No Bias, Just Simone Boyce

Summary

We Talk Back Podcast Episode Summary: "No Bias, Just Simone Boyce"

Podcast Information:

• Title: We Talk Back
• Hosts: TamBam and AJ Holiday
• Description: Hosted by two unapologetically black women with opinions, TamBam and AJ navigate the complexities of relationships, femininity, and personal growth. The podcast offers raw, unfiltered conversations infused with humor, insights on sex, relationships, money, and practical advice for listeners.
• Episode: No Bias, Just Simone Boyce
• Release Date: June 26, 2025

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1. Introduction and Setting the Tone

The episode begins with the hosts, TamBam and AJ Holiday, sharing personal anecdotes about their hectic schedules and the challenges of balancing work and personal life. They inject humor and relatability, setting a casual and engaging tone for the episode.

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2. David Banner's Stance on Cheating in Business and Relationships

Discussion Highlights:

• David Banner's Philosophy: TamBam discusses David Banner's refusal to do business with men who cheat, highlighting his belief that trust and integrity are paramount in both personal and professional relationships.

  TamBam [04:15]: "David Banner believes that trust and integrity are essential in business and personal relationships."

• Host Insights: Both TamBam and Simone Boyce commend Banner for holding men accountable, emphasizing the importance of integrity.

  Simone Boyce [04:52]: "Let's start holding men accountable for cheating. I think this is good."

---

3. Cardi B's New Album Announcement

Discussion Highlights:

• Album Details: The hosts express excitement over Cardi B's sophomore album, "I Am the Drama," set to release on September 19th. They reminisce about her debut album, Invasion of Privacy, which won a Grammy and went four times platinum.

  Simone Boyce [06:03]: "Cardi B's sophomore album finally has a release date... I can't wait to hear it."

• Tour Announcement: They also discuss the "Boy is Mine" tour featuring Brandy, Monica, and others, expressing anticipation for the upcoming shows.

  Simone Boyce [08:57]: "A new tour has been announced. The Boy is Mine tour with Brandy, Monica, and others."

• Offset's Involvement: A brief mention of Offset revealing Sabrina Carpenter as his celebrity crush sparks discussions around celebrity relationships and media representation.

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4. Celebrity Crush Reveal and AI Discussions

Discussion Highlights:

• Offset's Crush: Offset reveals Sabrina Carpenter as his celebrity crush during an interview, leading to speculation about potential collaborations.

  AJ Holiday [10:02]: "Offset revealed his celebrity crush to be Sabrina Carpenter... suggesting a future link up in the studio."

• AI and Media Integrity: The conversation veers into the impact of AI on journalism and media authenticity, with the hosts expressing concerns about AI-generated content and its implications for trust in media.

  Simone Boyce [43:00]: "We're going to say like we need you to hold up a sign with today's date on it just to make sure you're not even AI."

  TamBam [43:19]: "They're creating narratives about who black people are now via AI and it's scary."

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5. Introducing the Guest: Simone Boyce

Introduction: The hosts welcome Simone Boyce, an Emmy-nominated journalist and producer, as the guest for the episode. They share her credentials, including her work as a co-host of the Bright Side podcast and her extensive coverage ranging from Capitol Hill to Hollywood red carpets.

TamBam [12:00]: "Today's guest is an Emmy nominated journalist and producer... Simone Boyce."

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6. Simone Boyce's Career and the Concept of Code-Switching

Discussion Highlights:

• Balancing Professionalism and Authenticity: Simone discusses the necessity of code-switching in traditional media environments versus the freedom podcasting offers to be authentic.

  Simone Boyce [19:11]: "Podcasting is a wonderful venue... allows us to really show up as we are."

• Building Bridges: Her mixed-race background has equipped her with the ability to connect diverse communities, enhancing her storytelling and journalistic approach.

  Simone Boyce [22:48]: "Growing up mixed race... allowed me to build bridges between different communities."

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7. Journalistic Integrity in the Age of Social Media

Discussion Highlights:

• Challenges of Modern Journalism: Simone and AJ delve into how the chase for views and clicks has affected journalistic standards, emphasizing the importance of fact-checking and the dangers of misinformation.

  AJ Holiday [39:26]: "If viral is our new metric for worthiness, we're screwed."

• Role of Individual Creators: They discuss the rise of individual creators in filling the information vacuum left by traditional media, weighing the pros and cons of this trend.

  AJ Holiday [39:58]: "Individual creators... might not have the same level of training as professional journalists."

• Tools for Fact-Checking: The conversation touches on platforms like Blind Spot and Ground News that help users verify information and avoid echo chambers.

  TamBam [53:14]: "Blind Spot tells you the news stories that had little to no reporting on the left and the news stories that had little to no reporting on the right."

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8. Rapid Fire Segment: Responding as Journalists to Trending Topics

Interactive Highlights:

• Activity Description: The hosts engage in a rapid-fire game where they respond to hypothetical headlines and tweets from a journalist's perspective.

  TamBam [57:03]: "If you see this tweet, what would your response be to it? As a journalist?"

• Sample Responses: They provide insightful yet humorous responses, highlighting the challenges journalists face in today's fast-paced media landscape.

  AJ Holiday [58:46]: "We can investigate. We can investigate Black girl shower talk... but trust me, investigative reporting is intense."

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9. Personal Stories and Advice

Discussion Highlights:

• Overcoming Challenges: AJ shares personal experiences of being cheated on and how she addressed these betrayals with strength and resilience.

  AJ Holiday [61:43]: "I did my little sleuthing... he had a whole girlfriend someplace else."

• Advice for Aspiring Journalists: Simone and AJ offer actionable advice for young journalists striving to maintain authenticity and integrity in their reporting.

  AJ Holiday [47:18]: "Trying to stay authentic... just lean into it. Do that thing."

  TamBam [47:46]: "Don't try to be inauthentic. Just be authentic."

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10. Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The episode wraps up with the hosts and Simone Boyce sharing final thoughts, promoting Simone's podcast Bright Side, and encouraging listeners to stay true to themselves amidst external pressures. They reiterate the importance of authenticity, integrity, and maintaining one's unique voice in both personal and professional spheres.

Simone Boyce [65:10]: "It was such an honor to be here."

AJ Holiday [65:03]: "You can listen to the Bright side wherever you get your podcast, including on Apple podcasts, Spotify, and the iHeartRadio app."

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Notable Quotes:

• TamBam on Chrysler:

  "Just don't have to bring that stress into your car." [02:26]

• Simone Boyce on Code-Switching:

  "Podcasting is a wonderful venue... allows us to really show up as we are." [19:59]

• AJ Holiday on Authenticity:

  "Trying to stay authentic... just lean into it. Do that thing." [47:18]

• Simone Boyce on Representing Mixed-Race Individuals:

  "Growing up mixed race... allowed me to build bridges between different communities." [22:48]

• TamBam on Fact-Checking:

  "Blind Spot tells you the news stories that had little to no reporting on the left and the news stories that had little to no reporting on the right." [53:14]

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Key Takeaways:

1. Integrity Matters: Both in personal relationships and business, integrity and accountability are crucial. David Banner's stance on cheating serves as a model for maintaining trust.

2. Authenticity Over Code-Switching: Podcasting offers a platform for genuine expression, unlike traditional media where code-switching is often necessary.

3. Navigating Modern Media: The shift towards social media and individual creators poses challenges for journalistic integrity, emphasizing the need for reliable fact-checking tools.

4. Personal Growth Through Challenges: Sharing personal stories of betrayal and professional setbacks highlights resilience and the importance of staying true to oneself.

5. Empowering Future Journalists: Advice centers on embracing one's unique voice and resisting external pressures to conform, fostering a new generation of authentic storytellers.

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Conclusion: In "No Bias, Just Simone Boyce," the We Talk Back hosts engage in a rich and multifaceted conversation with journalist Simone Boyce. They explore themes of integrity, authenticity, and the evolving landscape of media in the digital age. Through personal anecdotes, professional insights, and interactive segments, the episode offers listeners both entertainment and valuable takeaways on maintaining one's voice and values amidst societal and professional pressures.

Transcript

[AJ Holiday]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Tam Bam]

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[Carlos Miller]

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[Tam Bam]

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[Simone Boyce]

We'Re just two unapologetically black women with an opinion. He talks back.

