J's Lunch Counter

Episode 30 is the show that brings 2016 to a close.   In this special two-part show, I am joined by my close friends Junis Baldon, Albert Shumake aka DJ Always, and introducing to the show, Jared "J Dub" Williams.   On Part One, we take a look at some of the best, worst, and most memorable moments of 2016 beginning with what felt like an unprecedented amount of celebrity deaths, some of which will carry lasting implications.   We look at the vacuum created by the death of Ali, and how 2016 saw a new generation of athletes from Lebron James to Colin Kaepernick have  begun to speak out on issues of social justice.   We spend a good portion of the show trying to answer the question - "What happened to Kanye?"  We also explore the year in music, the best albums of the year, why none of us were high on Beyonce this year, and why Chance The Rapper has become so important to the world of Hip-Hop.   I say this a lot, but this was definitely one of the most enjoyable shows to create, and I know you will enjoy it!    

TELL A FRIEND. J’s Lunch Counter is a platform for each of you to engage in conversation that matters, so please help others join the convo! Tell a friend about the show and help grow our audience!   Share our posts on Facebook and Twitter and let your friends know what you find most interesting about each show!

STAY CONNECTED. Stay connected to the show!  Submit your questions about news, politics, popular culture, social justice, entertainment, music, and sports, and we will cover them for a future Mailbag segment.   You can send your questions to [email protected].   

JOIN THE CONVERSATION. We would also love for you to follow along on social media!   Like us on Facebook.  www.facebook.com/jslunchcounter.  Follow us on Twitter and tweet us at www.twitter.com/jslunchcounter. You can also follow the show on Instagram @JsLunchCounter.  Check out our website at www.jslunchcounter.com for more podcast and blog content each week!

SUPPORT THE SHOW. This show has weekly expenses that are required to keep it going.   From web services to hosting fees to equipment costs, this venture is certainly not cheap.  If you would like to support the show, you can make a PayPal donation to [email protected] or by clicking HERE.  Any amount you can give would help support the show, and all donations will go towards the expenses listed above! 

LEAVE A REVIEW ON ITUNES.  Enjoying what you've heard so far?  Then take a moment to leave a review on iTunes.  Reviews help us move up the ranks so that more people will have access to the show!   Thanks again for all your support!

Episode 29 is available for download.  On today's show, Junis and I discuss the impact of the Russian hacking story, and the magnitude of the CIA report that  foreign government not only interfered in our election, but with a desired outcome in mind.   We discuss the Washington Post story that broke this past weekend, and the implications of Mitch McConnell's refusal to support efforts to release this information prior to the election.   Junis and I try and figure out if there are any lines that can't be crossed anymore, as stories like this continue to demonstrate that political opportunism will always trump patriotism, national security, etc.   We also take a quick look at the Stein recount efforts, whether there is any basis, and we take broader look at the biggest problems with how we run elections and how they can be changed.  Finally, we take your questions from the Mailbag!   Was Mitt Romney ever in serious consideration for Secretary of State?  Will athletes continue to protest Trump for the next four years?  Is it really important for Donald Trump to attend his daily intelligence briefings EVERY DAY?   This and more on today's show!  Enjoy!

TELL A FRIEND. J’s Lunch Counter is a platform for each of you to engage in conversation that matters, so please help others join the convo! Tell a friend about the show and help grow our audience!   Share our posts on Facebook and Twitter and let your friends know what you find most interesting about each show!

STAY CONNECTED. Stay connected to the show!  Submit your questions about news, politics, popular culture, social justice, entertainment, music, and sports, and we will cover them for a future Mailbag segment.   You can send your questions to [email protected].   

JOIN THE CONVERSATION. We would also love for you to follow along on social media!   Like us on Facebook.  www.facebook.com/jslunchcounter.  Follow us on Twitter and tweet us at www.twitter.com/jslunchcounter. You can also follow the show on Instagram @JsLunchCounter.  Check out our website at www.jslunchcounter.com for more podcast and blog content each week!

SUPPORT THE SHOW. This show has weekly expenses that are required to keep it going.   From web services to hosting fees to equipment costs, this venture is certainly not cheap.  If you would like to support the show, you can make a PayPal donation to [email protected] or by clicking HERE.  Any amount you can give would help support the show, and all donations will go towards the expenses listed above! Promise!

