FAME (I wanna live forever!)

Summary

Podcast Summary: We're Your Girls – Episode: FAME (I wanna live forever!)

Host Information: Hosted by Good Mess Media, "We're Your Girls" features two best friends, Taryn Delaney Smith and Tiffany Singleton, who delve into life’s multifaceted moments with humor, heart, and genuine conversation. Each Friday night, listeners are treated to real talk, laughter, and discussions on sisterhood, love, and the everyday magic that binds us.

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Introduction to Fame

In the April 11, 2025 episode titled "FAME (I wanna live forever!)," Taryn Delaney Smith and Tiffany Singleton embark on an engaging conversation about the elusive concept of fame. The episode begins with a light-hearted discussion about personal style, setting a relatable tone before delving deeper into the subject matter.

Taryn Delaney Smith opens with a humorous anecdote about wearing a friend's shirt, which segues into a broader conversation about self-awareness and personal growth:

"I'm really learning how to shop because I said one thing about me. I'm figuring this shit out." [00:39]

Subjective Nature of Fame

The hosts explore the idea that fame is highly subjective and varies greatly depending on personal experiences and cultural contexts. They discuss how fame isn't a one-size-fits-all concept and how individuals perceive and react to fame differently.

Tiffany Singleton highlights the variability in recognizing fame:

"So, where, like, the base emotion of getting excited when meeting a famous person is that you're meeting someone who's like, cooler than you or has lived a different life than you have lived. And it's exciting." [03:26]

Taryn Delaney Smith adds depth by reflecting on their own lack of starstruck moments due to living in New York:

"Part of it is living in New York. I've lived in New York eight years. About the same. Maybe longer." [03:02]

Personal Experiences with Fame

Delving into personal anecdotes, the hosts share their experiences with meeting famous individuals and how these encounters have shaped their understanding of fame. They emphasize that genuine connections are more impactful than meeting celebrities for the sake of recognition.

Taryn Delaney Smith recounts an emotional meeting with Vanessa Williams:

"I got emotional when I met Vanessa Williams because I was Miss New York at the time. She was a huge reason why I like, she was my screensaver for a long time when I was first competing." [04:24]

Conversely, Tiffany Singleton narrates her surprise encounter with Johnny Gill, illustrating that humility and kindness often characterize the most memorable interactions with celebrities:

"Johnny Gale is such a celebrity in my house. New Edition, all of it. I could not believe how nice he was to us." [05:03]

Interview with Johnny Gill

A highlight of the episode is an unexpected live interview with Johnny Gill, a legendary figure in the music industry. The hosts’ enthusiasm culminates in Taryn's exclamation:

"This is my I made it moment. My I made it moment right now is that I can call Johnny Gill on the phone." [07:53]

During the brief but heartfelt exchange, Johnny Gill shares his personal milestone:

"I got my first check... I bought me a gold nugget watch, a ring. And I thought, oh, shucks, I made it and couldn't nobody tell me nothing." [06:32]

This interaction underscores the personal nature of fame and the tangible milestones that signify success to individuals beyond public recognition.

Impact of Fame on Personality and Behavior

The conversation shifts to how fame influences personal behavior and public personas. The hosts discuss the notion that fame doesn't inherently change a person but rather amplifies existing traits.

Tiffany Singleton reflects on younger celebrities setting boundaries:

"If I were in her position or in their position, I would fight for my boundaries too." [36:01]

Taryn Delaney Smith agrees, emphasizing the importance of kindness regardless of fame:

"Whatever... be kind on both ends." [37:03]

They critique behaviors where fame may lead to arrogance or mistreatment of others, asserting that individuals are simply amplified versions of themselves when they gain notoriety:

"Money only amplifies who you already are." [38:10]

Fame in the Age of Social Media

Addressing modern dynamics, the hosts discuss how social media has transformed the landscape of fame, making it more accessible yet more fragmented. They highlight the challenges of defining fame when audiences are vast and diverse.

Taryn Delaney Smith muses on the paradox of meeting celebrities with massive followings who may be unknown to them:

"I meet people who have 30 to 40 million followers. And to me, that really is an inconceivable number. It's like, more followers than the UN. That's insane." [44:37]

Tiffany Singleton points out the positive aspects, such as increased connectivity and the ability to access diverse communities:

"We have a way to access each other and access communities in ways we didn't have before." [45:08]

Reflections and Final Thoughts

As the episode draws to a close, the hosts reflect on the true essence of fame—using one's platform to make a meaningful impact. They advocate for valuing the substance of one's actions and contributions over the numerical metrics of popularity.

Taryn Delaney Smith summarizes:

"What have you done with your life? And that is why people that we meet, certain people, mean a lot to us. Because I'm excited to meet you, not because of the platform you have, but because of what you've done with it." [43:20]

Tiffany Singleton reinforces this sentiment, emphasizing authenticity and the importance of genuine interactions:

"At the end of the day, people that we meet mean so much because we're excited to meet you and what you've done with your influence." [46:52]

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Conclusion: "FAME (I wanna live forever!)" offers a nuanced exploration of fame from the perspectives of two relatable hosts. Through personal stories, philosophical discussions, and a memorable interview with Johnny Gill, Taryn Delaney Smith and Tiffany Singleton invite listeners to reconsider the true meaning of fame. They encourage valuing personal connections and meaningful contributions over superficial recognition, providing a heartfelt and insightful episode that resonates with anyone grappling with the complexities of success and public acknowledgment.

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Notable Quotes:

• "I'm really learning how to shop because I said one thing about me. I'm figuring this shit out." – Taryn Delaney Smith [00:39]

• "So, where, like, the base emotion of getting excited when meeting a famous person is that you're meeting someone who's like, cooler than you or has lived a different life than you have lived. And it's exciting." – Tiffany Singleton [03:26]

• "I got emotional when I met Vanessa Williams because I was Miss New York at the time. She was a huge reason why I like, she was my screensaver for a long time when I was first competing." – Taryn Delaney Smith [04:24]

• "Johnny Gale is such a celebrity in my house. New Edition, all of it. I could not believe how nice he was to us." – Tiffany Singleton [05:03]

• "What have you done with your life? And that is why people that we meet, certain people, mean a lot to us. Because I'm excited to meet you, not because of the platform you have, but because of what you've done with it." – Taryn Delaney Smith [43:20]

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Key Topics Discussed:

• The subjective nature of fame
• Personal interactions with celebrities
• Fame’s impact on personality and behavior
• The role of social media in modern fame
• Authenticity and meaningful contributions over superficial recognition

Conclusion: This episode of "We're Your Girls" effectively demystifies fame, presenting it as a multifaceted and deeply personal experience. Taryn and Tiffany’s candid dialogue encourages listeners to focus on substance and genuine connections, making "FAME (I wanna live forever!)" a thought-provoking and inspiring listen.