[Tam Bam]

What's up, y' all? It's your girl, A.J. holiday. What's up, Big Tim Bam, y' all.

[Simone Boyce]

It's official, team ma' am. I love y' all so, so very much. I love you, aj.

[Tam Bam]

Like, I just be smiling when you do your part. And I love you back.

[Simone Boyce]

How was your weekend?

[Tam Bam]

You know how the fuck my weekend was?

[Simone Boyce]

Okay, but the world don't know.

[Tam Bam]

Prepared to record all day. I didn't have a weekend. Actually, I really didn't. I am still exhausted and working through the weekend right now. Okay? So that's where I'm at. I'm half dead, y' all. I'm making it. I'm drinking matcha like the soft life bitches do. And it ain't working, y' all.

[Simone Boyce]

We filmed four episodes for y' all over the weekend, so we got some content for y' all.

[AJ Holiday]

Yeah.

[Simone Boyce]

Not just audio, but visual. So those will be up very soon. So y' all stay tuned for that.

[Tam Bam]

And we'll try to be consistent. You know, you might need to ask for a GoFundMe donations, right, to afford all this shit. But we working on it. Tammy might have to. You might have to pop some pussy. Who you, girl? Talk about me.

[Simone Boyce]

I don't got no pussy. I didn't bring my pussy. I'll never bring my pussy with me. It's in the deep freezer at my.

[Tam Bam]

Mama house safety deposit box.

[Simone Boyce]

Let's get in the sins.

[Tam Bam]

Might as well. So what do we have going on this week in the world, aside from being at fucking war right now? David Banner says he refuses to do business with men who cheat. Okay? Come on. David Banner. Now, I guess he. He can never be a man that cheats because he don't seem to ever be in a relationship. Right. Where's your wife now? I love David Banner. I think he's one of the finest black men out here. Okay, so David Banner refuses to do business with men who cheat on their wives based on. On advice from a mentor. Yes. Because if you will cheat in your relationship, you will cheat in business. Okay? Banner believes that trust and integrity are essential in business and personal relationships. Banner expressed his belief that he does not believe in the devil and that individuals need to take responsibility. I'll add accountability, okay. For their actions and fix themselves. His views on personal relate personal responsibility and self improvement sparked an interesting conversation during an interview with Shannon Fernanda Sharpe. I agree. 1.23 million percent.

[Simone Boyce]

Yeah. Me too. I love that. Let's start holding men accountable for cheating. I mean, other men, because they'll act like we mentioned, they'll hold each other for accountable for being bad fathers, but they'll let each other cheat. So I think this is good.

[Tam Bam]

Yeah, I agree. Because, you know, you don't have to cheat. Right. You could actually be in a relationship with somebody who's okay with you having variety. That is actually a thing. But men are tricking people into monogamous relationships a lot of times. Not just men, like Tammy like to add, not just men. Women dare to. Girl, we talk about these niggas, and obviously these niggas know how these niggas are, right? Because they're abandoned in going forward. So get into business with somebody who knows that you're not good at business. Don't come over here with that badass business is what he's saying. Essentially.

[Simone Boyce]

Shout out to David Banner. Maybe I should slide in his DMS and see.

[Tam Bam]

No, I already in. I'm already in there. It's just like he both of ours.

[AJ Holiday]

No.

[Tam Bam]

Should we keep him at my house?

[Simone Boyce]

Cardi B announces new album. Finally.

[Tam Bam]

I know, right?

[Simone Boyce]

Time to get an album out of Cardi B. So Cardi B's sophomore album finally has a release date with the superstar revealing Monday that I Am the drama will come out on September 19th through Atlantic Records. I can't wait to hear. We have not had an album from her since 2018 with her debut, Invasion of Privacy, which went on to win a Grammy for Best rap album in 2019 and went four times platinum.

[Tam Bam]

That's crazy. She is one of the highest paid rappers right off of one album.

[Simone Boyce]

Off of one album.

[Tam Bam]

I mean, Nicki Minaj really don't. You know, there's always the comparison. Nicki Minaj don't have a whole bunch of albums. She probably. She probably dragged out that first album for a few years, too.

[Simone Boyce]

That. I mean, that's really dope, though. But it's also scary. You know, they had an album since 2019, and it's 2020.

[Tam Bam]

She gonna deliver. She gonna be all right. I love Cardi, y' all. Yeah. So you know, y' all seen this recently. She had like a. What was she at recently? Because Cardi B is like, to me.

[Simone Boyce]

Also outside dropped last week.

[Tam Bam]

Yes. She is also best dressed side.

[Simone Boyce]

Yeah, she be. She putting that shit on. That song is like, ooh. She really came from offsetting this song. It's not nice at all. You know, you got to really have a real disdain for your baby.

[Tam Bam]

Daddy, that is the word. Yes, that is the word. And she has it. And I. And I see why. And I think we all have. We all share the same disdain for Offset, right? Now somebody commented off the he need to change his name to Offset the Cheat or some shit like that.

[Simone Boyce]

Yeah, but you still gotta remember here's the thing that your kids are gonna grow up and hear this song, you know, and that's still. You want them to respect their daddy, right? Despite the relationship that you and him have.

[Tam Bam]

Yeah, but even if she doesn't put that song out, the kids will grow up and realize daddy's be on some sometimes, right? So.

[Simone Boyce]

But I think they should realize for themselves and not hear, so tell your mama that she raised a bitch ass nigga. Like something she said like that I.

[Tam Bam]

Was like, offset, get on my damn nerves, man. He just got whacked. Like who? Who else got whack after they woman left him?

[Simone Boyce]

Like Meek Mills.

[Tam Bam]

Meek Mills, like, yeah, like they just get whack when that woman takes the energy away. Because who are you now? Offset in the group no more. She paid all that money to get you out of your contract with qc, you know what I'm saying? Like Cardi B did it right.

[Simone Boyce]

She held them down.

[Tam Bam]

She did it right.

[Simone Boyce]

She.

[Tam Bam]

She started her family. She wanted her. She. She fought for her family. She got one baby daddy, three kids. She probably done. And now she outside having fun, okay? Looking cute, running and playing with a.

[Simone Boyce]

Right?

[Tam Bam]

And he bought that life.

[Simone Boyce]

All right, so also a new tour has been announced. The Boy is Mine tour with Brandy, Monica and others.

[Tam Bam]

Wow.

[Simone Boyce]

I know. I'm going. They gonna be in Chicago. Like I looked at the dates. I'm trying to go to the Chicago show.

[Tam Bam]

I wonder if Ray J. I wonder if Ray J had anything to do do with this because remember he was on Shannon Sharp and he was like, man, I be trying to get them together, man. I've been trying to get them to go on tour. Da da da. They just won't do it. And now here we are.

[Simone Boyce]

Here we are. He manifested that because I would love that. That's one of the best songs of our young adult. We wasn't even adults yet. No, we wasn't. We was kids.

[Tam Bam]

Yep, for sure. So were they. They were kids too. The was teenagers. No business singing, talking about the Boy is mine job.

[Simone Boyce]

Please, the boy, at least it wasn't A Man is mine.

[Tam Bam]

Yeah, you're right.

[Simone Boyce]

I'm going to one of those cities.

[Tam Bam]

I watch it on, on YouTube. I watch it.

[Simone Boyce]

Tracking back a Little bit. So Offset was on something, y' all, and he revealed that Sabrina Carpenter as the celebrity crush.

[Tam Bam]

Who is Sabrina Carpenter? I don't know who that is. What?

[Simone Boyce]

Sabrina Carpenter. Is that for real? Yes.

[Tam Bam]

Who is she?

[Simone Boyce]

Google. Google her.

[Tam Bam]

She's an actress. Singer.

[Simone Boyce]

Yeah. Yes, a singer. Offset revealed his celebrity crush to be Sabrina Carpenter during an interview with Internet magician and De Guzman. Offset expressed surprise when Sabrina's name was revealed from a crumpled up piece of paper, indicating his genuine interest in her. Because I was wondering why I was so magic. Okay. The rapper hinted at potential collaboration with Sabrina as their labor, as they are label mates, suggesting a future link up in the studio. Despite his previous involvement with Cardi B, Offset did not acknowledge her new album announcement, which. Why would he? Yeah, because one of the songs was a diss track.

