← The Latest with Loren LoRosa
The Latest with Loren LoRosa
When Life Gets Real ( Autism Barbie + Mary J Blige Vegas Residency)
00:24:35
Loading summary
Transcript32 lines
- [00:00]
A
This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human. I'm the homegirl that knows a little bit about everything. And everybody exclusive know she don't lie about that, right? Lauren came in hot. Hey, y'. All, what's up? It's Lauren LaRosa. And this is 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. Now today, checking in behind the scenes of the grind. I am exhausted. I got zero to no sleep last night. I think I got about maybe an hour and a half, two hours of sleep. My aunt Phyllis and my grandma came up. My aunt Phyllis is my grandmother's younger sister, and also my godmom came up to stay with me because my aunt really wanted to go. Like, they wanted to come and go to the Breakfast Club and, you know, see the ins and outs of the show in person and, you know, all that stuff. They came up and it was, you know, it was a rough night. My grandmother is Dang near 90 years old, but you would not be able to tell. She is very independent, does her own thing, all of that stuff. Right. But last night, she. So she has, like, a weak heart. She's had two stent surgeries already, just within my lifetime. And for those of you guys who don't know what a stent surgery is, a stent surgery is when they go into your heart and they put something in there to help the blood flow, to make it where, like, you're able to breathe and your heart is operating or functioning the way that it should be functioning. So my grandma has had that surgery twice. The last time she had it, I talk a lot about about it here on the podcast was that was, you know, the kind of, like, the final thing that brought me back to the East Coast. So, you know, when dealing with my mom's stuff and trying to figure all that out, I was like, okay, my time left in LA is winding down. It just was getting to a point where I couldn't be across the country while caring for my mom. And then my grandmom was, you know, she's older, but she's. They're both still very independent. And then, you know, her heart stuff, you know, she went back through all that again, and we found out that it was a mini heart attack. So I'm like, all right, bet coming back. So to see her last night, because the difference between last night and the time in 2023 was, like, in the 2022. 2023, I think it was. Yeah. It was more 2023. So it might have been like the first couple months of 2023. I've never been with her when any of these episodes are happening. So I got my grandmom and my mom, but my mom just refuses to wear her. She want to. She. She's still going through that phase of like, no, this is not happening to me. I'm good, I'm good, I'm good. But my grandmother wears her ADT Life Alert. She wears it in a wrist, like, almost like a watch. And then she also has it on a necklace and also on a keychain on her phone. So last time this happened, I was alerted by adt. I'm her contacts, like, in case of any, you know, emergency. And they called and was like, hey, she's having issues breathing. I then hang up and they send ambulance right to the house. I didn't hang up, call her. She could barely talk. So I get her off the phone. But I just had my mom, you know, get to the house and we got her to the hospital. Mind you, I'm in la. We got to the hospital, they get to the hospital and they do some checkups on her and they see that it was like, you know, they see the signs of a small heart attack. Last night, she got up to use the bathroom, and it's not even a big distance between my living room and my bathroom, but she got up to use the bathroom and it was, like, late. It was probably like one o'. Clock. So I'm asleep, my aunt's asleep. We're all asleep in the house, asleep. She wakes up to go to the bathroom and I don't even know if she made it to the bathroom. To be honest with you, I can't even remember that. But she was calling my name, but she could barely call my name. And I woke up and I hear her and I'm like, what's happening? But I thought she had just woke up and the TV wasn't on. And, you know, she's in the dark. She's in my house, and she wanted the TV on. So I'm getting up and then I hear her breathing and I hear how she can barely say my name. So I start freaking out. I wake my aunt up. I'm calling, like, I'm trying to call 911, but my grandma's, like, begging me not to. She's just like, no, I just need Aspra. So she's begging me to get the Aspra. So I get Asper. She takes two of them. She's like, I just need to sit and calm down. But she's like holding her chest and I'm like, oh my God, what is happening right now? So even after she calmed down and like all the things that, you know, came after that, I still was like, what the heck is happening right now? So I couldn't sleep. And so I think I got about like a 20 minute nap after I left the