LEAVE A REVIEW ON ITUNES.  Enjoying what you've heard so far?  Then take a moment to leave a review on iTunes.  Reviews help us move up the ranks so that more people will have access to the show!   Thanks again for all your support!

J's Lunch Counter makes its triumphant return!  Well, triumphant is a poor choice of words.  More like its sluggish, shameful return after weeks of wound-licking following the Presidential Election.   It's been a long time coming, and as much as Jonah didn't want to record this show, this was a very necessary show - finally recapping the outcome of the 2016 Presidential Election, and of course, the new President-elect Donald Trump.    There's really no way to describe this except that this is a reaction show with an attempt to make some sense of what happened, to distinguish the voice of the head and the voice of the heart, and to begin to pick up the pieces and move forward.   This is the first step in our journey of figuring out what's next.   Jonah has words for the country, for Trump voters, for those who have been harassing people since the election, and those who are still reeling from the devastating outcome of this historic race.  What else can I say?   You just have to listen for yourself.

TELL A FRIEND. J’s Lunch Counter is a platform for each of you to engage in conversation that matters, so please help others join the convo! Tell a friend about the show and help grow our audience!   Share our posts on Facebook and Twitter and let your friends know what you find most interesting about each show!

STAY CONNECTED. Stay connected to the show!  Submit your questions about news, politics, popular culture, social justice, entertainment, music, and sports, and we will cover them for a future Mailbag segment.   You can send your questions to [email protected].   

JOIN THE CONVERSATION. We would also love for you to follow along on social media!   Like us on Facebook.  www.facebook.com/jslunchcounter.  Follow us on Twitter and tweet us at www.twitter.com/jslunchcounter. You can also follow the show on Instagram @JsLunchCounter.  Check out our website at www.jslunchcounter.com for more podcast and blog content each week!

SUPPORT THE SHOW. This show has weekly expenses that are required to keep it going.   From web services to hosting fees to equipment costs, this venture is certainly not cheap.  If you would like to support the show, you can make a PayPal donation to [email protected] or by clicking HERE.  Any amount you can give would help support the show, and all donations will go towards the expenses listed above! 

LEAVE A REVIEW ON ITUNES.  Enjoying what you've heard so far?  Then take a moment to leave a review on iTunes.  Reviews help us move up the ranks so that more people will have access to the show!   Thanks again for all your support!

It's Election Eve so we had to bring you a special edition of J's Lunch Counter Happy Hour.  On Episode 26, Junis Baldon and I are making our final predictions for the election.  We are taking a hard look at all of the toss-up and battleground states, looking at recent trends, the latest polling data, and reports of early voting, to make our final calls for each state, and for the winner of the presidency.   Can Hillary hold on to her blue state firewall in the Midwestern states of Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota and Pennsylvania?  Can Trump overcome the early voting advantages Clinton has gained in states like Florida and Nevada?  Will this be a close nailbiter race, or will we be able to characterize this race fairly early in the evening?  The only thing that's for sure is that this race will end with as much excitement and chaos as its displayed for the past year and a half.  

TELL A FRIEND. J’s Lunch Counter is a platform for each of you to engage in conversation that matters, so please help others join the convo! Tell a friend about the show and help grow our audience!   Share our posts on Facebook and Twitter and let your friends know what you find most interesting about each show!

STAY CONNECTED. Stay connected to the show!  Submit your questions about news, politics, popular culture, social justice, entertainment, music, and sports, and we will cover them for a future Mailbag segment.   You can send your questions to [email protected].   

JOIN THE CONVERSATION. We would also love for you to follow along on social media!   Like us on Facebook.  www.facebook.com/jslunchcounter.  Follow us on Twitter and tweet us at www.twitter.com/jslunchcounter. You can also follow the show on Instagram @JsLunchCounter.  Check out our website at www.jslunchcounter.com for more podcast and blog content each week!

SUPPORT THE SHOW. This show has weekly expenses that are required to keep it going.   From web services to hosting fees to equipment costs, this venture is certainly not cheap.  If you would like to support the show, you can make a PayPal donation to [email protected] or by clicking HERE.  Any amount you can give would help support the show, and all donations will go towards the expenses listed above! 

