Bonus: Aunties In Your Business

Summary

The Latest with Loren LoRosa — Bonus: Aunties In Your Business

Podcast: The Latest with Loren LoRosa
Host: Loren LaRosa (The Black Effect and iHeartPodcasts)
Episode Date: December 27, 2025

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Overview

In this holiday bonus episode, Loren LaRosa dives into the complexities and pressures of family gatherings, specifically the often intrusive questions and opinions from "aunties" about relationships, marriage, and having children. With guest Brandon, Loren discusses generational expectations, boundaries, and the rising trend of finding support in chosen family or friends. The episode is punctuated by real talk, humor, and an interactive segment featuring a call-in from a listener weighing in on skipping family holidays for the sake of peace.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The "Aunties in Your Business" Phenomenon (03:44 - 14:41)

• Topic Introduction: Loren frames herself as “the homegirl that knows a little bit about everything and everybody” (03:44), introducing the episode's central theme: nosy family members and the pressures they put on younger relatives during the holidays.
• Personal Stories: Both Loren and Brandon share experiences with introducing new partners to family and facing family inquisitiveness.
  • Loren jokes: “All my family hasn’t met my boyfriend yet. Has all of your family met your girlfriend?” (04:31)
  • Brandon: “No, we’re really new.” (04:36)
• Coco Jones Reference: Loren brings up singer Coco Jones, who spoke about dealing with repetitive family questions about being single. Coco’s advice is to arm oneself with clever or “nice-nasty” responses:
  • Quote: “At this point we have boundaries… There’s too much therapy on the Internet to not have a boundary, to not have some self-worth, and to not allow yourself to be cornered into a subject you want to talk about.” (06:34)
• Gender Differences: Discussion surfaces on how intrusive questions tend to target women more:
  • Loren: “From about the time I was, like, 18, 19... the conversation is, what are you doing to prepare yourself for your husband so that you can have kids? Literally, like, that's the only conversation.” (08:06)
  • Brandon reflects: For men, family pressure feels lighter and more playful.

2. Generational Differences and Cultural Contexts (07:05 - 14:41)

• Respect and Tension: Loren and Brandon discuss balancing respect for elders with self-advocacy.
  • Loren: “If you keep pressing me, baby, you poke the bear, you won’t get what you asked for.” (07:10)
• Cultural Notes: Brandon shares that in African households (specifically Ghanaian), elders’ questions signal care and community, though boundaries are still important.
  • Loren: “I've always heard it's a little bit different in African households.” (14:14)
  • Brandon: “There's a lot of love in African household—it’s just cold. You gotta heat it up.” (14:32)

3. Choosing Peace Over Tradition: Friends as the New Family (14:41 - 19:50)

• Media Coverage: Loren references Vogue and Self.com reporting on platonic friendships sidelining romantic relationships for millennial and Gen Z women. Activities once reserved for couples (buying homes, joint accounts, even platonic weddings) now mirror best-friend bonds.
  • Loren: “In 2025, having a boyfriend became embarrassing... Best friends are the new boyfriends.” (15:41, 17:14)
• Social Trends: There's a shift in social media and real life away from showcasing romances towards cherishing deep friendships. Loren and Brandon joke about the messiness of failed romantic relationships and how friends can offer more stable support.

4. Family Dynamics: The Pressure to Partner Up and the Value of Waiting (09:00 - 12:58)

• Reflecting on Parental Experience: Loren notes most women in her family have raised children alone, making her wary of family pressure to settle down:
  • Quote: “Other than a few aunts...everyone I know woman-wise has raised their kids by themselves.” (09:00)
• Self-Discovery: Both Loren and Brandon advocate working on oneself before seeking a life partner.
  • Brandon: “What are you doing to attract the right person into your life?” (11:49)
  • Loren agrees: “I’m so glad I didn’t just have kids...just do it because I was in a relationship with somebody.” (12:07)

5. Is It Okay to Skip Family Holidays to Protect Your Peace? (24:42 - 36:23)

• New Segment — Listener Call-In: Loren launches a new call-in segment to poll listeners ("low riders") about family gatherings.
• Anonymous Caller’s Perspective:
  • Quote: “Sometimes we normalize dysfunction, and that’s not the space I am in life. So...I’m just gonna go ahead and skip that one and I’ll call y’all and say Merry Christmas or send that text and go about my day.” (30:23)
  • The caller stresses finding joy in alternative ways: cooking, spending time with friends, or doing what fills their cup.
• On Family and Forgiveness:
  • Caller: “Those relationships you have to continue to mend if they're worth mending...if there’s no effort put towards a relationship, then...you gotta do what you gotta do and...press on.” (34:19)
• Brandon’s Take: “If you're at a family event and it always brings you down...you should definitely find something else to do...But do something on that day so you’re not just down in the dumps and depressed.” (32:15)
• Loren on Mental Health: Reminds listeners that the holidays can be hard, referencing increased reports from suicide prevention organizations and how boundaries are a form of self-care.

