Back to regular programming!

[Part 1 of a series.]

Have you ever heard the term 'digital blackface'? The Real Housewives franchise has spawned a million gifs and opinions; all asking if this is how 'we'' should be represented- and what these shows mean for the community.

For our third main episode we decided to examine that statement through a discussion about Bravo's Black led Real Housewives franchise (with some thoughts on the other casts sprinkled in).

Do these shows reduce Black women to something problematic for mass entertainment? Or is it us who do that work because of our hang ups?

I’m joined by screenwriter, social media producer and classically trained musician (?!) Lauren Warren (Nerd of Prey!)(Caw!!)(most recently a finalist in the ScreenCraft Virtual Pitch Competition) to talk all about Bravo's Real Housewives franchise.

We cover Real Housewives of Atlanta [RHOA] and Real Housewives of Potomac [RHOP], with thoughts on some of the other casts sprinkled throughout (Orange County, New York, New Jersey, DC, Salt Lake City and Vancouver).

Listen to us think about existing as a Black woman in public, failing in public, respectability and the weight of representation

+ Find out how we also fit the following into the discussion

• Secret lesbians, queerness, panic and RHOA
• Kim, whiteness and power in early RHOA
• Corporate activism as a commercial exercise
• Colorism, and RHOP
• The collapse of polite fiction, pretence and reality in public
• Shout out to The Nerds of Prey!
• Mash Ups and Remixes
• Alaska the cat attacks
• Pocket gays
• Double standards 
• The reality reckoning 
• Reality vs Documentary
• Nene Leakes you will always be famous
• Bravo’s Flop era
• Existing

If you like homework, or looking for a recommendation list you can find the 'Citation Page' for this episode on my website, available from the first Sunday after the episode is up! !

https://www.alsopurple.com/citation-corner

You'll find all the quotes, books, tv, and pods referenced and recommender in this conversation.

Find Lauren Warren @TheValidVictorian on Instagram and @IamLaurenP2 on Twitter all the socials!

Keep up to date by following @AlsoPurp on all socials.

Produced and hosted by Dr. Khaliden Nas.

Music by PamperedFists & Anzahlung.

Podcast Artwork by Valentine M. Smith. 

Video production by Victor Alexander (Find more on the REFERENTIAL Youtube page!)

Find out what I’m up to at www.alsopurple.com

Don’t forget to leave a 5 star rating and review to help people find the podcast!

Thank you for listening!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/referential/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Tangent Episode #13 (Crossover with Immortal X of Words)!

Ash and I sat down for one final conversation about X-Men ’97! We talk our overall season one X-Men thoughts, our overall podcasting thoughts and answer listener questions. Plus, introducing ‘The Mix’, a new segment with a line up of heavy hitters jumping on the third chair to share their thoughts on the season overall. Featuring:

• Thee Miss Sundi!
• Screenwriter Lauren Warren!
• Graphic Policy’s Elana Levin!
• CEREBRO’S Connor Goldsmith!
• Victor A & Tom B!
• Comic writer and icon Stephanie Williams!
• X-Men '97 assistant director Matthew Bordenave!
• X-Men '97 storyboard artist Marvin Britt!
• And the elusive Chris Williams!

One last time, for the children...

Dig in!

We’ve been alternating episodes on both our feeds so make sure to follow both REFERENTIAL and  IMMORTAL X OF WORDS to catch up!

Find Ash @Vanthefirst on all socials and his podcast X of Words everywhere you find your podcasts. 

Keep up to date with Dr. Khaliden Nas by checking out www.alsopurple.com and following @AlsoPurp on all socials.

Hosted by Ash Alleyne and Dr. Khaliden Nas.

Produced by Dr. Khaliden Nas

Music by PamperedFists & Anzahlung.

Podcast Artwork by Valentine M. Smith. 

*'Tangents' are bonus episodes posted more frequently than Main Episodes because they require less work/research/editing!

Expect quick reviews, edited out content, collabs, mailbags, live audio, and so on.. *

If you liked this episode, help other people find the podcasts! Share, tell a friend, and remember to leave a rating and review!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/referential/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Tangent Episode #12 (Crossover with Immortal X of Words)!

