Thug those clips, cuz they broke up.

[Fran]

Okay.

[Dustin Ross]

You.

[Asante]

You saying that just. I don't know why? It's hilarious. Mariah the Scientist performed. A lot of clips of her are up. A lot of clips of all of them performing have been going around. And the one that keeps showing up to me because my friends think that it is funny are Mariah the Scientist clips, man.

[Dustin Ross]

How you think she sound, Tay?

[Fran]

Oh, I thought you were asking me.

[Asante]

Honestly, I didn't partake.

[Fran]

You didn't press play.

[Asante]

Every time a clip is sent to me, I'll start to press play, and then I'll be like, I don't think I'm supposed to be here. Because you know how you have grace for artists in certain respects? Like, you're like, all right. Like, I find that very quickly. I'm not gonna have the grace that I should have. So I just, like, remove myself, you know, which is not fair. So it's like, I can't report whether she was good or bad. I had a good laugh every time.

[Dustin Ross]

I feel like everybody can have a bad performance. People have a bad performance. But when you start having multiple, that's an issue.

[Fran]

All of them. That's like, it's not a thing of like, oh, it was one. It's like, have we seen one?

[Asante]

Like, I'm waiting for a moment where it's like, okay, that was. I like, I can it.

[Fran]

This is. This is.

[Asante]

That's acceptable for me.

[Dustin Ross]

I don't know. I've seen her have bad performance performances. I want you to have a take. Oh, yeah? What's your take on this?

[Asante]

I haven't seen this because she. She frequently has bad performances to me.

[Dustin Ross]

So that's why you didn't watch the latest one, which is why.

[Asante]

Because I know what she does and I'm not a fan.

[Dustin Ross]

And what does she do?

[Asante]

Not good work.

[Fran]

She makes me feel the way when people misunderstand the energy I have for, like, a JLo, right? I don't know JLo. I can't dislike JLo. I've never met her. But what makes me frustrated is when I see the amount of talent out there on a personal level, because we have friends all. All. You know what I'm saying? That deserve to be catapulted in those ways. And not saying that JLO isn't talented, but the looks that she got as far as records for someone that cannot say sing is very crazy to me.

[Dustin Ross]

So funny you say that.

[Fran]

Me, Mariah the Scientist is the same. It's like, how did we get here? That's the question I have. She's a beautiful girl. People talk a lot about her writing. So why isn't she just an amazing writer? You know what I'm saying?

[Asante]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Fran]

Let her be a beautiful, amazing writer that we admire.

[Asante]

Like, real quick, let me interject this and then I'll let you go. Dustin. Our kids RK on Twitter. I randomly was on Twitter before I, you know, log off. I always get on for like a couple of minutes. R.K. jackson at the said Mariah the Scientist kind of sings like a stripper that died in the club. Died in the club on her last dance, but doesn't know she's dead.

[Fran]

What?

[Asante]

And that was so funny to me. I'm sorry. I just always do get this. Like, I, I, I'm just not on her vibe. And I think that's why I always just stop with her, please. Go on, Dustin.

[Dustin Ross]

Well, I was dialing back to the JLO piece. It's just so funny you say that today, because I saw an interview of her earlier today. I think she's promoting her new film, Kiss of the Spider Woman. It's a movie musical directed by Bill Condon, off Broadway. She was saying that she trained her voice. She said that she was always a fan of, like, Broadway musicals. And, and she, she sings Broadway style. She said that's her style of singing. So she said, now this is directly out of her mouth, right? She said that when people hear her sing Broadway songs, they're shocked, like, oh, I didn't know you could sing like that. She's like, I actually prefer to sing like this. This is how I train my voice. I just had to sing those pop songs or whatever. But I'm actually like a Broadway singer. She was like, this is how I sing scene. So that's what she said in the interview I saw today. I'm interested to see what that means as far as, like, her vocals and Kiss of the Spider Woman, which I think she's actually gonna do good in the film. She might even get her Oscar from that bill. Kinda has that touch. He was behind Dream Girls. And you know what if she does.

[Fran]

Because she, like, put in the work. And let's say she did train her voice to sing Broadway.

[Dustin Ross]

I'm telling you, you will see.

[Fran]

See, now I'm telling you, it's killing me right now.

[Dustin Ross]

She said that in the interview today, and that's why I was like, did she say that? She said that?

[Fran]

I'm just so sensitive to this because when I see, like, India Sean, like, you know what I'm saying? This is why this, like, it just, it just does something to me because then you have Someone so phenomenal, like an India Sean who has been grinding since the early 2000. That don't mean makes sense to me. A girl that can sing and write and is beautiful and is all of the things. That's why I get so.