LEAVE A REVIEW ON ITUNES.  Enjoying what you've heard so far?  Then take a moment to leave a review on iTunes.  Reviews help us move up the ranks so that more people will have access to the show!   Thanks again for all your support!

We're only one week away from a historic presidential election that is guaranteed to have a long-lasting impact on our country.  In many ways, regardless of the outcome next Tuesday, it already has!   Today on J's Lunch Counter - Episode 25, we explore this impact in detail.  For the first half of the show, I am joined by Republican strategist Charles Badger, to discuss the damaging impact of our partisanship on our politics and government progress, looking at where Republicans and Democrats have both failed the country.  On the second half of the show, I am joined by Junis Baldon, to discuss how our parties communicate with voters, and where both parties focus on partisanship have left their messaging flawed and their voices tone-deaf.  We look at Republicans' struggles with minority voters, Democrats' struggles with evangelical voters and blue collar voters, and how both sides continue to struggle with connecting to new constituencies.  We also look at whether voters have a responsibility to focus on messaging that runs counter to their core values and beliefs, and whether there are still politicians who are willing to speak honestly in opposition to their own party interests.   Finally, we explore the prospects of a Hillary Clinton presidency and whether she has any hope of working with Republicans, and whether a Trump presidency would be as good at deal-making as the Republican nominee suggests.   This is  the beginning of an important discussion about how the political system continues to fail the American people, and how the course could change.  Please stay tuned in for the duration of this essential conversation.

TELL A FRIEND. J’s Lunch Counter is a platform for each of you to engage in conversation that matters, so please help others join the convo! Tell a friend about the show and help grow our audience!   Share our posts on Facebook and Twitter and let your friends know what you find most interesting about each show!

STAY CONNECTED. Stay connected to the show!  Submit your questions about news, politics, popular culture, social justice, entertainment, music, and sports, and we will cover them for a future Mailbag segment.   You can send your questions to [email protected].   

We would also love for you to follow along on social media!   Like us on Facebook.  www.facebook.com/jslunchcounter.  Follow us on Twitter and tweet us at www.twitter.com/jslunchcounter. You can also follow the show on Instagram @JsLunchCounter.  Check out our website at www.jslunchcounter.com for more podcast and blog content each week!

LEAVE A REVIEW ON ITUNES.  Enjoying what you've heard so far?  Then take a moment to leave a review.  Reviews help us move up the ranks so that more people will have access to the show!   Thanks again for all your support!

On Today's show, we're covering the final two weeks of the President election, during what has been a relatively uneventful week in the campaign trail.  We begin with the latest in electoral math, whether Hillary's lead is solid, what states have moved to toss-up status, and the only remaining path for Donald Trump to 270.   We also explore the antics of the GOP in the final weeks of this race, and how alarming their behavior has been, and what it tells us about what the Republican party has learned throughout this campaign, and in the past eight years.    Will the Republican Party save itself, or will they continue to be driven into the margins?   As we explore what's happening, we realize this problem isn't exclusive to Donald Trump, but part of a larger pattern that we've been seeing for years, a pattern that isn't good for the party or the country.

TELL A FRIEND. J’s Lunch Counter is a platform for each of you to engage in conversation that matters, so please help others join the convo! Tell a friend about the show and help grow our audience!   Share our posts on Facebook and Twitter and let your friends know what you find most interesting about each show!

STAY CONNECTED. Stay connected to the show!  Submit your questions about news, politics, popular culture, social justice, entertainment, music, and sports, and we will cover them for a future Mailbag segment.   You can send your questions to [email protected].   

We would also love for you to follow along on social media!   Like us on Facebook.  www.facebook.com/jslunchcounter.  Follow us on Twitter and tweet us at www.twitter.com/jslunchcounter. You can also follow the show on Instagram @JsLunchCounter.  Check out our website at www.jslunchcounter.com for more podcast and blog content each week!

LEAVE A REVIEW ON ITUNES.  Enjoying what you've heard so far?  Then take a moment to leave a review.  Reviews help us move up the ranks so that more people will have access to the show!   Thanks again for all your support!