Transcript

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Cause we're your girl hey.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Cause I like, I do.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

How are you?

[Tiffany Singleton]

I'm good. How you doing, girl?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Good.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Are you settling in?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

You?

[Tiffany Singleton]

I like the shade.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Do you recognize my outfit?

[Tiffany Singleton]

Is this Chaos Goblin merch?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Well, yes, I am wearing Chaos Goblin sweats, but I'm actually wearing your shirt.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Crazy. You'd say that. I have been looking for this shirt for months. How long have you had it?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I'll be honest. I don't know.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I thought I lost it.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I found it this morning. You know, you find something, and you're like, I don't know what this is. And I picked it up, and I'm like, wow. And I put it on. I didn't recognize.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Isn't it the best?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

And I was like, what a great top. And I was like, go me. Look at me thinking ahead. So I put this. I put this little number on, and I was like, I'm really learning how to shop because I said one thing about me. I'm figuring this shit out.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I can't.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

And then I. And then I. You know, I puttered around as one does, and I keep catching myself in the mirror, and I'm like, I blacked out when I bought this. I don't remember getting it. And then I thought, it's a little snug. This is Tiffany's.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I have been looking for this shirt for months.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

How come you didn't say anything when you walked in the studio?

[Tiffany Singleton]

I didn't even realize. I mean, you know, there was something off. I mean, by off, I mean on. You look great. It looks fabulous.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Thanks. I'm gonna keep it.

[Tiffany Singleton]

It's from Zara.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Is it? It is.

[Tiffany Singleton]

And I went back to Zara when I thought I lost it to see if they would have any more. They don't.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Oh.

[Tiffany Singleton]

But I may be requesting that back.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Snooze, you lose. Oh, Pirates code. Fall behind, left behind.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Fall behind. What is it?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Fall behind, left behind.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Fall behind, left behind.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Pirates code. Fall behind, left behind.

[Tiffany Singleton]

What's the other one that they say?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Parlay.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Parlay?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Yes. Parlay. What?

[Tiffany Singleton]

Invoking parlay.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

First of all, I know what parlay is. Parlay. I want to speak to your captain, first of all. Okay, I'm done. I can figure it top to bottom.

[Tiffany Singleton]

But only my favorite one.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

The first one I love.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I also do, like at World's End. That one's a good one.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

It started to get confusing.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I like them. The more Disney goes in on a plot, the more I'm locked. Really? Oh, my God. I love when Disney starts to get confusing. Prince of Persia Stands of Time. Y'all ever seen that one? That is my movie, by the way, y'all.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Olivia's in the studio. She's in the back. You can hear her laugh. That's our girl, Olivia. She's joining today.

[Tiffany Singleton]

She is the best.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

So the Prince of Persia, that was.

[Tiffany Singleton]

The most awful film Girl watched a couple nights ago. Prince Persia Stands In Time is my film. Prince Destin, you know, they were messy for casting Jake Gyllenhaal as a Persian man. That's when it went wrong.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

And his hair blowing in the wind.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Correct. I'm like, now that is the most Anglo man available. And they chose him.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Thank you, God.

[Tiffany Singleton]

But you know what? He did look good.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

He did look good. I don't really get starstruck and neither do you. Part of it, I think, is living in New York. I've lived in New York eight years. About the same. Maybe longer.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yeah. Six years.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Six years. So we talk about this a lot. Part of it is even before we were in the entertainment industry and going to events in which you would expect famous people to be there.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yeah.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I think living in New York, similar to maybe if you live in la, you just have a lot of exposure to famous people being amongst you. And so I think that plays a huge role of that. But I also think for. It's kind of. We're hardwired for it, I think.

[Tiffany Singleton]

So we've talked a lot about clout chasers in any variety. So where, like, the base emotion of getting excited when meeting a famous person is that you're meeting someone who's like, cooler than you or has lived a different life than you have lived. And it's exciting. But we aren't moved by those emotions when meeting people. Because people are people, right?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

No, I will say I have had a couple and it is different when I meet someone who has meant a.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Lot to me emotionally.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Emotionally. So I will get emotional because I just. I'm like, oh, how lucky am I that I get to tell you in.

[Tiffany Singleton]

This moment how much you mean to me.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I got emotional when I met Vanessa Williams because I was Miss New York at the time. She was a Miss New York and she was a huge reason why I like, she was my screensaver for a long time when I was first competing because especially when I was younger, she was one of. At the time there have. Yeah, she's one of the few black Miss Americas. So, like, this meant a lot to me. But even when I met Vanessa, I was like, oh, my God, this means a lot to me. I did. I certainly, like, teared up a little. Like, oh, I'm so happy to meet you.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yeah.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

But there. And Vanessa was cool. She was. She touched my arm and she went, don't cry. And I went, got it, diva. So glad to meet you. What an honor. And then, you know, and then we kept it stepping, and I pulled it together. That was cool. So I think it's one thing to meet somebody who's meant a lot to you, but I will say there's a lot of folks that we've met or see, and they don't care who it is that they're meeting. If there's a famous person in the room that's famous in any capacity to anyone, they just want to be sliding next to him. That I don't rock.

[Tiffany Singleton]

No, I don't rock with that either. I will say, like, my. Who was my one person? Johnny Gale. When I met. When we met Johnny Gale, I was starstruck. Like, unexpectedly starstruck.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Really?

[Tiffany Singleton]

Oh, my God.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Yes.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Johnny Gale is such a celebrity in my house. New edition, all of it. I could not believe how nice he was to us.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

And he was always sweet.

[Tiffany Singleton]

We love Johnny. We always want to call him on the show. Is it the time?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Well, let's just see if he answers. I don't think he'd get mad at me for calling him.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I mean, he straight up told you to call him, so.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

He did.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I wonder.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Hold on.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Well, while she does that. We met Johnny doing a dance battle, and he unexpectedly was in the city and wanted to film one in person with us. So we were absolutely honored. Of course. The biggest uncle in the best way. Like, he was just a complete sweet, sweet man. I'm scared.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I know this is probably inappropriate.

[Johnny Gill]

Hey.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Hey. How you doing, Johnny?

[Johnny Gill]

I'm good. How's it going?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I'm good. Listen, so we're shooting the podcast, me and Tiffany, and we're telling stories about how lovely you are, and we thought, let's just see if he answers if we call. How you doing?

[Johnny Gill]

I am good. What have you guys been up to?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Nothing. We're just filming the podcast. And now I've got you on the phone. I'm so excited. Do you have one minute? Can I get 60 seconds?

[Johnny Gill]

Sure.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Yay. That's so cool. Okay, what's one question I want to ask Johnny Gill?

[Tiffany Singleton]

Oh, my God, so many.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I have one. We're talking about fame on today's episode. Here's what I want to ask you. What was a moment you had in your career where you thought, wow, I made it. I really made it. Have you had that moment?