[Dustin Ross]

She was on cbs. She was on Sunday morning. On cbs Sunday Morning. That's the interview I'm talking about. It's Jennifer Lopez and her season. Well, you know what?

[Fran]

I'm. I'm looking forward to hearing this more Broadway style voice that she's saying she trained for. Let's hear it. I'm looking forward to hearing it.

[Dustin Ross]

It'll be interesting to see. I. Yeah, I just heard her say that, you know, that's what she said. Let's see if she's singing in the trailer. Let me see if I can find.

[Fran]

Oh yeah, actually roll that beautiful bean footage.

[E]

But no, no, never, never.

[Fran]

She don't sound bad.

[Asante]

She doesn't sound bad. We're. The note there is. Oh, no.

[Fran]

See, she don't sound bad. But you have to remember she didn't sound bad on the albums either.

[Dustin Ross]

Especially over Ashanti voice.

[Fran]

It's when you are singing live that is where everything gets told. The real story gets so. So yeah, a movie. Of course they're gonna have a sound. I'm sure it's some other vocals tucked under there. You know what I mean?

[Dustin Ross]

But I don't know. I really want her to do good. She was good in hustling, sitting with her legs open in fur coats. She was good in hustlers. You know what I'm saying? I wanted. I wanted to do well in this.

[Fran]

She's a great. She's a great entertainer. I will never take that away from klo. I remember being young and watching her music videos was fun. You know what I mean? Like it was fun.

[Dustin Ross]

What about the one when she was taking that stuff off on the beach? Beach during that challenge. Nobody did remember. But I think she's gonna do good in this film. I'm excited to see it. And I don't think she never been nobody's Whitney Houston. So why is she trying to say that? I guess she's trying to legitimize herself before this, the movie comes out. Right. She wants people to look at herself a certain way.

[Fran]

Doc, was it on Netflix, I think where it was like about her life. She said there was was a clip where she said she has always been insecure about her voice, you know, like.

[Dustin Ross]

She always about mine too.

[Fran]

She's insecure.

[Dustin Ross]

I can't sing.

[Fran]

Yeah, but you also Weren't trying to do it professionally. I've tried the difference, but anyway.

[Dustin Ross]

I've tried several times.

[Fran]

She's an entertainer and so I'm sure she's gonna do Fab, you know, never.

[Asante]

She's an entertainer.

[Dustin Ross]

I want to hear her like, you know.

[Asante]

Would you want to hear Mariah the scientist do a musical movie?

[Dustin Ross]

She don't have a strong enough voice and I love her new project, I love her album, but she doesn't have a strong enough voice for that. She has moments where she pushes, but she doesn't have a strong enough voice at all for that. But she's a hell of a songwriter. I really wish she would write for other artists because I think she's like a brilliant. That's why she love her. That's why people love her music. So the stuff that she said, I.

[Asante]

Just won't take her live. I won't like, I don't, I don't not want her to be successful. I just, me personally, I don't need her live. Like, if she comes out on stage, I'm not gonna be like, boo, get her off. I'm gonna just go to the bar and get a drink. Like, you know, I'm not a hater. So let me.

[Fran]

And really, this has more to do with the industry. Right?

[Asante]

Yeah. Back to your earlier.

[Fran]

If you were given an opportunity and you can't sing and someone says, here's a deal, you, you're gonna be thrown on rolling.

[Asante]

Yeah.

[Fran]

What's the rolling? Loud. And all these tours and be on everything.

[Asante]

And if the people love it, if there's a market for it, who am I to. Who are me to tell you not to spend your dollars there?

[Fran]

Right. And I have to be realistic about that too. Right. This is more of an industry issue that they are going to choose the JLo's and the Mariah, the Scientists over other artists that already are giving you the vocal, can sing it live, can sing it in the studio. Like, you know what I mean? That's the part where I get like, er. But yep, at the end of the day, they are human beings who wanted this dream as well and they got it.

[Dustin Ross]

And now Jennifer Lopez is going far not to be able to sing like that.

[Fran]

Yeah. But because she is a good entertainer, like, like I said, we can't take away her dancing.

[Dustin Ross]

I can't wait.

[Asante]

She has a very distinct presence. That's. That's good.

[Dustin Ross]

I can't wait, bro.

[Fran]

Those are such a steps. But anyway. Yes.

[Asante]

Last person we'll touch on for this segment Last person we'll touch on for.

[Fran]

The Pizzios.

[Dustin Ross]

Kiss of the Spider Woman. She had on the pantsuit. It's gonna be good, I'm telling you. Like, she had on cigarette.

[Fran]

It's not, though. I don't believe it's not. Yeah, better.

[Asante]

It better at least be good.

[Dustin Ross]

You know, Mel Condon got that touch for real. That's like doing a.