[Tam Bam]

Yeah, he hate him, man.

[Simone Boyce]

I'mma send you some of her because she dope. She's so cute.

[Tam Bam]

Did she just have a baby? Is she Hispanic? Hispanic?

[Simone Boyce]

I don't know. I can't tell. She could be white or Hispanic.

[Tam Bam]

Anyway, y' all. Y' all know I really hip. We got it. We gotta.

[Simone Boyce]

You would know her if you saw her, though. She's very.

[Tam Bam]

Okay, I see her. She had an album that just came out. I'm not gonna tell y' all where I saw it on, because I don't feel like arguing. But she has an album that just came out, right? And she, like, getting Dog Walk on the. On the COVID of the album. Let me see if this is the same person.

[Simone Boyce]

Yeah, no, she white.

[Tam Bam]

Yeah. She got a new album that just. That's dropping. And she got an album dropping in August called Man's Best Friend. And on the album cover, like, she's on her knees touching a man's leg, and he has everybody here, so I guess she's saying she a bitch. Wasn't she on Nickelodeon?

[Simone Boyce]

No, I don't know her history, but she had that song, Espresso. That was her hit. That sit her in the stardom.

[Tam Bam]

Interesting. Well, whatever.

[Simone Boyce]

Well, we'll see how that goes.

[Tam Bam]

Yeah, she was on Disney, Nickelodeon. I know. I ain't tripping, so. Yeah, I know. Once I saw the face. Yes, interesting. Anyway, Offset.

[Simone Boyce]

Shout out to Sabrina, y' all. We have a guest on the show today. We're talking journalism, AI, what the future holds for media and all things Simone Boyce, you guys. So stay tuned. We'll be right back.

[Tam Bam]

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[Carlos Miller]

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[AJ Holiday]

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[Tam Bam]

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[AJ Holiday]

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[Tam Bam]

All right, y' all. So we are back and today we're talking truth tea and takedowns. Or maybe not. Okay, we're living in the era of clickbait, clickbait culture. So journalistic integrity is super important, but facts don't always go viral, right? So today's guest is an Emmy nominated journalist and producer. She's a fellow podcaster, co host of the Bright side, and an on camera host who's covered everything from Capitol Hill to Hollywood red carpets. Simone Boyce. Welcome to We Talk back.

[AJ Holiday]

Thank you so much for having me, AJ And Tam Bam. I'm so happy to be here, y' all.

[Simone Boyce]

She a baddie too. We left her off intro, but as you're here, yes, she's also a baddie.

[AJ Holiday]

Okay, thank you, thank you. I just threw together this little seven minute beat before I hopped on here, so period.

[Simone Boyce]

Same. Listen, I was trying to put on eyelashes. I'm just not good at it.

[AJ Holiday]

Okay, let me. I might be able to help because I have spent decades putting on fake eyelashes in the back of a news van. Like that's going 70 miles per hour on a highway. So maybe do you put, do you make the glue? Do you let it dry a little bit before you put it on?

[Simone Boyce]

So I started doing that. I started trying to let it dry a little bit before I put it on, but then I think I over dried it. So then like the outsides are Sticking. But the inside is flapping up. And then I just throw that shit. I just get frustrated. Is this the worst?

[AJ Holiday]

Whenever you have that, like, one part of it that's just flapping up, I can always tell the next day. When I look at my pictures, I'm like, damn, I should have brought my glue.

[Tam Bam]

I definitely travel with glue. I use that weave glue.

[Simone Boyce]

You glue your lashes down with weave glue?

[Tam Bam]

I do sometimes. Like, some. I always carry, like, the real lace glue. I mean, the real lash glue. But I definitely be using that weave glue.

[AJ Holiday]

Yeah. I mean, what's the difference, right?

[Tam Bam]

It's going to be the same. It's the same thing.

[Simone Boyce]

Do you.

[AJ Holiday]

They're trying to make us pay for the same products over and over again.

[Tam Bam]

And the lash glue costs more than we glue.

[Simone Boyce]

Okay, but do you have real eyelashes, though? Because I feel like weave glue is snatching your eyelashes out.

[Tam Bam]

But I take my lashes off every day, so I've never had voluptuous eyelashes or eyebrows, for that matter.

[AJ Holiday]

Okay.

[Tam Bam]

So, yeah, the same ones still there.

[Simone Boyce]

I ain't gonna have no lashes. All right, come on, let's get into Simone. Let's talk to you.

[AJ Holiday]

Let's do it. I was about to keep going on lashes, but you, you're the host. Let's go.

[Simone Boyce]

All right, so I have a question for you. You've worn many hats. News anchor, entertainment reporter, cultural commentator. Who is Simone Boyce off camera? Outside of a lash expert.

[AJ Holiday]

You know what's so funny about me? I have had a serious job for so many years, but I am so unserious off camera. And you'll probably get to know that about me during the course of this conversation. But I love to have fun. I love to goof off. I was the class clown. I still got big class clown energy. Oh, yeah. I'm just. I'm a goofy girl for real. I just. I'm good at code switching.

[Tam Bam]

Interesting. Code switching.

[AJ Holiday]

Yes.

[Tam Bam]

Do you think you tend to have to do that a lot in the industry you're in? You know, because I've always just. I just always wanted to always just have, you know, a profession where I could just be myself. Right. So do you feel like you have to code switch a lot?

[AJ Holiday]

Yeah, I actually do think you have to code switch. Switch a lot. I'm not even going to front with you. It's more about just understanding the environment that you're in and understanding the responsibilities that you have. So I will say that it varies depending on what aspect of media that you work in. When I was a national News correspondent at NBC News definitely had to code switch because I was, I was talking about very serious topics, you know, so I can't bring, I can't bring my goofy light hearted self whenever I'm talking about tragedies on the air. However, as a podcaster, I feel like there's a lot less code switching. I think podcasting is a wonderful venue and wonderful media format because it does allow us to really show up as we are and that's who the audience responds to the most. Like, don't y' all find that too in hosting your show?

[Tam Bam]

No, absolutely.

[Simone Boyce]

We need to come and be ourselves. And that's the best part about it.

[Tam Bam]

And then, you know, the people who frequent our personalities, you know, that's who's going to gravitate towards your content. So, yeah, it is much easier. I couldn't imagine, you know, being on NBC News in acting, having to assimilate all the time.

[AJ Holiday]

Acting, you know what? And I, you know what I think the best correspondents do is they're able to bring a piece of themselves to the work that they're doing. And that was always my goal is like, okay, how can I be, how can I show up as a real human whenever I'm telling this story? And then how can I bring out the humanity out of the people that I'm featuring in this story? So I think the best correspondence and the best anchors, they do know how to bring a piece of themselves while also giving the audience that sense of safety and authority they need whenever stuff's going down, you know, and they just need the facts.

[Simone Boyce]

So let's talk about bright side. I know you have a co host. Did you pick your co host or did Reese Witherspoon pick your co host? Like, how did y' all come about, like, starting your podcast?

[AJ Holiday]

Yeah.

[Simone Boyce]

Choosing each other for this.

[AJ Holiday]

It's so funny how that worked out. So I had a co host last season. Her name is Danielle Roubaix. I love her dearly. She is actually someone that I didn't know personally, but I knew of her because we had a lot of mutual friends for years. And it's really funny how this happened because last. Was it last summer or the summer before? A mutual friend of ours was like, simone, you need to meet Danielle. I know I've been talking about her for years, but you guys got to link up. And I was like, yes, okay, great. I'm, you know, traveling right now, but when I come back and when I'm stationary, I would love to meet her. A few months later, we got matched together for this podcast. So it just felt really kismet that we had these people in our lives who are mutual friends. And then we kind of just got brought together, and we really hit it off. And it's very bittersweet because this season, I am hosting the Bright side solo. Danielle is hosting a new podcast for hello Sunshine because we're expanding our podcast footprint. She's hosting one called Bookmarked, and it's all about Reese's Book Club. But I do cherish the memories that we had the first season, y' all. We had so much fun. I know y' all tour, too, so we would, you know, go to south by Southwest or go travel together, and we just got so many stories. It was. It was a lot of fun having a co host.

[Simone Boyce]

Dang. So y' all are separating? I did not know that. That's unfortunate.

