On this episode, we decide to keep the spirit of Father's Day alive by ranking some of our favorite fine ass daddies (and the standards are quite high). Then, we chat with the one and only Spike Lee about his newest Netflix film, Da 5 Bloods, and the importance of love between Black men. Finally, if you’re running a little behind on showing love to the Black men in your life, we have some recommendations that'll help you help them glow from the inside out.
ONL Ep 5 Transcript
[00:00:00] [Music In]
[00:00:03] Scottie Beam: You're listening to Okay, Now Listen, a bi-weekly show where we chat about what's on our minds, what we're bingeing and what's blowing up our timeline.
[00:00:09] Sylvia Obell: I'm Sylvia Obell. I'm a culture writer, host, producer and lover of Beyoncé.
[00:00:15] Scottie: And I'm Scottie Beam, a media personality, content creator and music enthusiast and wing connoisseur.
[00:00:23] Sylvia: It's officially summer time, Scottie. And, you know, this is not how I saw the start of my summer going. Like I -- I miss outside, Scottie. I miss it. Will we ever see it again?
[00:00:38] Scottie: No.
[00:00:38] Sylvia: Is really what I want to talk about in the check in today. Or just the reality hitting me.
[00:00:42] Scottie: [crosstalk] No we won't.
[00:00:42] Sylvia: She said no. The reality hitting me that we not -- it's really like, it's not over for this year spiritually but like physically, like I'm realizing that like, oh, like this is not just a quarter thing. You know, like this is not just like we lost spring or Q2. We're losing Q3 as well as Q --
[00:01:06] Scottie: How did you realize you lost fall? Is my question.
[00:01:10] Sylvia: I realized I lost fall when my HBCU, North Carolina A & T State University canceled the greatest homecoming on Earth. Yes, I said it. I don't want to hear it.
[00:01:23] Scottie: God, I just need --.
[00:01:24] Sylvia: [crosstalk] GHOE, GHOE. And I was really like -- I was really intent on going to be draggin Scottie this year. It's like the guys don't want Scottie to go to G-Ho, but we go --.
[00:01:34] Scottie: [crosstalk] That's crazy.
[00:01:34] Sylvia: It's wild. But like so for, for the people, for the PWIs and the whites who may be listening like HBCU homecoming's are a big fucking deal. They're huge. Like it's massive for Greensboro, North Carolina, where my school is based. It's the number one -- it is like definitely -- when I was there, it was like it's top five moneymaker for the city. Like it's that big. Ten thousands of people. So when I realized that A&T was canceling GHOE, which is its number one money maker, the city's biggest, all of that, I was like, oh -- cus it's not till October 31st.
[00:02:03] Scottie: [crosstalk] That's almost like --.
[00:02:06] Sylvia: [crosstalk] So like --.
[00:02:07] Scottie: [crosstalk] Y'all wait until Thanksgiving to have y'all homecoming so I know.
[00:02:12] Scottie: HBCUs, they do it on a schedule. Like everybody -- like I think they come together and figure out so they're spread out. They're like, we can't have more than two to three of things happen at the same time or else the world might explode.
[00:02:21] Scottie: Yeah, I always know GHOE to be the last.
[00:02:25] Sylvia: [crosstalk] Yeah. You gotta save the best for last.
[00:02:25] Scottie: Like that is -- the last and -- for what's we're -- Jesus. [laughter] Why can't we just have a moment of just humble?
[00:02:39] Sylvia: I am right! [laughs] Sorry. Okay. But back to the issue at hand.
[00:02:41] Scottie: I had all plans to hit up spa house. I had plans to go to GHOE. You know, so I was like, damn, this is --.
[00:02:49] Sylvia: [crosstalk] Because I realized --.
[00:02:51] Scottie: [crosstalk] It's a wrap.
[00:02:51] Sylvia: That once -- once GHOE got cancelled, I was like, oh this -- they're not going to be the last HBCU to do this. But it's made it clear to me that all the HBCUs were going to cancel, essentially, like you're saying. So that is like for us, especially for like just the culture, like that's a big -- that's a big -- that's one of my favorite times of the year. That might be, next to Christmas, my favorite time of the year is homecoming season. So.
[00:03:11] Scottie: Yeah, and also the best -- the first best. I know you're talking about the second best, but the first best time of the year would be my birthday, October 3rd. So --.
[00:03:20] Sylvia: [crosstalk] You're crying. Yeah. [laughs]
[00:03:21] Scottie: [crosstalk] I'm turning. Yes, absolutely. It's the best time of the year. And so I know when GHOE said that they weren't doing something. I said, okay. So that means my birthday is a wrap. Niggas already have planned that, like my 30th is not happening, which means I'll be 29 for another year. [laughter] That's all. That's only what it means.
[00:03:43] Sylvia: I feel like that's fair. I feel like it's fair. And I feel like--. [laughs]
[00:03:46] Scottie: I'm '91 now. I was born in '91, so please.
[00:03:50] Sylvia: Oh let's not get crazy. That sounds so real. [laughs]
[00:03:50] Scottie: [crosstalk] Respect. I know it sounds so crazy but here's the thing. Like, I can't not. Like I have to -- I had a whole plan, Sylvia. My whole 30th
[00:04:00] Sylvia: [crosstalk] I know. We had -- we had plans. You had plans. We had plans. Some were the promo for the podcast. Like we --.
[00:04:06] Scottie: [crosstalk] Right. We had plans.
[00:04:06] Sylvia: [crosstalk] We had plans. I barely skated through the closed doors. Like it was like I --my birthday's in February, so like I made it right through before everything.
[00:04:14] Scottie: That was -- that was the fucking last time I went out was on your damn birthday.
