1 00:00:01,560 --> 00:00:09,240 Speaker 1: You're listening to I Choose Me with Jenny Garth. Hi, everyone, 2 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:13,320 Speaker 1: welcome to I Choose Me. This podcast is all about 3 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:16,880 Speaker 1: the choices we make and where they lead us. My 4 00:00:16,960 --> 00:00:21,799 Speaker 1: guest today is a two time Emmy Award winning television 5 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:26,200 Speaker 1: host and executive producer of her syndicated talk show that 6 00:00:26,400 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 1: is now in its sixth season Wooo. She's a veteran 7 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:34,320 Speaker 1: journalist and best selling author, and she's got a new 8 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:37,879 Speaker 1: book out that I just love the message of. I 9 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:40,600 Speaker 1: can't wait to talk about it. Please welcome Tameron Hall 10 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:41,720 Speaker 1: to the podcast. 11 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 2: Hi, so good to see you. 12 00:00:44,080 --> 00:00:47,520 Speaker 1: It's so good to see you. Oh my gosh. I 13 00:00:47,560 --> 00:00:50,280 Speaker 1: had the best time on your show. 14 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:54,040 Speaker 2: It was like a week ago. 15 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:58,480 Speaker 1: Oh my gosh. Thank you so much for dedicating a 16 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:01,920 Speaker 1: whole episode to the idea of I Choose Me. 17 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 2: What. I was so tickled, tickled love you know what, 18 00:01:05,480 --> 00:01:07,560 Speaker 2: because I think it's such a great. First of all, 19 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:09,759 Speaker 2: I didn't know the exact episode. Kudos to my team 20 00:01:09,800 --> 00:01:13,200 Speaker 2: for finding the episode, but I think it is. It 21 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 2: transcends age race, It transcends where you are in your 22 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:20,840 Speaker 2: life because at some point that question of choosing me 23 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 2: and what does that feel like? I just thought it 24 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 2: was so perfect, So thank you. It was. It was wonderful. 25 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 2: Thank you for mine. You get a producer's credit, Oh, 26 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:29,679 Speaker 2: thank you so much. 27 00:01:29,959 --> 00:01:33,000 Speaker 1: I'll take it. But since we talked so much about 28 00:01:33,000 --> 00:01:36,080 Speaker 1: me last time on your show, today, I choose to 29 00:01:36,160 --> 00:01:40,560 Speaker 1: talk about you, Tameron Hall, than thank you. Can you 30 00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 1: take me back to the beginning. I want to know 31 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 1: what you were like when you were a little girl, 32 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:48,400 Speaker 1: and what kind of home you grew up in. These 33 00:01:48,440 --> 00:01:49,919 Speaker 1: are the things that I'm curious about. 34 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:53,280 Speaker 2: Oh well, you know, I think my mother would describe 35 00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:57,880 Speaker 2: me as a very interesting child, especially because he was 36 00:01:57,880 --> 00:02:02,760 Speaker 2: a single, nineteen year old mother of one. My mom 37 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 2: was in college when she got pregnant, and she's from 38 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:10,800 Speaker 2: a very very small town called Luling, Texas. It's a 39 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 2: hill country right outside of Austin. We got the best 40 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:17,440 Speaker 2: rivers and the best barbecue were the best test and 41 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 2: she came home, I would imagine, and we had not 42 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:22,800 Speaker 2: talked a lot about it, but I'm sure that you know, 43 00:02:22,840 --> 00:02:26,839 Speaker 2: you're nineteen and you come home and you're pregnant. There's 44 00:02:26,880 --> 00:02:28,760 Speaker 2: a lot of stigma attached to that. There's a lot 45 00:02:28,760 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 2: of shame. My mother's mother passed away when she was 46 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:34,359 Speaker 2: ten and so my mom was ten years all the time. 47 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:38,440 Speaker 2: So her primary parent was her father, like this giant 48 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:42,040 Speaker 2: of a person in our lives, but was shouldering a lot, 49 00:02:42,120 --> 00:02:45,440 Speaker 2: you know, raising any little girl by himself and her sisters. 50 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:50,760 Speaker 2: And you know, she comes home from college and she's pregnant, 51 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:54,680 Speaker 2: and the relationship with my biological father was not one 52 00:02:54,760 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 2: that was a stable one for her. And my grandfather, 53 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:02,640 Speaker 2: who's a very was a very strong person, said you 54 00:03:02,639 --> 00:03:05,239 Speaker 2: know what, we're gonna raise her here and we're gonna, 55 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:07,560 Speaker 2: you know, give her the best life possible and was 56 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:11,520 Speaker 2: very supportive. I was the only child born in the 57 00:03:11,639 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 2: hospital in the entire town that day. Oh, I know. 58 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 2: My mother talks about the friends of hers who they 59 00:03:19,919 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 2: all kind of lined up to go to see. Like 60 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:24,640 Speaker 2: I make the joke, and it's true. My mother's name 61 00:03:24,680 --> 00:03:28,400 Speaker 2: happens to be Mary. They did not name me Jesus 62 00:03:27,440 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 2: for their arrival, had all the three wise men's coming, 63 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 2: and my mom talks about everyone showing up uh to 64 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 2: see me as a kid. So I uh was born 65 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 2: in this circumstance that could have been one of great 66 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:44,600 Speaker 2: shame for her, and I'm sure she debated it, but 67 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 2: it turned into one where instantly she had this great 68 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:54,360 Speaker 2: support system of people around her, including her father, and 69 00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:57,280 Speaker 2: I was the beneficiary of that. And at some point 70 00:03:57,320 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 2: my mother decided that she wanted something bigger than this 71 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 2: small town life that she was living. And it wasn't 72 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:07,360 Speaker 2: a negative, but like so many of us choosing themselves, 73 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 2: she chose herself. And by choosing herself, she gave me 74 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:18,240 Speaker 2: the best opportunity she felt, which was leaving our small town. 75 00:04:18,320 --> 00:04:21,800 Speaker 2: And so I grew up with my mom and a 76 00:04:21,880 --> 00:04:25,600 Speaker 2: great group of aunts and uncles. You know, my mother 77 00:04:25,680 --> 00:04:28,080 Speaker 2: would work a couple of jobs because she went back 78 00:04:28,120 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 2: to school to get her degree, and she work a 79 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:35,479 Speaker 2: couple of jobs to support me, and this aunt would 80 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:38,480 Speaker 2: pick me up on Wednesdays, this uncle would take us fishing, 81 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 2: and you know, so it. 82 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 1: Was just this It's really cool. 83 00:04:40,960 --> 00:04:44,880 Speaker 2: It was very, very very cool childhood. In the process, 84 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 2: my mother says that she noticed that, you know, I 85 00:04:47,400 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 2: was out going around my family members, but very different 86 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:53,120 Speaker 2: out in the world. I was a lot shyer kid. 87 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 2: I was an only child, and so all of the 88 00:04:55,880 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 2: kids in my neighborhood had siblings, so I was a target. 89 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:03,360 Speaker 2: You know, just how kids work, right, you know, you're 90 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:08,480 Speaker 2: gonna they're gonna find your weakness. And my weakness was 91 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:11,880 Speaker 2: I was the only child, and so now I'm up 92 00:05:11,920 --> 00:05:16,000 Speaker 2: against big groups of siblings and you know, and all 93 00:05:16,000 --> 00:05:18,080 Speaker 2: these things. And so my mom got me in sports. 94 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:22,640 Speaker 2: I ran track, you know. I I played volleyball. I 95 00:05:22,680 --> 00:05:25,479 Speaker 2: did all these things as my mom was trying to 96 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 2: build my confidence. I played the clarinet. You know you 97 00:05:27,839 --> 00:05:28,159 Speaker 2: name it. 98 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:30,719 Speaker 1: She's hey, hey, I played the clarinet. 99 00:05:30,760 --> 00:05:33,040 Speaker 2: What chair were you? I was chair one man? 100 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 1: Hello, right here. 101 00:05:35,839 --> 00:05:38,440 Speaker 2: It was okay, let's stay on the road, Cardigian, let 102 00:05:38,440 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 2: me get Carnigie. 103 00:05:42,120 --> 00:05:44,400 Speaker 1: My favorite part of playing the clarinet was the read. 104 00:05:44,520 --> 00:05:46,080 Speaker 1: You had to soak the read. I thought I was 105 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 1: so cool soak the read. 106 00:05:47,560 --> 00:05:51,119 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, that's smell. So that's the best. My mom 107 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 2: was always putting me in things for the very thing 108 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 2: that just happened, Like putting me in music was a 109 00:05:56,680 --> 00:06:00,800 Speaker 2: connecting force. So the reason and that my mom put 110 00:06:00,839 --> 00:06:03,240 Speaker 2: me in band was for the same reason. We just connected. 111 00:06:03,240 --> 00:06:06,159 Speaker 2: Because music is a connecting thing, you know, it brings 112 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:07,919 Speaker 2: me together. So she thought, I guess it'd make me 113 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:10,800 Speaker 2: a popular kid or get some friends. She was right, Well, 114 00:06:10,839 --> 00:06:13,000 Speaker 2: she was right I'm friends with you. Now we're going 115 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 2: to go to my mom. But she kept trying to 116 00:06:16,920 --> 00:06:23,080 Speaker 2: bring this personality out that I showed with my cousins, 117 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:26,120 Speaker 2: and I was always really good around adults. Was in 118 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 2: fact my nickname was not necessarily because I was very precocious. 119 00:06:30,839 --> 00:06:33,320 Speaker 2: You know, my cousins. When there was a dispute, I 120 00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:35,560 Speaker 2: was like the lawyer. I'm like, hey, look at let's 121 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:38,240 Speaker 2: hear the side. My grandfather had a soft spot for 122 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:41,040 Speaker 2: me because of what happened with my mom, and so 123 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:43,760 Speaker 2: if there was something they wanted, they'd like, send me in. 124 00:06:43,880 --> 00:06:46,400 Speaker 2: I'm like the I'm the un I'm going in making 125 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:48,480 Speaker 2: deals for them. They want candy, you know what I'm doing. 126 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 2: Very confident around adults, very very safe around my families. 