Breakfast Club this morning and I came here to the podcast. But one of the things that I realized last night too is just physically, like her mobility is just not, I don't know, I feel like it's almost different than when I just saw her at Christmas and at Thanksgiving. Like, you know, I'm. I'm back and forth home a lot more now because I'm closer and I feel like things have like drastically changed just over like weeks span. Right. So that's scary. So I'm thinking about, you know, all these things. There's stairs in her house, there's this, there's that. She could barely make it to my bedroom or my bathroom, how she climbing stuff. And I'm just like, oh my God. Like, I feel like I'm back in that space again of where I was some years ago, where I was trying to figure out. Because my first thought is like, I wish she could just live with me. But I know she doesn't want to just live with me because her biggest thing is you work too much, you always move, you're always going. So just trying to figure that out. Yeah. Shout out to Dr. Puma. He is a big heart, heart doctor in New York. We talk about him a lot, you know, on the Breakfast Club because he does run, you know, he does like different partnerships with Power 151. But when I talked about, you know, what I was going through, my mom's insurance situation, which we were able to figure out, he had reached out and said, hey, I'll do whatever, you know, free of cost. My mom's doctors were also saying the same thing. So we figured it out luckily. But I called him today and was trying to get my grandmom to go to him. She would not go. But, you know, all these thoughts in my head are just like compounding right now. And I'm like, what is life like? The circle of life is so insane. It's like you're young, you're a kid, everything is great, everything's amazing. You don't know anything. You're super optimistic. You start growing up, you start realizing stuff, you go through bad times, you Go through good times. I feel like I'm just, you know, I'm at a point now in life where like, I'm literally living my dream. I'm able to enjoy things a lot differently. I'm able to like, you know, help out like my family again and like, just all this stuff since quitting a job, you know, and like financially, like, things stopping and not knowing where I would go career wise after that, things are really in a good space. Like, I'm really, like, I've really been blessed. But I started wondering today, like, those blessings are amazing, but man, when I tell you they don't mean nothing. When you sitting there watching your grandma trying to figure out if she can breathe or not. And I just, normally I can solve the problem into, in with this situation. I'm just like, even if she goes to doctors, which I have to push her to do, I found her a really great black woman doctor in Delaware who's a heart surgeon. She's like one of the best in the state, begging her to go there. I actually call her when she leaves here. I'm like, I want her to go today to the er and then that doctor will go and see her in the er. But even if that happens, it's like, I mean, you, you just don't know. Like, things just happen so fast and I just, I, I don't know what to do. It's like, do you, like, do you stop living life and like, what I want to do is, is just like sit up under and watch her all day long and just make sure she's okay. But then I'm like, I gotta go to work, I got bills to pay. Like, what is the equilibrium? Like, what is the middle point here? Like at this point in life when your parents and your grandparents are getting older and that circle of life is like, like, it's like reversed now. Like, what do you do while you're balancing everything else in life? So behind the scenes of the grind, I'm having a very real conversation with myself just about. I mean, I don't even think you can answer that question, to be honest with you. I think you do everything you can do until you can't do any more. But you want to solve a problem like that. Like, if I can solve any problem in my life today, answer any question, get any details, you know, reach out on anything, is that. And you know, I was making calls on my way here before I started working on what we're going to talk about today on the podcast and I talked to Dr. Puma I talked to here in New York, the heart doctor here in New York. I called my grandma's, you know, heart doctor. And I don't know, it still just feels like you're not doing enough. Because also, she is still an adult who makes her own decisions and she doesn't want to go to the hospital. So I'm, like, in the midst of, like, work, but, like, also, like, life. And I feel like I haven't felt like this since. It's probably been since my mom's cancer situation happened where I was, like, trying to figure out, like, what is that middle point? And trying to get to that so I can still work and be cool and, like, enjoy my life, but also not feel guilty