6. Honest Family Conversations and Practical Boundaries (35:33 - 37:12)

• Behavior Change: The caller recaps that, even after honest conversations about family issues, sometimes behavior doesn’t change; the “best apology is changed behavior” (35:40). In those cases, you may have to "just suck it up" or limit contact for your own well-being.
• Closing Thoughts: Loren encourages listeners to participate in future call-ins and prioritizes protecting one's peace without losing sight of the importance of family ties.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Witty Comebacks to Aunties:
  “I would get a couple pivots and have them ready like on my notes app or just in the spirit. So when she says something, I’d be like, ‘Oh, Auntie, don’t you need to worry about that job you wasn’t—no, you don’t need to worry about uncle because I thought he... Seems like you got a lot of free time these days, period.’”
  — Loren LaRosa, relaying Coco Jones' approach (06:34)

• Setting Self-Worth and Boundaries:
  “There’s too much therapy on the Internet to not have a boundary, to not have some self-worth and to not allow yourself to be cornered into a subject you want to talk about.”
  — Loren LaRosa (06:45)

• On Single Women and Family Pressures:
  “What are you doing to prepare yourself for your husband so that you can have kids? And it’s like, well, damn, can I go to college, have an education, get a career, figure out myself first?”
  — Loren LaRosa (08:13)

• On Family Dysfunction and Skipping Holidays:
  “Sometimes we normalize dysfunction, and that’s not the space I am in life. So...I’m just gonna go ahead and skip that one and I’ll call y’all and say Merry Christmas or send that text and go about my day.”
  — Anonymous Caller (30:23)

• Protecting Your Peace:
  “I think it’s more about protecting your peace at the end of the day. That is what’s most important.”
  — Loren LaRosa (18:38)

• On Honest Conversations with Family:
  “I think the best apology is changed behavior.”
  — Anonymous Caller (35:40)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:44 — Loren and Brandon introduce the “aunties in your business” topic.
• 04:36-06:45 — Personal stories about family pressures and new relationships.
• 08:05-09:00 — Gendered family pressure and expectations for women.
• 14:32-17:14 — Discussion of Vogue and Self.com articles: best friends as the new romantic partners.
• 24:42-31:36 — Call-in segment: Is it okay to skip family holidays?
• 34:19-35:55 — Navigating boundaries, forgiveness, and continuing family relationships.
• 36:23-37:12 — Episode wrap and Loren invites listeners for more participation.

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Tone and Style

• Loren's tone is conversational, witty, and inclusive—she invites listeners into her own family experiences and uses humor to handle sensitive topics.
• Brandon offers thoughtful counterpoints, bringing in his Ghanaian American background and male perspective, often gently poking fun at Loren and himself.
• The episode balances lighthearted jokes with honest reflection on mental health, boundaries, and self-care during the holidays.

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Summary Takeaway

This lively bonus episode of “The Latest with Loren LaRosa” unpacks the tricky navigation of holiday family gatherings, offering relatable stories, pop culture references, and listener input to encourage setting personal boundaries, protecting one’s peace, and finding family—biological or chosen—where it feels healthiest. Loren and Brandon keep it real about family mess, social change, and why sometimes the best move is skipping the scene entirely.

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For more, follow Loren LaRosa on all platforms and look out for future episodes inviting real-life listener perspectives (“low riders”) on trending topics in the culture.

Transcript

[Lauren LaRosa]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human hey, what up y'? All?

[DJ Envy]

It's DJ Envy and the holidays are here. The time of year that's all about connecting with loved ones in person or over the phone. In fact, hearing someone's voice can emote a similar emotional response as a hug. And while most of us can hop on a video chat to really bring that connection to life, using tech isn't easy for everyone, especially some of the older folk in our lives. And AT&T has been doing something special here to help. They offer digital literacy workshops that help older adults learn how to use technology to do things most of us take for granted, like video conferencing and sharing photos. Take Nancy Shand. She joined one of AT&T's workshops to learn how to video chat for the first time this holiday season. Nancy won't just be hearing about family gatherings, she'll be a part of them, sharing stories, opening presents, and making memories all through a screen. Nobody should have to go through the holiday season alone, so be sure to connect and stay connected to your loved ones this holiday season.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Connecting changes everything. AT&T.

[Ben]

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[Lauren LaRosa]

I'm the homegirl that knows a little bit about everything and everybody.

[Brandon]

You know, if you don't lie about that, right?

[Lauren LaRosa]

Lauren came in hot. Chill. Obama need to shut up and stop talking about Barack Obama. I didn't say early episode because he said she'd be talking too much and she'd be embarrassing her.

[Brandon]

I didn't say that. I ain't say.

[Lauren LaRosa]

But anyway, yeah, so Brandon will be joining me for, you know, those. Those segments and also will be, you know, producing those out as well. It's just something fun that I think I'm gonna be excited about and I think you guys will too, because y' all be having a lot to say up in the comments when I post these videos on social. So we wanted to find a way to engage and I think that this is going to be it. So getting right on into our episode. Y' all know the holidays are here and, man, I mean, I don't got these worries no more because my man, my man, I can't. I. I can't wait for because all of my family hasn't met my boyfriend yet. Has all of your family met?

[Brandon]

No.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Your girlfriend?