Icons in the room! We’re joined by Brett Mannes and Evil Jeff, hosts of the OG Queer nerd podcast “Comic Book Queers: Legacy”!

We dig into our thoughts and feelings on Episode 10, Season 1 of X-Men '97 - the Season One finale:‘Tolerance is Extinction - Part 2’.

Come listen to us dig into this episode and find out how we also fit the following in. 

• Nerd podcasting in the Pre-Krakoa boom, pre-Serial. 
• Ash reveals his American heritage
• Don’t put Evil in a room with a Jean and a gun
• CAW
• Bastion chokes a lot of women
• Bastion threw the first brick at Stonewall
• Oppression 101
• Steven Universe monologues vs Punching fascists
• Sinister is the oldest Twink in the club
• Ash v Khaliden. Continued.
• Call Me By Your Face
• A moment of appreciation for Jiz, may she never be forgotten
• Why are you down there?!
• The actors nightmare
• Serialised television and event TV
• The return of a now regular segment!
• Clenching
• Storm in this season’s narrative
• Storm/Morph/Beast and the most visibly marginalised mutants

Make sure to subscribe to IMMORTAL X OF WORDS and stay tuned for a special mailbag episode closing to close out the crossover!

Find Comic Books Queers: Legacy on instagram @Comicbookqueers!

Find Brett Mannes @Brettmannes on Instagram!

Find Evil Jeff @EvilJeff on Instagram!

Keep up to date with Dr. Khaliden Nas by checking out www.alsopurple.com and following @AlsoPurp on all socials.

Find Ash @Vanthefirst on all socials and his podcast X of Words everywhere you find your podcasts. 

Hosted by Ash Alleyne and Dr. Khaliden Nas.

Edited and Produced by Dr. Khaliden Nas

Music by PamperedFists & Anzahlung.

Podcast Artwork by Valentine M. Smith. 

*'Tangents' are bonus episodes posted more frequently than Main Episodes because they require less work/research/editing!

Expect quick reviews, edited out content, collabs, mailbags, live audio, and so on.. *

Help other people find the podcasts, share and remember to leave a rating and review if you liked the episode!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/referential/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Tangent #11 (Crossover with Immortal X of Words)!

We’re joined by actress, drag performer, rapper, activist and nerd Bianca Castro aka Jiggly Caliente! (Drag Race Philippines judge, Pose, Rupaul's Drag Race Season 4, All Stars 6, co-host of Translations!) to talk through all our feelings on X-Men '97 Episode 9, Season 1 ‘Tolerance is Extinction - Part 2’.

Come listen to us dig into this episode with an icon in the room!

+

• X-Men '97 as that one ex you keep coming back to
• Jiggly Caliente's history with the X-Men
• Comics as a young immigrants' teacher
• Veronica Lodge with superpowers
• Social Parallels
• Discrediting revolutionary ideas
• Sisterhood, adaptation, Jean Grey & Ororo Storm Munroe
• Jean gets her Naruto on
• I try to get Ash and Jiggly to fight
• The return of a regular segment
• Can Storm do something again please?
• Marvel Vs Capcom
• Sitting on Lilandra's eggs
• Shut up Charles
• Bonding over violence
• Queers against assimilation
• Fatal (attractions) Matters
• Xavier's not like us
• XopXopXopXopXop
• The return of the cosmic chicken

We'll be alternating episodes on both our feeds so make sure to follow both REFERENTIAL and Immortal X of Words! 

Make sure to subscribe to IMMORTAL X OF WORDS and we’ll see you back on REFERENTIAL to review Episode 10. And stay tuned for a special mailbag in two weeks!

Keep up to date with Dr. Khaliden Nas by checking out www.alsopurple.com and following @AlsoPurp on all socials.

Find Ash @Vanthefirst on all socials and his podcast X of Words everywhere you find your podcasts. 

Find Jiggly @jigglycalienteofficial on Instagram !

Hosted by Ash Alleyne and Dr. Khaliden Nas.