[Fran]

He said this might be her. Her magnet Opus.

[Dustin Ross]

What's old boy that did Bill Street. You know you're gonna get an Oscar if you work with him. You know what I'm saying? Like, it's certain people. You just got that touch. Got that touch.

[Asante]

Anyway, last person we will see that's how she sounded anyway. And then you break out into the note again. Or if you want to call it a note, I don't know. Last person we'll touch on is Young Thug. He has a new album out the Silence.

[Dustin Ross]

I just don't want to touch him.

[Asante]

I think we can agree.

[Fran]

I didn't listen. I saw the COVID and that was enough for me personally.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah. What.

[Asante]

What was the. What was your experience with the COVID when you saw it, Fran?

[Fran]

I. I just didn't understand why. But I saw people saying, like, he's usually does this, right? He usually has a cover cover that gets. Gets the conversation going. So that's.

[Asante]

Yeah, like, he wore that dress on that one cover. Like, you know, he. He does stuff, right. He did an interview with Roll Out. This is reported from a tweet on at Big Loon Underscore. They broke down parts of the rollout interview. So I'd like to give them their credit. Thug opens up on the uproar surrounding his album art. Where he did. Where he. And his features were edited in whiteface. He says this wasn't just. Just shock for clout. It was meant to force a conversation. If you want to be the biggest, he's. This is a quote. If you want to be the biggest, go white, what now. Now that's just a part of it, right? What he said was, it's still serious to the point where I went with it. We always joked and played in my hood. You want to be the biggest, go white. We just talking. It's just a narrative that the world paints and we just going with that narrative. Michael Jackson went white for this. We know that.

[Dustin Ross]

We know that ain't respectful as we.

[Asante]

Know that ain't true. We just go with the motions. It's just all fun. They always let the white people be the biggest. I love white people too. We got big ass artists. That's. We got big ass artists, too. That's black. I just was pushing the envelope a little bit. Big Loon had broke this down and says that Thug explains the deeper intent. It's a commentary on race, representation, and perception.

[Dustin Ross]

Thug, okay.

[Fran]

The word commentary, that's what I wanted to.

[Asante]

I wanted to. I wanted to break.

[Dustin Ross]

I mean, share this breakdown. Loose is Damon Dash teeth. They sees that loosely.

[Fran]

That's doing some heavy lifting right here.

[Asante]

But that's why I wanted to share this tweet and I want to make sure I gave them their. Their due right here. They say, you know, it's the commentary on racist representation of perception. How fame, color, power interplay in ways people don't always see that.

[Fran]

Yes, he dropped his PR person response. Wrote that.

[Asante]

But hold on. Cause this is. I didn't know that this even happened. That. Yes, he dropped hard R uses in Ninja, I guess. First album, another spot, people.

[Dustin Ross]

I mean, first song on the album, my brother called me and said as soon as it got to that part, because I was like, did you listen to Young Thug yet? And Damon was like, hell no. He was like, I couldn't even make it through that first song. He talking about. So I call my enemies nigger or something, he said. And Damon was like, I'm not listening to that shit. Yeah, Damon cut the whole album off.

[Fran]

He. He just. Young Thug. This clip isn't brother.

[Asante]

Thug isn't defending a cover. It's him demanding you examine how we view identity, visibility, and shock.

[Fran]

Stop. Stop.

[Dustin Ross]

But. But that's a lie because he literally also just said in the quote, we just having fun.

[Asante]

We just going with, it's all just fun.

[Dustin Ross]

So what is it? That's not just fun? And that's not. Is it. What is it? You just talking out your ass is.

[Fran]

His message versus the PR that's trying to clean up that mess. That's all that is.

[Dustin Ross]

And you're not even present enough to listen and get on message. And you're the artist. You're the artist. So all the comms and go directly back to you is what you said at the end of the day. And you're so lazy that you can't even sit still enough. You fidgety. I'm not even gonna go there. But the fact that you can't sit still long enough to listen and actually understand how to explain this weird, unnecessary ass you did on this album cover, I'm throwing right in the pile with Kanye West, Akbar v A Waka, Flock of Flame. A lot of the people who have completely just disregarded their constitution of blackness. I'm tired of it. Iraq. All these people who are aligning themselves with that ideology and using it as some sort of. They're using. They're using the egregious things that Donald Trump and his administration are doing and the harm that they're enacting on black Americans. They're using that as a thing to.

[Fran]

Like, as an ideology of being critical.

[Dustin Ross]

Thinkers, but in an effort to. To just shock people.

[Fran]

It's weird.

[Dustin Ross]

You're using something that serious and then you're so stupid that you can't even, like I said, get on message. You saying it's on the left side of the right, top down, middle center of the thing. What the are you even talking about?

