For Colored Nerds

If you’ve been listening to our last few episodes, you’ll know we’ve had the hosts of Vibe Check – Sam Sanders, Saeed Jones, & Zach Stafford – on the show to do the ultimate friendship test with Brittany and Eric. Now that FCN has ended, Vibe Check has become our go-to podcast for the latest in news, pop culture, and politics. In this unaired clip, the Vibe Check trio give their unfiltered thoughts on that controversial NYTimes Popeyes nuptial article.

This week, we're passing the mic to our very own Brittany Luse. As you all know, Brittany is the new host of NPR's It's Been a Minute. And for her debut episode, she interviewed Georgia gubernatorial candidate, Stacey Abrams. Since it's Election Day, we thought this would be the perfect time to drop her interview with Abrams on our feed. 

For the final episode of For Colored Nerds, Brittany and Eric rank the best series finales of all time.

In this penultimate episode of For Colored Nerds, Brittany, Eric, and host of NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour, Aisha Harris, go deep. This week, they discuss one of the most beloved, bankable, and now, controversial Black movie stars of all-time: Will Smith. This isn’t just about The Slap or “the entanglement.” It’s about Will’s entire relationship to celebrity. How his career, desires, and personal branding implicates more about the idea of celebrity as a whole than we previously thought.

Tony Soprano. Walter White. Don Draper. Stringer Bell. Throughout the years, viewers have followed the trials, tribulations, and bad behavior from men we love to hate. These protagonists tend to be "relate-able" white (sometimes Black!) men who are chasing power, money, success, or any combination of those things. But in the past few years, we've seen the Black female antihero emerge. This week, Brittany and Eric divulge two of their favorite Black female antiheros of the moment. 

On June 24th, 2022, the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Since then, Americans have mobilized to defend access to abortion, while also urging politicians to codify access to not just abortion - but privacy. At the center of this debate is UC Berkeley law professor Khiara Bridges, who spoke at the Senate hearing after the decision was made. Khiara joins the show to talk about what’s at stake for Black communities with this ruling and what folks can do in their own time to stay informed.

This week, Brittany and Eric are joined by the hosts of Vibe Check - Sam Sanders, Saeed Jones, & Zach Stafford. Vibe Check is their group chat come to life and they spill it all! From their honest reactions to Beyonce’s Renaissance to the state of the Democratic Party - you won’t wanna miss this.

Writer, stylist, and consultant Aja Barber joins the show to give the lowdown on fast fashion and its effects on climate change, race, and the Global South. From Shein hauls to Ghana’s Kantamanto Market, there’s a lot of needles to thread but Aja’s got us covered.

Reality TV juggernaut Carlos King joins the show to talk all things reality TV. From spearheading the most iconic seasons of Real Housewives of Atlanta to setting the timeline on fire every week with Love & Marriage: Huntsville & DC - he has the game on lock. Tune in to hear about Carlos' illustrious career, his new podcast Reality With the King, and how he makes the reality in reality TV.

Brittany AND Eric (!!!) are back with two big announcements for the show.

Content Warning: This episode contains discussions about domestic violence/IPV. This week, author and advocate Beverly Gooden joins the show. Beverly is the creator of the hashtag #WhyIStayed, which highlighted the stories of domestic-violence survivors and her memoir, Surviving: Why We Stay & How We Leave Abusive Relationships. We brought Beverly on the show to shed light on the conversations around domestic violence happening in pop culture. From the new Mike Tyson biopic on Hulu to Megan thee Stallion’s ongoing battle with public opinion - we’ve been inundated with narratives that favor the alleged abuser. We thought it best to amplify the experience of those who are at the receiving end of that harm.