Produced by Dr. Khaliden Nas

Music by PamperedFists & Anzahlung.

Podcast Artwork by Valentine M. Smith. 

*'Tangents' are bonus episodes posted more frequently than Main Episodes because they require less work/research/editing!

Expect quick reviews, edited out content, collabs, mailbags, live audio, and so on.. *

Help other people find the podcasts, share and remember to leave a rating and review if you liked the episode!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/referential/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Tangent Episode #10 (Crossover with Immortal X of Words)!

We’re joined by Marvin Britt (Storyboard Artist for X-Men ’97, Star Trek: Lower Decks, Blood of Zeus, The Legend of Vox Machina) to go behind the scenes on X-Men '97 Episode 8, Season 1 ‘Tolerance is Extinction - Part 1’.

Come listen to us dig into all the behind the scenes secrets of the making of this episode’s most iconic scenes 

+

• Return of the Children of Toonami 
• Is Bishop okay?
• Losing someone’s baby 
• Khaliden develops name blindness 
• Bastion got the Ash bass
• Destroying Marvin’s love of X-Men in one sentences
• Knitters 
• Where is Emma Frost?!
• The X-Mansion as a tax shelter
• Don’t mess with Michael Mouse
• The ‘pinks’
• Someone get Magneto a robe
• NEIN!

We'll be alternating episodes on both our feeds so make sure to follow both REFERENTIAL and Immortal X of Words! 

Make sure to subscribe to IMMORTAL X OF WORDS and we’ll see you back on REFERENTIAL to review Episode 9 next week.

Keep up to date with Dr. Khaliden Nas by checking out www.alsopurple.com and following @AlsoPurp on all socials.

Find Ash @Vanthefirst on all socials and his podcast X of Words everywhere you find your podcasts. 

Find Marvin Britt @marvin_b_britt on Instagram !

Hosted by Ash Alleyne and Dr. Khaliden Nas.

Produced by Dr. Khaliden Nas

Music by PamperedFists & Anzahlung.

Podcast Artwork by Valentine M. Smith. 

*'Tangents' are bonus episodes posted more frequently than Main Episodes because they require less work/research/editing!

Expect quick reviews, edited out content, collabs, mailbags, live audio, and so on.. *

Help other people find the podcasts, share and remember to leave a rating and review if you liked the episode!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/referential/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Tangent #9 (Crossover with Immortal X of Words)!

For Episode 7 we’re joined by two new chairs (Valentine Smith and Miss Sundi!) to talk all about X-Men '97 Episode 7, Season 1 ‘Bright Eyes’ (written by Charley Feldman and JB Ballard)!

Come listen to us dig into our favourite episode so far 

+ Find out how we've fit the following in:

• The Debut of a brand new segment
• The return of Trifiling Trish Tilby
• Appropriate funeral attire
• Team Rogue did nothing wrong
• Days of Genocides past
• Wading into Captain America discourse
• Jubilee’s earrings
• Ash vs Khaliden continues as new contenders enter the ring
• Western conceptions of ‘The Closet’
• Ms. Bastion’s Blues
• The many failures of Charles Xavier
• Sibling shade
• The quiet firing of Dr. Khaliden Nas
• More brief musical interludes 
• Passé Politics
• Two Dumb Bitches: “EXACTLY!”
• Shout out to Bella Donna
• Are the X-Men heroes for humans or heroes of mutants

We'll be alternating episodes on both our feeds so make sure to follow both REFERENTIAL and Immortal X of Words! 

Make sure to subscribe for next week's recap/review of Episode 8 on Ash's podcast IMMORTAL X OF WORDS and then head back to REFERENTIAL to listen to us review Episode 9 the week after that (and so on!).

Find Ash @Vanthefirst on all socials and his podcast X of Words everywhere you find your podcasts. 

Keep up to date with Dr. Khaliden Nas by checking out www.alsopurple.com and following @AlsoPurp on all socials.

Find Valentine @ValentineSm1th 

Find Sundi @SundiInThePark/@Sundi.in.the.park

Hosted by Ash Alleyne and Dr. Khaliden Nas.

