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The black squares went up. The statements dropped. The celebrities showed out. And then — what?

Episode 8 of We Vote Too is asking the question everybody skipped: when celebrity activism becomes the loudest voice in the room, does it lead people to the polls — or just to the post?

We're unpacking the celebrity political era in full — from BLM as a marketing moment to the Joe Rogan effect, from Beyoncé on the campaign trail to influencers with White House press credentials. And we're revisiting a 2020 conversation with Dr. Matthew Knowles about what celebrities actually risk when they speak, what movements need beyond a moment, and why the vote has always been the thing that matters most.

It was true in 2020. It's still true now.

We Vote Too — Episode 8. Available now.

From fiber gummies to political receipts, hosts Leise Winny and Royce are talking a whole lot of -ish on this week’s episode of SIDEBAR PODCAST. We’re breaking down the news cycle and taking on some heavy-hitting social topics.

🔥 What We’re Talking About:

• Leise’s fiber gummy update

• Trump withholding money from states that didn’t vote for him

• Are we oversharing online?

• New Nolan Wells audio

• LeBron James to the 76ers rumors

• Oprah blaming people who stay in bad relationships

• Why A-list celebrities don’t exist anymore

• Anthony Joshua (AJ) fight recap

• Fauci pleading the 5th about COVID

• If charity is a religious virtue, why do many religious people oppose government programs that help the poor?

• Is Latto’s video problematic?

• Can colorism impact Black men?

• Fetishization in media & why this keeps happening

• Which matters more: loyalty or respect? (Pick one—you don’t get both)

• Black women not dating bisexual men

• Man claims Black women are oppressing bisexual men

• Preference vs. bias in dating

• Is rejecting bisexual partners homophobic?

Press play, subscribe, and drop your loyalty vs. respect answer in the comments!

Stop explaining -ish! This week on SIDEBAR PODCAST, hosts Leise Winny and Royce are breaking down everything from the week's headlines to therapy culture, main-character energy, and the job market.

Opening & News Check-In:

• Taylor Farms False Positive

• Trump at the World Cup & Argentina vs. the world

• Military testosterone mandates under Pete Hegseth

• The "New Middle Class" announcement & being back at war

• Kendra Scott case (20-year-old man shot)

• White people code-switching

Main Topics:

• Your Trauma Isn’t a Personality Trait: How therapy culture weaponizes damage and rebrands energy vampires as "empaths."

• Is Comedy Getting Bad? How self-absorption, crowd-work obsession, constant heckling, and personal experience bias are impacting stand-up.

• The Main Character Complex: Why Netflix culture has everyone believing they’re the protagonist and nobody wants to be the sidekick, wingman, or assistant in relationships.

• Is the Job Market Bad or Do Applicants Suck? How initial strong effort devolves into laziness and desperation after constant rejection.

Press play, subscribe, and drop your thoughts in the comments!

Welcome back to another unfiltered, heavy-hitting installment of The SIDEBAR PODCAST, steered this week by your lead host, Royce, alongside co-host Leise Winny. The crew kicks things off with an absolute whirlwind of a check-in, tracking the massive national shockwaves following the sudden passing of Senator Lindsey Graham and the ongoing, secretive health mystery fueling rumors that Mitch McConnell might be next. They weigh in on global conflicts, a bizarre public health scare involving a widespread outbreak of explosive diarrhea, and the fallout from the latest Jay-Z concert. The opening conversation strikes a sharp legal chord as the hosts dissect the shifting lines between protected opinion and actionable slander across modern media and podcast platforms before addressing the latest updates in the Big Tigger drama. From there, Royce commands the room to unpack a controversial cultural shift—asking if outrage over race-swapped Hollywood casting and the hyper-fixation on figures like Caitlin Clark proves that racism has officially become the new "sex sells" for corporate algorithms. Meanwhile, Leise takes the mic to steer a vital discussion around the viral "Voice Note Guy" controversy, forcing a real, unfiltered dialogue about the true boundaries between consent and psychological coercion. Finally, the duo explores why a woman's intuition is so widely framed as a mystical gift before debating the ultimate relationship stress test: whether taking a solo travel trip is a healthy boundary for maintaining independence or an absolute dealbreaker in a serious relationship.

Here is the full breakdown of topics the crew hits this week:

• Opening welcome: Gathering the community and locking in the weekly energy.

• The DC Shakeup: Reacting to the sudden death of Lindsey Graham and the wild internet speculation surrounding Mitch McConnell's prolonged hospital absence.

• Global and Local Chaos: Unpacking ongoing global warfare alongside a very real, stomach-churning public health alert.