Every year tourists flock to visit Provincetown (aka P-Town), Massachusetts, a beach town and safe haven for queer folks looking to party, relax, hookup, enjoy live entertainment, and all of the above. Provincetown is also the backdrop for "Welcome to Provincetown,” a podcast following radio documentarian Mitra Kaboli as she explores the people, pleasures, and history of P-Town. One of the highlights of the show is singer-songwriter Qya Cristal, "IT girl" and drag entertainer who's taking the town by storm. Today, Brittany chats with Qya about her artistry, what she’s learned during her time in P-Town, and what it’s like to be a working drag performer in the era of RuPaul’s Drag Race.Check out Welcome to Provincetown here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/welcome-to-provincetown/id1625366072

Today on the show, Brittany's talking all things race with NPR’s Code Switch host Gene Demby and the newest addition to the Code Switch fam, B.A. Parker! Parker and Gene aren’t just hosts, but they’re friends of the show, and actual friends of Brittany's in real life. Listen in for a deep dive into reporting on race, Parker’s journey from film professor to podcast host and, they even get into one of the most heated topics online right now: the cost of braids.Listen to Code Switch NOW!: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/code-switch/id1112190608

For Colored Nerds is back this week with actress, host, and fellow bison, Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins. You may know her as Joelle Brooks from Netflix's Dear White People, but today she joins the show to talk about her podcast, Trials to Triumphs. On Trials to Triumphs, Ashley interviews her friends, mentors, and inspirations as they unpack all the behind the scenes trials that led to their public triumphs. Brittany and Ashley get into the podcast, Ashley’s career, her full circle moments and so much more!Check out Trials to Triumphs NOW!: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trials-to-triumphs/id1618812391

Beyoncé is coming. To properly prepare for the arrival of her 7th studio album Renaissance, Brittany is joined by entertainment journalist, hive member, and certified Bey enthusiast, Sylvia Obell, to rank the top songs from Queen Bey. Join us for RANKED!: The Beyonce Experience Edition!

This week, Eric interviews journalist Pendarvis Harshaw and filmmaker Brandon Tauszik about their groundbreaking online documentary, Facing Life. Facing Life follows the stories of eight formerly incarcerated people adjusting to life outside of California prisons. Make sure to stay tuned til the end for an announcement about Eric!Facing LifeFacing Life in the LA TimesPendarvis Harshaw: https://www.kqed.org/author/ogpennInstagramTwitterBrandon Tauszik: https://brandontauszik.com/InstagramTwitter

Bridget Todd, host of There Are No Girls on The Internet, joins the show this week to talk to us about all things tech, social media, and digital landscapes. She’s covered everything from sex trafficking myths that go viral to Kanye West’s bizarre intimidation tactics towards a Georgia election worker in 2020. Join Brittany and Bridget as they cover the manosphere’s crypto connection, the racial politics of online harassment and the endless search for a safe space online. Check out There Are No Girls On the Internet today: https://www.tangoti.com/

This week, journalist and author Aaron Foley joins the show to talk about his debut novel, Boys Come First. The book follows Dominick Gibson, Remy Patton, and Troy Clements; three Black gay milennial men trying to figure their lives out in an ever-changing Motor City. There's love, friendship, tenderness, success, and a LOT of steamy sex scenes... but most importantly, it's a love letter to the city of Detroit. Put this on your summer reading list TODAY!

After our episode with Tirhakah Love on Kendrick Lamar's latest album, Brittany and Eric realized there was another conversation brewing right under the surface: pop culture's reckoning with queerness and how it challenges the "traditional" ideals of Black masculinity. Between the tumultuous relationship between Lil Nas X and BET, Jerrod Carmichael's latest HBO special "Rothaniel," and Isaiah Rashad's leaked sex tape, Brittany and Eric are in conversation (again) with Tirhakah on how far hip-hop and comedy have ~really~ come when it comes to queerness. 

This week, Brittany and Eric return to the show that started it all: The Real World. As long time fans of the original New Orleans season, the For Colored Nerds crew was SUPER excited for the reunion, The Real World Homecoming: New Orleans. Brittany and Eric reflect on the original series, their favorite moments, what they loved about the reunion, and, most importantly, they chat with everyone's favorite cast member from the New Orleans series: Melissa Beck.