[AJ Holiday]

Yeah, we are going on our own journeys, but we're still going to overlap a little bit here and there.

[Simone Boyce]

Okay, so have you already started doing shows alone?

[AJ Holiday]

I have, yes. Yes. We've got. Not sure when this conversation is coming out, but probably a good handful of shows under our belt now with me as the host.

[Simone Boyce]

Okay, that's dope.

[AJ Holiday]

I'm happy for you.

[Simone Boyce]

Now, let me ask you this. Has being biracial, being a biracial woman, like, affected and shaped the way you tell your story?

[AJ Holiday]

I think it has. I think it has. You know, I'm very careful how I tread around this conversation, because don't nobody want to hear no biracial tears, myself included.

[Tam Bam]

You can do it here.

[AJ Holiday]

You can shed your tears here. No, I'm not.

[Simone Boyce]

This is a sex food.

[AJ Holiday]

No, you want to hear no biracial tears. But I will say. I will say that growing up mixed race, I kind of didn't know where to fit in. And I experienced. I experienced a feeling of being othered by multiple communities. And I think what that allowed me to do is learn how to build bridges between different communities and learn how to understand people from all walks of life and start conversations with people who look different than me or came from different backgrounds than me. So I think it gave me a lot of curiosity culturally about wanting to learn about different cultures. And also I. I hope that it gave me this knack for connection and conversation. And so those are two things that I brought to my career as a journalist. I also just wanted to always tell stories that were giving a voice to underrepresented voices. So I think. I think that's all shaped by the perspective that I developed Growing up as a mixed race child.

[Tam Bam]

So do you ever feel pressure to represent for your race or gender in spaces where they really weren't built for you?

[AJ Holiday]

That's a good question. I think that, I think that it's. I've felt a good pressure. I think there's been a really good pressure over the course of my career as a journalist. I've been in this game for almost 15 years. And I think, you know, about five years ago, when we saw the, the social and racial unrest of 2020, that really became this rallying cry for change, for impact, for justice, and also for, for more accuracy and better representation in, in how we tell stories and, and in how the media tell stories. I see it as, I see it as good pressure. I'm not one to, to, to say that, you know, I resent any kind of pressure like that because I don't. Any opportunity that I get to represent for, for mixed race folks, for anybody who is underrepresented, that is a true honor and privilege to me. I think that is our superpower as storytellers is being able to hone in on what your unique POV is. Because that pov, that's one in a million. No one else is going to have the same POV that you have. Not only is my POV shaped by, you know, being the daughter of a black mom and a white dad, but I also moved around a lot when I was growing up. I grew up in Miami, then I moved to Memphis, Tennessee, and then I moved back to Miami and, and then I moved to LA and New York as a journalist. So moving around and just meet, like I was saying earlier, like, meeting people from all different types of backgrounds, that is a privilege to be able to tell stories that are filtered through our own unique pov.

[Simone Boyce]

Yeah, but, you know, if you got a black mama, you black. Culturally, like, you black as hell with a black mama.

[Tam Bam]

I feel like, ew, this is a little bit off top. This a little bit off topic. Right. Because we did it. We did it. We did a few episodes this week and one of them was about like the so Soft Girl era. And I posed a question like, can only white men offer like this Soft girl era? So did your mama get a soft life or what?

[AJ Holiday]

Oh my gosh, this is such a good question. You know, what's funny is like, my mom is actually, my mom is super traditional. We come from, we come from a Maryland, Maryland PG county, you know, traditional black Christian family. And so my mom is actually quite traditional. She, she was an actor and she Became a teacher and was an educator for many years. But she stayed at home while I, you know, while my dad was working and while I was at school. And she was a stay at home parent. And so I don't know, is that the soft life? Like, I have two kids now, and I've. I know what it's like to stay at home with your kids for extended periods of time. I don't know if being a stay at home parent is the soft life.

[Simone Boyce]

We probably is not soft life.

[AJ Holiday]

It's not soft. Nothing about that is soft. But I do have to hand it to Sheila, my mom, because she, she is about that soft life, though. Like, now that I think about it, like, she loves taking trips to wine country. She loves her Sauvignon blanc, her vionier. Like, my mom will. She will take a weekend trip, honey.

[Simone Boyce]

Okay? I'm here for it. Yes, mama.

[AJ Holiday]

Yes.

[Simone Boyce]

Yes, Mama. All right, so let's be real. Have you ever had to push back against a producer or a network that was trying to water you down or water down your voice or your point of view?

[AJ Holiday]

Yes, I definitely have had to push back. Gosh, there have been so many of these moments, and I'm trying to think of a specific story. And while I'm thinking of that specific story, I'll just say that those are the moments where I've really. I feel like I've really grown up. Is when you have to. You have to state your case as to why this is important and why you are the one to tell it. You have to find a way to defend yourself and, like, pitch yourself in a way that's firm but also professional. And then you got to back it up, right? Like, then you actually gotta. You gotta back it up with the, with the final result and show that, yes, you were the right person to tell this story. You know, I can remember there was. There was this really. There was a scoop that I was really proud of when I was a correspondent had. I had found this story of this mother and daughter who had been separated on their journey to the US they were coming from South America and they had been separated and there were forces that were trying to get them back together. And I was documenting this process of their reunification. And someone male correspondent from the network actually had had one of his producers call me and ask for the contacts to the story for the story. He had asked for the. The mother and daughter for their contact information because he wanted to take the story from me. And so this isn't one of those situations where I had to push back and say, why? I'm the person to tell the story. But I had to say, no, this is. This is a scoop that was hard fought. I went out there and sourced this. I went out there and did the interviews. I built the. This is something that a lot of people don't realize. Like, it takes time to build. Build trust with the people that you're interviewing as a journalist. So that was one of those moments where I had to stand. Stand my ground and say, no, I've worked really hard for this. And you're not just going to come up in here and take this out from under my feet. So it does get. It can get very, very competitive, very intense. When you're working at the national news.

[Simone Boyce]

Level, is that something common that someone will just be like, hey, give me all the information for that shit you was working on. I'm going to go ahead and do it? Is that common?

[AJ Holiday]

It can happen. It does happen more than you would think. Because there are. There are hierarchies when you work at a legacy news network. And sometimes people think that just because they are working on a more prominent or high profile show than you, or perhaps they've had more time in the industry, sometimes they can just assume that they have the right to do that, have the right to take your hard work from you. And that's when we remind them that, no, you. You cannot. I found that there are a lot of moments like that in my career where it's like just being underestimated, you know, and having to stand 10 toes down and say, no, you're not. You can underestimate me if you want, but I'm going to prove you wrong, period.

[Simone Boyce]

We. We talk back. Can identify with that completely.

[AJ Holiday]

I was gonna. I'm sure you have. I want to hear.

[Simone Boyce]

Well, I just think. All right, so when we joined the network, people treated us as. All right. So we started our show in the network. So we didn't, like, necessarily get it out of the mud, you know, like, our first episode was on a network, so we were seen as Nepo babies because of our relationship to Charlamagne. And so they didn't think.

[Tam Bam]

And we embraced that.

[Simone Boyce]

Yeah.

[Tam Bam]

Yeah. Because more people need to be in position. Yeah. More people need to be in position to put their people on. Right. I would never be jealous of a Nepo baby. I wish more black people were in position to help their community, you know, but we got a little pushback from other people on the network, you know, other.

[Simone Boyce]

That was like, do y' all even deserve to Be here kind of energy.

[AJ Holiday]

You know, and how did you respond to it? Or how did you navigate that?

[Tam Bam]

We five years in.

[Simone Boyce]

So we're five years in, going no place, and just always kind. Always, you know, looking at the bright side, you know, and being joyous about it and just continue to do our thing and still supporting those people who didn't even think we belonged here, you know, we didn't. We weren't negative or nasty toward anybody. We just. And we're gonna prove to you that we belong here just like you, you know, And I think that's the energy we've been given this five years.

[AJ Holiday]

So.

[Tam Bam]

Yeah. And, you know, we don't put our ass on the Internet, so that's how we have had to get it out the mud, because that is the easy route. But we are smart and funny black women, so we don't have to stoop to those levels. That's easy.

[AJ Holiday]

Yeah, it would. It would. So much easier.