Produced by Dr. Khaliden Nas

Music by PamperedFists & Anzahlung.

Podcast Artwork by Valentine M. Smith. 

*'Tangents' are bonus episodes posted more frequently than Main Episodes because they require less work/research/editing!

Expect quick reviews, edited out content, collabs, mailbags, live audio, and so on.. *

Help other people find the podcasts, share and remember to leave a rating and review if you liked the episode!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/referential/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Tangent Episode #8 (Crossover with Immortal X of Words)!

For Episode 6 we’re joined by our first ever returning third chair Tiffie Starchild o talk all about X-Men '97 Episode 6, Season 1 ‘Lifedeath - Part 2’.

Come listen to us dig into it

+ Find out how we've fit the following in:

• THE BREEZE IS BACK!
• Galaxy of white refrigerators
• Bird ass people and bussing bald bussy
• Stop the Sinister Steal 2025
• The return of our now regular segment
• Storm can’t catch a break
• Alison Sealy-Smith you will always be famous
• The galactic swirl agenda
• A little bit of race play
• Idealism killing everyone
• Ash reads a letter he wrote Gladiator on the radio
• So she just left Forge there?

We'll be alternating episodes on both our feeds so make sure to follow both REFERENTIAL and Immortal X of Words! 

Make sure to subscribe to IMMORTAL X OF WORDS for the full episode + our recap/review of episode 8 in two weeks, and we’ll see you back on REFERENTIAL to listen to us review Episode 7 next week (and so on!).

Find Ash @Vanthefirst on all socials and his podcast X of Words everywhere you find your podcasts. 

Find Tiffie Starchild @TiffieStarchild across social media!

Keep up to date with Dr. Khaliden Nas by checking out www.alsopurple.com and following @AlsoPurp on all socials.

Hosted by Ash Alleyne and Dr. Khaliden Nas.

Produced by Dr. Khaliden Nas

Music by PamperedFists & Anzahlung.

Podcast Artwork by Valentine M. Smith. 

*'Tangents' are bonus episodes posted more frequently than Main Episodes because they require less work/research/editing!

Expect quick reviews, edited out content, collabs, mailbags, live audio, and so on.. *

Help other people find the podcasts, share and remember to leave a rating and review if you liked the episode!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/referential/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Tangent Episode #7 (Crossover with Immortal X of Words)

For Episode 5 we’re joined by Matthew Bordenave (Assistant Director & Storyboard Artist for X-Men ’97, Young Justice, The Boys Present: Diabolical, Invincible Fight Girl) to talk all about X-Men '97 Episode 5, Season 1 ‘Remember It’.

Come listen to us dig into all the behind the scenes secrets of the making of this instantly iconic episode. 

+ Find out how we've fit the following in:

• The return of our new regular segment
• Trifiling Trish Tilby’s bumpit
• A too brief Young Justice tangent
• Khaliden discovers emotions
• The Trial of Matthew Bordenave 
• Khaliden vs Matthew (Round 1)
• Brief musical interludes
• Ash vs Khaliden (Round 2)
• Mutant trauma and Black audiences
• Omar Holmon presents a Cyclops Ether 
• The Trial of Hank Mccoy (cont.)
• Nayhooo
• Whities are back
• Clone with a Hard C 
• I know Genosha smells crazy

We'll be alternating episodes on both our feeds so make sure to follow both REFERENTIAL and Immortal X of Words! 

Make sure to subscribe for next week's recap/review of Episode 6 on Ash's podcast IMMORTAL X OF WORDS and then head back to REFERENTIAL to listen to us review Episode 7 the week after that (and so on!).

Find Ash @Vanthefirst on all socials and his podcast X of Words everywhere you find your podcasts. 

Keep up to date with Dr. Khaliden Nas by checking out www.alsopurple.com and following @AlsoPurp on all socials.

Hosted by Ash Alleyne and Dr. Khaliden Nas.

Produced by Dr. Khaliden Nas

Music by PamperedFists & Anzahlung.