[Fran]

It's like with the Charlie Kirk post and the. And the scripture under it. Just opposite.

[Dustin Ross]

Like you don't know your name is dark Child.

[Fran]

Okay. Dark adult.

[Asante]

Yeah, well, this came out.

[Dustin Ross]

Dumb adult appearance.

[Asante]

This, this dark adult. This dumb adult, you know, had dropped this. I don't. I didn't listen to the project. I was not moved to listen to the project. I am one of those people that says, if you're an artist, you know, keep making music. But this did not attract me to listen to your record, which I feel like is probably part of what happens with music. Like you, you drop something that you feel like is going to make people say like, oh, I want to listen to that. Like, if they don't, you know, get it here, a clip of it somewhere. Sometimes they just see something that's like, oh, I didn't know this artist dropped. Let me listen. I saw that cover and I said, this one's not going to be for me. Sorry, I'm taking a picture.

[Fran]

Verse though, they were playing.

[Dustin Ross]

I listen to that.

[Fran]

Her verse sound crazy. I think it's like the best she's ever sounded. Why did she save that for his 100?

[Asante]

It's a great verse, makes good music and there probably are some really good moments, not good tracks on this project that I'm just never gonna hear because I'm always gonna have to see this stupid ass artwork in my, like, I don't even want to listen to it and put it in the rotation for anything. So I'm just like, if there's like a deluxe or something that doesn't have this, maybe I'll give it a shot. I don't know. But even after hearing that, the first song he's doing, that dumb. I don't know. Like, I'll just have to miss this one. I just don't want it. So sorry, Young Thug, you missed me with this one. Hope you're enjoying your time out. Hope you're not talking on the phone anymore. And yeah, that's it for the artist. Dimension. Artists dimension. Part of this segment.

[Fran]

Palette cleanse.

[Asante]

Yes. Now we will listen to some bops.

[Dustin Ross]

And, you know, some of young thugs bleach to cleanse our palettes. Oh, and the white niches. Remember that?

[Asante]

Crazy. Yep.

[Fran]

Oh, my gosh.

[Dustin Ross]

Look like he washed up with a magic eraser.

[Asante]

I saw a clip of Nene talking about how she was. How they were talking about her color. She was like. They were saying back in the day that I was just this dark. This dark girl, and I had to wrong makeup on or something. And then she was like, but I'm a brown girl, or something like that. I didn't. I didn't pay attention to the clip because I was reading the comments, so you know how sometimes that goes. But I was reading the comments, and they were just, like, arguing about Nene's complexion. And I find it weird because sometimes shit do look weird because of, like, technology and cameras and. And lighting. But also, I don't judge people for whatever the fuck they want to do with themselves. I don't know why I got there. Oh, because of Young Thug. And this. See, this is it. That's the wrong conversation for me.

[Fran]

Was it. Was it part of his rollout as well? Or did someone on Twitter just do that? Where I saw the feature artists all light with the same complexion, like, they have, like, 21 savage. Was that part of the rollout, like, where he was making all his.

[Dustin Ross]

I didn't see that. So I don't know. Know.

[Fran]

You didn't see that. It was like, all these pictures with, like, I think people who are featured on the artist, I mean, on the album, right?

[Dustin Ross]

The same way they did Beyonce. The 16 carriages picture where they kept putting everybody in the braids and they're making them look like Beyonce and they would, you know, make whatever.

[Fran]

But I'm like, was that his rollout or people just doing that to be funny?

[Dustin Ross]

So I'm hoping, was it posted from his account or was it just somebody on Twitter posting it?

[Fran]

Honestly, I didn't even notice.

[Dustin Ross]

Let's go to young.

[Fran]

But I was like, this is his rollout making everyone white. I really hope.

[Asante]

But anyway, he was making them all go white for this new project.

[Fran]

This is nuts. Anyway, all right, let's move on.

[Asante]

Yeah. Sorry, friend. What have you been listening to lately I would love to know.

[Fran]

Tweet is back. We love us some Tweet. And the song is called Toot Toot. It goes.

[E]

From the first moment I saw you I knew I had to have you A big strong spill you put on me and is he standing up near you? I want more of you but you keep raising hell so I should be. I got a cold now.

[Fran]

Oh, I'm so happy to hear her.

[Asante]

Yes, I love me sweet, sweet.

[Fran]

She just sounds so ethereal and forever relevant. Right? I love her melodies. So are y' all familiar with an artist named Jane Hancock?

[Asante]

I've seen the name.