127 00:06:54,240 --> 00:07:00,680 Speaker 2: But in the world behaviorally, I showed up different, and 128 00:07:00,720 --> 00:07:06,520 Speaker 2: so my mother really made sure that I had this 129 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:09,600 Speaker 2: community of support. She really wanted to always make sure 130 00:07:09,640 --> 00:07:11,920 Speaker 2: that I could show up as this confident kid, and 131 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:15,600 Speaker 2: that's really the start of what I do now for 132 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:18,840 Speaker 2: a living. We would do little talent shows I couldn't sing, 133 00:07:18,920 --> 00:07:21,440 Speaker 2: I couldn't dance, and birthday parties. You know, they do 134 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:23,480 Speaker 2: like this little in the South, they have talent shows. 135 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 2: Every birthday has a talent show. Like here in New York, 136 00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:28,680 Speaker 2: every birthday ends with a pizza, you know. When I'm 137 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:31,200 Speaker 2: in the South, we have these big birthday parties in 138 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:33,800 Speaker 2: the backyard or at a park or at a zoo, 139 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 2: and then inevitably someone's like, let's do a talent show. 140 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 2: I couldn't sing a dance, but I was a talker, 141 00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:42,840 Speaker 2: and so I would be like the MC you know, 142 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:45,160 Speaker 2: I'd get up and say, next up, it's Jenny and 143 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:48,520 Speaker 2: the Jeanettes hit it. You know, Oh my gosh, person 144 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:53,160 Speaker 2: in the middle facilitating all of the talent that was 145 00:07:53,200 --> 00:07:55,960 Speaker 2: around me again, hint, hint, kind of what I do now. 146 00:07:57,000 --> 00:07:59,440 Speaker 2: And that was, you know, the road and I started 147 00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 2: out on and I was very fortunate that around the 148 00:08:02,360 --> 00:08:06,960 Speaker 2: age of nine, my mother fell in love with the 149 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:10,160 Speaker 2: person who was the data got meant for me to 150 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:14,480 Speaker 2: have my stepfather and who I referred to as my father. 151 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:16,560 Speaker 2: And he is that and was that until the day 152 00:08:16,560 --> 00:08:20,720 Speaker 2: he left this planet. And he too, going back to 153 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 2: the mantra of choosing you, and I was, I don't know, 154 00:08:25,080 --> 00:08:27,120 Speaker 2: messing up in high school. And I remember because in 155 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 2: middle school and not doing what I was supposed to. 156 00:08:28,920 --> 00:08:31,040 Speaker 2: And he pointed to the TV and he said, if 157 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:33,360 Speaker 2: you get your grades it was great, that could be you. 158 00:08:33,679 --> 00:08:36,080 Speaker 2: And he pointed at this woman. She was anchoring the news. 159 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:39,080 Speaker 2: Her name was Iola Johnson and she was the first 160 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:41,160 Speaker 2: black woman to anchor the news in Dallas for worth 161 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:43,199 Speaker 2: and he said, if you get your grades up, that 162 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:44,840 Speaker 2: could be you. And I look up and I see 163 00:08:44,840 --> 00:08:47,360 Speaker 2: this woman and I'm like, what is this you're speaking of? 164 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:50,560 Speaker 2: And I love a good challenge. And I then started 165 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:53,720 Speaker 2: getting into writing classes. I got in, like there's a 166 00:08:53,720 --> 00:08:56,880 Speaker 2: group called the Jas and they did this scholarship thing, 167 00:08:56,920 --> 00:08:59,600 Speaker 2: and I, you know, started writing and applying and just 168 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:03,400 Speaker 2: kind of doing these things to prove that woman on 169 00:09:03,440 --> 00:09:04,760 Speaker 2: the TV could be me. Wow. 170 00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:08,640 Speaker 1: So it seems like that sort of sparked that interest 171 00:09:08,679 --> 00:09:10,040 Speaker 1: in you of storytelling. 172 00:09:10,679 --> 00:09:14,040 Speaker 2: Yeah. Absolutely, I think it was the storytelling and the 173 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:17,240 Speaker 2: idea that someone thought enough of me to issue this challenge. 174 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:20,600 Speaker 2: I think sometimes when people issue a challenge, particularly to 175 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:22,840 Speaker 2: our children, it can be seen as a negative. But 176 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 2: I think that people issue a challenge to you because 177 00:09:25,160 --> 00:09:28,760 Speaker 2: they believe you can do it, and they want you 178 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:32,880 Speaker 2: to say sounds something big or something that you can accomplish. 179 00:09:32,880 --> 00:09:35,360 Speaker 2: That's why you know my son right now, he's five 180 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 2: and we have this badge system my husband found on Amazon, 181 00:09:38,679 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 2: and it's so complicated. I let them deal with it. 182 00:09:40,440 --> 00:09:42,680 Speaker 2: But it's like, if you do this, you get the badge, 183 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:43,880 Speaker 2: and then if you do this, give back, and then 184 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:45,400 Speaker 2: if you get five badges, you get a rivet and 185 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:46,880 Speaker 2: if you get a ribn you can catch. I'm like, oh, 186 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:50,679 Speaker 2: my head's spinning, but you just do it. I'm like, dude, 187 00:09:50,720 --> 00:09:53,120 Speaker 2: she's give them pizza party. But it works because my 188 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:55,240 Speaker 2: son's like the other day, he walks like, because Dad, 189 00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:57,559 Speaker 2: I'm gonna get that badge today, and I'm like, oh 190 00:09:57,679 --> 00:10:03,199 Speaker 2: my god, okay, so cute. But yeah, he cashes in 191 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:05,920 Speaker 2: his badges and so often the cash in is a ribbon, 192 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:08,080 Speaker 2: and then he takes the ribbon and then he goes 193 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:10,400 Speaker 2: to he likes bowling, and so we're taken bowling or 194 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:16,240 Speaker 2: pizza party, but boler, oh, this is the bowler, which 195 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:18,199 Speaker 2: I was like, okay, we'll figure that one out. But 196 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:23,240 Speaker 2: you know, it's again that idea of giving someone a 197 00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:28,439 Speaker 2: goal and saying without saying I think you are capable 198 00:10:29,320 --> 00:10:33,320 Speaker 2: and of reaching that, and that's what he did I. 199 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:35,480 Speaker 1: Mean, that's the exact opposite of what a lot of 200 00:10:35,520 --> 00:10:39,520 Speaker 1: people here, which is you could never beat that right. 201 00:10:39,679 --> 00:10:41,920 Speaker 2: And you know, and that's the thing. When I wrote 202 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:45,520 Speaker 2: my children's book, Harlem Honey, you know, we have adjusted, 203 00:10:45,600 --> 00:10:49,240 Speaker 2: For example, the way we talked to kids about crying. Right, 204 00:10:49,280 --> 00:10:51,600 Speaker 2: there was a time people would say, big boys don't cry, 205 00:10:51,760 --> 00:10:54,040 Speaker 2: or you know, you want to get a right away 206 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:56,319 Speaker 2: those tears in some of the language that we all 207 00:10:56,880 --> 00:10:59,520 Speaker 2: grew up hearing. Right, you say to a kid that's crying, 208 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:03,200 Speaker 2: are your tears? There's nothing wrong. Big kids don't cry, 209 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:06,319 Speaker 2: Big boys cry. And when I wrote Harlem Honey, it 210 00:11:06,520 --> 00:11:09,240 Speaker 2: was centered around fear. Right, how do we change the 211 00:11:09,320 --> 00:11:12,760 Speaker 2: way we talk about fear? We all experience it, we 212 00:11:12,920 --> 00:11:16,319 Speaker 2: all deal with it different levels, of course, but it's 213 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:18,760 Speaker 2: an emotion that is not one that should be tied 214 00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:22,319 Speaker 2: to shame. And when I was creating this book, much 215 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:26,280 Speaker 2: to your point about how we position things now, right, 216 00:11:26,760 --> 00:11:30,800 Speaker 2: my father positioned this challenge in this positive way that 217 00:11:31,000 --> 00:11:35,000 Speaker 2: inspired positivity. It's the same with emotions. You know, when 218 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 2: I had my son, and I'm sure you've experienced this. 219 00:11:37,760 --> 00:11:40,240 Speaker 2: Now we're obsessed over like ABC's I Love, I got 220 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:42,720 Speaker 2: all the books of the ABC's and the color of shape. 221 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:45,720 Speaker 2: And then very early on someone said, you know, social 222 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:50,800 Speaker 2: emotional development is more important at this age how to count? 223 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:53,839 Speaker 2: And I'm like, what, because I went to pre K 224 00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:56,800 Speaker 2: and I vividly to this stage and I'm fifty four. 225 00:11:56,960 --> 00:12:02,880 Speaker 2: I remember the blow up let in my Catholic school kindergarten. 226 00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:05,160 Speaker 2: I guess it was. There was mister M with a 227 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:09,720 Speaker 2: munching mouth. I'll never forget that's him. Oh yeah, fifteen 228 00:12:09,760 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 2: years later, I remember mister M with a munching mouth. 229 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:16,400 Speaker 2: And that was the focus. Right, this is nineteen seventy 230 00:12:16,440 --> 00:12:19,920 Speaker 2: at the time, seventy five, and focus is getting you, 231 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:23,319 Speaker 2: you know, reading and academics and the testing that was 232 00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:25,559 Speaker 2: such a big part of our culture and still is. 233 00:12:25,960 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 2: But it was everything determines everything about you. And then 234 00:12:30,120 --> 00:12:35,559 Speaker 2: suddenly our eyes awaken through probably some painful situations that 235 00:12:35,679 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 2: we all witnessed and watched over society where kids are 236 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:42,760 Speaker 2: bottling themselves or are pushing themselves down and bottling up 237 00:12:42,840 --> 00:12:46,520 Speaker 2: emotions and not being able to express how you feel 238 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:50,079 Speaker 2: is detrimental to your mental health, it's detrimental to the 239 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 2: adult you have the capacity to become. And so for me. 240 00:12:54,040 --> 00:12:56,880 Speaker 2: That's been such a big part of my focus and 241 00:12:57,000 --> 00:12:59,240 Speaker 2: why I said, you know what, how do we talk 242 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:04,240 Speaker 2: about as my father so wonderfully learned to talk about 243 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:05,079 Speaker 2: goals with me. 244 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:14,600 Speaker 1: I want to talk about your children's book more because 245 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 1: I read it and it's really cute and it gave 246 00:13:17,720 --> 00:13:21,040 Speaker 1: me all just good feelings. So I commend you for it. 247 00:13:21,080 --> 00:13:22,640 Speaker 1: But I want to go off of what you were 248 00:13:22,720 --> 00:13:26,319 Speaker 1: just talking about about how your father helped you. I 249 00:13:26,400 --> 00:13:28,680 Speaker 1: know you've talked about this before. You suffered a grave 250 00:13:28,800 --> 00:13:33,480 Speaker 1: tragedy in your life and it's just hard to think 251 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:35,319 Speaker 1: of getting past that. 252 00:13:35,760 --> 00:13:38,719 Speaker 2: Yeah, no, I listen and thank you for asking about it. 253 00:13:38,800 --> 00:13:41,240 Speaker 2: By the way, and just as we talked about on 254 00:13:41,360 --> 00:13:43,920 Speaker 2: my show, Challenging Things, I was the first to tell you. 255 00:13:44,559 --> 00:13:48,760 Speaker 2: I said, I don't technically like talking about x's because 256 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:52,719 