[Johnny Gill]

No. Right at that moment? Yeah, I did, actually. Early, early, early on in my career.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

What happened?

[Johnny Gill]

I got my first check period. I bought me a gold nugget watch, a ring.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Yeah.

[Johnny Gill]

Bracelet. And I thought, oh, shucks, I made it and couldn't nobody tell me nothing.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Oh, do you still have those pieces?

[Johnny Gill]

We don't have to wear the ring and the watt and the nugget watches that. Because I have no clue. But there was a moment of time where I thought, oh, yeah, I'm in there.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

You're in there.

[Tiffany Singleton]

So sweet.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

That's so sweet. Do you still have those. Those pieces of jewelry? No.

[Johnny Gill]

I don't know what the hell happened.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Oh, you just made this week's episode so good. Thank you so much.

[Johnny Gill]

I would love to put it out there. If anybody could see if anybody finds a gold nugget watch, somebody finds necklace, I would think I would really like it back.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Y'all heard it here first. So y'all heard his jewelry back.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Give Mr. Johnny Gill, the legend himself, his stuff back. Please don't pawn it. Please don't pawn it.

[Johnny Gill]

Congratulations. You guys. Just keep pushing and moving forward. I'm so proud of you.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Oh, you are the best. You really are, Uncle. Thank you so much. Truly, the legend, the icon, Johnny Gill. It's really surreal. This is my I made it moment. My I made it moment right now is that I can call Johnny Gil on the phone.

[Tiffany Singleton]

That's crazy.

[Johnny Gill]

Anytime.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Well, thank you.

[Tiffany Singleton]

So good to hear from you.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

We hope you have a beautiful day, and thank you for giving us a little snippet on our show today.

[Johnny Gill]

You're so welcome, and congrats.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Thank you. Bye.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Bye.

[Johnny Gill]

Okay. All right. Bye.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I can die happily.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Why did I want to say I love you bye so bad? And I was like, don't say I love you. Bye. I do love him, though.

[Tiffany Singleton]

That's insanely crazy. In full circle.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Yeah.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Cuckoo banana.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

And why is he the sweetest? He's the sweetest person.

[Tiffany Singleton]

So sweet. Those are the people I get starstruck over meeting that are just cool. No, like, he's been a celebrity longer than he hasn't been a celebrity, so he has no reason to be just kind and sweet.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

And this all comes from us doing a dance battle video to his song I rub you, rub you the right way.

[Tiffany Singleton]

A cookout classic.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

And it's just crazy and it's funny. I have a couple numbers on my phone that I wouldn't like. They're notable Individuals who I wouldn't dare name drop or call because it just like, would not be appropriate. Appropriate. But he is someone who has made himself so available and so he's been.

[Tiffany Singleton]

So kind to us time and time again.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Just. Just like, literally. Cause we asked once, like, could we just give you a call? And he was like, anytime. He's like, call me anytime. So that was kind of cool.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I'm shook. That is the sweetest thing that's ever happened to us. My God. We love you, Johnny.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I hope your mom and dad. I feel like your mom and dad would watch this.

[Tiffany Singleton]

They will fall out. You know what? I will say, the other person that I got starstruck when we met was Joe. But I feel like musicians are the. I get starstruck. I love music and I love black music. I love music created by black people.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

But music has really shaped you. Yeah, and we were talking about that though, right? It's a little different when it's. You're meeting somebody who is really shaped.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yeah.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

But I think star chasing and star chasers, which is. I'll be. You'll be at a party for sure, or an after party or something. And somebody will walk in and I'll say, oh, that's so and so. And the person that's next to me goes, who? And I explain who they are and like, oh, I have to.

[Tiffany Singleton]

And suddenly they're gone.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Don't do that. Don't do that. Yeah, just don't do that. I don't think it's in good taste.

[Tiffany Singleton]

No, it's not in good taste.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I try not to make big broad statements like that. But I'm gonna say this is one.

[Tiffany Singleton]

That'S a little odd because they're just people. I would. I would like to know the psyche behind someone who is emphatically excited to meet famous people no matter what.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

No matter who they are.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Like what. What does your brain tell you in that moment? Why is that important? No judgment. I'm just genuinely curious.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I am genuinely curious. And I think that again. Yeah, we'll set up some parameters. Now I'm not going to pretend like there aren't. There's like a. There's like a upper 1% of people that are so famous, they transcend time. Like Michael Jackson.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Beyonce.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Beyonce.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Taylor Swift. If you're a Swiftie.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

If you're a Swiftie. Taylor Swift is one of the people that. Who I can understand you would. Anyone would be like, I can't believe that you just crossed my path. Right. That's pretty crazy. But I will Say almost everybody else. And now you and I. I think I'm like a Z list. If I'm on the list at all, I'm X, Y or Z. No, that's all right. I'm not being modest.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I put you above K at the very least.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

All right, so I'm a J list. I'm a J lister, you know, and so. And then there's those AA listers, but then everyone in between. It really just is like a cool little moment to have.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yeah.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

And what we talk a lot about that I think is really fascinating, that I didn't have any concept of until I was in the entertainment industry is how subjective famous. You can walk into a room or someone can walk into a room and someone will grab your arm and go, oh, my God. Yeah, that's Jaila Bidodo. And she's huge in insert country. She's in this other country.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Manolo.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Yeah. Black.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Exactly.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

You say Manolo.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Did you? Just to rhyme with.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I wanted to be like, blow, Blow.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Bedodo, whoever you say.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I was like, is Manolo a place?

[Tiffany Singleton]

Is Manolo a place? Manila is.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Manila is a place. Back to what we were saying.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yeah. It feels like a grown man is taking a nap on me.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

The dog is laying on Tiffany for our listeners at home. And he's being a very good boy.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I almost had to get Winston today, but I said, no, I will pick him up later. It would have been too chaotic.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Bruce will sleep anyway. Yeah. And that's really fascinating to me that someone can walk in and like, that's so and so from. And she's huge here or she's huge in this community or to that person talking to me, she's huge to me.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yeah. Subjective fame was something I learned working in PR because depending upon the client, that person was either God or no one that we needed to care about. So event to event, room to room, we had to learn how to turn it on and find someone incredibly important in that moment. Because people in fashion and in entertainment spaces thrive off of feeling like a vip. I think we were having this discussion yesterday.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

That's so true. And how easily you can blunder something by frankly, just not knowing who someone is.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Correct.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

And they get offended because they can tell you don't know who they are.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Exactly. Which was the worst feeling, being your mistake.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I make a mistake.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Oh, my God.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Sorry. To all the sports players I've ever met. Ever. Sports players, I think, are the worst.