[Fran]

I feel like I'm so late to this artist. She popped up on my YouTube and then when I clicked her, she has so many songs out for years, and they all have tons of views. I'm talking about millions, hundreds of thousands. Like. Like, she's extremely popular, and I don't know how I've never heard of her. And her songs are really nice. She had one with, like, Snoop, and she seems to be out here doing her thing somehow. I've never heard of Jane Hancock, but she had a record called Stingy that popped up for me, and I really liked it. And this is how it goes.

[E]

Sam. Damn, it's hot. So much I want to say it's a lie we came a long way from the block I just wanna keep building yeah, I see. I see you like you see me we can have a little fairy tale. No tv, I don't care. We call it I just Want to.

[Asante]

Know your.

[E]

Want to know what this is? Tell me want to know.

[Fran]

So pretty. I was. That was like. I love when you discover not. Well, I'm discovering her.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah. Obviously she's not here for you.

[Fran]

But it's so cool when they just so good. You're like, oh, where have I been? So that was a fun rap, like Jill Scott. And then the last one I have is Thundercat. Yes, Thundercat. Put out a record call. I wish I didn't waste your time.

[E]

I thought that everything was fine so wrong when did I cross that line? I really hoped you were the one for me I'll never be be the same again. You got to know the line.

[Dustin Ross]

To.

[E]

Know just where to draw I think I need to eat. Maybe it's all my faults creeping.

[Dustin Ross]

I.

[E]

Wish I didn't waste your time I can hear a bitter wind knocking on my door Should I just let it in? I don't know anymore so I was.

[Fran]

Just feeling a little bit of a slower vibe this week. Bringing in bringing in that fall weather. Right. Also, I do want to say, say this. Lewis York, y' all know my brother Cly and Chuck Harmony. They have two show dates that I wanted to announce on their behalf. They're going to be performing in Atlanta on October 8th at Eddie's Attic. And they'll also be performing in New York on October 10th at the Cutting Room.

[Asante]

Nice.

[Fran]

I'm gonna post right.

[Dustin Ross]

Go see Lewis York, y'. All. Buy them tickets up. Go see them. Tickets.

[Fran]

You can go to Eddie's ATT website or the Cutting Room, but as always, I'm gonna have the links to both shows in the description box for easier access. But if you've ever wanted to see them sing live and perform live, which, honestly, it's such a treat. Claude has such a beautiful voice and Chuck is a whiz on that piano. It really is a wonderful experience, especially on some date night or if you need a solo music night or want to hang out with your peoples, whatever the vibe is, they can definitely get that going for you. So check them out. Just want to put that out there. If you're looking for some live music to get into next week.

[Asante]

Nice. All right, then, Dustin Ross, what have you been listening to?

[Dustin Ross]

You know Peasy got a new album out called Steel Ghetto, so absolutely press play on that. This song is number 14. It's called let's Talk About It. It's Peezy and Babyface Ray.

[Fran]

Baby face.

[Dustin Ross]

Ray, 808Jake, I got five.

[Asante]

It's ghetto you down bad I knew.

[Dustin Ross]

It hurt you Situation could be worse.

[Asante]

We had to grind from out the mud this here came from out the dirt. We a have a lot but we took what we had and made it work. We gonna get rich and get indicted trying you scared and go to church you trying to grind it up let's talk about it. Trying to change your situation let's talk about it Complaining while you hustling let's talk about it we get it done.

[Dustin Ross]

And we don't never ever talk about it.

[Asante]

Yeah, one time for the hustlers Two times for my peoples down the way Put my life up on the line I'm praying three times a day started.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, I feel like ride out, you know what I'm saying? It's one of those that's let's talk about it. You know, I'm just letting y' all know how to enjoy this, you know what I'm saying? Because that's part of it. Next song I'm gonna play is by Mariah Carey. She got A new. She got some new out.

[Fran]

She does. I sat with her probably project.

[Dustin Ross]

Okay.

[Fran]

Love you, Mariah.

[Dustin Ross]

She been over there playing Hot Hands with Anderson park, baby. This song, I love this song. It's called Me.

[E]

I don't care about much if it ain't about me. Let the money talk first Conversations ain't free. I'm the D, that's mc. I'm the hot, tiny honey body. Yeah, that's it. I don't acknowledge time. I do whatever I please. Diamonds in my hair, yeah, that's pure luxury. I'm a bad bitch, but I'm good company. You would know that if you really knew me in another class from those ladies. Welcome to my house. Pink sand on that made me laugh. I'm a bad bitch.

[Fran]

She's so funny.

[Dustin Ross]

I love that. The last song that I'm gonna play, actually, I'm about to take y' all ass is back. This is by Freda Payne. A lot of people know Freda Payne from Band of Gold. Everybody knows Band of Gold by Frida Payne. It's a classic from the 60s 70s. This song is actually called I Get High. It was sampled. Y' all heard it before. But this is the original. Shout out to Frida Payne, who's still singing and performing and looking good, too. Shout out to Frida Payne. This from 1977.