Speaker 2: you're in your future. And I liken it too. When 257 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:56,319 Speaker 2: you go to dinner someone suddenly start your current person 258 00:13:56,440 --> 00:13:58,040 Speaker 2: is there and they're like, oh, did you ever run 259 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:00,319 Speaker 2: in a Jimmy? It's like what you know? And so 260 00:14:00,640 --> 00:14:03,280 Speaker 2: we were on the show. You were so gracious and 261 00:14:03,480 --> 00:14:08,040 Speaker 2: so wonderful in the way you talked about the evolution 262 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:11,760 Speaker 2: of relationships and it's part in your life. As with 263 00:14:11,920 --> 00:14:17,520 Speaker 2: this conversation we are having, I feel so safe and 264 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:20,520 Speaker 2: cared for by you, and I want to thank you 265 00:14:20,680 --> 00:14:25,000 Speaker 2: for that, because for people who were listening, what we're 266 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:29,440 Speaker 2: talking about is the death of my sister. As I mentioned, 267 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:31,800 Speaker 2: my stepfather became the dad I was meant to have, 268 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:34,640 Speaker 2: and he had two children. My mother had two children, 269 00:14:34,680 --> 00:14:37,160 Speaker 2: and we really became like a Black Brady bunch and 270 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:41,000 Speaker 2: was lended family. And because he was very adamant about 271 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:45,680 Speaker 2: not seeing us as half or step or we were 272 00:14:45,720 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 2: a family. This is my sister and my sister, which 273 00:14:51,160 --> 00:14:53,520 Speaker 2: I'd always longed to have, right, I wanted a sister 274 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:57,160 Speaker 2: just because I visualize us, like you know, doing girl stuff, 275 00:14:57,240 --> 00:14:59,400 Speaker 2: doing her hair and everything. And when I met her, 276 00:15:00,200 --> 00:15:04,240 Speaker 2: she was like the most beautiful and chic and just 277 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:09,280 Speaker 2: seemed worldly, right, just you know, just was awesome, Like 278 00:15:09,360 --> 00:15:11,760 Speaker 2: she just had the right outfits on it. I remember 279 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:13,600 Speaker 2: she was the first person she had a bottle of 280 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:16,360 Speaker 2: perfume and it was a necklace and I just I know, 281 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:22,040 Speaker 2: she was just like chic. At the same time, she 282 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:28,200 Speaker 2: was a person who I would hear my father say, God, 283 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:31,160 Speaker 2: you are better than this guy, or you should not 284 00:15:31,440 --> 00:15:33,800 Speaker 2: be in this relationship with this person. And I would 285 00:15:33,840 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 2: hear these conversations, was in my teen years, but it 286 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:42,000 Speaker 2: was always this push pull with them, and that pushful 287 00:15:42,120 --> 00:15:47,760 Speaker 2: often surrounded the people she was keeping company with romantically, 288 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:53,640 Speaker 2: and she would move in with us and move out, 289 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:57,000 Speaker 2: then move out, and was always this tumult, you know, 290 00:15:57,080 --> 00:16:02,280 Speaker 2: around her relationships. And as we got old her, you know, 291 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:04,880 Speaker 2: she would say, you know, Dad doesn't understand, and you know, 292 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:07,960 Speaker 2: I'd love this person or that. And I was old 293 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:12,240 Speaker 2: enough by then high school to recognize, like, these guys 294 00:16:12,280 --> 00:16:16,600 Speaker 2: are coming over and got these are not. I'm eighteen 295 00:16:16,920 --> 00:16:19,360 Speaker 2: by now I'm dating, and I can right on here. 296 00:16:19,360 --> 00:16:22,200 Speaker 2: It's not just Dad being dad, right, I could tell. 297 00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:26,720 Speaker 2: And as the years would pass, she'd come back into 298 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:30,200 Speaker 2: our lives and disappear out of our lives. And at 299 00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 2: some point she starts to get stable in her life 300 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:36,880 Speaker 2: and she is in a relationship with someone and he 301 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:39,200 Speaker 2: starts to come by our home, and you know, things 302 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:41,640 Speaker 2: start to feel good finally in her life. You know, 303 00:16:41,800 --> 00:16:45,040 Speaker 2: she's bought a house and things are going great, and 304 00:16:45,200 --> 00:16:48,280 Speaker 2: I invited her to come to see me in Chicago. 305 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:50,360 Speaker 2: By then, I'll figure I'm the big sister who is 306 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:52,240 Speaker 2: a big deal. Now I'm the big little sister. I'm 307 00:16:52,240 --> 00:16:54,880 Speaker 2: an anchor in Chicago. Come and see me, you know. 308 00:16:55,560 --> 00:17:01,200 Speaker 2: I got a townhouse downtown near Horp. Yes. She comes 309 00:17:01,280 --> 00:17:04,560 Speaker 2: with me, and she brings the person she was seeing 310 00:17:04,600 --> 00:17:06,840 Speaker 2: in her life at the time. And I don't know 311 00:17:07,080 --> 00:17:10,120 Speaker 2: Jenny what day it was of their visit, but I'm 312 00:17:10,320 --> 00:17:13,560 Speaker 2: in my townhouse and I hear this, like just a 313 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:18,520 Speaker 2: rumble of just sound and energy and something crashing. Now, 314 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:21,280 Speaker 2: what's going on? And I run down to my bottom level, 315 00:17:21,320 --> 00:17:24,679 Speaker 2: which was a guest bedroom, and there was a table 316 00:17:24,800 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 2: that was shattered, and she was standing there and she's 317 00:17:28,119 --> 00:17:31,480 Speaker 2: kind of like clearly dazed. And he's standing there and 318 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:34,000 Speaker 2: I know there was an altercation and I can see it, 319 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:39,480 Speaker 2: and I instantly started yelling at him, like what get 320 00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:41,800 Speaker 2: out of my house, and I'm trying to grab the phone. 321 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:44,760 Speaker 2: I had a phone downstairs, and there was a like 322 00:17:44,880 --> 00:17:48,320 Speaker 2: a my garage was nearby, so there was a broom 323 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:51,680 Speaker 2: handle thing that was there, and I grabbed this room 324 00:17:51,840 --> 00:17:54,320 Speaker 2: and I'm like get out, and I'm like not hitting, 325 00:17:54,359 --> 00:17:56,159 Speaker 2: but I'm threatening, you know, to get out because I 326 00:17:56,359 --> 00:17:57,840 Speaker 2: get out right now. And I kick them out of 327 00:17:57,920 --> 00:18:01,040 Speaker 2: our house, my house. I call my d instantly, I 328 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:04,159 Speaker 2: just like, lock the doors, call the police. And I 329 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:06,280 Speaker 2: go to call the police, and I said, oh, I can't. 330 00:18:06,760 --> 00:18:08,840 Speaker 2: I'm tammern hall. The police are going to come to 331 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:13,000 Speaker 2: my house and they're going to know that it be 332 00:18:13,040 --> 00:18:14,440 Speaker 2: all over the news. I's going to be all over 333 00:18:14,480 --> 00:18:17,560 Speaker 2: the news and what I can't So I don't call 334 00:18:17,640 --> 00:18:20,560 Speaker 2: the police. I you know, bat patch her, you know, 335 00:18:20,720 --> 00:18:23,440 Speaker 2: get her ice, and we clean up and we don't 336 00:18:23,440 --> 00:18:25,360 Speaker 2: really I don't really ask what happens because I don't 337 00:18:25,359 --> 00:18:29,840 Speaker 2: need to know because I can see. And then we 338 00:18:29,960 --> 00:18:35,880 Speaker 2: go to bed. The next morning, I come downstairs, he's 339 00:18:35,920 --> 00:18:40,640 Speaker 2: in my house. He's back in the house, and I'm 340 00:18:40,720 --> 00:18:44,480 Speaker 2: like what. And I said to her, what are you 341 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:49,000 Speaker 2: thinking that I kick them both out? She's visiting. They're visiting, 342 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:52,639 Speaker 2: and I said, get out. I'm going I remember, I 343 00:18:52,680 --> 00:18:55,800 Speaker 2: said there was a spa like I'm going and get 344 00:18:55,800 --> 00:18:57,920 Speaker 2: and when I come back, you get to get out 345 00:18:57,920 --> 00:19:01,320 Speaker 2: of my house. This whole thing. Call my dad. She's 346 00:19:01,359 --> 00:19:04,160 Speaker 2: so selfish, she doesn't why you know, blah blah blah 347 00:19:04,200 --> 00:19:06,840 Speaker 2: blah blah. I'm going off about it. And my Dad's like, well, 348 00:19:06,920 --> 00:19:08,880 Speaker 2: you know, she'll figure it out. And I'm like, Dad, 349 00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:12,120 Speaker 2: she's not going to figure out. Because I was hurt. 350 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:15,119 Speaker 2: I'm like, what what are you thinking? And I was 351 00:19:15,160 --> 00:19:17,760 Speaker 2: also mad at her for not believing more in herself. 352 00:19:18,680 --> 00:19:22,600 Speaker 2: What I'm thinking, like, yeah, it's so hard, so amazing. 353 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:25,200 Speaker 2: What is wrong with you? You know? This is me 354 00:19:25,359 --> 00:19:30,560 Speaker 2: at that time. We don't talk for a couple of months. 355 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:35,200 Speaker 2: The holidays rolls around Thanksgiving and my father said, you know, 356 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:39,800 Speaker 2: listen enough of this. You know we're not figured out. 357 00:19:40,480 --> 00:19:44,600 Speaker 2: So I called her and she was getting her nails done, 358 00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:47,120 Speaker 2: much like us with the clarinet. It was her common thread. 359 00:19:48,119 --> 00:19:50,240 Speaker 2: She's like, hey, manicure and I was like okay, and 360 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:52,720 Speaker 2: we just start talking. And then we come home for 361 00:19:52,800 --> 00:19:55,880 Speaker 2: the holidays and she's still with this person and he's 362 00:19:55,960 --> 00:19:58,800 Speaker 2: there and I don't say anything to him. Really, he 363 00:19:58,840 --> 00:20:02,240 Speaker 2: hadn't say anything to me. We go on about our way. 364 00:20:04,200 --> 00:20:08,680 Speaker 2: Fast forward, not very long from that time, my mother 365 00:20:08,800 --> 00:20:11,679 Speaker 2: calls me on a Sunday and she's like just crying 366 00:20:11,760 --> 00:20:15,760 Speaker 2: and wailing and she said, Ranata is dead. And I'm 367 00:20:15,880 --> 00:20:20,600 Speaker 2: like what and she said, call your father, and I'm 368 00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:23,639 Speaker 2: my mom, pull over. I call my dad and my 369 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:26,800 Speaker 2: dad always said that, you know, from his point of view, 370 00:20:27,040 --> 00:20:29,280 Speaker 2: he always called me his kid of right, like he 371 00:20:29,359 --> 00:20:31,119 Speaker 2: always says, of all my siblings, I was going to 372 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:34,000 Speaker 2: try to be the level headed one, he said to me, 373 00:20:36,200 --> 00:20:38,480 Speaker 2: very calmly, because my dad was in the military and 374 00:20:38,600 --> 00:20:40,919 Speaker 2: he's got two purple hearts and he's seen it all. 375 00:20:41,080 --> 00:20:46,280 Speaker 2: And he said, baby, call and see what's going on. 376 00:20:47,440 --> 00:20:52,879 Speaker 2: What happened there? I said, okay, And I called my 377 00:20:52,960 --> 00:20:55,760 Speaker 2: sister's house and the person was there and he said, 378 00:20:55,760 --> 00:20:57,840 Speaker 2: the police are there. And I said, the police are there. 379 00:20:58,320 --> 00:21:01,880 Speaker 2: He said, she was found in her pool, face down 380 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:04,399 Speaker 2: and they don't know what happened. And I think, you know, 381 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:07,159 Speaker 2: she was drinking maybe and she did you know all this, 382 00:21:07,520 --> 00:21:09,880 Speaker 2: you know, had a local news friend. And I called 383 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:13,240 Speaker 2: a friend and I said, what's going on and he said, well, 384 00:21:13,240 --> 00:21:17,720 Speaker 2: the police are there and they believe it's not an accident, 385 00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:22,040 Speaker 2: and so I was like, okay, And you know, we 386 00:21:22,119 --> 00:21:28,040 Speaker 2: started the process and the investigators at the time told 387 00:21:28,119 --> 00:21:32,720 Speaker 2: us that that they did not have enough evidence to 388 00:21:34,119 --> 00:21:37,320 Speaker 2: charge someone or got to get the DA to charge someone, 389 00:21:38,000 --> 00:21:41,960 Speaker 2: but they believed that strongly that the individual who was 390 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:44,119 Speaker 2: in the home was the person responsible. She had blunt 391 00:21:44,200 --> 00:21:46,960 Speaker 2: forced impact to the back of her head, and there 392 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:49,320 Speaker 2: were other signs there that this was not an accident. 