Episode 52 -- Money, Money, Money!

Prompted by...

...our desire to explore the price of beauty in Episode 51.

...the Refinery 29 "Money Diaries" article on salary history and transparency; as well as its article about parental financial allowances that broke the Twitter timeline.

...Kelly Rowland's reflections on wealth building.

... and yes our personal lives.

Hence we decided it's time to talk money.

Specifically, our relationship to it, what we’ve learnt, what we still need to, and how it affects our relationships.

We think we're just as nervous talking about this topic as we would be talking about our sex lives? Why does "money talk" make everyone so uncomfortable?

But let’s do it, cause being secretive about money is the man's way of keeping us down! So let’s rage homies!

WEIRD SHIT:

Shan is obsessed with unnerving things, so we brought this segment back so she could clear her shower thoughts on "McKamey Manor."

Morg hates -- she's got bad nerves!

HOT TOPICS:

We recorded this episode almost 2 weeks ago because we're a hot mess so are the hot topics even hot anymore? :(

Anyway here they are:

- RIP Movie Pass

- We had a whole 5 min on Beyonce getting control of the Vogue cover and enlisting the young black photographer Tyler Mitchell, but we edited it out because our facts were outdated.. Did Beyonce have total control????? lol Or is she queen of plausible deniability (: ? Plus the issue is out now so there's that.

- If Kris Jenner were managing Cardi B the Bruno Mars tour would wait for postpartum her!

- Disney fires James Gunn for reasonable reasons; Guardians of the Galaxy cast mobilizes in support.

- Sherri Shepherd always has a tragic tale to tell. This time it's clear she wasn't tapped for Jack & Jill nor The Links.

- Shan makes us discuss her fav Gwyneth Paltrow and dispelling "Becky with the good hair" rumors.

- Morg makes us discuss Philadelphia news regarding Jay-Z, Mayor Jim Kenney, and the Made In America festival.

- Meghan Markle can't run from the Pennsylvanians!

- LeBron James launches his I Promise School because GOAT.

- Congrats to Kid Fury on his HBO comedy show development deal! In many ways Two Wise Jawns podcast was inspired by his Furious Thoughts and The Read with a sprinkle of This American Life !

Recorded Tuesday, July 31, 2018.

Beauty, Value, and Judgement.

"Can you afford the serums du jour?"

"Weekly chemical peels at $450 an hour is how I stay absolutely flawless."

"Oh wow, you have to wear makeup to look beautiful? #CantRelate"

"You don't attend pilates, barre, megareformer, spinning, and HIIT classes several times a week????"

"How raggedy is your skin?"

Don't worry jawns. We feel attacked too.

The media has become Regina George -- personally victimizing the poor and the porous. #Poreless

HOT TOPICS:

- Terry Crews congressional hearing; masculinity backlash championed by 50 Cent; #MeToo

- Henry Cavill admits to being scared of #MeToo in GQ Magazine interview.

- SCOTUS gets mixy: bye bye Justice Kennedy, Hi Justice Brett Brad Chadford Kavanaugh

- Trump visits London to mucho protests and sees his bae Putin in Helsinki

- Congratulations to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D, NY-14)(28 y.o.) on a major political upset.

- Annapolis, MD mass shooting at Capital Gazette; Milo Yiannopoulos lights a proverbial dumpster fire

- Dame Dash vs Lee Daniels and a lesson on not being a tacky lendee

- Rachel Dolezal we mean Nkechi Amare Diallo was falsely arrested for alleged welfare fraud!

- Cardi B and Offset welcome Kulture Kiari to the world!

- Kylie Jenner is an apparent self-made billionaire on the cover of Forbes! #NoLips ::laughs in Pat McGrath::

- Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin are engaged and make a cute beachy lesbian couple.

- Azealia Banks stays on brand and continues to vex fans of her music... this time on Wild N Out.

Recorded Sunday July 15, 2018.

We made it to 50!

In this milestone episode we keep it light and bright and breezy and current affairs focused -- no theme is the theme!

Ya girls just came here to talk mess on today!

Let's proceed.

HOT TOPICS:

- Shan is happy Trina has protege in Miami rapping duo City Girls, PERIOD.

- We listened to some new music including Kid Cudi, Jorja Smith, Christina Aguilera, and the queens of the Steve Harvey Cruises -- The Carters! Shan is here for Jay Z and Beyonce's EVERYTHING IS LOVE album and Morg is always here for Beyonce's ever-growing coterie of dancing line sisters.

- We pay our respects to Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade.

- United States exits the the United Nation's Human Rights Council amid its own human rights controversy separating immigrant parents and children at the border.

- Melania Trump wears bizarre (and cheap!) Zara jacket in the middle of a humid Texas summer.