[Brandon]

No, we're really new. So.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Okay, then y' all really knew. I didn't even know like, how to, like, intro it, like. So y' all are officially boyfriend and girlfriend. You better say yes. Can you say it with your chest a little bit more? Oh, she heard. Okay. In case she's listening. Hey, beautiful. He was patting on his chest, so he was like, you know, very serious about that answer. But yes, you know, in new relationships, I think it's the excitement of like, yes, my family's going to love you. Can't wait for them to meet you if you know that you got a good one. Okay. But if you have no one to bring home and you have everything else happening all year long, so the success of career, you know, you're a great looking person, all of the things lined up, but you just pop up by yourself. Family being your business. And Coco Jones was on Sirius XM doing a segment and she talked a little bit about, you know, what it's like having family in your business. Because someone wrote into her was trying to get some advice. Let's take a listen. Every holiday, my aunt drills me with the same questions about why I'm still single and when I'm going to get married and have kids. No matter how hard I try to change the subject, she keeps pressing me, how can I handle her this year without losing my cool or turning the family gathering into a scene? Oh, my God. Now that right there is messy, girl. And I do have to chuckle just a touch. Here's what I think. I actually have been very into nice, nasty reads. So I would obviously prep since you know that this happens every year. I would get a couple pivots and have them ready like on like my notes app or just in the spirit. So when she says something, I'd be like, oh, auntie, don't you need to worry about that job? You wasn't. No, you don't need to worry about uncle because I thought he. Oh, I just feel like you, I thought you had a lot on your hands. Okay. Seems like you got a lot of free time these days, period. You know what I like to do?

[Shopify User]

Pilates.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Thank you. You know what I'm saying? Like a nice naughty, nice naughty list. You know what I'm saying? I want to read like that. Because girl, you know what? At this point we have boundaries. You know what I'm saying?

[Ben]

This is.

[Lauren LaRosa]

There's too much therapy on the Internet to not have a boundary, to not have some self worth and to not allow yourself to be cornered into a subject you want to talk about.

[Brandon]

I think that's a little much. Who should say all that? Because I think your aunties is going to be your aunties. They're going to want to pry, they're going to act like your second mothers.

[Lauren LaRosa]

And they're going to bring it from Ghana. So maybe it's different over there because you got to respect.

[Brandon]

Okay, Maybe it's a different perspective.

[Lauren LaRosa]

And I respect my elders. I love my elders, I love my old older aunts and you know, all of that. Yeah, but if you keep Pressing me, baby. You poke the bear, you won't get what you asked for.

[Brandon]

Maybe it's different with. With women because maybe they're on you a little more and there's more pressure to, like, get married and have kids.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Has anyone ever asked you, when are you gonna have kids?

[Brandon]

No, but they, like, exactly.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Hold on. How old are you?

[Brandon]

Okay. No, no, they asked me. What? Yes, yes. My parents, they. I feel like they just started asking about, like, grandkids because they don't have any.

[Lauren LaRosa]

But, like, how are they at? Like, what are they saying to you?

[Brandon]

It's more funny and playful, like, we need some grandkids. Or like, I mean, before they'd be trying to hook me up with, like, if I go to church with them as a young girl in the church. Hey, my son. That all this stuff. So it's more like that they want me to, like.

[Lauren LaRosa]

How old are you?

[Brandon]

I am 30.

[Lauren LaRosa]

30. Okay. So probably from the time about I was, like, 18, 19.

[Brandon]

Oh, really?

[Lauren LaRosa]

When? Because at first I didn't know if I was gonna go to college. I was planning to just stay home and work. I've always been, like, very, like, work oriented.

[Brandon]

Yeah.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Once I got out of college, I probably. How old. How old were you when graduated college?

[Brandon]

22.

[Lauren LaRosa]

22. So imagine being 19 and, you know, the conversation is, what are you doing to prepare yourself for your husband so that you can have kids? Literally, like, that's the only conversation.

[Brandon]

Yeah.

[Lauren LaRosa]

And I was like, well, I want to go to college. I want to get myself together. What are you doing to prepare yourself for your husband so you can have kids? And it's like, well, damn, can I go to college, have an education, get a career, figure out myself first before I just.

[Brandon]

But that's their way of life, to clap back, talking about their divorce and everything they did wrong in life. Maybe they're coming at you because they did have some missteps. Maybe they waited too long to, you know, settle down. And it's like, I can understand and they want better for you.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I can understand all of that. But I do think there's a level of all of that gets real. Because here's my thing, and this is how I used to feel when, like, people. People to this day still be like, you want kids? And I'd be like, you gonna pay for. I think. I do think a lot of it is in love and people just wanting you to, like, not wait too late, especially as a woman because of the time clock or whatever. But I also feel like people don't take into account you're not with me on a day to day. And most of the women I know in my family, like it's very, it's, you know, a few one off situations where people are happily married or happily in relationships. Other than that everyone I know woman wise has raised their kids by themselves. Like I have, I have a few aunts that have been like happily married for some time or like had kids with someone and had to remarry and like those men have been good men and raised like my cousins and stuff like that. But it's a, it's, it's not like a common thing where I'm seeing a bunch of like happily married.

[Brandon]

But maybe they out that's why they wish they had somebody on their ass pressuring the, maybe the importance of, maybe they see the importance of a two parent household and how much it could have helped them raising their child.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I get it, I do. But I think that you need to allow someone to see that importance themselves. Because I think when I was having conversations about this at like 19, 20, 21, 22, I understood it because I don't come from a two parent household, right. But me at my age now, my understanding of it and also my ability to do what I need to do to be able to be a wife eventually to a man is completely different. If I got into a situation then it wouldn't have, we would not be together today, like I promise you. Because I wouldn't have been able to handle everything that life would have thrown my way and, and I would have fought. Don't get me wrong, because I've always said I don't believe in divorce and all of that, but like I just think things happen for people when they're supposed to. Me personally, I wasn't ready for a lot of the, the things that it takes to build a household in a home, not just be with somebody and, and have a kid and there's two of y' all in the house. I mean I want to really build a home. I want my kid to feel the love that we have for each other, the love we have for them. That's so different than just like, oh, we together and we have a kid, we live in this house together and we make it work because we got kids. And I feel like I understand the, the push point, but sometimes I feel like. Back up, Auntie Dang. Yeah, like your wine kicking in.

