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Lauren LaRosa
This is an I Heart podcast. Guaranteed human.
Wheezy WTF
This is wheezy. WTF from Decisions decisions, ladies. Let's talk about taking control of our sexual health. That's grown woman energy. You may think HIV affects someone else somewhere else, but the truth is it's impacting our community and some of us are being hit harder than others. Black women make up just 13% of the women in the US yet account for nearly half of new HIV diagnoses amongst women. Taking care of ourselves is community care. Know your options, ask questions and protect your peace and your body. That's using your power. Sponsored by Care for the Culture from Gilead Sciences.
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Brian B. Dot Miller
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Lauren LaRosa
I'm the homegirl that knows a little bit about everything and everybody about that, right?
Safeway/Albertsons Advertiser
Lauren came in hot.
Lauren LaRosa
Hey y', all, what's up? It's Lauren LaRosa and this is another episode of the Latest with Lauren LaRosa. This is your daily dig on all things pop culture, entertainment, news and all of the conversations that shake the Room, baby. So we are fresh off of the Mother's Day weekend, and we are gonna. First, let's check in behind the scenes of the grind. Okay. Because I need to check in. Let's do it back on the ground, y'. All. Mother's Day weekend. And I am not even a mom. Was so tiring. Oh, my God. Like, I mean, good tiring, right? Because you spending time with family, it's a lot of people thing that you're doing, spending time with family, with your mom, your grandmother, you know, the women in your life. And yeah, it just like today, now that I'm up out of it, I'm like, whoa. I was in overdrive this weekend. So I told you guys that I was really excited to head down to Delaware, which is where I am from, because this weekend, I was going to be spending time with family. We do an annual mother daughter sleepover, where all of the moms and my family. So it's like, generations from, like, grandma, great grandma, mom, auntie, niece. Like, we all get together. We do a pajama fashion show. We do, like, read our poems and our cards to our mothers and present gifts, have food. You know, just be together and have good times and have real conversations, too. That's one of the things that I appreciate the most, now that I'm older, about this sleepover, because this has actually been happening within my family longer than I've been alive. So this sleepover is 30 plus years old. And, you know, like, now that I'm older, it's like, we're also, like, we were having a conversation about fibroids and cysts and marriage and dating and why a lot of the women in my family are not either of the two married or dating. Just, you know, things that I think when you're younger, you look at, like, your older family members as, like, almost perfect or a lot of things are swept under the rug. And things change when you get older. So, you know, that was like. That's always such a great way to kick off the Mother's Day weekend, giving, you know, a different appreciation for all the women in your family. In the midst of that, though, I do want to shout out the city of Wilmington. I'm from Wilmington, Delaware. I went and hosted a open mic night that the city of Wilmington created. And literally, like, this is in the midst of the sleepover. So I had to, like, duck off for, like, two hours and not make it a big deal because I didn't want. My grandmother would be so annoyed if she knew that I was leaving for Any longer than that. So I had to dip off, go and host this open mic night and shout out to all of the talent that I met there different. I like followed some people, you know, on streaming services and stuff like that. And I will be posting more, you know, just behind the scenes and stuff from that event on my social media and on my YouTube channel. Lauren LaRosa TV and I want you guys to go check it out. I also just had a really good time hosting because it's been a minute. But then after that was over, I dipped back to the sleepover. So we're up till about like what, like 1, 2 o' clock in the morning and then you get up and it's still Mother's Day weekend. So now you gotta do more. And Saturday we went to the movies and then Sunday was actual Mother's Day. So, you know, we spent time together that day, but by Sunday we were burnt out. And I am basically, I. I need some rest and recuperation. Like, I'mma use today to really just like get back a hold of my life, reclaim my life from the weekend, of the things I was on the plantation of, of Mother's Day this weekend. But to those of you guys who had a great Mother's Day and celebrated with your family, I know that it does rejuvenate you, even though it takes a lot to, you know, especially if you're in charge of the things, if you're facilitating the vibes. It takes a lot to host people and your loved ones, but it also rejuvenates you. So that's how I am feeling behind the scenes of the grind. Now let's get on into the latest because a lot of this was unfolding in real time throughout this weekend.
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Lauren LaRosa
Connecting changes everything.
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Lauren LaRosa
Liberty. Liberty. Liberty. Liberty.