393 00:21:50,480 --> 00:21:53,440 Speaker 2: Her dog, who she affects a mini me because she 394 00:21:53,560 --> 00:21:55,280 Speaker 2: had this like blonde hair and her dog was kind 395 00:21:55,280 --> 00:22:00,560 Speaker 2: of blonde, was there, and you know, some of the 396 00:22:00,640 --> 00:22:03,040 Speaker 2: details I you know, don't need to get into, but 397 00:22:03,119 --> 00:22:09,000 Speaker 2: it was a violent and so yeah, we proceeded on 398 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:11,720 Speaker 2: and in the process I never talked about it Jenny ever. 399 00:22:12,119 --> 00:22:18,119 Speaker 2: My family. We kind of just you know, forbid him 400 00:22:18,119 --> 00:22:22,080 Speaker 2: from having contact with my family. We kind of moved forward. 401 00:22:22,359 --> 00:22:27,879 Speaker 2: We laid my sister to rest, and then I'm in 402 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:30,480 Speaker 2: New York. It's two thousand and eight and I was 403 00:22:30,560 --> 00:22:34,000 Speaker 2: invited to speak at an event, a random event. I'd 404 00:22:34,040 --> 00:22:35,720 Speaker 2: just gotten here and I was at the Today Show 405 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:39,200 Speaker 2: and at the time, they will invite you to host things, 406 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:41,080 Speaker 2: you know, people were like, oh, Jenny, can you host this? 407 00:22:41,359 --> 00:22:43,760 Speaker 2: You know, I got an invitation. I host an organization 408 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:49,320 Speaker 2: that helps young people understand how to love healthy, and 409 00:22:49,440 --> 00:22:51,920 Speaker 2: then I shared my sister's story and that that was 410 00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:55,440 Speaker 2: the start of me becoming an advocate for survivors of 411 00:22:55,520 --> 00:22:59,800 Speaker 2: domestic violence and speaking more about from the lands of 412 00:22:59,840 --> 00:23:03,680 Speaker 2: a family member of how to support without judgment because 413 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:06,399 Speaker 2: at the time I judged, and now I have the 414 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:09,720 Speaker 2: tools and the understanding that I try to offer to 415 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:11,760 Speaker 2: other people through your tragedy. 416 00:23:11,800 --> 00:23:14,840 Speaker 1: You're helping other people. That's beautiful. I just how do 417 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:19,320 Speaker 1: you find closure when there is none? Because that's her 418 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:22,200 Speaker 1: case was never solved, you know. 419 00:23:22,800 --> 00:23:25,520 Speaker 2: For me, I think, well, my father hassoke in the 420 00:23:25,560 --> 00:23:31,200 Speaker 2: heart of for so long trying to help her. My 421 00:23:31,359 --> 00:23:34,520 Speaker 2: sister battled substance abuse in her past. She was not 422 00:23:34,920 --> 00:23:38,199 Speaker 2: in that state when she was killed, but her younger years. 423 00:23:38,720 --> 00:23:42,200 Speaker 2: So we always worried about, you know, this notion that 424 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:44,440 Speaker 2: people will blame a victim, and I think that's also 425 00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:48,359 Speaker 2: part of why we stayed silent. Nobody deserves that fate, 426 00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:50,680 Speaker 2: and certainly no one deserves as a victim to have 427 00:23:50,920 --> 00:23:55,040 Speaker 2: everything about you dragged into a space of judgment when 428 00:23:55,080 --> 00:23:57,520 Speaker 2: you are not there to defend yourself. So I think 429 00:23:57,600 --> 00:24:01,119 Speaker 2: for us, because the investigators were so clear and we 430 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:07,320 Speaker 2: understood what happened, I think our view of justice changed. 431 00:24:07,840 --> 00:24:10,680 Speaker 2: I think what we saw was a just thing for 432 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:15,119 Speaker 2: us was to help other people, you know, hunting someone 433 00:24:15,280 --> 00:24:17,520 Speaker 2: down or I've never even done a show on it. 434 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:19,240 Speaker 2: To be honest with you, because it's just not that space. 435 00:24:19,240 --> 00:24:23,399 Speaker 2: We've done shows on domestic violence and my sister's youngest 436 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:27,080 Speaker 2: son came on the show, because we are committed to 437 00:24:27,440 --> 00:24:32,320 Speaker 2: helping families, but we've never approached it from this lens 438 00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:35,600 Speaker 2: of Okay, this is a who done it because from 439 00:24:37,520 --> 00:24:40,320 Speaker 2: the point of view of the investigators, they felt they 440 00:24:40,400 --> 00:24:42,119 Speaker 2: knew and that was enough for us. 441 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:46,159 Speaker 1: Is that when you started your interest in writing the 442 00:24:46,240 --> 00:24:48,760 Speaker 1: novels that you've written the crime novels? 443 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:51,200 Speaker 2: Oh? Yeah, you know, because I was a journalist for 444 00:24:51,320 --> 00:24:54,760 Speaker 2: thirty years, and yes you are, Oh gosh. The first 445 00:24:54,840 --> 00:24:57,760 Speaker 2: part of my career was I was a reporter on 446 00:24:57,840 --> 00:25:03,359 Speaker 2: the street, I mean with Brian College Day, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, 447 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:07,959 Speaker 2: Fort Worth. The novel that I wrote, the Jordan Manning series, 448 00:25:08,520 --> 00:25:11,680 Speaker 2: honestly was inspired by my years of being a crime reporter, 449 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:16,879 Speaker 2: not related to my personal family search situation. It was 450 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:19,399 Speaker 2: just I felt like people didn't really know what happens 451 00:25:19,440 --> 00:25:21,680 Speaker 2: when you're a crime reporter. And then I thought I 452 00:25:21,760 --> 00:25:24,080 Speaker 2: wanted her to be this colorful character. I grew up 453 00:25:24,240 --> 00:25:26,920 Speaker 2: loving Nancy Drew novels. That was my whole bed. It 454 00:25:27,040 --> 00:25:28,879 Speaker 2: was like it was if you didn't find oriole cookies. 455 00:25:28,920 --> 00:25:33,399 Speaker 2: You found Nancy the Future, and so I thought it 456 00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:36,480 Speaker 2: would be fun to have this female protagonist that was 457 00:25:36,520 --> 00:25:40,160 Speaker 2: a crime solving journalist. And I thought that it would 458 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:43,280 Speaker 2: you know, I wanted a little mix of sex in 459 00:25:43,359 --> 00:25:45,560 Speaker 2: the city and waiting to extale. I just wanted her 460 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:49,800 Speaker 2: to be this fun but intense person that you want 461 00:25:49,880 --> 00:25:52,480 Speaker 2: on your side, like a blood howling, right, And so 462 00:25:52,640 --> 00:25:55,400 Speaker 2: that came and I wrote those Jenny in the Pandemic. 463 00:25:55,520 --> 00:25:58,000 Speaker 2: By the you know, the second or third time, I 464 00:25:58,119 --> 00:26:01,680 Speaker 2: was going to just leave my h for not breaking 465 00:26:01,720 --> 00:26:04,200 Speaker 2: down the Amazon boxes. You know, we're all dug in 466 00:26:04,320 --> 00:26:06,840 Speaker 2: and I'm like, okay, buddy, one more Amazon box and 467 00:26:06,880 --> 00:26:10,760 Speaker 2: not opening. You're out of here. Let me, harness, listen 468 00:26:10,920 --> 00:26:14,159 Speaker 2: to something more positive. So I started to write the 469 00:26:14,280 --> 00:26:17,000 Speaker 2: Jordan Manning crime series. I was I fell asleep watching 470 00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:18,760 Speaker 2: ESPN or he fell asleep and the next thing, and 471 00:26:18,760 --> 00:26:21,960 Speaker 2: I was like, Michael Jordan Peigon Manny. Her name Jordan Manning. 472 00:26:22,040 --> 00:26:24,119 Speaker 2: There it is, you know, And so I love that. 473 00:26:24,640 --> 00:26:27,720 Speaker 2: I would go out on this little deck that we 474 00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:32,760 Speaker 2: have in sag harber and Online Island and I just 475 00:26:32,880 --> 00:26:35,080 Speaker 2: write and I get up with my coffee. I felt 476 00:26:35,160 --> 00:26:38,000 Speaker 2: very Stephen King it's like old and I had my 477 00:26:38,119 --> 00:26:43,640 Speaker 2: little writer's costume and my coffee and evergrease. Meanwhile, because 478 00:26:43,640 --> 00:26:46,000 Speaker 2: we couldn't do anything else, we were stuck. And so 479 00:26:46,080 --> 00:26:48,960 Speaker 2: I wrote that series and then my cookbook. My dad 480 00:26:49,280 --> 00:26:52,560 Speaker 2: loved to cook, my grandfather loved to cook, and I 481 00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:55,000 Speaker 2: happened to be happy to be best friends with a 482 00:26:55,119 --> 00:26:58,720 Speaker 2: James Beard Award winning culinary producer who's a recipe writer. 483 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:01,240 Speaker 2: And so I know, right, I was like, did I 484 00:27:01,359 --> 00:27:05,920 Speaker 2: pick you? Really? You know? And we became best of friends. 485 00:27:05,960 --> 00:27:10,320 Speaker 2: We're sisters and so proud of our book because that 486 00:27:10,520 --> 00:27:14,600 Speaker 2: cookbook again, it's it's seventy two phenomenal recipes and she's 487 00:27:14,680 --> 00:27:17,399 Speaker 2: the best at recipe writing in the business. But we 488 00:27:18,560 --> 00:27:20,520 Speaker 2: when the publishers looked at the marketplace, we were the 489 00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:22,840 Speaker 2: only cookbook with a white woman and a black woman, 490 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:26,680 Speaker 2: and the only cookbook with a straight woman or identified 491 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:29,960 Speaker 2: straight in LGBTQ. And I thought, wow, going back to 492 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:32,879 Speaker 2: our clarinet story, you know, music is a common thread. 493 00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:35,639 Speaker 2: Food is a common thread. And that was such an 494 00:27:35,760 --> 00:27:39,120 Speaker 2: enjoyable and fun project to do with lish styling. She's 495 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:41,960 Speaker 2: from Wisconsin, I'm from Texas, and we would joke that 496 00:27:42,119 --> 00:27:43,840 Speaker 2: even now you see the cover of our book with 497 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:47,879 Speaker 2: the same haircut. So all things really just like what 498 00:27:48,280 --> 00:27:50,679 Speaker 2: you know, like your podcasts and the things you've created. 499 00:27:50,800 --> 00:27:54,600 Speaker 2: We are lucky to have lived long enough to have 500 00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:59,160 Speaker 2: stories and lived long enough to be able to understand 501 00:27:59,240 --> 00:28:03,280 Speaker 2: them and why they are why it's good to share. 502 00:28:03,080 --> 00:28:06,399 Speaker 1: Them, right, Sharing something that that is so important to 503 00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:08,760 Speaker 1: you and you're so passionate about, it's such a no 504 00:28:08,880 --> 00:28:18,800 Speaker 1: brainer to share. So from the mystery novels to the 505 00:28:18,880 --> 00:28:23,720 Speaker 1: cookbook and now a children's book, right, I know you guys, 506 00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:26,679 Speaker 1: you have to pick up this book. It's called Harlem Honey, 507 00:28:27,119 --> 00:28:31,280 Speaker 1: The Adventures of a Curious Kid, and your son is 508 00:28:31,359 --> 00:28:32,400 Speaker 1: the star of the book. 509 00:28:32,840 --> 00:28:36,119 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, you know he's inspired. This little boy happens 510 00:28:36,160 --> 00:28:38,840 Speaker 2: to be named Moses as my son. He's in the 511 00:28:38,960 --> 00:28:42,840 Speaker 2: first grade, and he's just moved from Texas to New York, 512 00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:48,080 Speaker 2: specifically Harlem, and I really wanted to talk about, you know, 513 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:51,400 Speaker 2: this idea of new places and new faces. I've said, 514 00:28:51,400 --> 00:28:54,240 Speaker 2: when I wrote the Jordan Manning series, it was during 515 00:28:54,280 --> 00:28:56,960 Speaker 2: the pandemic. You know, our lives all shut down. My 516 00:28:57,080 --> 00:29:00,080 Speaker 2: son wasn't one years old yet. Honestly, Jenny, I I 517 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:02,880 Speaker 2: had my I got pregnant at forty eight. I have 518 00:29:03,160 --> 00:29:06,320 Speaker 2: hosted morning shows for thirty years. I've probably interviewed every 519 00:29:07,040 --> 00:29:10,520 Speaker 2: childbook author on how to raise a kid. But you know, 520 00:29:10,760 --> 00:29:12,200 Speaker 2: until you're on the team, you don't know how to 521 00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:14,840 Speaker 2: play the sport. It's like, so now I'm on the 522 00:29:14,920 --> 00:29:18,000 Speaker 2: team and it's a global pandemic. I didn't even know that. 523 00:29:18,240 --> 00:29:22,520 Speaker 2: You take them off formula to milk if that's your 524 00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:26,000 Speaker 2: choice or whatever. They go. It ends after I'm like, 525 00:29:26,040 --> 00:29:28,080 Speaker 2: wait what. I felt like they stayed on formula for 526 00:29:28,160 --> 00:29:30,480 Speaker 2: like two years and I didn't breastfeed, so I'm really like, 527 00:29:30,560 --> 00:29:33,440 Speaker 2: wait what, And it's a global pandemic and I can't 528 00:29:33,520 --> 00:29:35,880 Speaker 2: get food and I'm like, oh my goodness, the whole 529 00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:38,560 Speaker 2: thing changed. So those are the things that were my focus, 530 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:42,040 Speaker 2: just the day to day, and then you know, we 531 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:45,880 Speaker 2: were inside of our home. It really gave me this 532 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:49,600 Speaker 2: opportunity to be there with my son that I would 533 00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:51,760 Speaker 2: not have had, so first steps, things that I would 534 00:29:51,760 --> 00:29:53,960 Speaker 2: have missed had I been in the studio. I got 535 00:29:54,000 --> 00:29:57,080 Speaker 2: a chance to see firsthand, and we grew so close. 