On Episode 23, we're talking the best and worst of political comedy. I'm joined by Dakarai Dorsett of 10thYearSeniors.com to take a look at how comedy continues to shape our perspective on politics.   We discuss our favorite political comedians from John Oliver to Bill Maher, late night staples like Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers, and more. We also examine why the new daily show with Trevor Noah is struggling to capture an audience with his unique brand of coverage. We examine the highlights of SNL and how they impact the election and brand candidates more than other shows.  We also look at the candidates themselves, how Donald Trump has changed the face of comedy and political correctness, whether Hillary would be a funny president, and how these candidates differ from President Obama and his everlasting coolness.  

For the last segment of the show, I bring back Kyndel Brown and Sam Gaines to decompress after Sunday's gruesome season 7 premiere of AMC's The Walking Dead.   Hear our reactions to the horrific first show, the terror of Negan, the death of two of the most beloved characters, and the breakdown of Rick Grimes.   

I promise that you will enjoy yourself with this exciting and fun episode!

TELL A FRIEND. J’s Lunch Counter is a platform for each of you to engage in conversation that matters, so please help others join the convo! Tell a friend about the show and help grow our audience!   Share our posts on Facebook and Twitter and let your friends know what you find most interesting about each show!

STAY CONNECTED. Stay connected to the show!  Submit your questions about news, politics, popular culture, social justice, entertainment, music, and sports, and we will cover them for a future Mailbag segment.   You can send your questions to [email protected].   

We would also love for you to follow along on social media!   Like us on Facebook.  www.facebook.com/jslunchcounter.  Follow us on Twitter and tweet us at www.twitter.com/jslunchcounter. You can also follow the show on Instagram @JsLunchCounter.  Check out our website at www.jslunchcounter.com for more podcast and blog content each week!

LEAVE A REVIEW ON ITUNES.  Enjoying what you've heard so far?  Then take a moment to leave a review.  Reviews help us move up the ranks so that more people will have access to the show!   Thanks again for all your support!

Episode 22 is a jam-packed special TWO HOUR show, plus its Friday which means HAPPY HOUR!   Today we are recapping the third and final presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.   Today, I am pleased to be join by the biggest roundtable yet - political strategist Christian Motley, attorney Junis Baldon, and new to the show, Republican strategist and former White House Intern and campaign aide for Jeb Bush for America, Charles Badger.  In our analysis, we score the debate in terms of whether the needle was moved on Wednesday night, and whether Donald Trump was able to do anything to stop Hillary's momentum in the final three weeks.   We take a look at each of the issues raised in the debate and where each candidate was strongest, why Chris Wallace was the most effect debate moderator of this cycle, and we discuss which candidate most effectively communicated to the key undecided demographic of this election.  Beyond the debate, we talk about the strategy for the next three weeks, how Hillary can keep her lead secure, and whether Trump has any chance of closing the gap enough to make the race competitive.   We also look at Trump's lasting impact on the party, on several downticket races, and on the publics perception of the GOP as a national vs. regional, marginalized party.  

TELL A FRIEND. J’s Lunch Counter is a platform for each of you to engage in conversation that matters, so please help others join the convo! Tell a friend about the show and help grow our audience!   Share our posts on Facebook and Twitter and let your friends know what you find most interesting about each show!

STAY CONNECTED. Stay connected to the show!  Submit your questions about news, politics, popular culture, social justice, entertainment, music, and sports, and we will cover them for a future Mailbag segment.   You can send your questions to [email protected].   

We would also love for you to follow along on social media!   Like us on Facebook.  www.facebook.com/jslunchcounter.  Follow us on Twitter and tweet us at www.twitter.com/jslunchcounter. You can also follow the show on Instagram @JsLunchCounter.  Check out our website at www.jslunchcounter.com for more podcast and blog content each week!

LEAVE A REVIEW ON ITUNES.  Enjoying what you've heard so far?  Then take a moment to leave a review.  Reviews help us move up the ranks so that more people will have access to the show!   Thanks again for all your support!