Timbo from Sports Slice
Last night, a blown call changed the game. This morning, the Internet lost its mind. Highlights are trending, opinions are flying, and nobody's telling you exactly what happened. That's where Sports Slice comes in. I'm Timbo. Every episode, we're cutting through the noise, breaking down the plays, the controversies, and the stories behind the headlines. The we go straight to the source. The athletes, themselves, their locker room stories, their reactions. The stuff nobody gets to hear. The laughs, the drama, the triumphs, the moments that never make the highlight reel. From viral moments to historic games, from buzzer beaters to controversial calls, we break it down, give you context, and ask the questions everybody wants answered. Sports Slice brings you closer to the action with stories told by the people who live them. Listen to Sports slice on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. And for more, Follow Timbo Slice Life 12 Tik Tok Podcast Network on Tik Tok.
Lauren LaRosa
So, okay, let, let's talk about the latest. So over the weekend, Mother's Day weekend, there was a lot of things that were going down, okay? I saw a lot of the celebrities popping out for Mother's Day, celebrating their moms and celebrating being a mom. I was ripping and running, as I mentioned to you guys, with my mom and my grandmother. But I did get a chance to take them to see the Michael Jackson movie. I will tell you guys, it's not the, the reports are not false. So there were reports that came out over the weekend about how the Michael Jackson movie is still selling insanely. Over the weekend, the Michael Jackson movie hit $577 million at the box office worldwide. And, and this puts it in direct conversation with Bohemian Rhapsody, who they have been competing with for to become the biggest biopic to ever make over $500 million. And when you hear all of these reports, and you know, I've been following a lot of the streaming reports too, like I know Thriller and a bunch of different Michael Jackson songs have been charting crazy and streaming crazy since the movie released, right? Hearing it is one thing. Reading it from a headline is another. But being out in the wild while Michael Jackson has a movie in theaters with women that are 60 plus is a whole different. That is a whole different ballgame, baby. Now, you guys know that I went and saw the movie. I talked to you guys about that before. But going with my mother and my grandmother, completely different experience. And I understand why the conversation around the Michael Jackson movie has not stopped. And I also understand why Mother's Day weekend did such a large amount of money for the movie. Because when I took my mom and my grandmother, the joy and the love and the like, my grandma and my mom are older. So, you know, they like to dance and have a good time, but they're not really people that like, well, my mom is a bit different than my grandma. My mom wants to be everywhere with me all the time. My grandmother is like, she almost didn't want to go see the movie. She doesn't just like being around crowds of people anymore. You know, walking is a big difficult for her. And we, you know, my grandma's almost 90 years old, even though she doesn't act like it. Man, when I tell y', all, when we got in that movie and that movie started, all of that went out the window. The movie made them feel so young, and it made me feel good watching it with them. When I saw the movie the first time, me and my boyfriend went, and of course, it's Michael Jackson, so you're gonna go see the movie. But I went to really watch it for work. And I think what I realized over the weekend, because I actually saw this movie two times this weekend. We also took my boyfriend's mom to see the movie as well, too. Y' all beat?
Brian B. Dot Miller
I walked in, yo, I was in the neighborhood. What's going on?
Lauren LaRosa
This is the latest with one of the words of the podcast, first time, man. So we're talking about the Michael Jackson movie.
Brian B. Dot Miller
Okay.
Lauren LaRosa
And I was talking about how, like, you know, I've been seeing all the street, the streaming numbers and all the different things that the. The record set is breaking still. I'm not surprised. It's Michael Jackson.
Brian B. Dot Miller
Yeah.
Lauren LaRosa
But I went. I took my mom and my grandmother to see the movie this weekend, and it was a completely different experience.
Safeway/Albertsons Advertiser
Really?
Lauren LaRosa
Yes. Because. Okay, so I feel like going myself and being. When I first went, I was in Atlanta, younger audience. We were there. We were really into it. People were having a good time. But I feel like we were looking because we had heard so much of the conversation online and the breakdowns on TikTok and all this stuff. When I went with my mom and my grandmother over the Mother's Day weekend, they're completely removed from all of that. They are just there in real time having a good time. Because Michael Jackson reminds them of a younger feel good time of their life. I've never seen them as whimsical as they were in that theater. Like, I've never experienced something like that. Like, it literally made me think so differently about the movie and its impact.
Brian B. Dot Miller
Yeah, I thought it was a great movie. I enjoyed it thoroughly. I don't understand the criticism. People were like, we didn't learn anything new. Like, Michael Jackson's probably the most documented celebrity of our generation. Right. We know everything about him. There's nothing new. I mean, we did know about the. I did learn about the Bodyguard and his relationship being like a father figure to him.
Lauren LaRosa
Yeah.
Brian B. Dot Miller
But that's something I. I didn't know from watching the previous miniseries. But otherwise, I thought it was a great time, man. It felt like you were at a concert. Jafar made me think that he was Michael. It was a great movie.
Lauren LaRosa
And I just threw B.in here in the mix on y'. All. But B Dot has to properly introduce himself, and y' all will understand why this Michael and his music conversation is so on brand for B Dot. So let the people know.