for. Not. Because I started thinking, like, dang, what is it like when she's home and she doesn't live by herself, but, like, people aren't attentive to her as I would be, or, you know, and my brother is, you know, not too far from her. So, you know, there's a conversation I'm going to have with him as well, too. Like, I. I gotta figure something out. I don't know. So anybody out there that has dealt with this, I think being a caretaker for the people that you love is just. It's such a. It's such a mental battle because you. Even your solutions don't feel like solutions because you really just don't know. It's like, this is like some. It's literally like a nightmare sometimes. It's like you just. There's nothing you can do but just, like, wake up and get out of it. And then even then you might slip back into it, depending on what happens the next day. So, of course, I prayed about it already and I, you know, I'm like, big and believing that, like, God. God got things under control. But I have had a very human day and a very human. A lot of human moments today where I'm like. But like, what if he doesn't. So we're gonna get on into the latest. I wanted to talk about. I just saw this story and I just thought, because, like I said, I've been having these caretaker conversations with myself and in my head all day long. And I saw that Mattel had just dropped a autistic Barbie. It is one of the first ever autistic Barbies and this new doll, it's a part of their Fashionista collection. So this collection is where they do dolls that have, you know, different things, like different hair texture, different skin color, body types, health conditions. We talked about the diabetes, the type 1 diabetes Barbie as well too, here on the podcast as well. They also have a Down syndrome Barbie, a blindness Barbie. So it's a diverse and wide range of things that these fashionista Barbies are representing in their existence. And now there is an autism Barbie. So Mattel worked with a nonprofit called Autistic Self Advocacy. It's a network that is designed to represent roughly 1 in 31 children who are diagnosed with autism by the age of eight in the United States. In the United States. And Mattel worked with this network, this organization to design the Barbie. And when I first saw the headline, my first question was, how? Because everything with the Barbie is physical, but the Barbies don't press a button and they make noises. It's all like a physical representation of something. So my first thought was, how do you physically represent like autism? Like, for me, I mean, I know that there are, you know, various features just in like physical features of a person. But Barbie also comes with like, you know, there's various clothing and there's, there's just so much that Barbie comes with. So, you know, because we did the story on the type 1 diabetes Barbie, I was wondering, like, what are they going to like, how, how do they do that? So this Barbie carries a pink fidget spinner that actually spins whereas pink noise cancellation headphones to reduce sensory overload, which is, these are very common things amongst autistic people and children. The Barbie holds a pink tablet that represents an augmentative alternative communication device. This is called the aac. So the AAC device. And you know what's so crazy? Every time one of these new Barbies drop, that represents something so niche like, you know, like this, like autism Barbie or a type 1 diabetes Barbie. Just in the research of the reporting, I learned so much about what people's journeys are like, walking through the world differently in that way. So I know people are, I said it to say I know people are also learning just from reading the reports and hearing the reports on the news. So the AAC device helps people with speech, language problems communicate. So the Barbie also does have eyes that shift slightly to the side, reflecting how some people with autism avoid direct eye contact. Now, as far as the Barbie's clothes, the Barbie has a purple pinstripe dress that is purposely flowy. They didn't go into detail of why the Barbie's dress was flowy. So of course it made me ask more questions. And what I found out was that the dress is loose fitting, is short sleeved, and a lot of people that have sensory, you know, challenges. Like autistic people prefer flowy things, prefer, you know, a lot of like fabric and things not touching their skin just because of the sensitivity. So their sensory processing differences. And sometimes they even have like, they're hypersensitive to like tactile and various like fabrics and textures and things of that nature. So everything down from the Barbie's head to the Barbie's toes represents what it is like to walk through life as a person with autism. Which goes beyond Barbies as well too. Like I saw CNN has in an interview with a young girl who also has autism. And you know, but they were talking a bit about like how