[E]

I get high on the memory that you sent through me. I get high Remembering how good you.

[Fran]

Feel.

[E]

I deliberately think of you and every little thing you do. I get aroused High on a cloud whenever I want you. I get high. I get high I get high I get high I get high get high I get high I get high I get high on your memory.

[Fran]

Yeah, Beautiful.

[Dustin Ross]

It's free to pain. I get high.

[Fran]

I never heard the original.

[Dustin Ross]

I figured that. So I just wanted to put y' all on old, you know what I'm saying?

[Fran]

So pretty.

[Dustin Ross]

The classics, the standards. That's it. And since we're there, I'm gonna play one more. Okay. Because this is the song that everybody knows. Free to pay for this is Band of Gold. And that's one of my favorite songs so far. Like that.

[E]

Now that you're gone all that's left is a band of gold. All that's left of the dreams I hold is a band of a gold and the memory of what love could be if you are still here with me. You took me from the shelter of a mother I had never known your music, Ranger.

[Dustin Ross]

Band of Gold by Frida Payne. It's a song everybody need to know that's it for me this week.

[Fran]

Nice.

[Asante]

All right, well, an artist that I don't normally listen to, I randomly found myself listening to Justin Bieber. He had a project called Journals that came out in 2014. 14. This song is called Heartbreaker. It was cute. I like it.

[Fran]

I still haven't listened to this stuff.

[E]

Say that you don't talk I've been thinking about you all day long Hoping you pick up your phone Baby, oh, baby, oh girl, I got a secret Baby, we can go Cuz I really want to be alone Baby, nobody got.

[Fran]

Enough.

[E]

Don'T tell me.

[Asante]

So yes, that's Justin Bieber. I don't know how I found myself there, but I wasn't mad once I was there. Next song I'm gonna play is by an artist named Leone. Barbo. Maybe it's Barbot. B A R B O T. I'm not sure entirely how to say this name. Did you play this song already? Did somebody already talk about this? This artist, I don't think. Are y' all familiar? This song is called Fingers Crossed. It is an older song as I learned on their Spotify, but I like. I like this song. Here's how it goes.

[E]

You've been ey my mind.

[Fran]

Why can't.

[E]

I keep you satisfied? Now I can go gentle into good night I shall keep you satisfied Touch me, feel me, love me, save me I think I'm falling into deep Touch me, feel me I.

[Asante]

So yes, that's Fingers Crossed. The last song that I will be playing is not you, Kamari. The last song that I will be playing is and my light songs is Wife and Lucci. This song's called look what I did. Here's how it goes.

[Dustin Ross]

Damn, Kai, you going crazy, huh? Hey, look what I did. I took every loss and then I.

[Asante]

Turned that to a profit.

[Dustin Ross]

I can't reach my goals with everybody in my pocket I can't trust the soul But I know pain But I can't block it I can't block it.

[Asante]

Hey, look what I did. Hey.

[Dustin Ross]

They keep hearing me like big bro like that. Lock in. We locked in. We need locked in.

[Asante]

That was Wife and Lucci. I was trying to pause it. That's off his new project, which is really, really hard.

[Dustin Ross]

Really good.

[Asante]

I with YFN Luchi and yeah, that's it for the Music man segment.

[Dustin Ross]

Rated M for mature. Who are you?

[E]

A wandering spirit seeking vengeance.

[Commercial Voice]

You live.

[Dustin Ross]

I thought we killed your whole family, but here you are, little wolf.

[E]

My name is Atu. Every member of the Yotei 6 will.

[Commercial Voice]

Suffer get lost in the hunt.

[Dustin Ross]

Forge a new path at the edge of Japan. Ghost of Yotei, available October 2nd on PS5.

[Asante]

Dustin Ross, it's your time. What have you been watching?

[Dustin Ross]

So the Real Housewives of Potomac come back on this Sunday. There's a seven, six or seven minute preview of the season 10 premiere now that you can watch. And it starts off with Karen getting out of jail. The cameras were there, you heard.

[Fran]

So she's on this.

[Dustin Ross]

Nope. But they. They start there and then it flashes back six months. So they start there and then they say six months earlier. And Giselle is gathering all the core women from last season. So Ashley, Kiana, Wendy and Stacy all over to her home to talk about the fact that Karen is going away to jail. So it's going to be good. So that's coming.

[Fran]

Oh, my gosh.

[Dustin Ross]

Bell Collective is coming back to on own. I love Bell Collective. Everybody knows that's one of my favorite shows. Bell Collective is to love and Marriage franchise what Married to Medicine is to the Real Housewives franchise. You know what I'm saying? So it's okay. A big show on that same network with an ensemble cast. This is an all female ensemble cast. Great show. They about to start their new season.

[Fran]

And apparently remind me, what do they do?

[Dustin Ross]

Like they're in Jackson, Mississippi and it's a. It's a show about a bunch of successful black women in Jackson, Mississippi, and their lives and their friendships. The ups and downs of their friendships. But great show. So make sure you check that out. And I actually would implore everybody to go back and watch the older episodes. It comes on the OWN network so you can watch it somewhere. Damn it. But. So watch that. Something else is coming back that I wanted to talk about, but I can't even remember what it was. So it.

[Fran]

I did see that. OWN also has a new show called Family Secrets or something like that. Did y' all see the trailer? Trailer?

[Dustin Ross]

I did.

[Asante]

It grabbed you friend.

[Fran]

It did.

[Dustin Ross]

I think it's like six episodes or something like that. It's like six different.

[Fran]

Yeah, I mean, I only saw the clip for that first one that's out and I was like, whoa.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, we love a good show. I also love family or Fiance, which is coming back. YouTube and you know Shire used to produce on there. Sure, our girl said so. Yeah, Shar worked on that show.

[Fran]

Shout out to you Shy. That's fire.

[Dustin Ross]

So yes, watch that. And the Never ever Mets is coming back for season three as well. I'm not sure if they're filming now or When. But that keep that on your radar because that's coming back as well. And Married to Medicine will be back soon. We should be seeing a trip trailer for their upcoming season as well.

[Fran]

Behind.

[Dustin Ross]

It's a lot of coming on behind.

[Asante]

This is gonna be crazy because you.

[Dustin Ross]

Know, Heavenly Cash Doll is on Reasonable Doubt. Shout out to. You should watch Reasonable Doubt.

[Fran]

I did enjoy Hulu, even though I.

[Dustin Ross]

Know season three is bad.

[Fran]

Hulu.

[Dustin Ross]

Right. I think you still got Access until the 30 days is up or something like that. But anyway, it might be on business. Plus two, they damn sure cancel that. But cash out. It's on Reasonable Doubt. Check that out. If you partake, watch that. She's guest starring on this season. And so we wait.

[Fran]

The new season's already out of Reasonable Doubt.

[Dustin Ross]

It started season three. I think the first two episodes are up now. Either the first two or first three episodes. It's a staggered release. They don't just.

[Asante]

The. The morning show.

[Fran]

That's what I was gonna say. I'm so behind because sometimes I'll sit in front of the TV and literally not know. Like, I'm like, I don't even know what I want to watch right now. But I've realized Reasonable Doubt, the morning show. I do want to watch this Wayward that everyone keeps talking about on Netflix.

[Asante]

That's Good Child.

[Fran]

Something else. But I'm.

[Asante]

The way that. The way that Wayward ended up, too. I was annoyed, but I also appreciated how they did that.

[Fran]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

Does Apple TV really not advertise their television shows? Seriously? Or is that just something people say?

[Fran]

No, they don't like. I never see them. I don't see.

[Dustin Ross]

I've never seen.

[Fran]

I don't see billboards outside.

[Dustin Ross]

But they're wildly successful shows because they're so good.

[Fran]

Word of mouth.

[Asante]

Yeah. I feel like the advertising is all probably done in store for those shows because when you look at those displays, the way the Apple Store set up, like, they just probably run those, like those promos for those videos so people probably like.

[Dustin Ross]

So you seen advertisements for it in the Apple Store?

[Asante]

No, no, no. I'm just saying that the way. I'm just saying that the way that the Apple Store is set up with when you see those screens, like, a lot of the screens will have like the. If it'll have something on it, it'll have like a commercial for, like, what the laptop is or whatever. Or it'll play like, whatever the Apple TV content is and it'll be like the trailers for those shows. Like, so when you. When you watch it on Apple tv there's a trailer.

[Dustin Ross]

Never knew that.

[Asante]

Yeah. There's like a carousel that plays. So like before you even press play on anything, you just open up Apple tv. There's like the trailers for each show at the top or each popular show and then like the top, you know, whatever shows. And so those trailers will be playing an Apple Store sometimes because I was just in there looking at them cases and which were.

[Fran]

But that still don't feel like enough. Right. Because how often do people.

[Asante]

I don't feel like they need to do any big push. I mean Apple when these are television.

[Dustin Ross]

Shows, why would they not need to push them?

[Asante]

I don't understand why people like they. I feel like they bamboozle you into watching it one way or another. If you're subscribed to Apple and you end up in the Apple TV app or end up in some app adjacent to where you get some sort of Apple TV ad if you will. But you're right, I don't. And maybe because I don't watch enough commercials anyway I might be completely missing and maybe they do come on. But I really be fast forwarding through commercials that I experience on YouTube TV. If I experience a commercial, only commercials I experienced are like to be.