[Tam Bam]

Exactly.

[AJ Holiday]

I feel like we don't get enough credit for. For keeping our clothes on, to be honest with you.

[Tam Bam]

Yeah, right. That is. That's a whole. It's a real skill set.

[AJ Holiday]

It's true.

[Tam Bam]

But what is. Like, what's that first story that made you feel like? I'm a real journalist.

[Simone Boyce]

All right, but hold on before you ask that you are a real journalist, because how you interviewing us? We ain't supposed to be answering no questions for you. You like. Like, how did that happen? Well, tell me how that made you feel, y' all.

[AJ Holiday]

You're talking about me. I'm doing that to you.

[Simone Boyce]

How you turn the questions on us.

[AJ Holiday]

I'm sorry. I should have. I should have stayed ahead of time that that was going to happen, because I can't turn it off at this point. I'm so sorry.

[Simone Boyce]

No, it's all right. It's fine.

[Tam Bam]

I prefer conversations. I hate interviews. Job interviews. Interviews. I prefer, like, conversational episodes anyway, so. Yeah, ask us stuff, too. But what was that, like, that one story that made you feel like, man, I'm a real journalist?

[AJ Holiday]

Okay. Well, honestly, I think even when I think about the very beginnings of my career, I studied broadcast journalism at the University of Florida. And this wasn't no fancy story or nothing, but I think it really galvanized the fact that I wanted to do this as a career. I can remember feeling so proud of gathering my first radio journalism story. I went out on the streets to interview unhoused people about a new ordinance that was going to affect them. And again, this is like, just like a minor story that I did, I was as a college student, but I remember feeling that sense of pride about it, that sense of pride of. Of being able to amplify voices that are unheard. And I was like, oh, wow. I really. This feels like an intersection of a lot of things that make me super passionate and just fired up. And then I would say a story that really kind of made me feel like, oh, yeah, I'm like, we're in the big leagues now. That was the Mueller special counsel investigation back in 2019, and that was the first that I really got to go, like, in Capitol Hill and, you know, just running through the hallways with my crew, I was. I was tracking down Congress people in the hallway, doing those, you know, quick interviews, and. And I was just like, ooh, I can feel the electricity of this and I can feel the power of this. And that was a really special moment to just be surrounded by so many sharp peers and really the most powerful leaders in our country.

[Simone Boyce]

Now, let me ask you this. Has there ever been a time where you felt like, I gotta take a break. Break. Like, this ain't it. I'm not feeling it. I need a break or I need to pivot because of your work?

[AJ Holiday]

Yes, absolutely. And I did. I did pivot. You know, I. I don't. I don't do full time journalism or correspondent work anymore because I kind of got burnt out. I started covering hard news in 2016, although I had done a lot of entertainment and Hollywood reporting before that. So 2016, jumping in Trump election. And from there, I just feel like American politics has become so intense and so ratcheted up. And as. As someone who covered the election of Trump, who covered Covid, who covered the social and racial unrest of 2020, it's. It can be a lot, you know, and I've covered shootings, and those are really horrible to be interviewing, you know, the families of people who were victims of shootings. And so I had this moment. It was right after the birth of my second child, which was a surprise in 2021. I had this moment where I had a choice to make. I could go back to work from my maternity leave, and my boss had just told me that I was gonna be on the road for three weeks out of the month. I had, you know, a six month old baby at this time, or I could pivot and I could bet on myself and I could take a chance and leap and hope that the net would appear. And I chose the latter because I knew I was also chosen. My choosing my family, too, and the Thought of just being away from my kids for that, that long, for that much of their tiny little lives was just too much for me to bear. So I chose to pivot into freelance reporting and being self employed. And that was. Was four years ago now. Three or four years ago. And I don't regret it one bit. I can't tell you how liberating it is to be able to set my own schedule and choose projects like the Bright side that feel aligned with values wise and just that are bringing more optimism and positivity and joy into the world. That is the thing that I was craving whenever I was in the trenches as a reporter was just like, can we not just give the people some good news every now and then? We given them a lot of bad news. Can we just bring them to joy? So that's what I love about what I get to do now. On the Bright side is like, interview experts, celebrities, authors, people who can help us learn on our journey of becoming who we are, but also laugh, too. Like, y' all are smart and funny women. Like we, you know, laughter is the real. The real medicine.

[Tam Bam]

Exactly. Yep.

[Simone Boyce]

What's your favorite episode of the Bright.

[AJ Holiday]

Side So far, so hard to choose. I'll give you. I'll give you like, a top three. So Issa Rae is probably very high at the top.

[Tam Bam]

I checked that one out.

[Simone Boyce]

Yeah.

[AJ Holiday]

I love her for all the obvious reasons. She's such a pioneer and a trailblazer. And I just love. I unexpectedly was like, super awkward during the interview and then just realized that she was the perfect person to be awkward with because she's the original awkward black girl. And so I just love her for keeping it real. I also loved interviewing Raven Simone. Raven is kind of who I've based my entire personality around as a. As a Disney girl, someone who watched Disney Channel growing up.

[Tam Bam]

Nassau.

[Simone Boyce]

Raven.

[AJ Holiday]

Yes, exactly. So I would say those two are some of my favorites. And then recently, I just interviewed this woman named Dr. Emily Anholt, and she wrote a book called Flex your feelings. And it's all about how to strengthen the traits that we already have so that we can better design our own life. She talked about self awareness, how that's an underrated trait that we all have and we can do exercises to build it up. She also talked about curiosity, playfulness, which is a big one. I'm really looking for ways to play in my life right now. All right, well, do you fly?

[Tam Bam]

Do you have a kite?

[AJ Holiday]

You know what? I don't. Should I get a kite?

[Tam Bam]

Yes. Costco has These amazing kites. I got four of them and they're big too. They have like 76.

[Simone Boyce]

Like, we need a Costco at this girl Costco in every episode. Like.

[Tam Bam]

No, I'm saying, like, to tap into that inner child. Like, I don't know, like, if you don't ride, bike, fly kite, like, those things help you definitely tap in, you know, into that inner child is so. I'd be so happy flying a kite. Okay. And run across this field. I know people be looking at my butt running across this damn field by my house, but it's fun.

[AJ Holiday]

I love that for you so much. Get a kite. Like, it's. It's the new go touch grass, get a kite.

[Tam Bam]

The kids probably would love them. The kids probably would love them too, you know? So anyway, so we're living like, in this world where social media, a lot of people only get their news in them. 15 seconds on Instagram.

[AJ Holiday]

Yeah.

[Tam Bam]

Okay, so like, clicks versus credibility. Okay. How has the chase for views and clicks changed things? How news is being produced now? How do you think it's changed?

[AJ Holiday]

Yeah, well, I honestly think that news institutions need to do a better job of meeting audiences where they are.

[Tam Bam]

Absolutely.

[AJ Holiday]

Which is on social media. And so I think there's still even more room to be done in that department. And what I think is going to fill that vacuum is individual journalists or individual creators. Now, there are pros and cons to that, that. Because, you know, for all the faults and flaws that people rightfully point out with the media, the. The media doesn't always get it right. For sure. The journalists go through training. Not only do they go through, you know, their schooling where they might get a degree in journalism, you also go through ethics training when you work at one of the big news networks. And this is something that we do, we have to do every year, and it's okay. How do we. How do we know that our story is airtight and we can go to air with this or how do we know that this source is reliable? We go through seminars to really reinforce that knowledge. What. What is risky and what kind of makes me nervous about individual creators filling the vacuum of journalists or. Or trying to replace journalists is. I'm not sure that individual creators have that same level of training. And so I think you can see that with large scale current events, like a war, let's say, if an indiv. If a creator does not report the facts correctly, that can further inflame and create more toxicity and perhaps even more danger if they're spreading misinformation. The onus is now on the audience to try to decipher, okay, what's real, what's not. And that can be really tricky. Like it's even hard for me. I'm someone who's been through hours of training in how to detect truth versus falsehood and it's still tough for me. I think there are a few things that you can do though to try to safeguard. I mean I a lot. It's, it's human nature to just read a headline and just want to run with it and go tell everyone about it or post it, but read the full article. You know, do yourself the favor of actually getting the proper context. Do a quick fact check. That's pretty easy to do through a search engine. There are also media fact check websites that you can.