• Jay-Z & Big Tigger: Catching up on major music events and the continuous legal updates in the radio world.

• Opinion vs. Slander: Where does podcast commentary end and character defamation legally begin?

• Racism is the New Sex Sells: How media spectrums, sports rivalries like Caitlin Clark vs. Alyssa Thomas, and boycotts are heavily monetizing racial division.

• Hollywood Race Swapping: A critical look at the casting decisions behind the upcoming HBO Harry Potter series, The Little Mermaid, and Helen of Troy.

• The Voice Note Guy Controversy: Breaking down the viral modern dating drama to analyze the psychological differences between eager consent and subtle coercion.

• A Woman’s Intuition: Questioning why society treats female instinct as an extraordinary gift rather than standard human logic.

• The Relationship Solo Trip: Evaluating when solo travel crosses the line from personal autonomy into an active relationship problem.

• Outro & Wrap: Final reflections, a quick recap of the dense topics, and Leise's closing remarks.

They told us a degree was the path to a better life. Nobody mentioned the $1.7 trillion in debt that came with it.

In Episode 10, We Vote Too tackles the student loan debate head-on — breaking down the cuts, the confusion, and the communities hit hardest when the government decides to play games with education funding.

Featuring a powerhouse roundtable: Keanan Mims (Host & Founder, Millennials VS The World), Ashley Wynn-Grimes, MS, RN (Founder, Cannabis Nursing Solutions™), D Wingz (MAPS Media Advisor), and Jesse Hamilton McCoy II, Esq. (Clinical Professor of Law & Director of the Civil Justice Clinic, Duke University School of Law).

Smart conversation. Real perspectives. No lecture.

We Vote Too — Season 2, Episode 7.

This week we're getting into it — from rappers cozying up to MAGA (Flo Rida really did that at Trump's "Freedom 250"?) to the real question of whether we boycott Essence Fest this year. We break down why your gas and electric bill is about to hit different, why student loan repayment just got even messier, and how Trump's DC bash left the air quality looking real questionable.

Plus: Is India Arie right that "Spend Dat" shouldn't be song of the summer — and does music actually have power over us? We're debating cat washes vs. full showers (yes, really), asking would-you-rather questions about betrayal, and getting into the "Woolady" controversy — is she teaching empowerment or setting a trap?

Grab your headphones, this one's a lot. 🎙️

Topics Discussed:

• Rappers & MAGA: Lil Wayne rumors, Flo Rida performs for Trump's "Freedom 250"
• Should we boycott Essence Fest?
• Gas & electric prices are climbing
• Student loan repayment chaos
• Trump & DC's questionable air quality
• The "too attractive to influence" theory
• Buffie the Body backlash
• Would You Rather: cheated on by a stranger vs. replaced by a 40-year "friend"
• Is "Spend Dat" really the song of the summer? (India Arie weighs in)
• Cat Wash vs. Full Body: The Hygiene Civil War
• Woolady: teaching girls to "trick" — empowerment or a trap?

Built the Movement. Did It Build Power? | ft. Deric Gilliard

Did the Civil Rights Movement actually redistribute power in America — or just expand access without changing who holds it?

In this episode of We Vote Too, we sit down with author, historian, and former federal advisor Deric Gilliard to break down the real impact of the Civil Rights Movement and what it means for democracy today.

From the Freedom Riders to federal policy, this conversation connects history to the present — exploring how movements shape institutions, and whether those institutions truly serve the people.

Welcome back to another raw and heavy-hitting episode of the SIDEBAR PODCAST. Driven by your lead host, Royce, along with co-host Leise Winny, the crew sets off straight into a chaotic look at the week's most toxic internet behavior, major sports drama, and celebrity updates. The opening check-in goes deep on the absolute lack of digital restraint online, why the NBA Champion New York Knicks accepted a highly publicized Trump White House invite, LaVar Ball's massive asset split following his sudden divorce announcement, and the shocking domestic battery arrest of Atlanta radio legend Big Tigger. Things get incredibly real as Royce and Leise break down why the term hypergamy suddenly has the internet in a chokehold. From there, the duo transitions into a heavy conversation on young men turning to Performance-Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) to cope with performance anxieties in the bedroom, followed by a raw breakdown of the infighting currently tearing the political Left apart. Royce pushes the envelope by urging the community to entirely redefine what it means to "struggle," transforming it from structural lack into an active, strategic pursuit of success over a quick dollar. Finally, Leise sounds the alarm on the modern surveillance state, calling out the hypocrisy of why public pushback has entirely stalled. They zero in on the brand-new Meta "Starfire" Smart Glasses—exposing the tactical decision to have Kylie Jenner front the design and voice the AI features in a desperate corporate attempt to sell tracking hardware to women who are otherwise terrified of being recorded by men without consent.