[Tiffany Singleton]

About it because they've got ego.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

They want to know that, you know.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Who they Are when quite frankly, sports is so specific website like why are you upset at me that I don't know that you're the third wide receiver in the, in the Big Bang league.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Wide Severus Snape, wide receiver, wide receiver, Alabama were out one time at this bar and these, this the only indicator that they were sports players. That these guys came up and they sat next to us and they were just built massively huge and one of them was just dripped out in diamonds.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I mean top to bottom, a tidal wave on his neck. Crazy.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

An ice storm, if you will. It got cold when he entered the room.

[Tiffany Singleton]

The blizzard.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

So of course Tiffany was like clock.

[Tiffany Singleton]

We say all that to say I notice, notice.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

But we weren't sure exactly who he was. I mean maybe you did. Did you know his name?

[Tiffany Singleton]

I know who one of them was. I did not know who his buddy was.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Yeah, I had no clue. And also when they sat next to us, it was too late for you to tell me who it was, right?

[Tiffany Singleton]

Correct. We were already in deep.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I had no idea. But I think as the night wore on, I remember we talked about it later when one of them had gone to the bathroom, his friend had leaned over to me and been like, do you know who that is? In kind of like a joking way, like, do you not know who that is? And I turned to him and I was like, well, you didn't tell me his name. What am I supposed to do, read your mind? Why am I in trouble? What did I do? And so there. This is something that I think is really odd because I will say now granted, I'm a J Lister, but of. Of course I don't walk into a room expecting anyone to know who I am ever. I mean I don't. And I hope that I don't lose that. I hope my career goes on. I hope that we both continue to be very successful. But I also hope that I never walk into a room just expecting someone to know who I am. Because like you said, like we've said, fame is subjective.

[Tiffany Singleton]

So subjective.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

An A Lister to one may be a J Lister to another. A list.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Stop calling yourself a J Lister.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

You're the one who said it.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I said above K. That could very well be A. Huh huh? But let it be known.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Hey man, it's something to work towards.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Oh, you're not a J Lister. And what is the list? That's my question. Who made the list?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Let me see it.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Where does the list live?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

It's like the stock market. Where is it?

[Tiffany Singleton]

It's a great It's a great, great query.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Yeah. Anyway, well, I'm sorry that we yell so much on this.

[Tiffany Singleton]

We'd really be hollering because if you watch this before it, Tracy's like, yeah, me too.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Sorry. Sorry.

[Tiffany Singleton]

This is.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

And you know, people probably tune in because I know they like our voices.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yeah.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

And they're expecting us to talk, to be here. Yes. Like this.

[Tiffany Singleton]

You know, we're sweet.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Do you want to try and do the podcast in these voices today, at.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Least for the next couple minutes?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I'm trying. I'm gonna try and keep it to the npr.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yeah. This is for all of our Delilah listeners. Did you listen to Delilah?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I'm reading exactly who you're talking about.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yeah.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Okay.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Welcome to B972WFM.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Okay, so it's the quiet storm. Oh, that's good.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Someone once. Oh, wait, I have to get back in the voice. Someone once told me that I had a face for radio. I was very offended. They were calling me ugly.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Is that something Delilah said or you're saying?

[Tiffany Singleton]

No, not Delilah. Someone just once said it. You know, you have a really great face for radio.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I was like, what? That's a crazy.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Isn't that crazy?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

You're stunningly gorgeous.

[Tiffany Singleton]

It was from. This is a very off track story.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

You all right?

[Tiffany Singleton]

You gassy today?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I don't.

[Tiffany Singleton]

You gassy today. Anyway, I don't feel the need to tell the story. Point is, it was a middle school comment.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I certainly. When I go home, my family jokes. I don't know if think it's a half joke, but half serious. When I get recognized in my hometown, that's always surreal. Like, people being like, oh, my God, Taryn, and I know you're from me, and I don't know who they are. Right. That's always really. I'm like, touched by. Cause I'm like, oh, that's so cool that people back in West Seattle, in Seattle, like, care that I'm from there.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yeah.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

It makes me feel like I maybe I made some people proud. And that feels really good.

[Tiffany Singleton]

It almost means more than being recognized in LA or in New York or in Paris.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

And so that's. And in front of my family always is really affirming because my family's like, wow, My, like, t's doing something that's cool. Although my family's listening to this. Like, we don't think that. But being in your hometown is cool in that way. But so, of course, sometimes in my family, that conversation comes up of, like, not you being famous. And it's like, And I'm. And I'm like, ah, but I've met famous people.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yeah.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

And I. In my mind, I'm not famous because, you know, I've been in the same room as JLo. That's famous.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Well, I beg the question, what will being famous feel like? Like, what's the threshold for you, for fame?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

That's why part of me is like, does it even exist?

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yeah. It's a question.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

But, no, just kidding. JLO knows she's famous. JLO wakes up in the morning and she goes, I'm famous. I'm famous. She wakes up in a cold sweat. I'm famous.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Plotting the moment her eyes open, she's stressed. I hope that's not the case.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Waiting for tonight slowly comes on in her surround sound.

[Tiffany Singleton]

And you know that's our song.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Waiting for tonight oh, when you will be here in my arms Stephanie, bring.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Me my hoops Such a bop.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Dang it. We. We lost the quiet sound of the pod.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Oh, yeah, we're back.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Yeah. I think there are people, like, there's. It's. It would be almost annoying if they were like, oh, I'm not famous like Oprah. That would be just annoying. Yes, you are.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yeah.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

You know, a Kennedy. You know, I am obsessed with the Kennedys. You've said the Kennedys. You know, I reference the Kennedys a lot.

[Tiffany Singleton]

The Kennedys.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

The Kennedys. I'm fascinated by American royalty. What can I say?

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yeah.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

So, yeah, I think there's a level of, you're so famous that don't be. Don't be humble.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yeah.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Come on. But then I think. I think I'm still at the place where it would. Some people might go, yeah, you're famous. And other people might say, that's ludicrous. And I understand that. So I don't. I don't deign to say. Or is that the word I want to use? I don't.

[Tiffany Singleton]

That works.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

No, not Dane. I don't. I don't presume. I don't presume to walk around being like, no, I'm bambing. I think that I'm becoming more well known for what I do, and I'm grateful for that. And I think you are, too.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yeah.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Because it's so fun when people stop me and go, where's Tiffany?

[Tiffany Singleton]

It's the biggest mind fuck for me these days because, you know, I'm private.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

So I'm like, I know you like to be in disguise.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I do. I'm very much given Taylor Swift showing up to her own concert in a laundry cart. Like, that's me walking down the street.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

What did she do?