[Tam Bam]

What do you think about the fact check stuff on social media though? Like you know how they have the fact checkers?

[AJ Holiday]

Yeah.

[Tam Bam]

Because what's the truth? What is the truth truth? And how are they determining what's facts? Because through Covid, for example. Right. A lot of the things that were being fact checked, you know, things that independent journalists were putting out, you can call them TikTok journalists, you know, just regular people who probably were doing like super deep dives on like the medical things around vaccinations and stuff like that were being fact checked. And now here we are in 2025 and we find a lot of those things were actually true.

[Simone Boyce]

True.

[Tam Bam]

Right. So who's checking the fact checkers?

[AJ Holiday]

Yeah, this is, this is a very good question. This is a very good question and I'm not sure we are going to solve this problem today. I do think the more that social media users feel empowered to find information for themselves, the more discerning we become as social media consumers. I think that's only going to help solve this problem. But, but look, this is going to be an ongoing conversation that involves a lot of different parties, the social media companies like you mentioned, different media outlets, the consumers themselves, and also AI is a huge thing now. I'm shocked. As I'm scrolling on social media, I'm seeing things that are clearly AI and nobody in the comments is picking up on it. They're taking it at face value this week.

[Tam Bam]

Are you here really with us right now?

[Simone Boyce]

Yeah.

[Tam Bam]

Guess what?

[Simone Boyce]

We're going to say like we need you to hold up a sign with today's date on it just to make sure you're not even AI. Like do the robot real quick so we can know it.

[AJ Holiday]

Don't you know, don't you Notice how AI has, like, weird movements or something? Or like the hand is always a little bit off. It's like. Like this or something.

[Simone Boyce]

They're getting better.

[Tam Bam]

Yeah, this. I just feel like this past week, they just ramped up a lot of AI and it's a lot of. It's really weird, though, because I want to know who's behind these. It's a lot of black. A stereotype type AI post I've seen in the last week, like, super ratchet. Whatever you could think about is being like, is. I want to know, is it actually a black creator behind this? Or now do we. You just have these other people, these others, creating a narrative about who black people are now via AI and it's scary.

[AJ Holiday]

It is scary. I didn't. I didn't. I don't know if I've seen those. I need to see those. That's. That is really disconcerting.

[Simone Boyce]

Girl is a mess. It is a mess. Some of the stuff that they're creating. Do you feel like AI could potentially take journalistic jobs?

[Tam Bam]

We don't know if the people reporting the news is AI or not.

[Simone Boyce]

So at this point. Right.

[Tam Bam]

We don't know. Like, that's what last week taught me. If I didn't see you in person, I don't know. I haven't seen you in person yet. Are we really.

[Simone Boyce]

If I ever do something. If I ever do anything wrong, I'm blaming AI that was not me.

[AJ Holiday]

It was my AI twin. I did not do it.

[Tam Bam]

It was my surrogate. I promise that movie Surrogate, like, that's what's happening right now. Y' all ever watch the movie Movie Surrogate?

[AJ Holiday]

No. Yes.

[Simone Boyce]

That is the world movie today.

[Tam Bam]

Watch it today.

[AJ Holiday]

Do y' all watch Black Mirror?

[Tam Bam]

Yes. Same.

[AJ Holiday]

It's weird to see stuff in Black Mirror come to life right off screen. It's very alarming.

[Tam Bam]

But I think it's actually. I feel like Black Mirror is actually disclosure for what has already been happening.

[AJ Holiday]

Right?

[Tam Bam]

So we. We talk about art imitating life versus life imitating art. But I feel like they are now acting out. It's biblical. They're acting out scenes from the Bible. Right. So we don't know if who. What. What was created first. You know, Black Mirror, I. I feel like a lot of that stuff. Stuff was already happening, and then they just threw it into a movie for disclosure. Let you know, like, yeah, we doing this.

[Simone Boyce]

It's the Simpsons.

[Tam Bam]

We just need to go back and.

[Simone Boyce]

Watch all the Simpsons episodes. They're telling us everything that's happening. They told us in 93 that this was going to happen. You know, so we need to watch that. All right, I got a question for you. As someone who's covered Hollywood, that's one celebrity story that had you screaming like, this cannot be real. This could not be realized. Spill tea, girl. Spill tea.

[AJ Holiday]

Oh, my gosh. I don't know if I can talk about this on the show.

[Simone Boyce]

Yes, you can.

[AJ Holiday]

You can, but I'm gonna talk about it anyways. Okay? Hold on. I have to find this. I have to find this story. This is not a story that I reported, but I came across it when I was. I. I guess I was just, like, on a pop culture deep dive one day. So there's this Lee Daniels movie called the Paperboy that Nicole Kidman is in with. With Zac Efron. This is so weird. I can't believe I'm telling this story. I just thought this was really strange when I came across it. So there's this Lee Daniels movie called the Paper Boy, and it's with Zac Efron and Nicole Kidman. And there's a scene where Zac Efron gets stung by a jellyfish. And you know how you're supposed to, like, pee on someone whenever they get stung by a jellyfish, and that will make the pain go away? So Nicole Kidman actually peed on Zac Efron? For real?

[Simone Boyce]

Did he move your stuff?

[AJ Holiday]

No.

[Tam Bam]

Wait, what?

[Simone Boyce]

So why did she have to really pee on him?

[AJ Holiday]

I don't know. I really.

[Tam Bam]

That's the freaky shit, right?

[AJ Holiday]

Look it up. It's crazy. I couldn't believe that was real.

[Tam Bam]

You know, your voice sounds like Amber Rose a little bit. Did you know that?

[AJ Holiday]

My voice?

[Tam Bam]

Yes.

[AJ Holiday]

Hold on, let me change it up real quick. Let me. Hold on, let me. I'm gonna come up in here with a whole different voice now. Hold on a minute.

[Tam Bam]

You don't want to sound like Amber Rose.

[AJ Holiday]

I'm trying to sound like me. This is me. I don't know what y' all talking about now.

[Simone Boyce]

Steps T. All right, let me ask you this. What advice would you give to young journalists trying to stay authentic.

[AJ Holiday]

Trying to stay authentic. That thing that you're afraid of that's inside of you. That thing that you're always trying to get away from. That thing that you think makes you weird. Do it, girl. Just lean into it. Do that thing, because that's. That's what's going to set you apart. That's your unique superpower. That's that thing. That's that secret sauce.

[Tam Bam]

That's What I would say, I guess, don't try to be inauthentic. I mean, don't try to be authentic. Just be authentic.

[AJ Holiday]

Yes.

[Tam Bam]

Yeah. You got to stay true to yourself.

[AJ Holiday]

But I think I. I mean, I feel like I'm still just discovering what it means to be authentic all the time, to be honest with you. Because, you know, this is. This is actually what we were talking about earlier, like code switching. Like, there is. There can be this certain expectation or to conform or to. To play it safe. I played it safe a lot. I played it safe a lot in my career. And that is the enemy of authenticity. And what I've found is amazing about getting older is just that need to conform or to fit in or to do things the way that they've been done is really falling away. And. And it's revealing my true, authentic self. And it's really freeing.

[Simone Boyce]

Have you ever gotten in trouble for telling the truth or punished for telling the truth?

[AJ Holiday]

I don't think so. I've pissed some people off. I've done some stories where people are mad at me. But that's. Honestly, in the journalism world, like, if. Especially if you've got both sides mad at you, you kind of are doing your job because you found some sort of nuance or you've been fair. That's something that I think we're missing a lot of today, is just fairness.

[Tam Bam]

Absolutely.

[Simone Boyce]

Is there a moment that you couldn't put in a story that you still think about today? Like, damn, I wanted to say that. I wanted to share that, but I just. I couldn't for whatever reason.

[AJ Holiday]

I'm sure there are so many like this. I can't think of one specifically, but that is just part of the game. And this is. This is how it works in any creative endeavor, I think, like, you're always gonna have people speaking into the final vision. Even if you're Martin Scorsese, you've got people at the movie studio who are gonna tell you what can and can't go in the final cut. Cut. Some directors get final cut. But I think just learning how to take feedback and learning how to take those notes and realizing that, oh, yeah, I'm not going to be able to get everything in that I want to. That I want to say, like, learning that that's part of the job is really healthy.