Brian B. Dot Miller
So my name is Brian B. Dot Miller. I'm a music journalist. I have a background in print journalism from XXL. Started rap radar.com, rap radar, podcast, MTV, VJ Complex, a whole bunch of other things in between, so. And I went to Delaware State.
Lauren LaRosa
Yes, he did. Delaware State. We see you in the world, and if you went anywhere else, we feel bad for you. But, yeah, I just. It made me really realize, honestly, you know what? I walked away feeling like. I've walked away feeling like a dumb ass.
Brian B. Dot Miller
Really.
Lauren LaRosa
Only because I feel like we were watching Michael Jackson. I know myself. I feel like I was watching the Michael Jackson movie from such a shallow place.
Brian B. Dot Miller
Shallow like.
Lauren LaRosa
Like. Like surface level. Like, just trying to, like. All right, I heard about this in the news, and I want to go watch to see what happens, and I want to watch to see if there's any other news. When I watched it with my mom and my grandmother and I was watching them watch the movie most of the time, it really changed how I want to be able to, like, let people, music and things impact me. Because the way that it took them to a different time in their life, like, I literally watched them turn into little kids.
Brian B. Dot Miller
Yeah, man. Michael had that effect on people. I think the movie could have been four hours long and nobody would have objected.
Lauren LaRosa
Yeah, I agree. Yeah, I agree to the point where. And I wasn't even asking them to do it at all. We were leaving out of the theater, and I was like, let me record this. Because, like, it was funny hearing my mom and my grandmother.
Brian B. Dot Miller
Was it a pack theater?
Lauren LaRosa
Oh, yes. That was another thing. What? It was hard. It was four of us. It was hard to even get seats all together. We had to sit in the front row.
Brian B. Dot Miller
Wow.
Lauren LaRosa
And just lean our seats back because they were recliners. Because it was so sold out, you might have had one or two all weekend. Both times I went Mother's Day weekend, it was like that.
Brian B. Dot Miller
Wow.
Lauren LaRosa
Packed theater, people still dressing up in Michael Jackson clothing. When you're seeing the. The Impact online and you're hearing the headlines. No, in real life, lines are still, like, it's still happening. Like, I bought a ticket and text my cousin and was like, hey, buy a ticket. We're going. Five seconds. She couldn't even get a ticket.
Brian B. Dot Miller
Wow. Were people acting out in the theater?
Lauren LaRosa
No. So I didn't have people. I mean, my mom and my grandma were.
Brian B. Dot Miller
But you know what I mean? Like, in the aisles, dancing, doing a moonwalk.
Lauren LaRosa
My mom. I mean, my grandma wasn't doing a moonwalk, but in that theater, my mom and my grandma were the people.
Brian B. Dot Miller
Okay.
Lauren LaRosa
But I haven't been to any theaters where they were doing that. But I do think, because I missed. I was supposed to go the first night it came out in Atlanta. We were there for the podcast festival, and I missed the. The. The. The ticket. We were too late. I think if I would have went that night, I would have seen that. But people were, like, clapping along with the music. People were laughing along with different things. There's just, like, a charm to Michael Jackson that I think they displayed so well, and you could feel people being charmed by him, but they weren't, like, dancing in the aisles and stuff.
Brian B. Dot Miller
I hate that whenever I go to a movie theater and people are just, like, acting a fool, I would have
Lauren LaRosa
been down for it because listen. Listen to my mom and my grandma. So, Mama, what's your review of the Michael Jackson movie? Oh, it was Ready, ready, ready. Happy Mother's Day to me and every mother. Beautiful. Oh, makes me feel so young all over again. All right. My grandmother and my mom are trying to go back this weekend to see it again. Wow. Because it just made them feel so good. Like, y', all, they're like, lauren, all your years going to go see movies, you talking about, you ain't never seen an impact? No, this was the first time ever. I was like, oh, this is what they talk about when they talk about celebrity and fame and Michael Jackson's reach and the way he made people feel.
Brian B. Dot Miller
Yeah.
Lauren LaRosa
Being something we've never seen before, it
Brian B. Dot Miller
was definitely a different level. Mike's life was so grandiose. The fact that he could have a sequel to his biopic, it's kind of crazy when you think about it. Right. I think the next biopic that we're gonna see that's gonna have this sort of impact, probably Beyonce, Destiny's Child, if that ever comes out.
Lauren LaRosa
Yeah.
Brian B. Dot Miller
You know, Blue's got her work cut
Lauren LaRosa
out for her with the manager, you feel like with the. Beyonce's Destiny. Beyonce, Destiny's Child. You think that it's something that we should do, like, years and years from now.