[Tiffany Singleton]

She shows up to the shows. Like before she goes on stage, she gets in a laundry cart so that people don't know that she's basically walking through the stadium to get to where she needs to be to avoid the crowd as much as possible.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Quick query. If I was at a stadium and a random laundry cart was these flips, two laundry carts just rolling towards the stage, I would be like, get that laundry cart. Get it. Taylor Swift is in it.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Well, the Swifties know now, so they see the cart and go cuckoo bananas. I was at the show.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Laundry cart.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I mean, I kid you not, Tati and I went to Taylor Swift's show last year and we were sitting semi behind the stage. I mean, this is a whole topic to get into that level of fitness. But we're sitting behind the stage, basically. And when the cart comes up, the entire stadium, I mean, 70,000 people losing their minds over a laundry car. I've never seen anything.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

How did I miss this?

[Tiffany Singleton]

It was crazy. But I'm not calling them crazy. I don't want to offend the Swifties, but that's. I don't want to come to y'all.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Listen to me. We don't really listen to Taylor Swift.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Listen, I do, though. That's the thing. I could pull up about 20 or so Taylor songs.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Olivia's making a face in the back of the set.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I'ma pull him up. I listen to Taylor.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I do.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I'm not saying I'm a Taylor fan. Let's be clear.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Whoa.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I'm not saying I'm a Taylor fan.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

It's one or the other. Because now they're going to come and get you.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I disagree. I disagree.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

You cannot anger these people.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I can't. The fact of the matter is I know some tunes. Had a good time at the concert. Ok. What can I say?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Sure, sure, sure.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Okay, but.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

But don't say but. That's it.

[Tiffany Singleton]

That's it.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Period. She liked it. You like it? I love it.

[Tiffany Singleton]

There's like a hard clip here. And we move on to the next topic to avoid.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Cut it here. There is no group of people I'm more frightened of.

[Tiffany Singleton]

No, the beehive scares me. I'm scared of the beehive.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Well, yeah.

[Tiffany Singleton]

The beehive will come for your throat and your edges. Are you kidding?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

You're right. Both.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Am I wrong?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Both fan groups are united front. I would actually love to see a civil war between both fan bas. And I like both artists. I love Beyonce. Okay. I love Beyonce.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I mean, and that's on period.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

What do you want me to say? I love Beyonce and that's real. I love her. But I also, I would be interested if there was like a post apocalyptic America and factions were organized by the different the Swifties and the Beyonce fans. And then there's a war over resources, you know, and then the laundry, a lone laundry cart rolls across battlefield deserts.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Did I tell you I just read a dystopian post apocalyptic book where it was a romance novel, but it was set. It's called Swallow it down and it was set on a cruise ship.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

It was crazy.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I ate every last word up. My girl, Addison Cain, big shout out. I loved Swallow it down waiting for book two.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

We were really on a cruise ship.

[Tiffany Singleton]

And I still don't know why it was called Swallow it down, but to make a very long.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Are you sure you don't know?

[Tiffany Singleton]

Well, yeah, yeah, I guess I do know. But the cruise ship basically was the only thing that survived the nuclear fallout. And so the main man character was running this like alternative society on a cruise ship.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

You know what? I know where she got the idea because many a time have I seen cruise ships and I'm thinking if the new flood comes, these are basically our arcs.

[Tiffany Singleton]

It's crazy.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

And they are huge. I don't even fully understand how they float.

[Tiffany Singleton]

They stress me out. Like cruise ships. The sheer size of cruise ships stresses me out.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

And I've never been on a cruise.

[Tiffany Singleton]

We have to go.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I want to go. Just for the shits and gigs.

[Tiffany Singleton]

We have to go.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I want to go on a cruise.

[Tiffany Singleton]

On a cruise.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

What's the podcast? On a cruise. Okay, are you listening? This is my one moment to plug anyone connected to Carnival. Who are they?

[Tiffany Singleton]

We would want to do Virginia.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Okay.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Because they don't allow kids.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Oh, oh.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Or maybe we don't want to do that.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Well, no.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Do we have a good giggle time?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Would you have a good. Now kids would probably stop us from having a good giggly time. It makes me nervous because, like, around kids, I want to be able to, like, if something were to happen, you.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Want to be a safe person.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I want to step in and I don't feel that I can do that. If I like, if a kid is around, I'm not going to drink. Like, like I might have a glass of wine, but I certainly wouldn't have more than one glass of wine because, like, there's a kid in the room. Yeah, I don't know. Maybe that's weird. I'm not a Mom. So maybe when I become a mom, that will change and I'll be more like, whatever. I don't know.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I agree. I agree. So I've never really drank around kids. Now that I think about it, yeah.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

It feels wrong to drink around kids. But again, I'm sure there are lots of moms listening to this. Like, well, just wait till you have kids. Certainly. My mom had wine and her friends had wine in front of us. Like, that wasn't weird.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Not at all.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Anyways, this is a crazy tangent for no.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Don't know how we got up there, but we're bringing it back.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

We'll take a cruise. Why not? And you know what? Let's organize it so everybody knows what cruise you're going on so we can all cruise together. Time for another ad break. This week's episode, as you should know by now, is presented by Soapbox. And I've got to say, I've been loving their body wash. I also have their hand soap around the house. Everybody loves the hand soap. It smells so good. And mind you, it's, it's plant based, cruelty free, vegan. And I know, I know that for so many folks, that's. I love when people buy really consciously. And I think I really admire people who do that. And so Soapbox is a great brand for that.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yeah. I will say, you've put me on. You really have put me on. And what I do love about this is that this is not some cheap.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Thin little body wash. She's not cheap.

[Tiffany Singleton]

She's not cheap. She has class. Okay? She's sudsy. She's got a thick bubble to her. It really does feel like a luxurious experience putting this on. And I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I love that the smell lasts when I get out the shower.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Also, it comes in a couple different flavors. Oat milk and lavender. I have used, actually have that in my shower as we speak. Coconut and goji berry. I haven't used that one yet.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Ooh.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

But that's a, that's a scent that it comes in. And then vanilla bean I have in my hot little hand as we speak. And it smells lovely.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Good. It's antioxidant, rich. It's got plant based cleaners, paraben free vegan. What more can we say?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I'm gonna listen. I want you guys to listen to this. I just took the top off. Hold on. Have a nice listen to this. I'm gonna take the top off. Smells good.

[Tiffany Singleton]

It does.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Super sudsy.

[Tiffany Singleton]

You can check them out at Walmart in the natural section and other retailers nationwide.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Really quick audience. I hope this is your favorite body wash commercial you've ever heard. I hope it is, because guess what? It's mine.

[Tiffany Singleton]

You can also visit Soapbox Co and use code wereyourgirls at checkout. 30% off one per customer and it's active through the end of the year.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I love when folks come up to me or us, both of us together. It is so affirming and so joyful. When somebody says, I just love your work and I love what you're doing, that is the most beautiful, exciting thing to me. I feel so lucky. I feel so honored.