[Tam Bam]

Do you think, you know, in the current climate, can integrity survive in the current media culture?

[AJ Holiday]

I'm tired. That question just made me tired to think about, because integrity. Do we know her? Is she still around?

[Tam Bam]

She's Absolutely around. It's a few people I subscribe to. I'll give an example. I like Candace Owens, you know what I'm saying? I feel like she's one of the people who does it right and she gives you sources. Right. So if she says something, you know, you can go check it out. You know, a lot of, a lot of times when I watch her shows, it's more of confirmation for things I have already read. Right. But if you are actually just depending on a person to give you information, that's probably where you're going wrong. So I think she's one of the, to me, one of the journalists that actually gets it right and has integrity when reporting on what's happened is not just her opinion about things.

[AJ Holiday]

What I've noticed about Candace Owens, because I, I either interviewed her or she was tangentially part of a story that I did about black Republicans a few years ago. What's interesting to me about Candace is that she truly does seem to be a free thinker in that, that she allows herself and gives herself permission to change her beliefs and change her ideas. Especially, you know, as the year's gone on, as she would take a certain position on one thing and then has had a change of tune, especially, you know, when it comes to the Trump administration, she's been more critical lately. Does that make you respect her more as a voice? How do you feel about the fact that she tends to change her beliefs?

[Tam Bam]

Well, I think that when you are learning, you will always be a hypocrite. Right. Because we talked about this yesterday. When you take in new information like what you thought yesterday could definitely change today. I do. Like I said, I watched Candace Owens, so I see how she has pivoted regarding to Trump and so have I, you know what I'm saying? Because some things he's doing that he said he would do and then this war shit. Nah, I'm not with that. You know what I'm saying? I feel like anybody who would have gotten an offer office, we would be in war right now. And I think a lot of people who probably voted for him thought that we, not we wouldn't be at war right now. You know what I'm saying? So Candace Owens also thought that they wouldn't be at war. So I don't, I don't think that she pivots in a way to where it's just like dishonest journalism though. You know, I feel like if you can be objective and you can say, hey, I got that wrong and here's where I am today. I can respect somebody like that.

[Simone Boyce]

Are there any platform people doing it right, right now to use you like that you subscribe to?

[AJ Holiday]

To be honest with you, I don't watch the news as much as I did when I was working in that space. And I found that taking a break from it was so good for my mental health because I used to have it on all the time. All the time. And I still am a voracious consumer of it. But I do, I tend to read more, read more articles than I do watch or listen because I do feel like I'll listen to, I'll listen to like New York Times, the Daily, just to get, I like how in depth their coverage is. But there's, I do find there's a lot of sensationalism, a lot of when it comes to video or, you know, cable news, there's a lot of kind of extreme opinions or extreme attitudes. And I'm, I'm always trying to go for the least, I want to hear the least extreme opinions. And there's actually a tool that I really like is called Blind Spot. What is it?

[Tam Bam]

Is that the, is that the one where they like tell you which news outlets are in the middle?

[AJ Holiday]

Yes.

[Tam Bam]

Super far left or super far right or in the middle. So the ones in the middle are usually the ones you can trust the most.

[AJ Holiday]

Yes. I mean, I don't know if that.

[Tam Bam]

Is not trust the most, but.

[AJ Holiday]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. So it's called ground news Blindspot and they tell you the. The news stories that had little to no reporting on the left and the news stories that had little to no reporting on the right. And it's just really interesting to compare and really burst your own bubble and, you know, get out of your own echo, echo chamber and see what stories you might have been missing.

[Tam Bam]

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[Carlos Miller]

Hey fam, if you're like me, you're thinking about how to level up in your career. Maybe you're fresh out of college, just started in your field, or even looking to switch things up and find your true calling. Whatever stage you're in, remember that this is your time to grow, to learn, and to build something that lasts. State Farm understands that early career development is key to long term success. They've been a steady presence in our communities and they know that having the right support early on can make all the difference. Difference. State Farm is there to help you make smart moves and to help you get the coverage you need. We all know the journey to success is a marathon, not a sprint. It's about staying focused, staying grounded, and making sure you're protected every step of the way. Let's build our careers with confidence, knowing that State Farm is there to support us, just like they've always been. Because like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Find out [e-mail] hi, I'm Cindy Crawford.

[Tam Bam]

And I'm the founder of meaningful beauty. When Dr. Sabah and I decided to do a skincare line together, he said to me, we are going to give women meaningful beauty. And I said, that's exactly right. We want to give women meaningful beauty, which means each and every product is meaningful. It has a reason to exist. It's efficacious. You're going to get results and then you just go out and live your life. Meaningful Beauty Confidence is beautiful. Learn [e-mail] this message comes from Greenlight. Ready to start talking to your kids about financial literacy? Meet Greenlight, the debit card and money app that teaches kids and teens how to earn, save, spend wisely and invest.

[AJ Holiday]

With your guardrails in place.

[Tam Bam]

With Greenlight, you can send money to kids quickly, set up chores, automate allowance, and keep an eye on what your kids are spending with real time notifications. Join millions of parents and kids building healthy financial habits together on Greenlight. Get started risk [e-mail] iheart we want to play a couple games. Can we. Can we hop into that right quick?

[AJ Holiday]

Okay, let's do it.

[Tam Bam]

News Related. Right? So like, like a little rapid fire segment. So this is like tweet this. Like, so if you're used to X at all.

[AJ Holiday]

I stopped using X. I mean, me too.

[Tam Bam]

But it's just sometimes I go in there like when certain things are going on. But this game is like, if you see this headline, what would be your. If you see this tweet, what would your response be to it? As a journalist? That's the, like the instructions. Okay, so here's this tweet. All mainstream media is bought and biased. If somebody were to tweet that, what would your response be?

[AJ Holiday]

As a journalist, all mainstream media is bought and biased. You know what my response would be? My response would be, come along along with me as I report this story. I would, I would want to show you the ins and outs of what I'm doing. I would take you along for the process. And I don't think that's something that the media does enough.

[Tam Bam]

I agree.

[Simone Boyce]

Number two. Number two, black journalists can't be objective when reporting on black issues.

[AJ Holiday]

That's your response. That's so rude. I am a professional. Okay.

[Simone Boyce]

Period.

[AJ Holiday]

Also. Yeah, no, that's not true. True. I mean, I've, I've definitely done a lot of stories that, like, if you have a, if you have a one dimensional view of what a black person is or how they view the world, that you would be surprised by the stories that I told. But my, I think my goal as a journalist was to always, you know, do the unexpected and, and go to unexpected places. Like I was saying, I did a story about black conservatives and black Republicans and where those values come from and how they're evolving and, and it, it elicited a really interesting response, but get out of here with that. Of course I can be objective. Watch me.

[Tam Bam]

Tiktokers are the new investigative journalists. Somebody just tweeted that and you saw it on your timeline.

[AJ Holiday]

Girl, please investigate.

[Tam Bam]

That's if you want to comment back.

[AJ Holiday]

We can investigate. We can investigate Black girl shower talk. We can investigate the man who's saying you'll be married in a year in the suburbs. We can investigate that kind of stuff. Stuff. But see, here's the thing here. Here's the thing about investigative reporting. Like, investigative reporting is so intense. There are so many lawyers involved, there are so many producers involved. It has to go through so many checks and balances. Trust me, you don't want to, you don't want to get into that game if you ain't ready, like to see what's going to Happen. That's all I'm going to say about that.

[Simone Boyce]

All right, next one. If the story doesn't go viral, it doesn't matter.

[AJ Holiday]

Absolutely not. Absolutely not. If viral is our new metric trick for worthiness, we're. We're screwed. We're screwed. There are so many important stories that fly under the radar. And honestly, I feel like in our hyper connected world, we are not meant to necessarily know about all the things that are going on and be so wrapped up in everything that's going on. I think that's like the price that we pay for living in this like hyper connected world. But there are lots of stories that aren't the ones that get the most attention that still need attention. So I'm gonna say absolutely not. Was this supposed to be rapid fire? Was I supposed to say like one or two words? Because I'm not good at that.

[Tam Bam]

No, that's good.

[AJ Holiday]

Okay.

[Simone Boyce]

It's perfect.