536 00:29:58,120 --> 00:30:02,160 Speaker 2: When things reopen and he was invited to his first 537 00:30:02,200 --> 00:30:07,000 Speaker 2: birthday party, he was hiding in the corner, like this 538 00:30:07,120 --> 00:30:10,920 Speaker 2: guy in the car. He's mister Razzle Dazzle, He's mister 539 00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:13,800 Speaker 2: Talk and he talk. And we get to the birthday party. 540 00:30:14,400 --> 00:30:16,960 Speaker 2: His hands are sweaty, he's next to me. He won't leave, 541 00:30:17,040 --> 00:30:20,640 Speaker 2: and I'm like, okay, but I understand. It's a birthday. 542 00:30:20,680 --> 00:30:24,040 Speaker 2: It's overwhelming. Things happen, but then it happens again and 543 00:30:24,200 --> 00:30:27,080 Speaker 2: again in different circumstances, and then we would come home 544 00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:31,040 Speaker 2: from this scary situation and he'd talk all about it. 545 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:34,200 Speaker 2: He knew what everyone wore, everything said, the music that 546 00:30:34,320 --> 00:30:37,120 Speaker 2: was played. He was just so I realized that this 547 00:30:37,240 --> 00:30:40,640 Speaker 2: was a kid who was observing but was afraid to 548 00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:46,200 Speaker 2: get in. He wanted it didn't have that, I can 549 00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:49,840 Speaker 2: tell you. I debate whether it was because we were 550 00:30:50,000 --> 00:30:53,760 Speaker 2: inside for a long time or that's his natural personality 551 00:30:53,880 --> 00:30:57,880 Speaker 2: as it was mine. I don't know. But how did 552 00:30:57,920 --> 00:31:00,680 Speaker 2: I How do I address it? What I do became 553 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:04,440 Speaker 2: the priority, not the what happens right? And so I 554 00:31:04,480 --> 00:31:06,400 Speaker 2: started to talk to other parents who talked about kids 555 00:31:06,400 --> 00:31:11,360 Speaker 2: who present shy or the reality that we all do, 556 00:31:13,360 --> 00:31:16,360 Speaker 2: and that on the other side of fear is often 557 00:31:16,400 --> 00:31:19,520 Speaker 2: something so fun. So this is a book that talks 558 00:31:19,560 --> 00:31:24,720 Speaker 2: about through curiosity and kindness, how you can face your fear. 559 00:31:24,880 --> 00:31:28,120 Speaker 2: The backdrop is half Texas, half Harlem, New York. But 560 00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:32,680 Speaker 2: in truth, the first outside experience all of our children 561 00:31:32,800 --> 00:31:37,000 Speaker 2: have it's not a school, it's the neighborhood. So Harlem 562 00:31:37,160 --> 00:31:39,520 Speaker 2: is his neighborhood, but it's meant to represent whether you 563 00:31:39,600 --> 00:31:42,360 Speaker 2: have a tiny community or you're walking out your door 564 00:31:42,440 --> 00:31:45,400 Speaker 2: to nine O, two, one zero, whatever, it is your 565 00:31:45,520 --> 00:31:49,600 Speaker 2: first exposure outside of the intimacy of your family home 566 00:31:49,800 --> 00:31:54,120 Speaker 2: is your neighborhood. And so we use music, we use food, 567 00:31:54,720 --> 00:31:59,600 Speaker 2: we use kindness and curiosity as this way for adults 568 00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:02,880 Speaker 2: to talk to kids about how you face that fear 569 00:32:02,960 --> 00:32:05,240 Speaker 2: and what fun you can find on the other side. 570 00:32:05,960 --> 00:32:09,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, and the through line too is also back to connection. 571 00:32:09,720 --> 00:32:13,400 Speaker 1: What we were talking about before is realizing how you 572 00:32:13,520 --> 00:32:18,120 Speaker 1: are connected to everything around you if you just take 573 00:32:18,160 --> 00:32:18,560 Speaker 1: a look. 574 00:32:19,760 --> 00:32:21,720 Speaker 2: And it's true, and it's a reminder. You know, when 575 00:32:21,720 --> 00:32:23,640 Speaker 2: I was writing this book and even now we still 576 00:32:23,720 --> 00:32:25,560 Speaker 2: read it, my son's going to go on tour with 577 00:32:25,680 --> 00:32:28,520 Speaker 2: me and he's actually preparing for his first school musical. 578 00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:30,560 Speaker 2: I mean, we went from a few years ago a 579 00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:33,040 Speaker 2: kid who would not you know, participate a birthday party. 580 00:32:33,160 --> 00:32:37,320 Speaker 2: He's Orange Crayon number three and the upcoming music. Wow, hey, 581 00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:40,680 Speaker 2: the crayons quit, and oh my gosh, he's ready to sing. 582 00:32:40,840 --> 00:32:42,960 Speaker 2: He's singing Somewhere over the Rainbow and it's so funny. 583 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:45,440 Speaker 2: We were watching the Oscars and he has no idea 584 00:32:45,440 --> 00:32:47,600 Speaker 2: who Ariana Grande is. And we're at dinner and the 585 00:32:47,640 --> 00:32:50,960 Speaker 2: Oscars are on. He looks up and he's like, what 586 00:32:51,120 --> 00:32:53,400 Speaker 2: is she singing my song? Who is this singing my song? 587 00:32:53,680 --> 00:32:55,600 Speaker 1: I think he thought it was his life and I 588 00:32:55,640 --> 00:32:58,400 Speaker 1: says original Ariana Grande. 589 00:32:58,480 --> 00:33:00,640 Speaker 2: He's like whoo. And then I said, that's the Oscars, Mom, 590 00:33:00,680 --> 00:33:03,400 Speaker 2: what's the Oscars? So after his musical, I'm gonna get 591 00:33:03,400 --> 00:33:05,080 Speaker 2: like a little fake Oscars made for him so I 592 00:33:05,120 --> 00:33:06,880 Speaker 2: can give him his Oscar once he gets done with 593 00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:09,120 Speaker 2: it on at the end of the month. But you know, 594 00:33:09,360 --> 00:33:17,920 Speaker 2: he's now learned that facing his fear can inspire other things, right, 595 00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:21,480 Speaker 2: and so he really was my test subject in this 596 00:33:21,600 --> 00:33:25,120 Speaker 2: and we have there. We still have moments where he says, Mom, 597 00:33:25,880 --> 00:33:27,840 Speaker 2: I don't want to go in. I'm not ready, you know, 598 00:33:28,040 --> 00:33:30,280 Speaker 2: or he'll say that and I'm okay with that. He 599 00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:33,160 Speaker 2: has to be a well he's walked into as you know, 600 00:33:34,200 --> 00:33:37,080 Speaker 2: you are an international star. I host a talk show. 601 00:33:37,160 --> 00:33:39,720 Speaker 2: Our kids aren't part of our world, but they're not 602 00:33:39,920 --> 00:33:42,960 Speaker 2: part of our world, right, And so with him, I 603 00:33:43,040 --> 00:33:46,760 Speaker 2: even debated namely the character after him, because so he's 604 00:33:46,880 --> 00:33:49,960 Speaker 2: very distinct named Moses, right, He's not the original Moses, 605 00:33:50,040 --> 00:33:54,000 Speaker 2: but he is a Moses, and people see him and 606 00:33:54,040 --> 00:33:56,440 Speaker 2: they say Moses, and they're excited because they're excited. For me, 607 00:33:56,600 --> 00:33:58,840 Speaker 2: being a forty eight year old first time mom at 608 00:33:58,880 --> 00:34:00,920 Speaker 2: the time, that can a lot for a kid to 609 00:34:01,000 --> 00:34:03,720 Speaker 2: take in. But in his own daily life, you know, 610 00:34:05,240 --> 00:34:07,520 Speaker 2: we went to uh he asked me to go to 611 00:34:07,760 --> 00:34:10,319 Speaker 2: see Kids Bop Live. He loves Kids Bop he's all 612 00:34:10,400 --> 00:34:13,800 Speaker 2: about and we got tickets and we took him to 613 00:34:13,880 --> 00:34:18,520 Speaker 2: New Jersey and he was absolutely terrified. Like we get 614 00:34:18,560 --> 00:34:20,600 Speaker 2: there and he's like, wait, this is way bigger than 615 00:34:20,640 --> 00:34:23,759 Speaker 2: I expected. This is way different than I expected. And 616 00:34:23,960 --> 00:34:27,400 Speaker 2: he wanted to leave. And my instinct, you know, was like, 617 00:34:27,560 --> 00:34:29,520 Speaker 2: let's get in this car. We're gonna go right back home. 618 00:34:29,600 --> 00:34:33,200 Speaker 2: But I was like, you know, okay, let me breathe, 619 00:34:33,560 --> 00:34:35,799 Speaker 2: because how I react to this is how he acts. 620 00:34:36,000 --> 00:34:39,000 Speaker 2: If I keep pushing get in there. That's going to 621 00:34:39,080 --> 00:34:43,279 Speaker 2: add a resistance, right, So okay, say well whenever you're ready. 622 00:34:43,480 --> 00:34:47,000 Speaker 2: And then the show started. He starts to hear familiar song. 623 00:34:47,520 --> 00:34:51,000 Speaker 2: I see the side look, you know that that wanting 624 00:34:51,080 --> 00:34:55,239 Speaker 2: to be in behavior and physical change. And before I 625 00:34:55,400 --> 00:34:57,560 Speaker 2: know it, he's in the seat, We're dancing, We're having 626 00:34:57,560 --> 00:34:59,560 Speaker 2: a good time. He's you know, the kids pop. They 627 00:34:59,640 --> 00:35:02,759 Speaker 2: vote on which finale song and his finale song for 628 00:35:02,840 --> 00:35:04,760 Speaker 2: you which one he wanted? Didn't get it. I didn't 629 00:35:04,840 --> 00:35:07,239 Speaker 2: get my song. You know, he's invested in it and 630 00:35:07,320 --> 00:35:10,400 Speaker 2: he's having a great time. He's now in basketball and 631 00:35:10,560 --> 00:35:13,319 Speaker 2: he goes on Sundays. I'm so happy the first time 632 00:35:13,400 --> 00:35:15,320 Speaker 2: he went first, Please not the first time, maybe the 633 00:35:15,400 --> 00:35:19,440 Speaker 2: first week. You want no parts. He sat there on 634 00:35:19,560 --> 00:35:22,239 Speaker 2: the side and he looked and didn't want and I said, 635 00:35:22,280 --> 00:35:24,480 Speaker 2: you know, you love Jalen Brunson. You love the Knicks. 636 00:35:24,520 --> 00:35:26,320 Speaker 2: To my dismay, being from Dallas, I want him to 637 00:35:26,360 --> 00:35:29,680 Speaker 2: love the Mavericks, but he loves the Knicks. And then 638 00:35:30,640 --> 00:35:34,239 Speaker 2: this week the class was the last day and this 639 00:35:34,600 --> 00:35:37,040 Speaker 2: this coach is female coach who was there at the beginning, 640 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:41,320 Speaker 2: came back for their little ceremony or whatever, and she 641 00:35:41,440 --> 00:35:43,719 Speaker 2: pulled my husband over to the side and she said, oh, 642 00:35:43,800 --> 00:35:46,080 Speaker 2: I can't believe look at this kid. Look at him. 643 00:35:46,400 --> 00:35:48,800 Speaker 2: I mean he's like dribbling with right hand left handed. 644 00:35:49,239 --> 00:35:51,920 Speaker 2: He's like having a great time. He needed to have 645 00:35:52,120 --> 00:35:56,680 Speaker 2: that time. The book is also a reminder, I hope 646 00:35:56,719 --> 00:36:01,040 Speaker 2: to adults, really something that I think you have learned 647 00:36:01,120 --> 00:36:06,080 Speaker 2: and are learning every day, how precious patience is with 648 00:36:06,239 --> 00:36:11,040 Speaker 2: ourselves giving ourselves that time, but also our kids. You know, 649 00:36:11,320 --> 00:36:13,040 Speaker 2: how easy is it to say, Okay, we're gonna go 650 00:36:13,040 --> 00:36:14,680 Speaker 2: to dinner, hurry, put your socks onto the Okay, you 651 00:36:14,680 --> 00:36:16,000 Speaker 2: can't get shucks, let me put it on for you. 652 00:36:16,960 --> 00:36:20,680 Speaker 2: It's delaying and putting their socks one put time to 653 00:36:21,239 --> 00:36:23,719 Speaker 2: let me put the thumbs in to pull the sock up, 654 00:36:23,800 --> 00:36:25,680 Speaker 2: and we gotta go, We gotta go. So I'm gonna 655 00:36:25,680 --> 00:36:28,960 Speaker 2: put this on for you. You know. Yeah, we think 656 00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:31,440 Speaker 2: it's helping. But if we can and by the way, 657 00:36:31,640 --> 00:36:35,719 Speaker 2: baking in that time to watch them put their socks on, 658 00:36:36,160 --> 00:36:38,560 Speaker 2: I mean we like danced around the first time we're 659 00:36:38,600 --> 00:36:42,640 Speaker 2: tackling shoe tie. Now, I's like, oh my god, those 660 00:36:42,680 --> 00:36:48,040 Speaker 2: are the exhilarating, beautiful sensations that we deserve too. Yeah. 661 00:36:48,080 --> 00:36:50,719 Speaker 1: I mean that message is so important and I was 662 00:36:50,800 --> 00:36:54,440 Speaker 1: gonna say that before it. By you having that kind 663 00:36:54,480 --> 00:36:57,520 Speaker 1: of patience and talking about those moments in your real 664 00:36:57,600 --> 00:37:01,000 Speaker 1: life with your son, that will help other people to 665 00:37:01,280 --> 00:37:05,320 Speaker 1: regain some patience, because it's really easy to be impatient. 