[Brandon]

Yeah, I understand what you're saying like, because from what you just said and some things you've told me behind the scenes about that situation, like, that was clearly the wrong person to settle down. So that's different.

[Lauren LaRosa]

My ex. Yeah, I would have had a kid with him. We would not be together right now. We would still have a kid, but.

[Brandon]

Exactly. So I think it's more so, like, what are you doing to attract the right person into your life?

[Lauren LaRosa]

Exactly.

[Brandon]

Because I think that's a. That's a thing, too. Like, working on yourself to attract, you know, a good person. Sometimes you're not working on yourself. You can attract the wrong person or just settle for anybody who comes your way, maybe. Lack of options.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I think it's always a conversation worth having with, like, my. Like, my mom and, you know, other women that I know have always been very honest with me about. You need a partner. Right. You need someone in your life that is a partner that is willing to do for you. And, you know, different things like that. But at the same time, you can't partner with me if I don't even know what the foundation of the partnership should look like on my end. Like, I don't know. At that time, I didn't really understand a lot of, like, what I needed, what I wanted. Like, there was so. There's just so much that I. That is so different that now today, where I'm always grateful. Like, I'm so glad that I didn't just have kids and just do it because I was in a relationship with somebody, like, a hundred percent. So I get it. But I feel, Coco, sometimes you need to let somebody know, like, yo, your box mind kicking in too much? Leave me alone.

[Brandon]

That's good. That's not what Coco said.

[Lauren LaRosa]

It's the same thing.

[Ben]

Nah.

[Brandon]

Talking about, oh, don't you got to worry about your husband doing, like, bring up her husband Cheese and bring up the divorce? I don't know. That's a lot.

[Shopify User]

That's a lot.

[Lauren LaRosa]

That. So for that caller that Coco was responding to, because it's not Coco. Y' all know my girl Coco. She's good. Okay. Her and Donovan Mitchell.

[Brandon]

No, Coco was the one that was saying she. That's how she'd be talking to her aunts.

[Lauren LaRosa]

That's what she would say. She don't need to do that now. She could.

[Brandon]

No, but still, like, it's a new relationship, so they probably are pressing her. Hey, girl, you need to lock that down. Get that ring asap.

[Lauren LaRosa]

And then they're engaged.

[Brandon]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. But listen, the point is, I don't think she need to go crazy.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I would walk into Christmas with a ring and somebody's still gonna ask me about when we getting marri. When we having a baby. Show me your ring, Auntie.

[Brandon]

And my aunts are petty. And I still wouldn't do that, too. I remember one time I walked into Thanksgiving, right? And my aunt, she had come from Ghana. I didn't know she came from Ghana. I wasn't expecting to see her. So I went in for a hug, and she was like, no, last time I saw you, ignored me. And they gave me a hug and kept it moving. She was talking about when I was 7 years old and I was playing with toys and I ignored her. I think she was calling my day. Playing with toys. And she didn't give me a hug. But still, like. And that's how she is. And I still.

[Lauren LaRosa]

There's so much love in our family. I've always heard. Oh, no, I've always heard. And listen, I love all of our African listeners from, you know, for New Year's Eve. Hit me up if y' all got some things I should be doing, talking about seeing. But I've always heard it's a little bit different in African households.

[Ben]

There's love.

[Brandon]

There's a lot of love in African household.

[Ben]

It's just cold.

[Lauren LaRosa]

You gotta heat it up.

[DJ Envy]

Yeah.

[Brandon]

Yes, that's true.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Well, Vogue did a report that.

[Brandon]

You know Africans.

[Lauren LaRosa]

No, Vogue did a report back in October, and the headline of the report is, is having a boyfriend embarrassing? Now, this is about your girlfriends becoming the new boyfriend. Because one thing also I will say to Auntie is, now you done went through it. I know Melvin had a family down the street, and you got tired of it. That's why you, by yourself, don't nobody wants to pop up with. With another Melvin. Let me take my time. Because some people. I think a big fear right now is with social media and a lot of the things that people are experiencing today. It's like, it's very rare to find a person who is genuinely being intentional about being in someone's life. That's another thing, too. So to bring someone around your family to do all of that, like, it's just. It's. People are weird. Outside is like, not. I'm so happy I'm not there anymore. Like, I am. I love it over here. I love being in the. In the cut, tucked away, warm, and. And not, you know, having to engage with my mean aunt like Brandon. But Vogue says Vogue. So Vogue originally reported this, and then self.com picked it up. Self.com says in 2025, having a boyfriend became embarrassing. According to Vogue, in Place friendships are receiving the kind of long term intention once reserved exclusively for romantic partners. Friends are doing things like buying homes together, opening joint bank accounts, throwing platonic wedding ceremonies. That's wild. Throwing platonic wedding ceremonies to formulize their commitment to each other. Quote air marks no one wants to see your cheesy hard launch or romantic weekend upstate on Instagram anymore. But your girls trip by any means. Un unsurprisingly this cultural reckoning has made its way into the celebrity world. Some of the celebrities they point at are Ariana Grande and Cynthia Ros unsettling according to self.com close and undeniably bold bond throughout the wicked press tour.