Brian B. Dot Miller
Yeah, maybe. Let's see. Maybe, like, 15 years from now.
Lauren LaRosa
Yeah. Cause I think people missing Michael Jackson and missing, like, the feeling that my mom and my grandmother had while in the theater, they miss that. They don't get that. I think that that adds to it as well too.
Brian B. Dot Miller
But I also think it's a testament to the acting from Jafar and Domingo.
Lauren LaRosa
Yeah.
Brian B. Dot Miller
Like, I forgot that they were actors. They almost felt like real people.
Lauren LaRosa
100. You know, Coleman Domingo's from West Philly.
Brian B. Dot Miller
Is he?
Lauren LaRosa
I didn't know that. I didn't either. I learned that on this press run.
Brian B. Dot Miller
Okay.
Lauren LaRosa
And he. I saw he just got a honorary degree from Temple recently as well, too, so he's getting a lot of his. That was the conversation for Colman Domingo for a while because he's been really good in a lot of roles and people always felt like he wasn't kind of getting his. Just do. I think this movie is helping people to kind of give him some of his flowers as well, to give him
Brian B. Dot Miller
an Oscar, give him an Emmy, give him employee of the month. I think he killed it. They both did great jobs. And that's probably one of the best biopics I've seen ever. It's up there for like, Selena Ray. It's in that conversation for sure.
Lauren LaRosa
Stamped. All right, y', all, well, I'll be back at the movies again this weekend and I'll keep you guys updated in the latest as any other new news unfolds because we know that they are in conversation conversations for the sequel. We just don't know where, when, how, who, what. Like, there's a lot we still need to, you know, bring to you guys. So we will keep you guys updated here at the latest.
Brian B. Dot Miller
And you, I don't know if you do this or not, but I don't buy adult tickets when I go to the movies. I get child tickets.
Lauren LaRosa
They don't check that. No, because I bought senior tickets for my mom, my grandma, and it was only a few dollars cheaper. And no one actually or nothing.
Brian B. Dot Miller
You see what I'm saying? Taylor, I'm sorry, I gotta show you my.
Lauren LaRosa
I've been. I was telling. I was telling my parents, I'm like, yo, why am I probably who care? But I'm so happy that you do that. And they don't check it.
Brian B. Dot Miller
They don't check it.
Wheezy WTF
They don't.
Lauren LaRosa
And I was. I was thinking to myself, I'm like, I'm gonna buy a kiss. Because when do they ever check it?
Brian B. Dot Miller
You think some people faced high school
Lauren LaRosa
and I used to work at the movie theaters when I was younger. Yeah. And I didn't do the ticket thing, though.
Brian B. Dot Miller
I don't think some 17 year old cares about me having a child ticket.
Lauren LaRosa
Right. Y' all didn't see Anderson Paak and Mariah Carey. They were out over the weekend. They were at a date night and they actually stopped Anderson Paak and Mariah Carey to look at and to rip their tickets.
Brian B. Dot Miller
Because it's Anderson Carey.
Lauren LaRosa
Because I feel like you doing too much. I would have just let them go
Brian B. Dot Miller
get them child tickets.
Lauren LaRosa
I saw someone on xa. No one takes their job more serious than the chicken than the ticket checker at the movie theater. Yes. Well, thank you for joining us, B.
Brian B. Dot Miller
Anytime, anytime. I'm gonna go back to my cubby.
Lauren LaRosa
Where can they follow you?
Brian B. Dot Miller
Oh, yeah, B. TM on Instagram, Twitter. Look me up. I'm available.
Liberty Mutual Advertiser
Yeah.
Lauren LaRosa
All right, y'. All. Well, this has been another episode of the Latest with Lauren LaRosa. I tell y' all every single episode. You guys could be anywhere with any old body talking about all the things, but you choose to be right here with me, my lowriders. I appreciate you and I'll see you in my next episode. This is an iheart podcast. Guaranteed human.
Podcast: The Latest with Loren LoRosa
Episode: There Will Always Be Critiques (Reviews on MJ movie feat. BDaht)
Date: May 11, 2026
This episode centers on the massive cultural impact of the new Michael Jackson biopic, explored through Loren LaRosa's own multigenerational family movie outing and a lively discussion with music journalist Brian "B.Dot" Miller. Together, they unpack the film’s emotional resonance across generations, the ongoing conversation around its box office success, and broader insights about music biopics and celebrity legacies.
This episode is a heartfelt, culture-forward reflection on why biopics—especially those recounting icons like Michael Jackson—hit so deeply across generations. Loren LaRosa and BDot remind us that beyond media buzz and critique, these films conjure real feeling and connection in audiences young and old, bringing families together to celebrate, reminisce, and, occasionally, dance in the aisles.