[Tiffany Singleton]

And we always send each other text messages when it happens. Like we call them our pat on the back moments, like God patting us on the back and saying, good job.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Totally.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Just feeling, like you said, affirming. Just feeling very affirmed in what we're doing and where we're going. So we love when that happens.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

So thank you so much. And if ever you're listening and you have stopped us or said hi, because a couple of you have told me that you love the pod. Thank you so much. It makes my day every time. It makes me sad when someone messages.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Me and they're like, I saw you.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I saw you. And I didn't want to say hi because I didn't want to bother you. Bother. Yeah. Even if I'm. If I'm. I could be incapacitated, strapped to a gurney. Okay. I'm being resuscitated. God forbid. Knock on wood. I hope you come over and just say, best of luck.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I hope you pull through.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

No, I don't mind. I think it's really, really great. But I think people are also so sweet when they message that because they're truly trying to be courteous.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yeah. Yeah. Because I can understand. I'm the type of person who does, funnily enough, I'm saying, come up to us, but I'm the type of person who does not go up to people.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Yeah.

[Tiffany Singleton]

And the two times that I did it, they were not fun experiences. And I was like, ow.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

You don't have to say the name.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I won't do it.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Don't say the name. But what was an experience you had where you came up to somebody and what didn't go well?

[Tiffany Singleton]

It happened twice. Both in my. Both times in my neighborhood, actually. So I follow influencers who make hyper curated lifestyle content. So they don't particularly make anything comedic or anything that leads you to believe that they would enjoy someone coming up to them. So I will give that preface. So I'm in my coffee shop getting my little coffee sun shining. It's a cute little day out. I look over my shoulder and I see an absolute diva. And I'm like, is that who I think it is? And it's exactly who I think it is. So I'm already gassed because I don't get starstruck. But I am like, okay. I admire her work so much.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

And you watch her all the time.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Watch her all the time. Like, content is very aspirational. So I'm. I'm so. At this point, I'm super jazzed. I'm excited. Her content is stuff that I enjoy. So I wanted to say something, and she was a black woman, so I thought that we'd have, like, a little moment, you know? So I go up to her and I'm like, hi, I am so sorry to bother you. I absolutely adore your content, and I think you are fabulous. And I say her name, and she is a foreign name. So I was like, okay, I'm. I know that I'm going to pronounce this properly, because I'm working on it. Yeah, say her name. She turns to me and is like, it's la, la, la, la, la. And pronounces her name. She corrects me, essentially. Didn't say hi, didn't say anything. So I was like, oh, I'm so sorry. Said it properly. And then I turned away, took my coffee and walked out. And I was so disheartened because I'm like, no, not a sister being mean in the moment. And I'm sure she's human, Right? So maybe she had a day. Maybe she was sick and tired of hearing people mispronounce her name. Like, I will give her the absolute benefit of the doubt, but I will say it did make me cautious to not approach influencers.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I mean, frankly, you just made a mistake.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I just made a mistake. And one that I'm so embarrassed about. Sure.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

But that's also. That's human. And it's okay.

[Tiffany Singleton]

You made a mistake.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

And I'm sure you will never get that wrong again.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Absolutely not. I also unfollowed her, so. Well, yeah, it was that.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I will say when I first.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Hope that doesn't make me sound salty, but.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

No, I mean, it hurt your feelings. I will say I. When I first got started, I didn't. So I had a viral video and had made a TikTok like, 24 hours before, so I didn't follow anyone. A lot of people thought I had A bot account I didn't have. I didn't even have a profile photo. I was. I was Tarantino 21. And it was just one video. So, of course, I started to build my page quickly. And the first advice that I got was, start following people. It doesn't matter what their content is. Find some people that you like and start learning from them. And so there was a couple, but one of those people was Teffy, who I love. And Teffy, I've told you a million times, Teffy's my girl. That's like.

[Tiffany Singleton]

That's my goodness, the queen of 305.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

And she is so good about being kind to people and giving people time. And when I first told her this, you know, she just was really wonderful about it. So Teffy's not included in this, but there was another person who was in that group of people that I first kind of followed and wanted to get to know, similar to you. She's not a comedian. I've actually found that comedians are always cool. They are. She's not a comedian. We both live in New York, and I was at a coffee shop, and I went in one day, and this is when I'm. She certainly. Maybe she knows who I am now, but she certainly wouldn't have known who I was back then. And this was maybe, what, three years ago? Okay, Three years ago, I walked into the coffee shop and there she was. And I didn't. I wasn't weird or anything, but she was with a friend and waiting for her coffee. And I just. I just tapped her, like, literally, it was a feathers touch. Just touched her shoulder. And I waited. She turned, and I think she could tell from the look on my face. I remember I'm gonna take my glasses off. She looks, and then her face kind of falls when she sees that I'm.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Like, smiling at her.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

And I said, hi, Sorry. I'm Taryn. I don't want to bother you while you're getting coffee. I just want to say I'm a new content creator. Looking back, I sound. I'm sure I sounded sort of this. Like a trope, sort of like I'm a budding content creator. I'm new at this, and I'm just getting started. And I just wanted to say that I'm really enjoying watching you on your career because you're really inspiring me a lot, and I really like your content. And I start. The words kind of start to die on my tongue as I look at her. Look around me and look around and look at her friend. And what killed Me is. Then I thought, you know what? She's an introvert, and I am not entitled to her time. I know that I am not entitled to your time. You don't have to treat me any type of way. So I kind of start to back it up and be like, ah, I'm sorry. Sorry to bother you. And she goes. And she doesn't say anything. She just goes, thank you. And I said, yeah. And as I step back, she looks and her friend laughs under her hand and laughs. I felt that she was laughing at me. But in the moment looking back, maybe they're both really shy and they don't know how to handle a situation. I know some people laugh when they're nervous.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yeah.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I'm trying to, like, I want to be really charitable right now. I'm just saying how it made me feel.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yeah. I was doing the same thing. Like, she had a bad day. Now she would just be mean. Maybe not.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Or maybe not. But the impact. The impact was I blushed. I was so embarrassed. And it was more so that she looked at her friend and they had this exchange where it was like. Like that. That woke the dog up. He's okay, buddy. Guard dog on 20. She comfortable with. They kind of have this. They kind of.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I like, move his neck back.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Move him. Oh, yeah. You want to move him back towards more com.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yeah. Because he's a bony boy. Come this way, buddy.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

There you go. Okay.

[Tiffany Singleton]

The way he locked back in.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

He's locked in. He's locked in.

[Tiffany Singleton]

He and I are involved in a delicate dance. My phone falls under his head and he's gone. And then he lifts up and I get it.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Thanks for holding him, Tiff. He always puts his head in Tiffany's lap, despite the fact that, like, I'm his person and I'm the one that's.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Like, please, I'm allergic.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I know. Oh, he heard that. Oh, okay.