[Brandon]

Oh no. Cynthia Lesbian. So she might be trying to pull up on Ariana but that's another conversation for another day.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I think the sense of the conversation is when you are popping out with somebody, you bringing somebody around your family, you want to make sure it's legit because if you gon fight back against the aunties in their box wine it need to be real. Okay. I've been in a situation where I was embarrassed in front of my family by that man and I told myself I would never go back there again.

[Brandon]

So what is it, what is the title of this article like? What is the gist of it?

[Lauren LaRosa]

That best friends are the new boyfriends. So people are relying and and resting their head in the fact that they have a really good best friend and they're doing things that they would do with a very serious boyfriend because they can't find anyone that is serious and intentional.

[Brandon]

I understand. I saw that lesbians have the highest rate of divorce.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Where you see that at quote yourself. We do, we do. Sources over here. Quote your source. Let me look it up Brandon. Just be making stuff up. Studies across multiple countries indicate that lesbian couples do have a higher rate compared to both gay male couples and heterosexual. Heterosexual.

[Brandon]

So the less men in a relationship, I mean the less women in the relationship the better it would do.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Oh my God. So this is a study called them us. Why do lesbians. Why do lesbian couples tend to have higher divorce rates than gay and straight peers?

[Brandon]

I'll just be doing for real.

[Lauren LaRosa]

That's the question that a new finished study sets out to answer and the results might not be what you expect. The study titled Same sex in different sex couples Divorce Risk the role of Cohabitation, Cohabit, Cohabitation and Childbearing was published in the Journal of Marriage and family on September 9th. So prior studies have shown that female and male couples so lesbian couples and Gay male couples have a higher divorce risk than different sex couples.

[Brandon]

Gay males, too.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yeah, that's what this is. According to the study with the highest divorce risk among female couples. So lesbian couples across countries such as Sweden, Norway, Denmark and the United States. The United States and Canada. Well, look, I think it's more about protecting your peace at the end of the day. I think that that is what's most important. Again, I've been in a situation where I was embarrassed by a man when it comes to my family. And every single holiday, every single family get together, that's all you're thinking about is who got something to say. You can't wait to pull up to say something to somebody, to blah, blah, blah, blah. Like it's just too much and you shouldn't be there should be that animosity should not exist within family about another person. Internally, y' all gonna go through y' all things. And that's why this episode, we decided to get some callers on the line. We wanted to get on the line with the low riders, you know, on the line with Lauren LaRosa in the latest to hear from some people that may have some animosity towards their family or may not might just be protecting their peace to ask them, is it okay to skip out on the holidays? Because honestly, if I was that person that wrote the Coco Jones, I'm not going back if I gotta tell my aunt. That's why you divorce, you old hag. And your box wine is stale. I'm not going back.

[Brandon]

Sometimes you gotta suck it up, man.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Well, let's get into the callers. Let's see what our caller had to say.

[DJ Envy]

Hey, what up, y'?

[Ben]

All?

[DJ Envy]

It's DJ Envy. And the holidays are here. The time of year that's all about connecting with loved ones in person or over the phone. In fact, hearing someone's voice can evoke a similar emotional response as a hug. And while most of us can hop on a video chat to really bring that connection to life, using tech isn't easy for everyone, especially some of the older folk in our lives. AT&T has been doing something special here to help. They offer digital literacy workshops that help older adults learn how to use technology to do things most of us take for granted, like video conferencing and sharing photos. Take Nancy Shand. She joined one of AT&T's workshops to learn how to video chat. For the first time this holiday season, Nancy won't just be hearing about family gatherings. She'll be a part of them, sharing stories, opening presents and making memories all through a screen. Nobody should have to go through the holiday season alone, so be sure to connect and stay connected to your loved ones this holiday season.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Connecting changes everything.

[Ben]

At and T there's nothing better than the holidays. The house is full, music playing, cousins talking trash over games. It's like the family group chat finally made it to real life. And right there when you need a fresh pick me up is Sprite Winter Spice Cranberry. It has that crisp cranberry flavor with a smooth winter spice twist. Just feels made for festive moments like these. Whether you're cooking with your auntie, laughing with old friends, or catching up with a favorite cousin that you haven't seen all year, Sprite keeps the celebration bright and refreshing. It's the perfect holiday sip. It's light, flavorful, festive, and worth sharing. But heads up, Sprite Winter Spiked Cranberry is only here for a limited time, so grab it now, throw it in the fridge and crack another open to keep the good vibes flowing. Your favorite flavor has officially arrived. Sprite Winter Spice Cranberry Sprite Obey your thirst.

[Big Lone]

What's up y'?

[Ben]

All?