Here is the full breakdown of topics the crew hits this week:

• Opening welcome: Setting the tone and building the weekly energy.

• The block button is free: Why can't people online just scroll past content instead of leaving toxic comments?

• The Knicks accept the White House invitation: Unpacking James Dolan ending the NBA’s Trump-era freeze and how the locker room feels about it.

• The Big Baller Empire split: Breaking down LaVar Ball's no-prenup divorce after 29 years of marriage.

• The Big Tigger drama: Reacting to the shocking legal charges and arrest involving the V-103 morning host.

• The internet's new favorite word: How hypergamy became the latest weaponized relationship buzzword.

• Young men taking PEDs in the bed: A look into why the younger demographic is quietly turning to gear to survive modern dating standards.

• The Left vs. The Left: Deconstructing the continuous internal warfare and policy fracturing happening within liberal circles.

• Redefining the struggle: Why true struggle should mean applying lessons to achieve real success, not just glorifying being "down bad" without food.

• The built-in surveillance state: How society entirely gave up fighting constant public surveillance.

• The Kylie Jenner Meta Glasses rollout: Why Meta is using Kylie to market smart glasses to a female audience that is fundamentally pushback-heavy over privacy violations and non-consensual recordings.

• Outro & Sign-Off: Final wrap-up thoughts and community reminders.

In a media landscape increasingly fractured by algorithmic echo chambers and unverified viral reporting, establishing a shared baseline of facts has become one of the greatest challenges facing modern American democracy.

In this episode of We Vote Too, host Leise Winny sits down with award-winning journalist Taryn Finley. Together, they dissect the mechanics of modern misinformation.

This episode pulls back the curtain on how fragmented information ecosystems distort public perception, erode institutional trust, and directly compromise the voting electorate's ability to protect their democracy through a unified reality.

Connect with our guest:

• Taryn Finley: Culture Writer & Editor

About the Show:

We Vote Too is dedicated to exploring how the changing landscape of mass communication impacts our democracy and our vote.

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Welcome back to another raw and highly unfiltered episode of the SIDEBAR PODCAST, steered this week by your lead host, Royce, alongside co-host Leise Winny. The crew kicks off the session with a chaotic look at the modern news cycle, tackling everything from ongoing global conflicts and internet-age debates to the absolute madness of digital echo chambers. They zero in on the sheer absurdity of recent viral confusion regarding Sauce Gardner's actual age, the nuances of being at varying levels of "wrong" online, and a quick breakdown of House of the Dragon season metrics. Things get hilarious as they unpack Beyoncé’s new Cécred grooming campaign targeting men’s hair care, the viral sport of hobbyhorsing being deemed peak "white people culture," and the rise of the internet's infamous "Gooner Gang." From there, the conversation transitions into a profound philosophical exploration of destiny before turning to Devale Ellis's viral TikTok commentary on the realities and expectations of monogamy in modern relationships. Finally, they address the deep hypocrisy behind cancel culture, discussing how everyday folks get permanently cut off while the wealthy and famous get served immediate redemption arcs, wrapping up the show with a direct, grounded breakdown of whether success is truly measured by a dollar sign.

Here is the breakdown of what the crew dives into this week:

• Opening welcome: Setting the stage and building the weekly energy.

• War Still Going?: Checking the pulse on major global headlines and public desensitization.

• Are people really that dumb?: How Sauce Gardner's real age had the internet in an absolute chokehold.

• Levels of wrongness: A hilarious look into how you can be factually wrong, but somehow also more wrong.

• House of the Dragon: Quick thoughts on the hit fantasy series.

• Bey is selling Cécred to men now: Reacting to the brand's new marketing pivot toward men's grooming.

• Hobbyhorsing is Wyte Ppl’s Culture: Breaking down the viral, competitive broomstick-horse phenomenon.

• Gooner Gang: Unpacking the latest dark, brain-rotting corner of internet subculture.

• Do You Believe We Have Free Will or Not?: Is personal choice a real thing, or is it just a comfortable illusion?

• The impact of agency: How the concept of free will alters our understanding of morals, love, and true creativity.

• Forced Monogamy: Reacting to Devale Ellis's viral TikTok thoughts on relationship expectations versus reality.

• Hypocrisy of Cutting Ppl Off & Redemption for the Famous: Why accountability rules apply to normal people but change for celebrities.

• Is success money?: Stripping away financial metrics to define what a successful life actually looks like.