seen she felt just because of the Barbie's accessories. Like the headphones are things that she wears often. The tablet she walks around with as well too. But then in the CNN article, there was also mention of a 32 year old who also, you know, found his Barbie super hair helpful and encouraging. So the Barbie not just being for younger children, but for, you know, people who are grown adults who also are caring for themselves through their autism journey. Now picking it up in some lighter news, Mary J. Blige just celebrated her 55th birthday. Okay, Mary looks amazing. She just celebrated her 55th birthday. And she said that she had a surprise for the people on her birthday. And the surprise is that Mary J. Blige is headed to Vegas. Oh, I can't. Like today has like this was such a good announcement to see today. I took my mom to the Mary J. Blige concert. It was a few years ago when Mary J. Blige, I believe that was 2022. Mary J. Blige is being honored by BET. She was receiving like one of the icon or like lifetime achievement award type of things. So she had like her own concert within the BET Awards weekend in la. And my mom and my aunt flew in and we went to the concert. And that was one of the best concerts I've ever been to. It was, we all knew the music from start to finish. We had such a great time. Mary J. Blige is the type of performer that leaves nothing on the stage. Now she might get tired. Y' all might see her tired, just holding the microphone to the crowd. But let me tell you something, before she gets to that point, sings down. I mean, when I saw Mary J. Blige in LA for the BET Awards, she was down on her knees. Like I thought she was going to break down crying at one point. And this was not too far after when I had seen her in concert. Anyway, this Wasn't too far after, you know, she went through that really big public divorce and talked about how she had to work to pay off certain things when it came to that divorce and what her ex husband was awarded. So she was going through a lot. But Mary J. Blige. And announcing this Mary J. Blige My Life, My Story tour says Vegas. Are you ready? I'm so excited to announce my first ever Las Vegas residency. The dates that this will take place are May 1st through the 9th and July 10th through the 16th at the Dovey Live at Park MGM. Get your tickets. So tickets go on sale this Friday. Friday's date is January 16th. So tickets for the Mary J. Blige residency in Vegas, the first ever residency, go on sale January 16th. Your girl. I'm trying to tell you guys I'm going, and if I'm going low riders, y' all are going right with me. But Mary J. Blige aligned this announcement with an appearance on the Sherri Shepherd Show. So this. These clips, this interview was breaking currently. I literally just saw it as I was sitting down preparing. They just posted it to the Sherri Shepherd TV Instagram. She went on Sher shepherd and she announced the residency and gave some details about how it came about. Because. And I reached out to Mary J. Blige's team because I wanted to know. I'm like, Mary J. Blige is not like, this doesn't, like, randomly happen, you know, I think Mary J. Blige, some years ago, could have. She has a catalog big enough for a residency and has had that for years now. So this couldn't have been the first time she was offered this. This could have been the first conversation. I wanted to know how it all came about. So she talked to Sherri shepherd about it. Shout out to Sherri. Got the. Got my exclusive. I wanted. Shout out to Sherri Shepherd. Let's take a listen to Mary J. Blige.
- [18:45]
B
We are back with the legendary Mary J. Blige, who just. She just announced her residency, My Life, My Story, in Las Vegas.
- [18:55]
A
Girl.
- [18:57]
B
So this is your first Vegas residency.
- [18:59]
A
Yes.
- [18:59]
B
Like, you travel all. Why did you decide to do in Las Vegas?
- [19:05]
C
Well, they came to me. Yeah. And I think it's time, you know, it's finally time. This has been something that has been offered to me, like, a couple of times.
- [19:15]
A
Right.
- [19:15]
C
And I just don't think it was the right time. But right now is the right time.
- [19:19]
A
I believe so.
- [19:20]
B
Oh, absolutely. When they said that, I was like, girls, trip, we going. I'm getting all my girls, let me tell you. I don't know if y' all ever have been to Mary's concert with your girlfriends. After Mary get done singing maybe two, three songs, we ready to tear up everything.
- [19:38]
A
But Mary J. Blige also talked about. Cause she's hinted at there being a new man in her life and a dating and all of that. She also talked a bit about that as well too. And what that looks like for her right now. Let's take a listen to Mary J. Blige tell us about her new man and what her birthday gifts from him were giving.
- [19:59]
B
You had your turn up birthday party. You had your good dinner.
- [20:02]
A
Did your boo thing get you anything.