[Big Lone]

This is Big Lone from It's Up There podcast. In this powerful episode, we're breaking down the danger of silence and and how. Way too many of us are taught to protect the vibe instead of protecting ourselves. We spend more time researching cars, microphones, sneakers than we will researching on how to protect our bodies and our partners. If you have an honest conversation, one uncomfortable minute can save you a lifetime of regret. The CDC says nearly one in five people carry an STI and most don't even know it. Real Intimate isn't built in the dark, it's built in the disclosure. Condoms testing transparency. Those aren't passion killers. They're peace builders. It's too much risk in our silence. Speak up. You can listen to this special episode of It's Up There podcast with Lone brought to you by Healthy Sexual from Gilead sciences on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast.

[Shopify User]

End of the year is when we finally stop, breathe and say, okay, what's the next big move? And with everything we juggle families, businesses, filming, life in general. If it's not making things easier, we're not using it. That's exactly why we love Shopify. Shopify is like having your own chief of staff, personal assistant, and business partner wrapped into one. I can personally say that Shopify made it possible for me to start my business of Satin line baseball hats embellished, which to this Day is has multi million dollars in sales. Thank you, Shopify, for all things to keep my businesses in check. Shopify keeps everything organized. No juggling, 10 logins, no chaos. My whole storefront in one place. Website, social, selling, merchandise, analytics. Boom, right there. And Shopify Sidekick, that AI assistant, is real content, ideas, image, edits, reports, you name it. It's like someone whispering and hey, sis, here's your next step right in your ear. So whether you're launching something new in 2026 or cleaning up the business you already have, starting now puts you ahead of the game and so does Shopify. So it's time to stop thinking and start doing. And there's no better way to start than with Shopify by your side. Use our link shopify.com ben to start getting serious about building your.

[IBM Representative]

So you're telling me that the AI that's meant to make everyone's job easier to manage just adds more to manage. On top of the thousands of apps the IT department already manages? Funny how that works. Any business can add AI. IBM helps you scale and manage AI to change how you do business. Let's create smarter business. IBM.

[Lauren LaRosa]

All right, y'.

[Shopify User]

All.

[Lauren LaRosa]

So introducing a new bonus segment here during the holidays because, you know, it'd be a lot going on during the holidays. You got. You got a lot of people, you meeting a lot of people in and out of the family. You trying to gauge if you like your cousin, new boyfriend or not, or things. Y' all know how that go. So we have people calling in my lowriders, our listeners, our community here, calling in to talk about some topics that I think are important to understand before you walk into anybody's house and taste their Mac and cheese. Yes, right. So on the line, we have one of our low riders who will remain anonymous. And all calls will be anonymous because y' all know I protect the source, I protect the things. But one of the questions that we were asking the low riders is, is it okay to skip family holidays if you are protecting your peace?

[Ben]

There's nothing better than the holidays. The house is full, music playing, cousins talking trash over games. It's like the family group chat finally made it to real life. And right there, when you need a fresh pick me up is Sprite Winter spice cranberry. It has that crisp cranberry flavor with a smooth winter spice twist. Just feels made for festive moments like these. Whether you're cooking with your auntie, laughing with old friends, or catching up with a favorite cousin that you haven't seen all year, Sprite keeps the celebration. Bright and refreshing, it's the perfect holiday sip. It's light, flavorful, festive and worth sharing. But heads up. Sprite Winter Spice Cranberry is only here for a limited time, so grab it now, throw it in the fridge and crack another open to keep the good vibes flowing. Your favorite flavor has officially arrived. Sprite Winter Spice Cranberry Sprite Obey your thirst.

[Big Lone]

What's up y'?

[Ben]

All?

[Big Lone]

It's Big Lone from It's Up There podcast. In this powerful episode, we're breaking down the danger of silence and how way too many of us are taught to protect the vibe instead of protecting ourselves. We spend more time researching cars, microphones, sneakers than we will researching on how to protect our bodies and our partners. If you have an honest conversation, one uncomfortable minute can save you a lifetime of regrets. The CDC says nearly one in five people carry an STI and most don't even know it. Real intimate isn't built in the dark, it's built into disclosure. Condoms, testing transparency. Those aren't passion killers, they're peace builders. It's too much risk in our silence. Speak up. You can listen to this special episode of It's Up There podcast with Lone brought to you by Healthy Sexual from Gilead sciences on the iHeartRadio app or wherever you get your podcast.

[IBM Representative]

So you're telling me that the AI that's meant to make everyone's job easier to manage just adds more to manage? On top of the thousands of apps the IT department already manages? Funny how that works. Any business can add AI. IBM helps you scale and manage AI to change how you do business. Lets create smile to business. IBM.

[AWS AI Representative]

Enterprise AI is revolutionizing customer engagement and Amazon's Alexa demonstrates this transformation. At scale. Alexa represents a breakthrough in AI assistance evolving from basic command response to goal oriented autonomous operation. Powered by AWS AI, this enterprise grade technology processes billions of natural language interactions daily, continuously improving through machine learning. The result? A secure, scalable voice AI platform that's transforming customer experience across industries. For businesses, this represents more than just voice assistance. It's a proven framework for AI driven digital transformation. Global organizations are already deploying AWS voice technology solutions to enhance customer service service, streamline operations and drive innovation. Transform your business operations with the same AI technology powering millions of Alexa interactions worldwide. AWS AI the Voice of Innovation Discover the Alexa [e-mail] AI our-story.

[Brandon]

I've got.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Dan Morgan here on the pod. Say hi Dan. Hey, how's it going today? It's going good man.

[DJ Envy]

Tell us who you are and what you do.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I'm Dan Morgan. I'm an attorney and a managing partner.