666 00:37:06,360 --> 00:37:09,719 Speaker 2: Listen, I'm going to work in progress, you know, I am. 667 00:37:10,080 --> 00:37:11,840 Speaker 2: I'm a blank canvas with a little bit of the 668 00:37:11,880 --> 00:37:14,040 Speaker 2: sketch on it because I have to do it for 669 00:37:14,200 --> 00:37:18,200 Speaker 2: myself all the time, you know, and it is we 670 00:37:18,640 --> 00:37:23,399 Speaker 2: know the value of it. We know it is priceless, right, yes, 671 00:37:24,160 --> 00:37:26,919 Speaker 2: but we fall prey to it. You know. Sometimes we'll 672 00:37:26,960 --> 00:37:30,440 Speaker 2: go to a restaurant and my son will you know, 673 00:37:30,480 --> 00:37:33,920 Speaker 2: he's stirring around. Well, we've gone to restaurants for fifty 674 00:37:34,000 --> 00:37:36,560 Speaker 2: years of our lives. The first time this kid has 675 00:37:36,600 --> 00:37:40,120 Speaker 2: walked into this environment, been in this environment. And yes, 676 00:37:40,239 --> 00:37:43,080 Speaker 2: we want them to behave accordingly. We want them to 677 00:37:43,640 --> 00:37:46,400 Speaker 2: be a little perfectly mannered children who go to the 678 00:37:46,480 --> 00:37:49,640 Speaker 2: seat and put their They're just walking into a whole restaurant. 679 00:37:50,239 --> 00:37:51,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, this is all new for them. 680 00:37:51,920 --> 00:38:00,920 Speaker 2: It's all new for them, you know. Speaking of all. 681 00:38:00,960 --> 00:38:03,359 Speaker 1: New for you, I really want to talk about your 682 00:38:03,520 --> 00:38:07,359 Speaker 1: choice to become a mom at forty eight. Ah, I'm 683 00:38:07,480 --> 00:38:10,600 Speaker 1: really interested in that because I was there rooting for 684 00:38:10,760 --> 00:38:13,920 Speaker 1: you the whole time. And I remember when you got pregnant. 685 00:38:14,560 --> 00:38:17,879 Speaker 1: I remember seeing you pregnant and I had already loved 686 00:38:17,920 --> 00:38:21,320 Speaker 1: you from the Today Show. Yeah, and so I was 687 00:38:21,440 --> 00:38:23,200 Speaker 1: just rooting you on and like it was such a 688 00:38:23,239 --> 00:38:25,080 Speaker 1: big deal. She's pregnant at forty eight. 689 00:38:26,320 --> 00:38:30,799 Speaker 2: You know it was. I'll tell you. If I had 690 00:38:31,000 --> 00:38:33,960 Speaker 2: not lost that job, I don't think I would have 691 00:38:34,160 --> 00:38:38,759 Speaker 2: had my son. It was the first time I've worked 692 00:38:38,800 --> 00:38:41,760 Speaker 2: since I was fourteen. My very first job was Toys 693 00:38:41,840 --> 00:38:44,360 Speaker 2: r us. I still have my first paycheck, you know, 694 00:38:44,600 --> 00:38:47,280 Speaker 2: my little stub because I was like, what the takeout 695 00:38:47,320 --> 00:38:50,719 Speaker 2: stuff was as well? You still have it. That's so 696 00:38:50,920 --> 00:38:53,920 Speaker 2: great years later. I've worked since I was fourteen. I've 697 00:38:54,040 --> 00:38:56,680 Speaker 2: never been fired in my life. I was always a 698 00:38:57,360 --> 00:39:00,960 Speaker 2: high achieving person, you know. Or once my dad gave 699 00:39:01,040 --> 00:39:04,719 Speaker 2: me that challenge, my value became. What I saw is 700 00:39:04,760 --> 00:39:07,120 Speaker 2: my value was work, you know, because you can lose that. 701 00:39:07,360 --> 00:39:12,000 Speaker 2: And even at age eighteen, a dear friend mom gave 702 00:39:12,080 --> 00:39:16,359 Speaker 2: me a book and one of the chapters said, who 703 00:39:16,440 --> 00:39:19,200 Speaker 2: are you if there's no title beneath your name? I'm eighteen. 704 00:39:19,280 --> 00:39:21,239 Speaker 2: That means nothing to me. I don't even think about it. 705 00:39:21,360 --> 00:39:25,560 Speaker 2: Fast forward age four six, old boy. That book A 706 00:39:25,640 --> 00:39:28,480 Speaker 2: Path of Light, that's been sitting on my bedside or 707 00:39:28,520 --> 00:39:32,279 Speaker 2: whatever since I was eighteen, suddenly makes sense now. And 708 00:39:33,120 --> 00:39:35,719 Speaker 2: it was the first time that I said, you know, 709 00:39:35,960 --> 00:39:38,239 Speaker 2: I'll be okay if I am not on a TV show. 710 00:39:38,360 --> 00:39:40,800 Speaker 2: I'll be okay if I'm not a reporter, I'll figure 711 00:39:40,920 --> 00:39:45,480 Speaker 2: this out, you know. And whatever aspirations of, you know, 712 00:39:45,640 --> 00:39:48,920 Speaker 2: being on a national news show, it didn't matter to me. 713 00:39:50,360 --> 00:39:52,680 Speaker 2: I left the show. It was important for me to 714 00:39:52,760 --> 00:39:58,040 Speaker 2: take that stand for myself. I at the time did 715 00:39:58,120 --> 00:40:00,759 Speaker 2: not have a child. I was my backup. So trust me, 716 00:40:00,800 --> 00:40:03,080 Speaker 2: I'm looking at the ATM and the numbers are not numbering. 717 00:40:03,280 --> 00:40:04,920 Speaker 2: But I was going to figure it out, right. I 718 00:40:05,040 --> 00:40:06,800 Speaker 2: was like, you know, I didn't my parents didn't have 719 00:40:06,840 --> 00:40:09,279 Speaker 2: a gold Bars buried somewhere. I was on my own. 720 00:40:09,800 --> 00:40:12,160 Speaker 2: My mother's big contribution was to tell me I could 721 00:40:12,239 --> 00:40:14,120 Speaker 2: move back to my room, and I was like, it's 722 00:40:14,160 --> 00:40:15,399 Speaker 2: not going to happen, but thank you for the offer. 723 00:40:15,480 --> 00:40:17,360 Speaker 2: We're not there yet. We're not there yet, you know. 724 00:40:17,920 --> 00:40:24,040 Speaker 2: And during the time of trying to figure out this 725 00:40:24,360 --> 00:40:29,400 Speaker 2: next act in my life. I got an offer to 726 00:40:30,200 --> 00:40:35,319 Speaker 2: have a show executive produced by Harvey Weinstein. That day 727 00:40:35,480 --> 00:40:37,920 Speaker 2: felt like the best day of my life. Right, Oh 728 00:40:38,000 --> 00:40:41,560 Speaker 2: my gosh, I've gone from being invisible in this workspace 729 00:40:41,680 --> 00:40:43,720 Speaker 2: to speaks this guy, this is the guy that everyone 730 00:40:43,760 --> 00:40:47,120 Speaker 2: told this is the guy, right, and thinking, wow, big 731 00:40:47,239 --> 00:40:52,239 Speaker 2: breaks do happen, wonderful And now I'm kind of back 732 00:40:52,280 --> 00:40:54,680 Speaker 2: into the identity. Right, I'm about to be a talk 733 00:40:54,719 --> 00:40:59,399 Speaker 2: show host out here my title it's back. And then 734 00:40:59,520 --> 00:41:07,040 Speaker 2: one day I got a call that his name was 735 00:41:07,120 --> 00:41:10,600 Speaker 2: being mentioned along the lines of the word someone. The 736 00:41:10,680 --> 00:41:14,560 Speaker 2: person actually said the R word, and I said retirement 737 00:41:15,920 --> 00:41:18,920 Speaker 2: and because I have not, and they said fortunately, no, 738 00:41:19,400 --> 00:41:23,640 Speaker 2: yeah exactly, And I said what now everything is like, oh, 739 00:41:27,480 --> 00:41:31,640 Speaker 2: I had at the time already met my now husband, 740 00:41:32,640 --> 00:41:36,800 Speaker 2: because when I agreed to executive produce the show with 741 00:41:36,920 --> 00:41:38,920 Speaker 2: Harvey Weinstein, there were a lot of like just ebbs 742 00:41:38,960 --> 00:41:41,640 Speaker 2: and flows and just just things that were happening. Now. 743 00:41:41,760 --> 00:41:44,920 Speaker 2: I know he was under investigation, but there were these 744 00:41:45,000 --> 00:41:50,279 Speaker 2: inconsistencies that made me not feel certain. Nothing behaviorally toward me, 745 00:41:50,440 --> 00:41:53,520 Speaker 2: but just like so just weird energy. You know, when 746 00:41:53,520 --> 00:41:55,840 Speaker 2: you're like, this is weird energy around here, and I 747 00:41:55,840 --> 00:41:59,680 Speaker 2: didn't know what it was. And I remember throwing myself 748 00:41:59,760 --> 00:42:03,319 Speaker 2: this hitting party because I was in LA And as 749 00:42:03,360 --> 00:42:05,440 Speaker 2: you know, when you go into business with somebody, reach 750 00:42:05,440 --> 00:42:07,040 Speaker 2: an agreement, they're going to give you X amount of 751 00:42:07,080 --> 00:42:09,880 Speaker 2: dollars to hold exclusive rights to whatever you're doing, so 752 00:42:09,960 --> 00:42:13,200 Speaker 2: it's like a holding fee or whatever. And he was 753 00:42:13,280 --> 00:42:16,280 Speaker 2: slow on that payment, and I'm like, I need my money, 754 00:42:16,480 --> 00:42:19,040 Speaker 2: here's my money. What's going on here? So now I'm 755 00:42:19,080 --> 00:42:21,200 Speaker 2: feeling like, oh, this guy sold me a bill of 756 00:42:21,280 --> 00:42:24,640 Speaker 2: goods and this show's never going to happen, and I'm sad, sad, sad. 757 00:42:26,120 --> 00:42:27,719 Speaker 2: And then I went out to the pool at the 758 00:42:27,760 --> 00:42:30,560 Speaker 2: Sunset Marquee. I was actually supposed to stay at another 759 00:42:30,640 --> 00:42:33,320 Speaker 2: hotel because I told my travelation at the time, I 760 00:42:33,480 --> 00:42:35,560 Speaker 2: want to stay where they are, like, guys, I want 761 00:42:35,640 --> 00:42:38,400 Speaker 2: somewhere with a cute bars. I'm single and I am 762 00:42:38,719 --> 00:42:40,960 Speaker 2: ready to date and you know, move on my life. 763 00:42:41,680 --> 00:42:43,640 Speaker 2: He puts me up at a hotel and everyone there 764 00:42:43,760 --> 00:42:45,400 Speaker 2: is like a twenty year old wrapper, and I'm like, 765 00:42:46,760 --> 00:42:49,960 Speaker 2: because twenty year olds are wrapper, this is not my scene, 766 00:42:50,239 --> 00:42:53,520 Speaker 2: not my scene. So he put me up at Sunset 767 00:42:53,640 --> 00:42:56,920 Speaker 2: Marquee only because he's like, it's a great hotel. I 768 00:42:57,000 --> 00:42:58,400 Speaker 2: was like, all right, fine it because I'd given up 769 00:42:58,440 --> 00:43:00,640 Speaker 2: on dating at that point. Now between the hotel in 770 00:43:00,680 --> 00:43:04,120 Speaker 2: the five minutes, I thought that was the deal breaker 771 00:43:04,239 --> 00:43:07,320 Speaker 2: for you. I'm in the room. I throw myself a 772 00:43:07,400 --> 00:43:11,839 Speaker 2: proper pity party, and then I went to the hotel cool. 773 00:43:12,280 --> 00:43:14,080 Speaker 2: I have, like I put a one piece on, so 774 00:43:14,360 --> 00:43:16,640 Speaker 2: clearly I wasn't trying to bring any kind of a game. 775 00:43:16,680 --> 00:43:18,480 Speaker 2: I was done at that point. I got to the 776 00:43:18,520 --> 00:43:22,360 Speaker 2: school and I looked up and walking toward me is Steven. 777 00:43:22,440 --> 00:43:25,720 Speaker 2: And we'd run into each other many times at different events. 778 00:43:25,760 --> 00:43:27,880 Speaker 2: He you know, he's in the music business, he's a manager, 779 00:43:28,000 --> 00:43:31,000 Speaker 2: he's worked with a lot of people. And he sat 780 00:43:31,080 --> 00:43:34,640 Speaker 2: down and we started talking. And I think because I 781 00:43:34,719 --> 00:43:37,480 Speaker 2: didn't have I just kind of got it to this 782 00:43:37,719 --> 00:43:40,160 Speaker 2: fitt moment with work and all of this, su I 783 00:43:40,280 --> 00:43:43,480 Speaker 2: saw this person and we're just talking and then we 784 00:43:43,520 --> 00:43:45,799 Speaker 2: started arguing over who has the best pizza in New 785 00:43:45,880 --> 00:43:48,120 Speaker 2: York and he's like, I'm a New Yorker, I know. 786 00:43:48,840 --> 00:43:51,520 Speaker 2: And then we agree to go on like a pizza showdown. 787 00:43:51,600 --> 00:43:54,759 Speaker 2: It wasn't nothing elaborate, it was no like it was 788 00:43:54,840 --> 00:43:57,680 Speaker 2: a pizza, and when I was back in New York 789 00:43:58,000 --> 00:43:59,520 Speaker 2: and whole turns out he had a place a few 790 00:43:59,560 --> 00:44:02,160 Speaker 2: blocks from min. I'm like, wait, what, this is interesting, 791 00:44:02,840 --> 00:44:05,360 Speaker 2: and we you know, started to hang out, and a 792 00:44:05,440 --> 00:44:10,879 Speaker 2: couple of weeks later we moved in and okay, I'm 793 00:44:11,000 --> 00:44:13,480 Speaker 2: furious as we were talking. That's why I laught. That's 794 00:44:13,520 --> 00:44:15,160 Speaker 2: why I laughed when you said it on my show 795 00:44:15,200 --> 00:44:17,400 Speaker 2: about you, like all the weeks I was like, wait, oh, 796 00:44:17,520 --> 00:44:20,640 Speaker 2: that's funny. So like, within a few weeks we started 797 00:44:20,719 --> 00:44:22,480 Speaker 2: dating and then going to the point that you asked 798 00:44:22,520 --> 00:44:26,719 Speaker 2: me my husband had no children, and he said he 799 00:44:26,760 --> 00:44:32,000 Speaker 2: always wanted children. He had his own childhood journey that 800 00:44:32,200 --> 00:44:35,160 Speaker 2: was complicated and complex, and he just never thought he 801 00:44:35,239 --> 00:44:37,759 Speaker 2: was going to be a dad or that he had 802 00:44:37,800 --> 00:44:40,320 Speaker 2: the skills to be a dad based on how he 803 00:44:40,560 --> 00:44:45,520 Speaker 2: was raised. And then I said, well, you know, I 804 00:44:45,760 --> 00:44:49,440 Speaker 2: love to look into this, you know, this concept of 805 00:44:49,560 --> 00:44:53,040 Speaker 2: us being parents as we're here now, and I think 806 00:44:53,239 --> 00:44:57,120 Speaker 2: that not having the pressure of the job had allowed 807 00:44:57,200 --> 00:45:01,080 Speaker 2: me to give my body grace. Had I had a 808 00:45:01,120 --> 00:45:07,359 Speaker 2: lot less stress, a lot less just everything. I felt 809 00:45:07,400 --> 00:45:10,200 Speaker 2: a lot less it about myself. To be honest, I've 810 00:45:10,360 --> 00:45:12,080 Speaker 2: never shared that with anybody. But I went through that 811 00:45:12,120 --> 00:45:14,719 Speaker 2: phase of just feeling it was like, this is now. 812 00:45:14,920 --> 00:45:17,920 Speaker 1: It sounds like a real transitional time for you, and 813 00:45:19,120 --> 00:45:23,040 Speaker 1: so much uncertainty. Yeah, but I love that you are 814 00:45:23,600 --> 00:45:26,000 Speaker 1: by the pool and just letting it happen. 