[Tiffany Singleton]

He'll be where he's gonna be.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

And so the point of that whole story was I just remember how it made me feel. This isn't even about her. On the pain of death, I will never say who this person was because I still follow her. Because I'm fully like, I'm gonna give you grace on that. I'm gonna chalk that entire exchange up to, you were going through it. You were an introvert. I don't know you well enough to know why that that exchange happened, but I will say it taught me something really important. I hope I never, ever, ever make anyone feel that way. I never want to make anyone feel that way. If you're watching this and we met and I did make you feel that way, thank goodness I have the opportunity to say this to you. I'm so sorry if I've ever. What am I sorry for?

[Tiffany Singleton]

I don't know.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I don't know.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Lean in on me.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Lean in.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I'm going to lean into it.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I hope I've never made anyone feel small or awkward or. Or embarrassed. I'm so. And I'm sorry if I ever, ever. I have. I hope you know it wasn't intentional. So I'm going to take this moment to say with that same person, I'm going to give her grace, because I'm going to choose to believe. I. I don't think that's who she is. I don't. And I think if she were to listen to this right now, she probably wouldn't even know that we had this exchange. I don't think she remembers meeting me because now she recently, like, have you seen her? I, like, like her stuff. And she's responded to my comments and stuff before. I'm not even gonna look. I don't know if she follows me back. I'm not gonna look to see if she follows me back because I don't wanna, like, confirm or deny that because it would, like, help narrow it down. And I know people be looking for people online. We're giving her grace, team. We're giving her grace. Oh, Bruce isn't, though. He said, I'm not giving her grace. I got to go. So. So that's a huge fear that I have after having experiences like that. I'm always like, God, what if I'm someone's story? Yeah, I try really hard not to be, but I also am gonna leave room for the fact that, like, I hope I have a long career, so maybe I'm gonna have a bad day or not realize. I don't know. Yeah, I try to just give everyone grace.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I think that goes back to the larger conversation that people with platforms are, at the end of the day, people. And so it's very dangerous for us to put them in this place of. They. They aren't allowed to have bad days because, you know, yeah, they're this, no, you're allowed to have a bad day. That's why I respect chaperone so much. I'm like, you know what? Let them know y'all like it, and that's that. And I. I have, like, a back and forth with how I feel with younger celebrities coming out and, like, being firm in their boundaries, their boundaries. Because on one hand I'm like, yeah, be firm. And then on the other hand I think, well, this is the world that you've gotten yourself into. But at the end of the day, I always come back to if I were in her position or in their position, I would fight for my boundaries too. And quite frankly, do you like me because I'm talented or do you like me because I'm being nice to you in public? And if you want to like me because I'm talented, the two don't have to be mutually exclusive, right? So it's a hard. It is a difficult conversation to have, especially thinking from like a PR and public standpoint. I'm like, what. What is the right thing to do? Like, how would I counsel someone? I guess at the end of the day, be kind.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Whatever that means for you, be kind on both ends. Now, I will say there's a difference though, between someone with a pattern of behavior and I've heard of them. I'll. I'll, you know, be out with somebody who's on the other side, who was on brand. On maybe on a brand side or you know, they're on the side that you used to be on for a long time, which is the people that work with talent. Right. And they'll tell me stories, you know, sometimes. And I'm always listening, wanting to give them grace and like, well, benefit of the doubt. Maybe this is how this came off. But there's been a couple stories that I've heard that I'm like, there is no excuse.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Oh no.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

There's no excuse to yell at like yell at somebody who's like trying to do their job. Always made a mistake.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Berating people is bananas.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

And in front of other people doing things in which you want to humiliate someone. You know, it's one thing if you accidentally embarrass someone. Oh man, I didn't realize that me like it wasn't okay to. I don't know that happens. But at the same time, if you have a pattern of behavior that I heard about is so. It's so abhorrent to me and disappointing.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Very off putting.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I really don't.

[Tiffany Singleton]

That's doing that.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Or is that.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Or is it just the person? It's the person who amplified by the fame. That's like the saying that you don't. People aren't changed by money. You're just. Money only amplifies who you already are.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

And it's like just said that.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Where did I read this?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

When I read this, I feel like I heard that too. Or you said it to me because.

[Tiffany Singleton]

It was so profound. I say it often. I don't know. I don't know where.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I remember when you first said it to me.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yeah.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I was just like, yeah, that's a good one.

[Tiffany Singleton]

It's not that money changes people. It's that you are only your emotions and your feelings and how you treat people are only amplified by. By the money.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Yeah.

[Tiffany Singleton]

So I think of people like, am I allowed to say Jeff Bezos? I'm gonna say it like, Jeff Bezos. He's a case study for me. Because I'm like, what happened to you, Jeff? You know? But was he always like this, or did the billions change him?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

You went home recently?

[Tiffany Singleton]

I did go home recently. So I went. I was thinking about this earlier when you said, it means so much when you're back home and people recognize you or come up to you and say kind things.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Yeah, that means everything.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I had not been back to my high school since I graduated, and normally that'd be like a Norma. But I went to a school of the arts where our alumni program is deep. Like, one of our alumni was recently Elphaba on Broadway. It was like her live stream. And she did it. Talia, congratulations. We all cheered for you. Like, you're fabulous. A lot of performers and entertainers. Darius Hickman, he's a dancer, and he dances background for Beyonce. Everyone in the freaking world. I graduated with him. Just so many talented people. And so I knew when I graduated, I would not come back unless I had something to show for myself, which probably it was a toxic mindset to have in some capacities in others.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I totally get that, though.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Right? Like, in other ways, say this face.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Until I come back.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Start, basically, or unless I had money, I said, either I'm famous or have money. And then I changed it from fame to having done something that I'm proud.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Of, that you're proud of, period. Yeah.

[Tiffany Singleton]

So that's a good goal. This was the first time that I went back. And so I was a theater major at my school, and my costume teacher was. Is a life mentor for me, Ms. William. I love that woman down. And she saw something in me that very few people saw in me back then was, which was that I could do anything that I wanted. And being a theater kid, we kind of like, pigeonholed ourselves into either being a performer, being a tech person. You're gonna move to New York. You're gonna go have a career on Broadway. You're gonna do all of that. And I remember coming to her and just being like, I don't wanna do any of that, Ms. Will. Like, what? But I wanna maximize the experience of going to the school and meeting these people and having these skills. And she really instilled in me that I really could try and do and fail. So I love you, Ms. Will. So she invited me back to come and speak to the costume class. And I saw her, ran up to her, was so emotional going on the campus. I ran up to her with my suitcases because I'm on the way to Miami and she's so tiny. And I hugged her and squeezed her and I started bawling on her shoulders. And I was like, I don't know why I'm crying, Ms. Will.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Oh, I haven't heard this story.