- Ariana Grande is currently teaching a Master Class on securing these mens because sis stays Boo'd Up badoop! Engaged to "BDE" Pete Davidson of SNL.

- Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas are a thing -- the cradle has been ROBBEDt.

- Spencer is Jason Statham! Drake does Degrassi in "I'm Upset" video.

- Robert De Niro's MAGA fans can't possibly know he has black sons. They can't.

- SZA can sing!!! (:

- Virgil Abloh debuts his first Louis Vuitton menswear collection in Paris to the tune of Kanye's brotherly reconciling tears.

- We end discussing the tragic life and death of indie artist XXXTentacion -- abuse, childhood trauma, talent, mental illness, etc.

Recorded Thursday June 21, 2018.

"She founded the movement."

Alana that is.

She coined the portmanteau "incel" via her blog "Alana’s Involuntary Celibacy Project."

The blog was centered around her struggles in her romantic life simply being found desirable.

To her chagrin, the state of "involuntary celibacy" resonated with male internet dwellers more than her female peers and so sis was co-opted by the angry and the sexless.

This episode we attempt to unpack the trend of discontent and disarray experienced by the mens dem.

There's a substantial undercurrent building tied to, in our opinion, a masculinity identity crisis, specifically among the straight white males, but in general among all boys and men.

What could be the reasons?

Do boys and men no longer have outlets to explore their masculinity or what that means to them? Was that war? Is it sports? Was it their families depending on them for protection/providership? Are young boys no longer active and disciplined or have the outlets to hone those skills?

Is it technological advancements leading to a contingent of men who have never communicated with peers outside of the comfort of keystrokes from their custom-built gaming computer?

Is it feminism? Specifically feminism ignoring the romantic implications of its tenets? For example many women tending to desire men who are “on her level or higher”? Or many women preferring a tinge of “ruggedness” in men they date? Or many women not truly desiring a man who is 100% candid with his raw emotions?

We are certain of this: We know we don't want wayward boys and men finding "God" in the likes of Jordan Peterson, PUA, The Red Pill, 4Chan, The Manosphere, Roosh V, Neo Nazis, Order of Odin, inner-city gangs, nor Serena Joy.

Today we extend an olive branch and take a stab at empathy before the humans implode.

It's going to be a bumpy episode!

HOT TOPICS:

- So, so much out of Calabasas -- Kanye's "Ye" album, Kim Kardashian becoming Ava DuVernay to the people (Trump pardoning Alice Johnson), Pusha T vs Drake rap beef, Drake's HIDING A CHILD, blackface, Donda's House and Rhymefest cutting ties with the Kardashian-West's, Wyoming, Kanye paying $85 K for Whitney Houston's worst moment -- just mess in Calabasas.

- Who gets to say the "n word, soft a" sponsored by Kendrick Lamar.

- Betsy Devos doesn't have the answers regarding the TEACH grant program's grants turning into loans over night. Scams!

- Federal Judge in New York declares Trump's practice of blocking critics on Twitter unconstitutional. Trump appeals. 2018.

- Apparently SZA can't sing! For real this time! Sad!™

- Philadelphia 76ers President and GM Bryan Colangelo creates burner accounts to motivate his players. :) #Sixers #TrustTheProcess

- NBA Finals are happening and it's sassy. LeBron loves a dramatic exit in Thom Browne. Oop!

- Starbucks had a successful day of sensitivity training -- in a single day the Governor of Missouri Eric Greitens, Roseanne, and Bill Maher were "cancelled" either proverbially or literally. You're doing amazing sweetie Howard Schultz!

Recorded Sunday, June 3, 2018.

We recorded this episode the day of or after the Royal Wedding, but then.. we went on vacation, so here we are!

Long story short, the British Royal Wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle was African American as all get out and we're convinced that was because of HARRY and not our good sis, Meghan daughter of the ever regal, radiant, cool Doria Ragland.

Anyway shout out to Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's union!

WE LOVE A SCAMMER... WE MEAN PLANNER.

HOT TOPICS:

- Malcolm X Happy Birthday

- Azealia Banks vs. Everyone

- Santa Fe shooting

- Israel and Palestine and hegemonic forces and U.S. Embassy moving from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

- Spotify removing problematic artists.

- Elon Musk discovered Grimes.

- Rita Ora's new song "Girls" causes controversy in the LGBT community. Bebe Rexha has a counterpoint for that.

- "Be Best" a simple, yet powerful tagline coined by Melania Trump

Recorded Sunday May 20, 2018.

You've missed our cackles, we know.

We're back with a #YeWhisper masquerading as a new episode.

Between Donald Trump, Donald Glover, and Kanye Omari West we are mentally EXHAUSTED.

And ya know we think that's Kanye's issue -- he's tired.

He wants to be free of minority angst, of black angst!