815 00:45:26,400 --> 00:45:29,000 Speaker 2: But I'll hang out at an unattractive one piece, yeah, 816 00:45:29,040 --> 00:45:31,319 Speaker 2: and this and then this is what comes to you. Yeah, 817 00:45:31,320 --> 00:45:33,279 Speaker 2: And it came to me, it really did. And the 818 00:45:33,440 --> 00:45:37,320 Speaker 2: right person at the right time, under the right circumstances, 819 00:45:37,960 --> 00:45:41,440 Speaker 2: and for me, for me, you know. And we went 820 00:45:41,520 --> 00:45:46,680 Speaker 2: through multiple rounds of IVF, multiple and there were, you know, 821 00:45:46,840 --> 00:45:51,000 Speaker 2: some hard truths. And one day I was driving and 822 00:45:51,080 --> 00:45:54,160 Speaker 2: I saw this sign that talked about adoption and I 823 00:45:54,239 --> 00:45:55,520 Speaker 2: thought that was an the fifth I was like, oh, 824 00:45:55,600 --> 00:45:57,560 Speaker 2: this is it, This is it. I should you know. 825 00:45:57,800 --> 00:45:59,520 Speaker 2: This is the route. I'm not going to do this anymore. 826 00:45:59,680 --> 00:46:02,440 Speaker 2: This is the route. And I wasn't angry, it wasn't resigned, 827 00:46:02,480 --> 00:46:04,560 Speaker 2: it wasn't like, oh, I'll just stood up. It wasn't that. 828 00:46:04,680 --> 00:46:07,000 Speaker 2: It was like, oh, this is the sign. Like when 829 00:46:07,040 --> 00:46:10,040 Speaker 2: I went to the pool. It wasn't a negative or positive. 830 00:46:10,080 --> 00:46:16,440 Speaker 2: It was a sign. And I got a call that 831 00:46:16,600 --> 00:46:24,880 Speaker 2: things were looking good, and then we taped my pilot 832 00:46:25,520 --> 00:46:29,680 Speaker 2: for the talk show that next morning, and I got 833 00:46:29,719 --> 00:46:35,480 Speaker 2: a call early that morning that we, in fact I 834 00:46:35,640 --> 00:46:36,160 Speaker 2: was pregnant. 835 00:46:36,440 --> 00:46:39,840 Speaker 1: Wow timing, I. 836 00:46:39,840 --> 00:46:41,480 Speaker 2: Still kept that out. It was just crazy. So I'm 837 00:46:41,520 --> 00:46:42,680 Speaker 2: walking out of my pilot. 838 00:46:43,680 --> 00:46:46,520 Speaker 1: I remember your pilot, I remember the first time. 839 00:46:46,760 --> 00:46:49,960 Speaker 2: Pilot, and I am I'm pregnant, and I'm just like wow. 840 00:46:50,440 --> 00:46:53,080 Speaker 2: And you know, we kept a private for thirty two 841 00:46:53,080 --> 00:46:55,920 Speaker 2: weeks because I was a geriatric pregnancy. I didn't know 842 00:46:56,040 --> 00:46:59,920 Speaker 2: what that meant, and also I wasn't on daily TV yet, 843 00:47:00,600 --> 00:47:05,440 Speaker 2: and I wanted to protect my relationship my husband. I 844 00:47:05,520 --> 00:47:10,080 Speaker 2: wanted to protect my sanity. As you know, people will 845 00:47:10,239 --> 00:47:11,839 Speaker 2: you tell someone you're pregnant and you're like, oh boy, 846 00:47:12,160 --> 00:47:15,080 Speaker 2: it's gonna be hard to marry. Oh boy, marriage is hard. 847 00:47:15,320 --> 00:47:17,360 Speaker 2: And I get that sentiment of why people do it. 848 00:47:17,360 --> 00:47:19,399 Speaker 2: We're kind of just trained. It's like a rote thing 849 00:47:19,520 --> 00:47:22,800 Speaker 2: to say. But I am more conscious than ever of 850 00:47:22,920 --> 00:47:26,480 Speaker 2: how I respond to whatever someone is sharing with me, right, 851 00:47:27,640 --> 00:47:31,719 Speaker 2: and I wanted to just enjoy it. And then we 852 00:47:31,840 --> 00:47:36,600 Speaker 2: got a call thirty two weeks in. My team called 853 00:47:36,640 --> 00:47:38,960 Speaker 2: and said, oh, there's a tabloid that's about to say 854 00:47:38,960 --> 00:47:42,040 Speaker 2: you're pregnant. I'm like what And what happened was I 855 00:47:42,560 --> 00:47:44,920 Speaker 2: reserved our maternity room and you have to do it 856 00:47:45,000 --> 00:47:48,759 Speaker 2: under your name and someone had told someone and they 857 00:47:49,280 --> 00:47:52,279 Speaker 2: called our team and it almost made it, almost made 858 00:47:52,320 --> 00:47:54,439 Speaker 2: it almost made it. And it was funny way because 859 00:47:54,440 --> 00:47:57,640 Speaker 2: at the time that baby Shark song was like and 860 00:47:57,760 --> 00:48:01,080 Speaker 2: so I ran, I got this like actually dress I 861 00:48:01,200 --> 00:48:03,279 Speaker 2: had and I and my husband's like, what are we 862 00:48:03,280 --> 00:48:04,440 Speaker 2: gonna do? What are you gonna do? I was like, 863 00:48:04,560 --> 00:48:06,680 Speaker 2: We're gonna do Baby Shark. And then I had the 864 00:48:07,000 --> 00:48:09,560 Speaker 2: book in front of my belly and I was like 865 00:48:09,640 --> 00:48:11,279 Speaker 2: do do do do? Do? Do do? And then I 866 00:48:11,440 --> 00:48:13,560 Speaker 2: removed the book and then it's like a baby and 867 00:48:13,719 --> 00:48:16,000 Speaker 2: then it was like People magazine. You know how it 868 00:48:16,080 --> 00:48:19,000 Speaker 2: goes after that? Yeah, you know. I'm but I think 869 00:48:19,160 --> 00:48:21,879 Speaker 2: fast forward when I look at that. As I said, 870 00:48:22,719 --> 00:48:25,880 Speaker 2: the loss became a win and not with the talk show, right, 871 00:48:26,000 --> 00:48:29,000 Speaker 2: it became a win in love the way I think 872 00:48:29,040 --> 00:48:33,080 Speaker 2: I became a more present friend. I think sometimes my 873 00:48:33,160 --> 00:48:36,600 Speaker 2: conversations were one sided, and I know talk show hosts 874 00:48:36,600 --> 00:48:38,600 Speaker 2: are just born that way to have one sided conversations 875 00:48:38,600 --> 00:48:43,239 Speaker 2: because that much. But I just got a chance to 876 00:48:43,320 --> 00:48:46,760 Speaker 2: catch up with my friends and not talk about work, 877 00:48:46,800 --> 00:48:50,520 Speaker 2: and I know that work is what provides the lives 878 00:48:50,560 --> 00:48:53,359 Speaker 2: that we have. So I'm not like I grew up very, 879 00:48:53,480 --> 00:48:55,760 Speaker 2: very poor, So I'm not going to be that person 880 00:48:55,800 --> 00:48:59,400 Speaker 2: to say moody doesn't matter. But it doesn't. It's not 881 00:48:59,480 --> 00:49:02,479 Speaker 2: the total of happiness or our journeys. I've been both 882 00:49:02,600 --> 00:49:06,239 Speaker 2: sides of the conversation, and it's about perspective of what 883 00:49:06,400 --> 00:49:08,200 Speaker 2: it brings and what you can use it to do 884 00:49:08,320 --> 00:49:14,000 Speaker 2: good and help others. It's a complicated conversation, but it 885 00:49:14,200 --> 00:49:18,560 Speaker 2: is recognized that having that break from work gave me 886 00:49:19,239 --> 00:49:23,680 Speaker 2: love time, It gave me my child in so many ways, 887 00:49:24,160 --> 00:49:26,560 Speaker 2: and it gave me a rebirth, which was the show 888 00:49:27,480 --> 00:49:30,640 Speaker 2: back with the wealth of things I feel to offer 889 00:49:31,360 --> 00:49:32,799 Speaker 2: that I didn't have before. 890 00:49:32,719 --> 00:49:35,280 Speaker 1: In your late forties. I mean, I was just talking 891 00:49:35,360 --> 00:49:38,640 Speaker 1: with EVT Nicole Brown and she just got married for 892 00:49:38,719 --> 00:49:39,399 Speaker 1: the first time. 893 00:49:39,800 --> 00:49:43,600 Speaker 2: Yes, she met Oh wait wait, even their date that 894 00:49:44,040 --> 00:49:46,600 Speaker 2: he took her onto the theater happened right after she 895 00:49:46,719 --> 00:49:52,480 Speaker 2: came on my show. That's last Oh lucky to take responsibility. 896 00:49:51,760 --> 00:49:55,480 Speaker 1: For Yes, you should, you absolutely should, but just like 897 00:49:55,680 --> 00:49:58,759 Speaker 1: talking about how society's timeline and just because you do 898 00:49:58,920 --> 00:50:01,239 Speaker 1: things later in life if it doesn't mean that you 899 00:50:01,480 --> 00:50:04,480 Speaker 1: are less deserving of love or motherhood or anything. I mean, 900 00:50:05,600 --> 00:50:08,920 Speaker 1: how have you felt about your experience with motherhood in 901 00:50:09,080 --> 00:50:12,080 Speaker 1: this chapter of your life? Being you know, an older 902 00:50:12,200 --> 00:50:15,960 Speaker 1: mom like you said you were a geriatric pregnancy, and 903 00:50:16,120 --> 00:50:16,360 Speaker 1: it just. 904 00:50:16,400 --> 00:50:19,000 Speaker 2: Hit me hard. And I'm sorry, I just I think 905 00:50:19,040 --> 00:50:22,239 Speaker 2: it's amazing. I love it. No, I got to tell you, 906 00:50:24,840 --> 00:50:27,960 Speaker 2: wisdom has been an interesting thing for me lately. For 907 00:50:28,120 --> 00:50:30,759 Speaker 2: so long, a lot of young women, not just with 908 00:50:30,840 --> 00:50:34,640 Speaker 2: the pregnancy, but with the career rebirth. Oh my god, 909 00:50:34,680 --> 00:50:36,440 Speaker 2: I look up to you, and I didn't know how 910 00:50:36,480 --> 00:50:38,200 Speaker 2: to accept that. Not that I felt like they were 911 00:50:38,239 --> 00:50:40,120 Speaker 2: saying that I was old. I just never felt wise. 912 00:50:41,320 --> 00:50:43,200 Speaker 2: I never felt like I was like, really me because 913 00:50:43,840 --> 00:50:47,320 Speaker 2: I can't relate. I just like, you know, okay, well thanks, 914 00:50:47,400 --> 00:50:48,960 Speaker 2: I don't know what I did, you know, Or when 915 00:50:48,960 --> 00:50:51,279 Speaker 2: people say you're so courageous and I'm like, well, what 916 00:50:51,480 --> 00:50:54,600 Speaker 2: was I going to do? You know? And so I've 917 00:50:54,760 --> 00:51:00,320 Speaker 2: recently tried to step out of body and understand what 918 00:51:00,480 --> 00:51:03,560 Speaker 2: they see. Oh my gosh, I've been doing the same. 919 00:51:04,040 --> 00:51:07,000 Speaker 2: Oh right, that's where as I'm like, it must be 920 00:51:07,040 --> 00:51:07,399 Speaker 2: our age. 921 00:51:07,440 --> 00:51:08,799 Speaker 1: If I'm about to turn fifty three. 922 00:51:09,360 --> 00:51:11,800 Speaker 2: It's our age because I've like, I got to step 923 00:51:12,040 --> 00:51:16,120 Speaker 2: out of this to understand what they see. Yes, and 924 00:51:16,239 --> 00:51:19,000 Speaker 2: it's not about running away from age. I just still 925 00:51:19,040 --> 00:51:23,120 Speaker 2: see myself as this trying to figure it out, you know. Yeah, 926 00:51:23,680 --> 00:51:27,839 Speaker 2: you know. And and so with being a mom, of course, 927 00:51:27,880 --> 00:51:30,279 Speaker 2: I've had some exercise on well, what would I have 928 00:51:30,280 --> 00:51:34,279 Speaker 2: been at twenty seven thirty there? And I can't conceptualize 929 00:51:34,320 --> 00:51:36,400 Speaker 2: it because I just don't can't live in that space. 930 00:51:36,560 --> 00:51:41,640 Speaker 2: But I have been so honored that not just late 931 00:51:41,719 --> 00:51:44,320 Speaker 2: to the party parents as I call us, but like 932 00:51:44,400 --> 00:51:46,759 Speaker 2: women in their thirties talk to me more openly about 933 00:51:46,760 --> 00:51:50,040 Speaker 2: freezing eggs. You know. Dulce Sloan from Daily Show, she 934 00:51:50,320 --> 00:51:52,399 Speaker 2: came on and she talked about like, and we've become 935 00:51:52,480 --> 00:51:56,000 Speaker 2: friends off camera, and she says, you know, freezing her eggs. 936 00:51:56,000 --> 00:51:59,400 Speaker 2: She felt shame because it made her feel like she 937 00:51:59,560 --> 00:52:01,600 Speaker 2: wasn't gonna get it right or whatever. You know. Yah, 938 00:52:02,200 --> 00:52:05,640 Speaker 2: and Ashanti just married Nellie and just had her first 939 00:52:05,719 --> 00:52:08,440 Speaker 2: child at forty three, and she frozen her eggs. When 940 00:52:08,480 --> 00:52:10,239 Speaker 2: they were broken up, She's like, I didn't even know 941 00:52:10,400 --> 00:52:13,360 Speaker 2: he would we were rekindled, but she knew she possibly 942 00:52:13,440 --> 00:52:16,640 Speaker 2: wanted this part, but she felt shame. Right, so much 943 00:52:16,719 --> 00:52:20,640 Speaker 2: shame attached to this, right we are in this. You know. 944 00:52:21,320 --> 00:52:23,800 Speaker 2: I have a girlfriend that I love dearly, and she 945 00:52:24,000 --> 00:52:26,000 Speaker 2: one day said to me with shame, and I could 946 00:52:26,000 --> 00:52:28,040 Speaker 2: hear in her voice, I never want to be a mom, 947 00:52:28,840 --> 00:52:31,520 Speaker 2: she said, Tam, And it's not in me. I haven't 948 00:52:31,520 --> 00:52:33,319 Speaker 2: had any trauma. I had a great mom, I had 949 00:52:33,320 --> 00:52:37,320 Speaker 2: a great day. I just I don't want it, okay, 950 00:52:38,040 --> 00:52:41,360 Speaker 2: And I said, okay, right, you know, And that's so 951 00:52:42,000 --> 00:52:44,520 Speaker 2: there's so much shame was surrounded with you do or 952 00:52:44,600 --> 00:52:45,120 Speaker 2: you don't. 953 00:52:45,280 --> 00:52:45,400 Speaker 1: Right. 954 00:52:46,239 --> 00:52:52,319 Speaker 2: So for me, I have become more aware of womanhood 955 00:52:52,520 --> 00:52:57,600 Speaker 2: and motherhood being two different journeys, and supporting my female 956 00:52:57,680 --> 00:53:03,320 Speaker 2: friends on the womanhood journey and understanding that my motherhood 957 00:53:03,360 --> 00:53:08,279 Speaker 2: journey means something to my other friends. And so I 958 00:53:08,360 --> 00:53:10,359 Speaker 2: guess I'm in that space now. But when I look 959 00:53:10,480 --> 00:53:14,200 Speaker 2: at the parent I am now and I look at 960 00:53:14,200 --> 00:53:18,520 Speaker 2: the age I am now, I think again, it's like 961 00:53:18,600 --> 00:53:21,080 Speaker 2: that book, don't sweat the small stuff. I think I've 962 00:53:21,080 --> 00:53:26,040 Speaker 2: had enough time to know the bull. I don't things 963 00:53:26,120 --> 00:53:31,440 Speaker 2: out frazzle me as much as they used to. I 964 00:53:31,560 --> 00:53:33,800 Speaker 2: do care what people think. We all do to some degree, 965 00:53:33,880 --> 00:53:39,040 Speaker 2: but I have it in greater perspective of it. And 966 00:53:39,160 --> 00:53:41,600 Speaker 2: even you know, when I was writing this book, you know, 967 00:53:42,440 --> 00:53:44,800 Speaker 2: Harlem Honey, really was not me saying, let me just 968 00:53:44,840 --> 00:53:46,640 Speaker 2: put my name on something so I can get a 969 00:53:46,719 --> 00:53:49,320 Speaker 2: check or d d da da dah. Right, thing to 970 00:53:49,440 --> 00:53:54,759 Speaker 2: me means something to me I have. I'll try not 971 00:53:54,880 --> 00:53:58,480 Speaker 2: to cry here. But the two oldest living relatives I 972 00:53:58,600 --> 00:54:07,520 Speaker 2: have are both and they're in their chapters perhaps of goodbye. 