[Big Lone]

At Morgan and Morgan, which is America's.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Largest injury law firm. That's pretty awesome. Why do you guys think you win so many cases? The insurance companies and other companies that we go against know that we're going to take it to the end that we believe in the case. So we fight for every dollar and we're not afraid to go that extra mile for our clients. Are insurance companies, like, actually afraid of you guys? We don't bluff. We take it to trial. And we are not strangers of getting very, very, very large verdicts.

[Shopify User]

Awesome.

[Lauren LaRosa]

So how does someone get in contact with Morgan and Morgan? What would I do if I got into an accident? Probably the easiest way is dialing pound law. That's £529 from your cell phone. Our call center is always waiting to take your call. 24 7. 365.

[Ben]

Wow.

[Brandon]

Dan Morgan from Morgan and Morgan, America's.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Large injury law firm. Thanks for coming by the show. Thanks for having me. Visit forthepeople.com for an office near you. All right, so on the line we have an anonymous caller who has some things to say about this topic. Caller, you there? So what do you think? Is it okay to skip family holidays if you're protecting your peace or grandma gonna be pissed off and you gotta show up like, what's going on?

[Anonymous Caller]

No, absolutely. I do think that it's okay to skip a holiday or two or three to protect your peace. You know, you grow up thinking that some things that are normal and then grow up, become an adult. That's not so normal. So then after a while, it's like my relational intelligence tells me to stay home and protect my peace and dance in my house or do whatever I need to do on my holiday and enjoy that. That's what I'm gonna do. I think that sometimes we normalize dysfunction, and that's not the space I am in life. So I'm gonna just go ahead and skip that one and I'll call y' all and say merry Christmas or send that text and going about my day.

[Lauren LaRosa]

But what are you doing on the holiday then? Like, you don't miss your. Because dysfunction, I think. I mean, you're never going to have, like a fully functional family because I think everybody's in very different places when it comes to figuring out the fun, the fact that they're even dysfunctional. Like I was going to say, it's going to say figuring out the function. But so, like you can't get around that. So, like, what do you do then? Like, what replaces popping out for Christmas and exchanging the gifts and the food and like, you know what? Exchange. What do you do?

[Anonymous Caller]

I think things that fill my cup, right. I do things like cook. I surround myself with maybe friends because, you know, sometimes friends are your new family. And as long as you're surrounded by that love or the things that make you happy, your cup is full. You can't be emptied by nothing that you didn't allow.

[Lauren LaRosa]

You know what's crazy, Brandon? I don't know if you have anything to say back to that because that made me think of the, the friends or. There's been a. Reports about how this year a lot people have been seeing. There's been a lot of reports about friends being the new boyfriend.

[Brandon]

Yeah, that's. That was mostly a woman though, right? That report?

[Lauren LaRosa]

I mean, I hope so. Not. I hope so.

[Brandon]

Yeah. To reply to the anonymous caller, I agree. Like, I think if you're at a Christmas event or any family event and it always brings you down and, you know, you just leave the event feeling terrible about yourself or just terrible towards others or it takes you out of character, you should definitely find something else to do. But I do think the important part is to find something else to do on that day so you're not down in the dumps and depressed even when nobody's around. I think you should always maybe take a trip or like she said, go out with friends or go to a friend's significant other's family's place. I think it's important to do something on that day, especially if you're used to doing something instead of just staying at home and, and you know, just thinking about how much you not hate your family but are not in. In good one.

[Lauren LaRosa]

You said one little scoop of potato salad.

[DJ Envy]

Now you hate your family, not hate.

[Brandon]

Your family, but you're not getting along with your family and just, just kind of take your mind off it in a, in a positive way. So I agree with everything Nicola said.

[Lauren LaRosa]

I guess, you know, because I also know too, like around this time there are always a lot of reports from like, you know, not to make it dark, but there's always a lot of reports from various like suicide prevention websites and stuff like that. Just about like, you know how people in that grief of like having to disconnect. And I know Oprah got a lot of pushback earlier this year when she talked about this new trend of people fully going ghosts on their family and like being like you know what? If you violate my mental and my peace family or not, I'm not dealing with you. What are you with that?

[Shopify User]

Huh?

[Brandon]

I'm, I'm with that.

[Lauren LaRosa]

But I, I guess my, my question is then, so you skip the, you skip Christmas, you might be able to skip a Thanksgiving, but they're still your family. And the caller on the line, I would love to hear, like, what do you do long term? Because your family still your family every single day of your life. So long term, are you having conversations with them post Christmas, like, yo, I didn't even want to come to Christmas. Y' all need to get it together. Here are some things like, how do you deal with it the other 364 days of the year?

[Anonymous Caller]

I think I don't want it to get confused with the value of family. I think that, you know, those relationships you have to continue to mend if they're worth mending. And then if you can't get past that, I think that, you know, I'm a faith person, so you, you send it to God, let him handle it, and in all faith, hope that it works out for the best. But the other 365 days, if there was no effort put towards a relationship, then I hate to say it, but you gotta do what you gotta do and kind of like press on.

[Lauren LaRosa]

So first question, when is the last time you didn't go home for a holiday?

[Anonymous Caller]

Last Christmas.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Did you go to Christmas this year for your family?