[Tiffany Singleton]

It was so sweet. I'm gonna cry just talking about it. But it was. My high school experience was so formative because it so much was happening in my personal life. School, not the academic part, but the creative part of it really was a safe space for me. And so it was just this rush of emotion going back to this place where I could visualize, I could see myself like sitting on the stairs and finding out that I was gonna be homeless. Like I sat there and didn't tell my friends, but like internalized it and just all of those things, you know, big moments happen on that campus and with those people. So anyway, so Ms. Will's costume room is stuff of legend. She's been teaching at dreyfus for over 20 years. And so the room is lined with signatures of theater students who when they graduate, you sign on the wall and then you go, hundreds upon hundreds upon hundreds of signatures are in this room. Nothing has changed in 20 plus years. It looks exactly the same. So I walked in and I have. Maybe I'll put pictures of this later. Anyway, I walk in and I see all the costume students, all the theater kids and I'm like still crying because it's so emotional, but now I'm just misty eyed and I look around and I'm like, my God. And I only graduated seven years ago, but how much life has changed since then? It's actually crazy. So it was this really special experience to sit and talk with. They were rising juniors and seniors. To sit and talk with the rising juniors and seniors who are on the cusp of their entire lives. Like I. It's been a while since I've been around high schoolers in that way and to. I'm not famous by any means, but to be looked at as someone who you can aspire to be in some capacity was really, like, mind boggling. And so I took the whole hour talking to the kids about my journey and, you know, how far I've come and where I started and how I didn't go to college and was the anti theater kid, but then use the skills to do everything that I've done today and all of these things. And that was, I would say, the first true moment where I was really like, if this is what being famous feels like, I want this.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Yeah.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Not because they're looking at me like I'm God, which they weren't, but because I had something to say that would help people.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Yeah.

[Tiffany Singleton]

And, like, my story meant something to so many people, so it was so special. So thank you, Dreyfus, for. For helping make me into the woman that I am today. I mean, arts educations are so, so important. And that is a hill that I will die on. It changes people's lives. My life has changed from it. So. Yeah.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I feel like you're. I feel like this is something that we've talked about before and you've just worded it so beautifully. Yes. And that's ultimately. That is ultimately how I feel top to bottom about the concept of fame. How subjective fame is that somebody in my life might be like. I would say, you're famous. And somebody who doesn't know me and doesn't know who I am go, well, you can't be that famous because I don't know who you are in both regards. I think what I want to speak to on all of that is if you're lucky enough to be known for what you do by anybody, to have a platform of any kind, whether it's a thousand people or a thousand. Are there a thousand people or a thousand people? I'm a dumbass. I can't compute numbers. Okay.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Whether it's a thousand people or a thousand.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Whether.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Oh, gosh, okay, I'm here.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Some things are harder for me than others. Whether it's a thousand people or 100,000 people.

[Tiffany Singleton]

That's what you were trying to say.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Yeah. At the end of the day, I have met people for the first time that have 30 to 40 million followers. Yeah, that's an.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I keep saying, you gotta stop.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I've met people for the first time that have 30 to 40 million followers. And to me, that really is an inconceivable number. All right. It's like, more followers sometimes I'm like. And I'm thinking, so you have more followers than the un. Yeah, that's. I mean, that's that's insane.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yeah. Like, you could put multiple European countries together, and still you're following.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

And that's crazy. And that's cool in a. In a. In one way, because that means that we have a way to access each other and access communities in ways we. We didn't have before.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yeah.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

It didn't exist before. And the reason why I'll say that this whole idea of fame at the end of the day is such a. It's not a conversation I think is even really worth having sometimes is because I can meet that person who has 30 to 40 million followers, and I did not know. I don't know who you are. I've never seen you. And I often think, how. How have I never heard your name before? And you have 40 million followers. Well, I know you now. The point is, is it's like, what are you gonna do with it? How do you spend your time? How do you treat people? And what are your goals? And I think you and I, both earnestly and truly and sincerely, I hope that with whatever I do, even if beyond this moment in time, you know, I don't. I don't grow anymore in my following. I hope that I can look back and I've done something with my influence or with a platform that's worthwhile, have impact. I hope that I've made people happy. I hope that I've amplified things that matter. I hope that I can look back and be able to quantify what I've done, what I've done with my life. And I think that's all that really matters at the end of the day. So I'm not really interested in how many followers you have or how many movies you've been in or whatever I'm more interested in. Yeah. That's the full circle moment. Yeah. What have you done with your life? And that is why people that we meet, certain people, mean a lot to us. Because I'm excited to meet you, not because of the platform you have, but because of what you've done with it.

[Tiffany Singleton]

What you've done with it.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Oh, my God. I got that.

[Tiffany Singleton]

We brought that home.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

We brought that home.

[Tiffany Singleton]

That was good.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Okay, so, boom.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Okay, boom.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

We can't get better than that on this. On this episode today. So we're gonna have to call it here.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I fear that's it.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

What's next week?

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yep.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

What's ours next? So we see. I'm going to our next week ever show. We. Charming the people on the next week.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Episode so we can chat about it, shall we? Turn brown it next week. We're talking about all things womanhood.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Oh, man. I could talk about that. Lock in. Because it's gonna be a long episode.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I'm sure it's gonna be a good one. I'm looking at the topic now. We're going in.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I'm an expert on being a woman.

[Tiffany Singleton]

I'd say. Me too.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I know a lot about it.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yeah, I know a thing or two.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I know a thing or two. Olivia, you can laugh. What are you laughing about? I got electrical knowledge. My brother slaps up. My brothers.

[Tiffany Singleton]

My brothers.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

She's the man. Great movie. Great moment. All right, well, do you have a.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Drink to clink with?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

I drink all my coffee. Well, since I have had a really hard time getting my words out on this week's episode. Cheers to hype. We're calling rollite Termin.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Cheers.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Huzzah.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Yes. Try by Diva. See y'all next week. And make sure you're reading the book.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Are you reading the book? What's it called again? Quicksilver.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Quicksilver.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Read the book. Quicksilver. This is your reminder.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Who's it by? Callie Hart.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Callie Hart. Quicksilver.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Remember, next week is your last week to read the book before our full book club episode, so make sure you're caught up. We've got prompts and highlights on the stories we want you leaned in. We're excited. We're reading. We'll see you guys next week. And remember where girls. I can't stand you.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Is where your girls. Hey.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Cause I like how you do where.

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Your girls is hosted and executive produced by Darren Delaney Smith and her friend Tiffany Singleton. Management by social media produced Good. Best media. Tiffany, do the next part.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Do I do it in a tiny voice?

[Taryn Delaney Smith]

Nah, just do it in a normal voice.

[Tiffany Singleton]

Follow us on all platforms at Warrior GirlSpod.