973 00:54:09,920 --> 00:54:13,880 Speaker 2: It's an uncle who has been just a champion for 974 00:54:14,000 --> 00:54:18,920 Speaker 2: my mom and me. And it's my aunt who when 975 00:54:19,000 --> 00:54:22,360 Speaker 2: my mom's mom died when she was ten, I was 976 00:54:22,480 --> 00:54:25,920 Speaker 2: much older. She's much older than my mom, and my 977 00:54:26,040 --> 00:54:28,560 Speaker 2: mother tells the story of her bringing her clothes, you know, 978 00:54:28,719 --> 00:54:31,200 Speaker 2: to get ready to go to school in and being 979 00:54:31,239 --> 00:54:33,000 Speaker 2: a big sister but also a mother figure at the 980 00:54:33,040 --> 00:54:35,160 Speaker 2: same time. So it's our patriarch and our matriarch of 981 00:54:35,200 --> 00:54:39,040 Speaker 2: our family. And my mom is down a few days 982 00:54:39,040 --> 00:54:41,480 Speaker 2: from seventy five, and she said, yeah one day, and 983 00:54:41,560 --> 00:54:43,600 Speaker 2: she's very virile. She's go on her cruises and all 984 00:54:43,640 --> 00:54:46,080 Speaker 2: this sudden stuff. But she says to me, it goes 985 00:54:46,160 --> 00:54:52,120 Speaker 2: so fast. I knew her at nineteen. I knew when 986 00:54:52,160 --> 00:54:55,880 Speaker 2: she was a baby who sat out on this adventure 987 00:54:56,880 --> 00:55:00,799 Speaker 2: and this journey with faith and belief that she could 988 00:55:00,920 --> 00:55:04,000 Speaker 2: somehow figure out this better life for her and her kid. 989 00:55:05,040 --> 00:55:08,040 Speaker 2: And I'm the result of that. And so now at 990 00:55:08,960 --> 00:55:13,239 Speaker 2: fifty four, you know, I don't say this to chastise 991 00:55:13,320 --> 00:55:15,880 Speaker 2: the youth or to imply that they don't know or 992 00:55:16,000 --> 00:55:18,640 Speaker 2: you don't know. My nephew's twenty seventy calls for advice 993 00:55:18,640 --> 00:55:22,040 Speaker 2: all the time. He's like my kid. But you know, 994 00:55:22,160 --> 00:55:25,840 Speaker 2: it goes fast. And when you can learn that a 995 00:55:25,920 --> 00:55:29,960 Speaker 2: lot of the crap that people tell you really doesn't matter. 996 00:55:31,719 --> 00:55:33,600 Speaker 1: It is the fills up a lot of headspace. 997 00:55:33,719 --> 00:55:37,520 Speaker 2: Though it fills up the head until it prevents. Creativity 998 00:55:38,400 --> 00:55:41,759 Speaker 2: blocks you from love, sometimes blocks you from loving yourself. 999 00:55:42,480 --> 00:55:46,360 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, it sometimes blocks you from just living your life. 1000 00:55:47,640 --> 00:55:50,160 Speaker 2: And I have an eighteen year old niece who are 1001 00:55:50,200 --> 00:55:54,080 Speaker 2: a door and she'll probably see this interview and wag 1002 00:55:54,160 --> 00:55:55,799 Speaker 2: her finger at me, but she's, you know, I love 1003 00:55:55,880 --> 00:55:58,080 Speaker 2: this kid, and she's not sure what she wants to do, 1004 00:55:58,520 --> 00:56:00,600 Speaker 2: you know, And everybody's like you gotta do it, gotta that, 1005 00:56:00,719 --> 00:56:02,920 Speaker 2: gotta do this, it's gotta do that, gotta it, and 1006 00:56:03,040 --> 00:56:06,600 Speaker 2: it's like set aside your social media, it's just societal 1007 00:56:06,760 --> 00:56:10,160 Speaker 2: pressures like to tell you gotta figure all of this 1008 00:56:10,360 --> 00:56:11,759 Speaker 2: out by eighteen. 1009 00:56:13,239 --> 00:56:16,480 Speaker 1: What it's ludicrous. I feel you because my daughter, my 1010 00:56:16,520 --> 00:56:19,840 Speaker 1: youngest daughter, is eighteen, and I feel there's so much pressure. 1011 00:56:20,080 --> 00:56:23,200 Speaker 2: It's so unfair. And I know we can point a 1012 00:56:23,239 --> 00:56:25,800 Speaker 2: straight line to social media, but even before then, you know, 1013 00:56:25,880 --> 00:56:27,960 Speaker 2: people like gotta go to college, gotta get into gotta 1014 00:56:28,000 --> 00:56:30,160 Speaker 2: get if you don't, and then if you and then 1015 00:56:30,800 --> 00:56:32,800 Speaker 2: you do all that at eighteen, and then by forty 1016 00:56:33,120 --> 00:56:35,879 Speaker 2: it's like, okay, now you got a whole another It's 1017 00:56:35,880 --> 00:56:39,160 Speaker 2: like we just fill our headspace with this stuff. And 1018 00:56:39,320 --> 00:56:41,920 Speaker 2: so being Michelle Obama was on my show one day. 1019 00:56:42,000 --> 00:56:44,520 Speaker 2: She was talking about menopause and she said, you know, 1020 00:56:44,960 --> 00:56:48,920 Speaker 2: it's a blessing to get that far, you know, right right, 1021 00:56:49,840 --> 00:56:52,480 Speaker 2: you know. And so whether it's that change in life 1022 00:56:52,960 --> 00:56:59,520 Speaker 2: or the change that allows you to recognize that if 1023 00:56:59,560 --> 00:57:02,520 Speaker 2: you can some your headspace with the views of others, 1024 00:57:02,640 --> 00:57:08,240 Speaker 2: you will never find your path. That takes time. Because 1025 00:57:08,760 --> 00:57:11,719 Speaker 2: age I didn't have twenty said, I thought I did. 1026 00:57:12,200 --> 00:57:14,400 Speaker 2: I didn't know anything, and I'm okay that I didn't. 1027 00:57:14,960 --> 00:57:18,360 Speaker 2: I'm okay that I did not know how dangerous it 1028 00:57:18,560 --> 00:57:20,840 Speaker 2: was to drive one thy five hundred and twenty eight 1029 00:57:20,920 --> 00:57:24,480 Speaker 2: miles with a dog and a map by myself. I'm 1030 00:57:24,520 --> 00:57:28,200 Speaker 2: okay with not knowing that right deadline crime at the time. 1031 00:57:28,400 --> 00:57:31,280 Speaker 2: I don't even like girls stay home, you know. It's 1032 00:57:31,440 --> 00:57:35,560 Speaker 2: there's a certain amount of fearlessness that comes with I 1033 00:57:35,680 --> 00:57:42,480 Speaker 2: think fearlessness in the twenties springs perspective, I guess for 1034 00:57:42,640 --> 00:57:43,520 Speaker 2: me in the fifties. 1035 00:57:44,320 --> 00:57:47,320 Speaker 1: I think that's a big part of it. Like we're 1036 00:57:47,360 --> 00:57:50,160 Speaker 1: able to step back, like you said, and like kind 1037 00:57:50,200 --> 00:57:54,560 Speaker 1: of widen the scope, like really widen and see it 1038 00:57:54,640 --> 00:57:57,640 Speaker 1: all and also just really see our journey and have 1039 00:57:57,840 --> 00:58:02,920 Speaker 1: such this immense gratitude for the journey that we've been on. 1040 00:58:03,840 --> 00:58:07,200 Speaker 1: And I think that just creates such a piece And 1041 00:58:07,280 --> 00:58:10,920 Speaker 1: I I mean, we all know that leading with gratitude 1042 00:58:10,960 --> 00:58:14,320 Speaker 1: every morning, thinking about what we're grateful for is going 1043 00:58:14,400 --> 00:58:15,960 Speaker 1: to set you up for success for the rest of 1044 00:58:16,040 --> 00:58:19,480 Speaker 1: the day. But this is just like full circle life, 1045 00:58:20,320 --> 00:58:22,040 Speaker 1: coming back to great gratitude. 1046 00:58:22,880 --> 00:58:24,600 Speaker 2: I love that, and that's what I try to do. 1047 00:58:24,760 --> 00:58:27,880 Speaker 2: You know, before I get out of bed, I literally 1048 00:58:27,960 --> 00:58:30,200 Speaker 2: will lie in bed and I want my first thoughts 1049 00:58:30,280 --> 00:58:34,520 Speaker 2: to be gratitude. I want the first thing that I 1050 00:58:35,400 --> 00:58:40,840 Speaker 2: say in my brain right is something that is positive 1051 00:58:41,040 --> 00:58:46,720 Speaker 2: and grateful and an opportunity to start it that way 1052 00:58:47,040 --> 00:58:50,680 Speaker 2: versus some negativity about myself. You know, they always say 1053 00:58:50,720 --> 00:58:52,320 Speaker 2: you say things to yourself you would never say to 1054 00:58:52,440 --> 00:58:55,680 Speaker 2: someone else. You know, I want to start my day. 1055 00:58:55,760 --> 00:58:58,640 Speaker 2: It's like, it's you know, the second best thing is 1056 00:58:58,720 --> 00:59:02,280 Speaker 2: coffee for me, right, It's like I need that that 1057 00:59:02,840 --> 00:59:07,360 Speaker 2: thought of gratitude, and it's and maybe when you're you know, younger, 1058 00:59:07,440 --> 00:59:09,360 Speaker 2: you kind of think, Okay, this is what they're saying 1059 00:59:09,400 --> 00:59:13,920 Speaker 2: because they've had successful lives or My mother again, was 1060 00:59:13,960 --> 00:59:16,280 Speaker 2: a nineteen year old single mother, and I believe she 1061 00:59:16,480 --> 00:59:19,960 Speaker 2: got to where she is now and raised the child 1062 00:59:20,560 --> 00:59:23,080 Speaker 2: that I am as an adult is because she led 1063 00:59:23,120 --> 00:59:26,160 Speaker 2: with gratitude. And that wasn't fame, that wasn't fortune, that 1064 00:59:26,280 --> 00:59:29,080 Speaker 2: was doubts. She could have led with shame, she could 1065 00:59:29,120 --> 00:59:32,280 Speaker 2: have led with you know, y means, she could have 1066 00:59:32,440 --> 00:59:37,520 Speaker 2: led with fear. But she grew up in a town 1067 00:59:38,720 --> 00:59:41,360 Speaker 2: where we didn't get a paved street until the eighties. 1068 00:59:42,360 --> 00:59:46,840 Speaker 2: You know, she didn't have these things. But she had gratitude. 1069 00:59:46,920 --> 00:59:50,760 Speaker 2: So that is not it's not owned by a race, 1070 00:59:50,880 --> 00:59:53,280 Speaker 2: it's not owned by a gender. It's not owned by 1071 00:59:53,360 --> 00:59:59,360 Speaker 2: one socioeconomic group. It is afforded to us all. And 1072 00:59:59,760 --> 01:00:03,880 Speaker 2: I I think the best of the journey is when 1073 01:00:03,960 --> 01:00:06,680 Speaker 2: you can fight the noise and lead. 1074 01:00:06,640 --> 01:00:11,000 Speaker 1: With that yes so true, before I let you go 1075 01:00:11,160 --> 01:00:13,960 Speaker 1: tammeron hall. What was your last I choose me moment? 1076 01:00:14,840 --> 01:00:17,560 Speaker 2: Oh, that's a great one. Oh my last I choose 1077 01:00:17,760 --> 01:00:23,040 Speaker 2: me moment? Oh it was this morning. So yesterday I 1078 01:00:23,200 --> 01:00:25,560 Speaker 2: had a very early morning and I had a very 1079 01:00:25,600 --> 01:00:28,840 Speaker 2: intimidating thing that I had to face, and it took 1080 01:00:28,880 --> 01:00:32,480 Speaker 2: a lot of I actually that shy kid and me 1081 01:00:32,560 --> 01:00:35,000 Speaker 2: showed up yesterday and I had to deal with her 1082 01:00:35,120 --> 01:00:38,880 Speaker 2: and do this event that I wasn't prepared for telling me. 1083 01:00:39,400 --> 01:00:41,560 Speaker 2: So this morning, when it was time to wake up 1084 01:00:41,680 --> 01:00:45,880 Speaker 2: and get my son ready for school, I fought mom 1085 01:00:46,040 --> 01:00:49,400 Speaker 2: guilt as if one morning of not getting him ready 1086 01:00:49,600 --> 01:00:52,240 Speaker 2: versus his dad was going to somehow change the trajectory 1087 01:00:52,280 --> 01:00:56,800 Speaker 2: of his entire life. And I laid in bed and 1088 01:00:56,960 --> 01:00:59,040 Speaker 2: I did it. Get up, and I let my husband 1089 01:00:59,120 --> 01:01:01,640 Speaker 2: warm the care at my And not that he wouldn't, 1090 01:01:02,120 --> 01:01:05,520 Speaker 2: but sometimes even when he's willing to will when he 1091 01:01:05,680 --> 01:01:08,320 Speaker 2: does do it, and he does it every morning with me, 1092 01:01:08,840 --> 01:01:11,120 Speaker 2: but I feel guilty fight when out there, like if 1093 01:01:11,120 --> 01:01:13,640 Speaker 2: I'm not you know, right, give me the kiss, you know. 1094 01:01:13,920 --> 01:01:16,920 Speaker 2: And I was like, my kid knows he loves me 1095 01:01:17,240 --> 01:01:19,240 Speaker 2: and I love him, and I'm going to stay in 1096 01:01:19,280 --> 01:01:22,520 Speaker 2: this bin. Have a good day, kiddo. 1097 01:01:23,040 --> 01:01:25,720 Speaker 1: Oh my god, that's a good one. Just stay in bed. 1098 01:01:27,160 --> 01:01:29,160 Speaker 2: I stayed in bed and it was delicious and it 1099 01:01:29,280 --> 01:01:31,840 Speaker 2: was great. And now he is home and I can 1100 01:01:31,920 --> 01:01:33,920 Speaker 2: hear him and we'll go to taekwondo and then I'm 1101 01:01:33,920 --> 01:01:35,720 Speaker 2: going to drop him at taekwondo and then go to 1102 01:01:35,760 --> 01:01:39,080 Speaker 2: dinner with my husband. But yeah, yeah I did, because 1103 01:01:39,120 --> 01:01:42,040 Speaker 2: he's We fight that, right, We fight the fear of 1104 01:01:42,720 --> 01:01:45,440 Speaker 2: this light thing that I do will somehow spell irel 1105 01:01:45,480 --> 01:01:47,680 Speaker 2: into my kid having a horrible life. That's just not true. 1106 01:01:47,920 --> 01:01:49,880 Speaker 2: And I didn't do it. So I chose that. I 1107 01:01:50,040 --> 01:01:52,040 Speaker 2: chose shows me to stay in the bin. 1108 01:01:52,200 --> 01:01:53,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, you needed to refuel. 1109 01:01:53,960 --> 01:01:56,840 Speaker 2: I did. I needed in and it felt great. Well. 1110 01:01:57,120 --> 01:01:59,080 Speaker 1: I love talking to you. Thank you so much for 1111 01:01:59,200 --> 01:02:02,040 Speaker 1: being on the pod, Jem, and I'm always here for 1112 01:02:02,120 --> 01:02:03,120 Speaker 1: you if you need a guest. 1113 01:02:03,800 --> 01:02:09,320 Speaker 2: Oh, well done. Well if we start practicing, because I'm calling, yes, Paul. 1114 01:02:09,880 --> 01:02:11,520 Speaker 2: They've never seen this coming. 1115 01:02:11,680 --> 01:02:17,400 Speaker 1: Two first chairs. Come on, have a great anniversary and 1116 01:02:17,640 --> 01:02:18,680 Speaker 1: have fun at Taekwondo. 1117 01:02:19,200 --> 01:02:20,320 Speaker 2: I love you and thank you for the coming. 1118 01:02:20,360 --> 01:02:21,120 Speaker 1: Thank you so much. 1119 01:02:21,160 --> 01:02:22,320 Speaker 2: I love you too. Bye.