He wants the peace of mind of being a Calabasas dwelling white man! God bless!

We know our best friend often lacks the capacity to articulate cogent thought and so we are here to do it for you.

And then also to touch on some of the topics he's brought up like slavery, "free thought," and how Microsoft Excel is a spawn of the devils (rude!)

Is Kanye out of touch with reality?

Is reality yours to create?

Has he just forgotten the realities of the 99%?

HOT TOPICS:

- North Korea & South Korea shook hands. Morg posits it's because Kim Jong-un wants access to elite Supreme merch. He's mixxy!

-Bill Cosby is found guilty and decided y'all can still catch these jokes regardless ::leans back:: We guess you can have fun when your wife is as ride or die as Camille Cosby?

- Issa Rae's satirical book of essays The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl caused some controversy... 4 years later. #WeStandWithIssa

- DJ Khaled said he pays for the yachts so he has hard limits on what he'll do sexually -- childish, but at least he knows his boundaries?

- The Twitter Cancellation Committee placed about 72 celebrities and public figures on the chopping block over the past month or so and like.. they need day jobs because who has the time for that much outrage.

- Janelle Monae released her album Dirty Computer and came out of Tessa Thompson's vagina pants!

- Rachel Dolezal endears viewers on Netflix.

- Zora Neale Hurston JUMPED OUT of the grave to remind Kanye that slavery was far from a choice. The newly released "Barracoon" and is based on a series of conversations Hurston had with Cudjo Lewis, who was brought to the United States aboard the last slave ship that carried slaves across the Atlantic.

Recorded Saturday, Cinco de Mayo, 2018.

Episode 46 of #TwoWiseJawns is available for your listening pleasure on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play, TuneIn, and SoundCloud.

The topic du jour is "the friend zone."

We explore if it's actually a thing?

If it's experienced by men or women more?

Who's acting more entitled to whom?

How does one land in it?

How does one exit it?

What is its inverse?

And also how our dear, sweet co-host Shan has been accused of coyly placing all of the mens squarely in the thick of it!

Shame her! Shun her! Sad!™

Do you all think the friendzone is real? Let us know how you really feel!

Or is this one of those things where all feelings are valid whether real or imagined :)XOXO

HOT TOPICS:

- Morg's idol Rachel Dolezal is getting a Netflix documentary.

- Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is in process of being adapted to a movie thanks to Lupita Nyong'o and the screenplay is being written by her Black Panther costar Danai Gurira.

- Kendall Jenner came out as a cisgendered probably straight woman, but who knows and it's none of our business.

- Lil Dicky's Freaky Friday video featuring Chris Brown is perfectly light hearted.

- Logic is a rapper who divorced and it's news to someone.

- Virgil Abloh is the opportunity seeking legend we all could learn from -- now Artistic Director for Louis Vuitton's menswear line.

-Howard University isn't the only school with scammers working in the financial aid office -- we see you Columbia and Harvard.

- Fabolous and a few clarifying thoughts on domestic violence,

Recorded Saturday, March 31, 2018.

Episode 45 of #TwoWiseJawns is available for your listening pleasure on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play, TuneIn, and SoundCloud.

The topic du jour is LETTING THAT HURT GO!

Set it free sis, bro.

The person you liked in 1st grade liked someone else? LET IT GO.

The girls didn't like you because you "liked anime"? LET IT GO, but more importantly take the time to reflect on the fact that's not the anime that's deterring the ladies and it surely isn't Michael B. Jordan :)

You were roasted on the playground and still mad about it 26 years later? LET IT GO.

Your childhood wan't perfect? Neither was a lot of people's. LET IT GO.

You're blaming black women for your romantic partner choices, yes you Taye Diggs -__- LET IT GO!

You're a hotep who only recognizes the most Western civilizations in Africa as worthy of acknowledgment? LET IT GO. Learn to love all of the continent my good brother. Fall in love with kinky hair and Jackson 5 noses! Beyonce did!

This episode isn't meant to be dismissive and invalidate your hurt or purview, but rather to encourage you to set it aflame, sage your life, and practice self-care.

HOT TOPICS:

-- Rihanna turned 30 and that's important to us as we STAN Robyn. Also we were both born Year of the Dragon -- a POWERFUL year.

-- The Oscars happened and Morg wants Maya Rudolph to host everything and do everything; and is also upset Chadwick Boseman didn't respond to Margot Robbie's flirtations -- a true king of Wakanda -_-

-- Janelle Monae and Tessa Thompson are friends who probably hooked up once or twice or a lot... cute video for Make Me Feel! The sheer rose petaled jeans from Adam Selman are LOVE.

-- The students of Parkland, Florida are shaking the table and leading to the NRA losing partnerships. Sparks conversation on how private sector liaises with public sector in states like Georgia, etc.