[Tam Bam]

All right, so this is the next game. So would you report on it? Is this game right? So you know, I'm on it. I'll pass. Or only if it's breaking. Essentially. You don't have to use those words. A secret group of moms in Beverly Hills is microdosing mushrooms to survive PTA meetings.

[AJ Holiday]

I'm on it. I am on it. Like lickety split. I'll be there.

[Simone Boyce]

The next next one. A TikTok trend where gen zers quit capitalism by faking their own deaths and moving to the forest to start communes.

[AJ Holiday]

Oh, I'm on it. Catch me on the next plane. I'll be on that forest island.

[Tam Bam]

This is for Hollywood. A leaked group chat reveals elite NYC influencer influencers are hiring body doubles to attend events for them.

[AJ Holiday]

Again, I'm on it. These are. These are all fire. These are all banger stories. Like, this is. I want to watch these stories.

[Tam Bam]

Yeah, me too.

[Simone Boyce]

This all sounds good. Okay. A pastor starts at only fans to fundraise for his new church. And it's working.

[AJ Holiday]

And the deacon slinging D. You know what? I'll pass. I got time. No, I ain't got time for that trifling mess.

[Tam Bam]

No, hold on. This is. This is the one a whistleblower claims AI generated news anchors are being used to spread political propaganda in swing states.

[AJ Holiday]

Dates o definitely on it. Like that needs to be reported.

[Tam Bam]

I feel like it's already happening. Black mirror. Yeah, for sure. Are you there?

[AJ Holiday]

My name is Simone. It has been a pleasure speaking with you today.

[Simone Boyce]

All right, so we have a segment on our show called dumb story and you share A time where you got played by the opposite sex in life. Any time in life where they. They played you. Do you have a story?

[AJ Holiday]

A time where somebody played me? Like, when I got cheated on or something. Something. Yeah. Yeah, there was a time. There was a time in college, I was dating this boy, and, yeah, I. I started to have my. My doubts and my questions, and so I hopped on the. I hopped on the old Facebook. I did my little sleuthing, you know, I did my investigative journalism, and come to find out he had a whole girlfriend someplace else in a different city. And that was. That.

[Tam Bam]

That.

[AJ Holiday]

That was. That was. Yeah, he had a whole other life.

[Simone Boyce]

What'd you say to him? How'd you end it?

[AJ Holiday]

I think it just. I think I called and it gave, like, a really ratchet phone call, honestly, you know. You know, when you have to do that sometimes, I. Actually, now that I think about it, my favorite. Favorite version of this. Actually, a better version of. Of this question. Another story is coming to mind. My best friend, she was dating this guy at our school, and he had made her watch his dog. She was watching his dog for, like, a week, and I. And. And then it kept getting extended. Like, the time kept going up and up, and she's just watching this dog, and I'm like, girl, what is going on? Like, why are you just watching his dog? Where is he? Why isn't he here? Come to find out he had a girl in town, he was cheating on her, and I'm pretty sure he came over to their house, and I happened to be there, and I, like, popped off on him and was going off about the dog. Like, why you leave this dog at my friend's house? Come and get this dog. Blah, blah, blah. So, yeah, another. Another occasion where you just had to let him know, you know, like, you just kind of.

[Simone Boyce]

What, was the other girl allergic to the dog? Why he got the dog over there or something? Like.

[AJ Holiday]

Like, because he got. He got multiple dogs. Two women, multiple dogs. I don't know.

[Tam Bam]

So the first, like, the first story you told, like, that really wasn't a dumb story because. Because if you would have stayed, right, and continued to date this guy after you found out that he had another situation going on, then you would be a dumb bitch.

[AJ Holiday]

Okay. Okay. See, I.

[Tam Bam]

You a bad bitch if you got up out of there.

[AJ Holiday]

Okay, I. I misunderstood. Yeah.

[Simone Boyce]

So you never stayed after being cheated on?

[AJ Holiday]

No, never.

[Simone Boyce]

What's your sign?

[AJ Holiday]

Aquarius.

[Simone Boyce]

Okay.

[AJ Holiday]

That is.

[Tam Bam]

Oh, I thought she was about to say Virgo. I'm about to say that's about right. Virgos ain't never got cheated on, child. They're warp it some type of way like to where they always on top.

[Simone Boyce]

They're gonna leave too though. They're not gonna stick around too long. Really.

[Tam Bam]

I mean the women. Yeah. My oldest sister is an Aquarius, one of the nicest people on the planet. But when it comes to love, not the smartest. Sorry, London, I love you. Not the smartest. But other than that, she's very brilliant. Okay, but they can get dignitized a little bit.

[Simone Boyce]

Everybody. Where they can find you, where they can subscribe to your podcast, all your things, plug it all.

[AJ Holiday]

Yes, okay. You can find me on social media at Simone Boyce. I'm that on everything. And you can also listen to the Bright side. Every Monday we are going to be brightening your week with laughter, knowledge, personal stories from women that are super inspiring. You can listen to the Bright side wherever you get your podcast, including on Apple podcasts, Spotify and the iHeartRadio app.

[Tam Bam]

Ow.

[Simone Boyce]

All right, girl.

[Tam Bam]

I want to tune in so much for joining me joining us.

[Simone Boyce]

So much fun.

[AJ Holiday]

Thank you ladies. Y' all are the best. I'm so it was such an honor to be here.

[Tam Bam]

All right, y' all, if you enjoyed this episode, y' all tune in every Thursday on the iHeartRadio app or wherever the you get your podcast at. This is AJ Holiday 2.0 on Instagrams. Kick it Tam, y' all.

[Simone Boyce]

It's official. Tam Bam on Instagram. I love y' all so much. Remember speak now. What you thinking?

[Tam Bam]

I don't know. Never hold your news.

[Simone Boyce]

Never hold your news. Deuce it.

[Carlos Miller]

Taking control of your career is empowering. Just don't tell my boss I said that. Building a career, is it just about a job. It's about creating a path that impacts our community and future generations. Whether you're starting out or making big moves, State Farm is here to support you with resources to help protect what you're working hard to achieve. They've got your back every step of the way. Because like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.

[Tam Bam]

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[AJ Holiday]

Still quoting 30 year old movies? Have you said cool beans in the past 90 days? Do you think Discover isn't widely accepted? If this sounds like you, you're stuck in the past. Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide and every time you make a purchase with your card, you automatically earn cash back. Welcome to the NAP. Now it pays to Discover. Learn [e-mail] credit card based on the February 2024 Nielsen report with depression, it feels like every day you're just going through the motions.

[Tam Bam]

I wanted something that could help me.

[AJ Holiday]

Feel better fast and that also lasts. That's when my doctor told me about.

[Tam Bam]

Ovelity in a study. Ovelity started working for some as early.

[AJ Holiday]

As one week with significant improvements seen on average at six weeks compared compared to placebo. Ovelity is helping me to feel more like myself. I'm glad I talked to my doctor about Ovelity. Ovelity is a prescription medicine for adults.

[Tam Bam]

With major depressive disorder.

[AJ Holiday]

Ovelity is not approved for children under 18. Ovelity may increase suicidal thoughts and actions in young adults. Tell your doctor about sudden changes to mood, thoughts or behavior. Do not take Ovelity if you have a history of seizure, eating disorder or have abruptly stopped drinking alcohol or taking benzodiazepines, barbiturates or anti seizure medicine.

[Tam Bam]

Serious allergic reactions can occur. Do not take if you are allergic.

[AJ Holiday]

To dextromethorphan, bupropion or any of the.

[Tam Bam]

Ingredients in ovality, do not take with.

[AJ Holiday]

MAOIs, high blood pressure, manic episodes, serious eye problems and dizziness can occur.

[Tam Bam]

Report all medicines you take to avoid.

[AJ Holiday]

A life threatening condition. Do not take Ovelity if you are.

[Tam Bam]

Or or may become pregnant.

[AJ Holiday]

Side effects can include dizziness, headache, diarrhea, feeling sleepy, dry mouth, sexual function problems and excessive sweating.

[Tam Bam]

Ask your healthcare provider if Ovelity is right for you.

[AJ Holiday]

Visit auvelity.com that's A-V E-L-I-T-Y.com or call.

[Tam Bam]

866-496-2976 for more information.

[AJ Holiday]

This is an iHeart pod.