Episode 21 is a must-listen preview of the upcoming Season 7 premiere of AMC's The Walking Dead.  Today I am joined by my sister, Kyndel Brown, and my friend Sam Gaines, both Walking Dead fanatics, for a fun conversation about what to expect in the season premiere this Sunday.  We begin with our reaction to the brutally entertaining Season 6 finale, the introduction of Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Negan, and the prospect of losing one of our beloved characters.   We explore all of the possibilities for who we will see die at the hands of Lucille, what clues we can glean from the finale, and from the recently leaked preview for the premiere.   We also discuss our thoughts on the Negan storyline, where Season 7 is headed, and how closely we anticipate this show will stick to the comic book storyline.   We also discuss our reaction to the introduction of King Ezekiel, discuss the fate of Morgan and Carol, and wonder how many more characters will suffer throughout the season at the hands of Negan and the saviors.   We explore the psychology of the Walking Dead, the violence we continue to see, and how viewers consume such a graphic show with record ratings.   We dive into how this show has been so successful, how much longer we expect the show to continue, why Fear the Walking Dead isn't must-see, and whether we expect to see Walking Dead on the big screen in the future.   For any casual or diehard fans, this is a fun, must-listen episode that you are guaranteed to enjoy!

TELL A FRIEND. J’s Lunch Counter is a platform for each of you to engage in conversation that matters, so please help others join the convo! Tell a friend about the show and help grow our audience!   Share our posts on Facebook and Twitter and let your friends know what you find most interesting about each show!

STAY CONNECTED. Stay connected to the show!  Submit your questions about news, politics, popular culture, social justice, entertainment, music, and sports, and we will cover them for a future Mailbag segment.   You can send your questions to [email protected].   

We would also love for you to follow along on social media!   Like us on Facebook.  www.facebook.com/jslunchcounter.  Follow us on Twitter and tweet us at www.twitter.com/jslunchcounter. You can also follow the show on Instagram @JsLunchCounter.  Check out our website at www.jslunchcounter.com for more podcast and blog content each week!

LEAVE A REVIEW ON ITUNES.  Enjoying what you've heard so far?  Then take a moment to leave a review.  Reviews help us move up the ranks so that more people will have access to the show!   Thanks again for all your support!

Episode 20 is here to get you through the weekend.  It's Friday so it must be HAPPY HOUR!   Today on the show, Jonah covers the latest in the presidential campaign, beginning with the ongoing controversy surrounding Donald Trump and the women accusing him of unwanted sexual advances, the dangerous and disgusting narrative being floated by the Trump campaign, and why we can't afford to be so dismissive of the women who continue to come forward.  We also take a look at the feud between NFL Quarterback Colin Kaepernick and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, why Ginsburg was off base for her comments, why Kaepernick should be commended, and how difficult it is to advance the conversation about race with allies that still don't get it.   We also explore the evolution of Glenn Beck, his recent comments in support of Black Lives Matter, Michael Moore, and the remarkable nature of his recent endorsement of Hillary Clinton.   We've got a full mailbag today as well, including questions on the following: whether Michelle Obama will ever run for Office, my thoughts on the Alec Baldwin impersonation of Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live, my sources for political news, and the important question about what happens to Trump if he loses.   This is a full show that will keep you up to date on the latest news and politics of the week.

TELL A FRIEND. J’s Lunch Counter is a platform for each of you to engage in conversation that matters, so please help others join the convo! Tell a friend about the show and help grow our audience!   Share our posts on Facebook and Twitter and let your friends know what you find most interesting about each show!

STAY CONNECTED. Stay connected to the show!  Submit your questions about news, politics, popular culture, social justice, entertainment, music, and sports, and we will cover them for a future Mailbag segment.   You can send your questions to [email protected].   

We would also love for you to follow along on social media!   Like us on Facebook.  www.facebook.com/jslunchcounter.  Follow us on Twitter and tweet us at www.twitter.com/jslunchcounter. You can also follow the show on Instagram @JsLunchCounter.  Check out our website at www.jslunchcounter.com for more podcast and blog content each week!

LEAVE A REVIEW ON ITUNES.  Enjoying what you've heard so far?  Then take a moment to leave a review.  Reviews help us move up the ranks so that more people will have access to the show!   Thanks again for all your support!