-- Mo'Nique and her professional bun are still on their world tour. Not sure if the points she's making are concrete, but we're always here for a healthy read of "Charlamagne tha God." Mo went in on him like Olivia Pope and Annalise Keating at the hair salon.

-- Kylie Jenner is POWERFUL. She tweeted Snapchat is dead and sis lost $1.6 Billion in stock value. Yikes! See when your company doesn't have a solidified revenue stream, your worth is literally at the whimsy of the Kardashians and Kris Jenner and Ben Bernanke and Janet Yellen and kiddies on the Robinhood app and their perceived value of you.

-- Prayers up for Rick Ross and his health! #Pears

-- The White House is still a mess. Just hemorrhaging staffers. Hope Hicks and her beautiful sheath dresses, gorgeous sheath dresses are out. The drunky man Sam Nunberg is out. Day in the life.

-- Amandla Stenberg claims she gave the chocolate sisters a chance when she self-reportedly dropped out of Black Panther auditions. ...now see. Rachel Dolezal would have NEVER -- a true ally.

-- South Africa is uprooting the Afrikaans! Apartheid reparations!?

Recorded Tuesday, March 6, 2018.

Wakanda Forever pimpettes!

This episode is dedicated to Black Panther, the fanfare, the revelry, the cosplay, the Dora Milaje, the tribal print and head wraps and drums in the theater opening weekend, and the symbolism!

Nothing more, nothing less.

HOT TOPICS:

* Stacey Ann Fergusun SUNG THE NATIONAL ANTHEM WE DESERVE at NBA All Star weekend. So jazzy! Fergie was so pleased with it! Such brave. A patriot.

* Elon Musk has flamethrowers, brain drain synapsis machines, Space Bro Express, hyperloops, and Tesla. If anyone ushers us into Black Mirror it's finna be him. Bless up!

* Prayers for Rose McGowan. Sis is unraveling in real time! Citizen Rose is on the edge.. Jessica Chastain please assist your sisterwomens.

* The Winter Olympics are dangerous, but Chloe Kim is the American gold medalist we can all get behind. Such a Cher Horowitz!

* Amy Schumer’s “I Feel Pretty” is causing hot takes but like why. Medium-sized average looking women exist! Let Amy be Great!

* Loose lips aka Quincy Jones is the LGBT hero we didn't know we needed?

* The portraits of the Obamas that will enter the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery by Kehinde Wiley and Amy Sherald are magnificent statement pieces for sure. Floral!

* Trump focus groups Blue Apron government cheese concept to mixed reviews. He tweets the haters because that's just what he does.

* Mass shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida leads to a conversation about gun control and regulation of automatic weapons that may actually lead to change this time around thanks to teens who aren't accepting "thoughts and prayers" as the only recourse for 17 of their peers and teachers shot dead in front of them.

* Little baby STRAIGHT UP! has arrived from the womb of Kylie Jenner and the loins of Travis Scott. Announced on the day the Philadelphia Eagles WON THE SUPER BOWL. What a joyous Black History Month 2018 has gifted us. We thank you Kris Jenner for your benevolence.

Recorded Monday, February 19, 2018.

The heteros don't have the range and never have!

Just kidding.

But today we focus on the African American mens and womens; and their dating woes specifically.

We particularly examine the subset of African American men who seem to prefer everything but black women, but especially white women.

This episode was inspired by the ruminations of James Earl Jones circa 1960s and Harry Belafonte via Eartha Kitt circa 1950s and; though we didn't cover it in this episode, our good man Quincy Jones referred to his preference of white women as "... yeah, it was freedom man!" in an interview with GQ published January 29th.

It seems the black men ain't down with the Sojourner Truisms black women bear? They get why it is, but don't want it for themselves. Or they're dating white to "stick it to the man." Or they're dating white to access dem resources. Either way we two wise jawns #YeWhisper their perspective... begrudgingly.

Is this a thing? Agree? Disagree?

Email / Tweet us your thoughts yo!

HOT TOPICS:

- Aziz Ansari and sexual boundaries in the world of modern dating.

- Google tests England's "right to be forgotten" in the digital age.

- RIP Erica Garner

- Mo'Nique and Netflix and a discussion on adequate compensation.

- Ciara virtue signaling to her fans because that's what someone who walks in the spirt of a wife does. Obviously.

- Trump cheats with pornstars... honestly the most presidential thing he's done -- very par the course.

- Trump calls brown nations "shit holes" and we say he should learn a thing or two about diplomacy from the one and only Cher Horowitz -- “In conclusion, may I please remind you that it does not say 'RSVP' on the Statue of Liberty."

- Chicago West has arrived.

Go Eagles!

#FlyEaglesFly

Recorded Sunday January 21, 2018.