- [20:03]
B
Special for your birthday?
- [20:05]
C
You know, he said, you know, bae, what exactly do you want?
- [20:09]
A
Uh huh. You know, cause you have everything.
- [20:11]
C
I was like, I'm just. I kind of just really want you.
- [20:13]
A
Right.
- [20:13]
C
You know.
- [20:14]
A
All right now. All right.
- [20:17]
C
And you can get me whatever it is you want to get me, but you know, I'll take you over any kind of.
- [20:22]
B
Look at that. Literally you're in a relationship. I love this. What are your relationship must haves?
- [20:29]
C
Just consistency. Consistency, time, honesty.
- [20:36]
A
Yes.
- [20:37]
C
And laughter. Like laughter and friendship first is key for me. Right. The friendship and the relationship is key for me.
- [20:46]
B
And you go through so much. I mean, you're so busy. Laughter is just a way you just be able. You let go. If a man can make you laugh.
- [20:53]
C
Well, if a man can make you laugh, you know, that's your friend, you know, and you wanna have a friend first. You wanna be able to. When you have a hard time, to be able to converse about what you're dealing with, not yelling and screaming because we don't get nowhere with that. I learned a lot in my years, y'. All, and now I'm just. If we're not. If we can't discuss it, if our love doesn't bring us back to our friendship, then we don't have a relationship.
- [21:19]
B
Yeah.
- [21:19]
C
You know what I mean?
- [21:20]
B
Yes.
- [21:21]
A
Probably glad we could end on a lighter note. Low riders. I. I don't know. Like, I love being super transparent with you guys. It's actually like, it helps me because all day today I've just been feeling. Not like a failure, but I just been feeling like. I wish I could. I just hope that I'm present. As present as I need to be for the people that I love, especially in their older ages, so that they're not suffering or going through anything alone. Because last night was so scary. I can imagine my grandmother being in her house more immediately by herself. Even if there's people in her house, she's waking up in a room by herself, going through that. So, you know, I'm glad we can end on a lighter note. Mary J. Blige, which, you know, Mary's music gets you in your bag. But just to see her out there doing her thing with the. In the Vegas residency and how iconic and amazing that is going to be, great news to hear. This has been another episode of the Latest with Lauren LaRosa. I tell you guys every episode, you guys could be anywhere with anybody, but you choose to be right here with me. And I'm gonna tell y' all one thing. As we close out, Mary J. Blige is like, there's a. There's always a list of people in my head that I'm like, if they never make another song again, if they never step on another stage again, if Mary J. Blige decided to go with her new man, and we barely ever see her pinky, her toe, her eyelash ever again, I wouldn't even be upset at her. I think you were. And this is what I've been battling with all day in my mind, like, with a. With a career that is so demanding. There's so much that I'm just. I'm praying that I'm just not missing and that I'm not, you know, being unaware of or just leaving people to figure out on their own, who shouldn't have to figure it out on their own when it comes to the people I love. When do you get to that? Like, how do you know when you get to that point where you're like, you know what? I could take a step back a bit and just focus on my people. Mary J. Blige is definitely one of those people, in my opinion, who has put in so much work where she is there. And I don't even think it's about her people. I think right now, it's about her. Her. After everything she's been through in the career that. The long career that she's had, it's about watering her. So I hope after this, you know, Vegas residency, she gets a little time to, like, you know, sit still and just enjoy the things that, you know, Mary J. Blige deserves to enjoy. A lot of times, artists do Vegas residencies as well, because they get to sit still a little bit, which is way less of a. Even though it's still work and she married, puts on a show, there's not a lot of traveling. The people are traveling to you. So I hope that she gets some reprieve there. It's not as many dates as we typically see on, like, a crazy tour as well, too, so. Yeah. All right, y'. All. So for real this time, we are heading out. Thank you guys for tuning in. This has been another episode of the latest with Lauren, the rose of the podcast. Every single episode where you guys join me again to talk about all the things I appreciate you guys, my low riders. I will see you in my next episode. This is an I heart podcast, guaranteed human.