Podcast Artwork by Valentine M. Smith. 

*'Tangents' are bonus episodes posted more frequently than Main Episodes because they require less work/research/editing!

Expect quick reviews, edited out content, collabs, mailbags, live audio, and so on.. *

Help other people find the podcasts, share and remember to leave a rating and review if you liked the episode!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/referential/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

PREVIEW

Tangent #6 (Crossover with Immortal X of Words)

On a whim Ash and I decided to review/recap the just premiered 'X-Men '97'!

For Episode 4 we’re joined by my friend Victor Alexander (REFERENTIAL’s own video producer (follow us on Youtube and Tiktok!). We talk X-Men '97 Episode 4, Season 1 ‘Motendo / Lifedeath – Part 1’.

Find out how we've fit the following in:

• The debut of a new regular segment
• The debut of JubilAsh
• Nostalgia
• The trial of Victor Alexander, Beast Defender
• Lorna looking RIKAN
• Bzzt vs Pfft
• An ASMR recap
• Ash holds our hands
• Mojo’s Drag Race 
• White dungarees 
• Sunsplat

We'll be alternating episodes on both our feeds so make sure to follow both REFERENTIAL and Immortal X of Words! 

Make sure to subscribe for next week's recap/review of Episode 5 the week before we head back to the X Of Words feed for Episode 6 (and so on!).

Find Ash @Vanthefirst on all socials and his podcast X of Words everywhere you find your podcasts. 

Find Victor @Clevvergirl on TikTok

Keep up to date with Dr. Khaliden Nas by checking out www.alsopurple.com and following @AlsoPurp on all socials.

Hosted by Ash Alleyne and Dr. Khaliden Nas.

Produced by Dr. Khaliden Nas

Music by PamperedFists & Anzahlung.

Podcast Artwork by Valentine M. Smith. 

*'Tangents' are bonus episodes posted more frequently than Main Episodes because they require less work/research/editing!

Expect quick reviews, edited out content, collabs, mailbags, live audio, and so on.. *

Remember to leave a rating and review if you liked the episode!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/referential/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Tangent #5 (Crossover with Immortal X of Words)

 On a whim Ash and I decided to review/recap the just premiered 'X-Men '97'!

For Episode 3 we’re joined by our friend Connor Goldsmith (host of the Cerebro Podcast!) to talk X-Men '97 Episode 3, Season 1 ‘Fire Made Flesh’.

Slightly longer than the previous episodes, but when the three of us sit down we tend to get carried away!

Find out how we've fit the following in:

• An ode to Madelyne Jennifer Pryor (who did nothing wrong)
• Jean puts her hair up in a ponytail and gets back to work
• Communal showering
• Hank McCoy’s bedside manner and how to report it
• Morph, Gen Z and anti-sex
• Pray for Nathan Summers
• The Redemption of Scott Summers?
• Popping claws
• (MJP!)
• Chandeliers and Brimstone Clones!
• Magneto and Rogue are sure being quiet this episode…
• Will we see Bishop before the finale?
• Psychic Battles done correctly
• The breeze is still gone

We'll be alternating episodes on both our feeds so make sure to follow both REFERENTIAL and Immortal X of Words! 

Make sure to subscribe for next week's recap/review of Episode 4 on Ash's podcast IMMORTAL X OF WORDS and then head back to REFERENTIAL to listen to us review Episode 5 the week after that (and so on!).

Find Ash @Vanthefirst on all socials and his podcast X of Words everywhere you find your podcasts. 

Keep up to date with Dr. Khaliden Nas by checking out www.alsopurple.com and following @AlsoPurp on all socials.

Hosted by Ash Alleyne and Dr. Khaliden Nas.

Produced by Dr. Khaliden Nas

Music by PamperedFists & Anzahlung.

Podcast Artwork by Valentine M. Smith. 

*'Tangents' are bonus episodes posted more frequently than Main Episodes because they require less work/research/editing!

Expect quick reviews, edited out content, collabs, mailbags, live audio, and so on.. *

Remember to leave a rating and review if you liked the episode!

Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/referential/donations

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy