Podcast Summary: We Talk Back – "Cuffing Season 2025"

Hosts: TamBam & AJ Holiday
Released: August 21, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of We Talk Back dives into the phenomenon of "cuffing season"—the cultural, psychological, and sometimes biological drive to couple up as the weather gets colder. With their trademark humor, unfiltered opinions, and candid repartee, TamBam and AJ Holiday explore the stages of cuffing season, building your seasonal roster, the dos and don'ts of modern dating, and how to keep your standards (and your sense of self) intact. They also touch on recent pop culture moments, deal with hilarious dating horror stories, and break down the "Cuffing Season Loyalty Program." Their mission? To help listeners (especially Black women) navigate the "Sea of Men" with grace, laughter, and a critical but loving eye.

Key Topics & Discussion Points

1. Catching Up: Weekend Recaps & Pop Culture

[03:01–09:09]

• The hosts kick off with updates on their weekends—AJ's "adult" escapades versus TamBam's TV binge.
  • TamBam: "I've been slacking on my gym. I started back yesterday cause my birth month came and I was bullshitting all July." (04:00)
  • They discuss Amanda Seales' commanding presence in debates (Amanda vs. 20 Conservatives) and touch on race and rhetoric with references to Candace Owens (05:05).
  • TV & Movie reviews:
    • His Dark Materials series—AJ recommends for its take on subconscious and alternate realities (07:23).
    • Wednesday (TV) and Weapons (movie)—TamBam shares mixed feelings and laughs at a supposedly scary movie that turned out comedic (08:36).

2. Viral Relationship Moments & Black Love

[09:11–12:13]

• The saga of Georgia Rain's public campaign to woo David Banner, and reflections on dating preferences and representation for Black women.
  • AJ: "So she started campaigning for this, like, I don't know, February or March… after 179 days my man came and got me, David Banner." (10:48)
  • Both hosts comment on the diversity of "fine-ass" Black women and stereotypes in Black men’s dating choices.
  • TamBam: "When y’all men say like this—'Oh, all the women ghetto ass'—that’s a damn lie. So many different types of Black women out here." (11:37)

3. Current Events: The Georgia Verdict Mishap

[12:24–16:35]

• A Fulton County judge reads a Black defendant as “guilty” when the verdict was “not guilty.”
  • TamBam: "Subconsciously, he wanted to tell that man he was guilty." (12:40)
  • Conversation on the criminal justice system’s complexities, how charges are stacked, and the psychological impact of wrongful accusations.
  • AJ: "They just trumped the charges up. They just add all these different charges...this is some weird shit how they…" (15:15)

4. Classic Black Cinema – The "Belly" Scene Revelation

[16:52–21:06]

• Discussing Taral Hicks’ recent interview and the reveal that her infamous sex scene in "Belly" with DMX was a body double.
  • AJ: "She was like, 'I would've never done a scene like that. I got kids, I'm a mom, I'm a wife.'" (18:54)
  • Dialogue about being typecast after explicit film scenes and industry pitfalls, including AI deepfakes and the writer/actor strikes threatening authentic artistry (20:38).

5. AI in Entertainment & Social Media

[21:14–22:20]

• How AI is encroaching into music, acting, and sketch video production.
  • Both are wary and yet amused, with TamBam wondering, "Some of those Facebook/TikTok stories be looking AI, right?" (21:43)

The Main Event: Cuffing Season 2025

Introduction & Calendar

[22:24–23:04; 26:43–29:00]

• AJ’s Cuffing Season Calendar:
  • August 1–31: Scouting phase—"You supposed to be setting up your roster right now." (26:43)
  • Rest of Season: Drafting, final cuts, and “the big game” (Valentine’s Day).

Archetypes on the Roster

[29:09–37:37]

• They outline typical faces on your cuffing roster, with comedic qualifiers:
  • The Flexer: Great IG, but "questionable funds." (32:58)
  • Vacation Bae: Good for trips; "after that, won’t do shit else." (33:10)
  • Sneaky Link: Can turn into more but rarely does. (33:45)
  • Homebody: Likes to chill; maybe too chill. (34:04)
  • Breadwinner: Generous, but maybe boring. TamBam: "I can be the lively one!" (36:14)
  • Toxic All-Star: "Fun, dramatic, unforgettable… usually who I end up with." (37:12)
  • Memorable banter about toxic relationships:
    • AJ: "I like a little smidget of toxic—wait, I lied real fast. I don't like nothing toxic." (37:29)
    • TamBam: "Just a little taste…it just spices things up." (37:37)

Why Do People Get Cuffed?

[39:00–45:12]

• Biology, culture, psychology? The hosts unpack why cuffing season persists.

  • Less sunlight, more hibernation instincts, loneliness, holidays all play a part.

    • AJ: “Shorter days, shorter moods… Less sunlight equals lower serotonin, vitamin D… so a cuffing partner.” (40:15)

  • Cloths vs. vibes vs. culture: Do Black folks “cuff” for Christmas and Valentine’s pressure or more primal needs?

  • TamBam: “Matching pajamas with my mama every year—this year, Lord, bless me with matching pajamas with my man!” (41:02)

Family & Social Pressures

• Navigating family interrogations at Thanksgiving/Christmas and the annual “where’s your boo?”
  • Jokes about AI/rent-a-bae services and even AI boyfriend videos for social media.

Building the Cuffing Loyalty Program

The Points System

[55:20–70:57]

• The hosts invent a “Cuffing Season Loyalty Reward Card” system for tracking potential suitors:
• Negative behaviors (like endless “wyd” texts) subtract points.
  • AJ: “Not entertaining wyds for cuffing season. If the man actually wants to see you, he’ll make a plan.” (57:18)
  • TamBam: Dislikes the word "type" in text lingo: "If you say it more than twice...I'mma call you right back and never call back." (57:39)
• Positive behaviors:
  • Bringing snacks (+10), taking out the trash (+10), consistent good morning texts (+15), making the bed (+20), remembering/watching your favorite show together (+25), surviving Thanksgiving dinner with family (+50), matching pajama photos (+75), Valentine's dinner with flowers (+100).
  • “Never come to a woman’s house empty-handed” (58:23)
  • “A nice, clean man that smashes all night, takes the sheets off and puts them in the washing machine? You get 30 points for that.” (60:48)

Cuffing Season Tiers

[69:09–71:13] The “program” breaks down as:

• Bronze Tier (1–3 months): Texts, occasional leftovers, shared Netflix, no holidays or parents.
• Silver Tier (3–5 months): Weekend sleepovers, rides to airport; no family intros, Valentine’s TBD.
• Gold Tier (6+ months): Matching pajamas, family holidays, birthdays; be careful, “risk of being cut once spring starts.”
• Platinum Tier (all-star): Key to apartment, shared Uber Eats, maybe a vacation—restrictions: “may expire when the weather breaks and the streets reopen.”

Real-Life Draft Tales & Dating Practices

[50:33–54:39]

• TamBam has “two and a possible” suitors—one older, one much younger ("he the one I like the most, it's crazy").
• Debate on simultaneously dating multiple people.
  • AJ: “I can’t talk to more than one person at the same time...My bad. That’s just how I do.” (52:31)
  • TamBam: “I can entertain multiple, but once I bust it wide open, I kind of lock in." (53:02)

Unlocking "Soft Girl Era"

• Vowing to avoid bitterness and drama, and to be kind to themselves during the holidays (54:11–54:53).

Standout Quotes & Moments

• On Scouting for Cuffing Season:
  “August 1st through 31st is scouting, okay? You supposed to be setting up your roster right now.” – AJ Holiday [26:43]

• On Relationship Tiers:
  "Weekend sleepovers, rides to the airport… but still no family introductions." – AJ Holiday, on Silver Tier [70:20]

• On the Loyalty Card System:
  "You got to keep track—the good deeds and the bad deeds, right? Because how else are you going to… we need help picking, obviously." – AJ Holiday [56:14]

• On Dating Stereotypes:
  "Quit playing in our face—there’s so many different types of black women out here. Gotta pick one." – TamBam [12:05]

• On Holiday Pressures:
  "Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s… family centered gatherings often bring questions like, ‘So when you trying to get married? Where’s your boo?'" – AJ Holiday [41:42]

• On Letting Go of the Wrong Person:
  "All relationships is how much you could tolerate… that’s it." – AJ Holiday [54:11]
  "Long ass relationships with the wrong person. Be mad as hell at my damn self. But hey, man, life is lessons." – AJ Holiday [53:38]

Timestamps of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Topic | |-------------|-------------------------------------------| | 03:01–09:09 | Weekend catch-up, pop culture banter | | 09:11–12:13 | Georgia Rain & David Banner saga | | 12:24–16:35 | Georgia verdict mishap & legal system | | 16:52–21:06 | Taral Hicks/'Belly', AI & entertainment | | 21:14–22:20 | AI/fake social media partners | | 26:43–29:00 | Cuffing season schedule & scouting | | 29:09–37:37 | Building your roster, relationship types | | 39:00–45:12 | Why people “cuff”—biology, culture, vibes | | 55:20–70:57 | Cuffing Season loyalty program/points | | 70:57–75:57 | Real-life dating stories & loyalty tier |

Episode Takeaways

• Cuffing Season is Real: There’s a legitimate (and hilarious) system, with clear stages—from scouting to Valentine's Day.
• Be Selective: Build your “roster” with discernment, using humor and honesty as your guide. Have standards and track who meets them!
• Family & Holidays: Expect family questions; consider the social and emotional reasons for wanting a winter partner.
• Self-Care: Avoid bitterness, embrace your “soft girl era,” and remember it’s better to be alone than linger in the wrong situations.
• Use the Loyalty Program: Whether literally or figuratively, put your potential mates on a points system. Don’t settle for “wyd” energy.
• Representation Matters: Don’t fall for stereotypes—there are all kinds of Black women and men out there.
• Above All, Make It Fun: Approach cuffing season with joy, self-worth, and the readiness to laugh at yourself and your prospects.

Hosts’ Parting Words:

• TamBam: "Remember, speak now and never hold your bae, never hold your cuff."
• AJ Holiday: "Let’s get cuffed. That part!"

For more real talk and outrageous advice, catch “We Talk Back” every Thursday on iHeartRadio’s Black Effect Network.