[Fran]

And even though impressive though that they have they still win awards, they still are have millions and millions of views.

[Asante]

I think because they came out so hard off RIP they were like, you know, hey, we're dropping like our you know two, three flagship shows with and.

[Fran]

Yeah, I love Apple tv. It's definitely up there for one of the apps that I frequent the most. I really don't know why I have Hulu because I barely go on on there. Reasonable doubt is probably going to be the most time that I spend on who.

[Asante]

Yeah, I think it is time as we're talking about it and as things have gone she might need to go.

[Fran]

Yeah.

[Dustin Ross]

I'm looking online to see if people I just googled does Apple advertise their television shows? And people are like good question. I ain't never seen the ad.

[Fran]

I'm telling you, I never seen one. I know it's a long running joke but I personally have never seen an ad for an Apple Apple show. So shout out to them. I don't know how they do it but I know they raised their price recently I got that email.

[Asante]

Ciao. Every time I see an increase email I'm like why is every like everything has to go up. Can't nobody give me a break. This is all digital anyway.

[Fran]

Anything else y' all okay, touch on according to.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, we about to get to the bottom of this shit. According to fastcompany.com fastcompany.com in the article, let me credit the this right. Why is Apple so bad? This is from 10-16-2024, so last year. Why is Apple so bad at marketing its TV shows? Here's a quote from this article. They say a quote unquote walled garden. Considering the emphasis on Apple's brand over that of each show, perhaps the lack of full on marketing blitzes for any given series is intentional. Apple made a bold choice by slow building its streaming library from the ground up rather than licensing beloved titles for instant enticement. So maybe it's a branding thing. So apparently it's intentional because I'm like these are television shows. Why wouldn't they advertise them?

[Fran]

And they're great.

[Dustin Ross]

That's with big name talent.

[Asante]

Even shows I don't watch, I know are good. Like they had that show at. Was it Octavia had the podcast. Somebody had a pod.

[Fran]

Yeah, I like to watch that. It wasn't bad. It just, I think I went back to.

[Asante]

I didn't watch it either. But like from what I saw I was like this looks good but it's like, you know, I just watch.

[Fran]

And she like podcast. Yeah it was actually and she's a great actress.

[Asante]

So there have been plenty of shows and they'd only done and sometimes those shows they're only doing like one or two a year or one or two a quarter or something like that now probably. But I was like, damn. Like when is like foundation that just came back was a show that had been gone for a minute. But I feel like they came back quicker this time around. Or maybe it did come back the same time of year. But those high production shows, I'm like these have to be expensive.

[Fran]

But Apple and so much original content. That to me is why I like Apple because it's fresh shit that you're like, oh this is good. Really good concepts. And then of course the way that they're shot, you know they have a bag like outside of the A list actors. But it's also the way that the shows are shot. And even I like the interface of the app too. It's clean. Like the way it looks is just nice. It's out. They're always known for their branding.

[Asante]

What's the new. What's the new Denzel movie?

[Fran]

Mo Better Blues with Spike. The Spike one is.

[Asante]

Is that who it is? Highest.

[Dustin Ross]

Yes. Highest to low. Highest to lowest. Or some shit.

[Fran]

And ASAP with. With Denzel. And ASAP was the lowest.

[Asante]

Was that an Apple TV original or. No?

[Fran]

No, I think that's a Spike Lee joint. Like, in theaters.

[Dustin Ross]

Yeah, it's on Apple TV and Prime Video.

[Asante]

Yeah, it was in theaters before that. All right, never mind then.

[Fran]

Yeah, I thought that was a Spike Lee joint. At least I thought.

[Asante]

I don't know, missed it in theaters. Sorry. Sorry I didn't support Spike. My bad. I just kept seeing that on Apple tv. And the point I was about to make was like, now I don't see Apple Miss. But I did see people talking Denzel movie. But never mind. That's nothing to do with Apple tv. Never mind.

[Fran]

You don't. Bad mouth Denzel. Thank you guys for listening to us. We love you guys so much. And we'll catch you guys next week.

[Asante]

Stay back and protect your magic.

[Fran]

Bye, y'. All.

[Dustin Ross]

Rated M for mature. Who are you?

[E]

A wandering spirit seeking vengeance.

[Dustin Ross]

You live. I thought we killed your whole family, but here you are, little wolf.

[E]

My name is atu. Every member of the Yotei Six will suffer.

[Commercial Voice]

Get lost in the hunt.

[Dustin Ross]

Forge a new path at the edge of Japan. Ghost of Yotei, available October 2nd on PS5.