[Anonymous Caller]

Yeah. And I think the trajectory changed, right, because there have been some honest conversations that have happened and some actualities that sometimes people, they just don't change and you can't want it more than them. But I also think that I don't have to blame all others around them just for some of the other things that people do. So, you know, give you a hug when I walk in, love you, mean it, bye. And then, you know, enjoy the rest of the day because it's not everybody's fault.

[Brandon]

So what came out of the honest conversation? Like, did they acknowledge the things that was making you feel away about them?

[Anonymous Caller]

I think it was acknowledged at the time in the, you know, the space that it was had in. But then after that, maybe not. Maybe behaviors don't change all the time. And I think the best apology is change behaviors. So.

[Brandon]

So you, you just gonna suck it up this year pretty much, or you just sucked it up this year?

[Anonymous Caller]

I guess I just sucked it up this year.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Well, Merry Christmas, Happy holidays, Happy New Year. Hopefully they can see you in a new year as well, because, you know, New Year, new me, you know, they might need that inspiration. They might need to get inspired by whoever the new you will be in 2026, you know.

[Anonymous Caller]

Yeah, it happens.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Well, thank you for joining us on the line with the low riders. It's a new segment that we're doing here at the latest with Lauren the Rosa the podcast. So every now and then, we will be posting a number via social. Make sure you're following me everywhere. Lauren LaRosa on all platforms. That's L O R E N L O R O S A. Because when we tell y' all we need y' all to call, I need y' all on my line. Okay. Be blowing me up. I need y' all on the line with Lauren LaRosa, my low riders.

[Brandon]

She's trying to be one with the.

[Lauren LaRosa]

People, you know, 1, 2, 3.

[Brandon]

A couple.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Trying a couple things with the people. But bringing y' all in, I. I think it's. It's really fun to hear from you guys a bit. So, yeah, I'll see you guys in the next episode. Maybe we'll be talking to some more low riders in the next episode. So maybe not. Maybe. I didn't go to Christmas. No, I went.

[Brandon]

I went, you know.

[Lauren LaRosa]

You know, I went to Christmas. I couldn't wait.

[Brandon]

Yeah, you love your family. You know you do.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Yeah, she said she love her family too. We going to end the episode here, y'. All. It has been another episode of the latest with Lauren, the rest of the podcast. At the end of the day, you guys could be anywhere with any old body talking about these things, my low riders. But y' all choose to be right here with me every episode, and I. I appreciate you guys for that. I'll see y' all in the next one.

[DJ Envy]

Hey, what up, y'?

[Brandon]

All?

[DJ Envy]

It's DJ Envy. And the holidays are here. The time of year that's all about connecting with loved ones in person or over the phone. In fact, hearing someone's voice can emote a similar emotional response as a hug. And while most of us can hop on a video chat to really bring that connection to life, using tech isn't easy for everyone, especially some of the older folk in our lives. AT&T has been doing something special here to help. They offer digital literacy workshops that help older adults learn how to use technology to do things most of us take for granted, like video conferencing and sharing photos. Take Nancy Shand. She joined one of AT&T's workshops to learn how to video chat for the first time. This holiday season, Nancy won't just be hearing about family gatherings, she'll be a part of them, sharing stories, opening presents, and making memories all through a screen. Nobody should have to go through the holiday season alone, so be sure to connect and stay connected to your loved ones this holiday season.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Connecting changes everything. @&t whoo.

[Brandon]

What a vibe we've got, y'.

[Lauren LaRosa]

All.

[Brandon]

As always, it's classic HBCU energy. Nonstop action, the band is rocking and the crowd lit. Chance echoing, drums beating, everybody showing that school pride. Moments like this, yeah, they call for an ice cold Coca Cola. Crisp and refreshing. That's a game changer right there. Mmm. Yeah, that taste always hit the right note. Just like the band at halftime. Passionate fans, school colors everywhere, and an ice cold Coca Cola. That's a winning combo.

[Big Lone]

No matter the place, no matter the.

[Brandon]

Moment, everybody knows fan work is thirsty work.

[Big Lone]

So grab a Coca Cola and keep.

[Brandon]

That HBCU pride going.

[Lauren LaRosa]

10 athletes will face the toughest job interview in fitness that will push past physical and mental breaking points.

[DJ Envy]

You are the fittest of the fit.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Only one of you will leave here with an IFIT contract worth $250,000. This is where mindset comes in.

[Anonymous Caller]

Someone will be eliminated.

[Lauren LaRosa]

Pressure is coming down. Trainer Games on Prime Video January 8th. Watch the trailer on trainergames.com did you know? Microsoft has officially ended Support for Windows 10? Upgrade to Windows 11 with an LG Gram laptop voted PCMag's Reader's Choice Top Laptop Brand for 2025. Thin and ultra lightweight, the LG Gram keeps you productive anywhere and Windows 11.

[DJ Envy]

Gives you access to free security updates.

[Lauren LaRosa]

And ongoing feature upgrades. Visit LGUSA.com iheartra for great seasonal savings on LG Gram laptops with Windows 11 PC Mag Reader's Choice used with permission. All rights reserved. Season two of Unrivaled basketball is here and the talent is unreal. Paige Beckers, Nafiza Collier, Kelsey Plumb, Brianna Stewart and more are back to redefine the game. Unrivaled basketball season two, sponsored by Samsung Galaxy, tips off January 5th on TNT, TruTV and HBO Max. This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed human.