[00:04:20] Sylvia: [crosstalk] Why she say it like --.
[00:04:21] Scottie: [crosstalk] I shoulda drank more.
[00:04:22] Sylvia: [crosstalk] You shoulda drank more. [laughs]
[00:04:23] Scottie: [crosstalk] I didn't drink as much. I shoulda got drunk. I was over here worried about this nigga birthday and making sure she's enjoying herself. [laughter] I'm not drinking as much as I should have. And that's the problem.
[00:04:33] Sylvia: And even like Scottie, you were talking about how even career wise, right, like, what did that even mean for like the rest of our like, other aspects of our lives?
[00:04:40] Scottie: I was thinking about, you know what -- what is my career going to look like now? You know what I'm saying when, you know, I -- I'm hoping that shooting, you know, campaigns and things like that still will exist in the near future. I just know that it'll all look different. And I'm just wondering how that would look. You know, people are having to reinvent their whole career. Like, basically, you know, restructure things from the ground up, build a new foundation, because what they've done before does not work now. So, yeah, I was like, you know, what does that look out -- look like for me? And sometimes that might put me in a really dark mood because I like to work. I like to be outside. I like to work outside of my home. I said, I think previously, I was very clear on like this -- my home was seen as the place where I would leave my work and troubles at the door.
[00:05:39] Sylvia: Oh.
[00:05:39] Scottie: And I don't -- you know, I see my house as like a sanctuary.
[00:05:43] Sylvia: Yeah.
[00:05:43] Scottie: A place where I just come and feel like I don't have to do anything. I can just relax and take time for myself. But now it's become my office. It's become where I have to go to therapy. It's become, you know, all these different places.
[00:06:00] Sylvia: That's so real. For real.
[00:06:02] Scottie: So it's like I'm really struggling with trying to figure out, okay, what does this look like for me as a media personality? Doing all these damn zoom interviews, doing all these damn like -- all these damn like.
[00:06:13] Sylvia: [crosstalk] IG Lives.
[00:06:14] Scottie: [crosstalk] Yeah, I IG Live these panels that are happening, are going to be through Zoom now. So there's no physical like interaction where I'm sitting next to that person and I can feel that person's vibe, I can feel that person's energy anymore. I have to tell straight from Zoom or what your eyes are telling me or what the --
[00:06:33] Sylvia: Or even like feeding off the audience's energy like --
[00:06:35] Scottie: [crosstalk] Right.
[00:06:36] Sylvia: It's like you're somebody who -- like when I watch you work, like you feed off of the crowd. Right.
[00:06:40] Scottie: [crosstalk] Right.
[00:06:40] Sylvia: [crosstalk] It's like. And now the crowd is --
[00:06:41] Scottie: [crosstalk] Right. And now like there is no crowd. I mean, there's a crowd but they're just watching from home.
[00:06:45] Sylvia: [crosstalk] At home.
[00:06:45] Scottie: So it's like girl, what y'all doing. Like I need to know what you -- are y'all clapping?
[00:06:49] Sylvia: Y'all alright? Y'all alright? [laughs]
[00:06:52] Scottie: So this is how y'all feel? Brothers, y'all alright?
[00:06:55] Sylvia: Put an emoji if you feel me. [laughs] --
[00:06:58] Scottie: Please cus it's like I don't know, I don't know how else like this is --
[00:07:02] Sylvia: [crosstalk] Yeah. It's rough.
[00:07:03] Scottie: [crosstalk] Different.
[00:07:03] Sylvia: [crosstalk] And it's like -- and then I think even when you're thinking about planning your life, like the hard thing is that life is still going while we're all kind of paused. And it's like, how do you balance that? Because like, for me even, it's like I -- you know, when I went into this quarantine, I had a full time job. You know what I mean? I have always been like a salaried girl, journalist who like, works for a newsroom. And I'm -- I like, I thank God that I was already planning to transition into freelancing and working for myself before this happened, or else I would've really been out of luck when the furloughs hit BuzzFeed. But like for me, I was already, you know, working on the projects like this podcast. And, you know, so was transitioning out but like, it's also now that I don't have a newsroom job or anything thing. You know, and we do this podcast remotely. And then I'm in a city where it's like, I can't go anywhere I can't walk to because I need a car. It's really like -- and then my lease is up next month. And I was planning on living, you know, moving to my own apartment. And now I'm like, am I going to be paying New York City rent when New York City is essentially shut down, as far as I'm concerned, for the next year? Right. So, like, it makes more sense to save money in some way and not be here.
[00:08:20] Scottie: Right. And I just need people also to stop asking what's next? Nigga you -- you in the house just like I'm in a house. Stop -- somebody asked me that yesterday. What you got it going on? What you got up next? Up next, nigga! I'm in the house! I'm in the house. Next is dinner.
[00:08:36] Sylvia: [crosstalk] [laughs] Well, I'm like, on Netflix queue -- on a Netflix queue, I got Queen of the South coming up next. [laughs]
[00:08:43] Scottie: [crosstalk] Right. Okay, stop, stop it. Please stop talking about things -- like people don't know what the fuck is going on. They're trying to figure out, figured out as they go. You should be too, you know what I'm saying. If you're not, God bless you, sir. But I just, I need people to, like, give everyone grace, especially with their career, with what's going on. You know, give everybody some grace. So, yeah.
[00:09:06] Sylvia: It's a really unsure time. And just the fact that it's like there's still no vaccine, there's no solution to the coronavirus. It's -- the solution is that America is making of that, eff-it, fuck it. We gonna keep going outside. And it's like, eh? So.
[00:09:20] Scottie: Right. And the fact that -- and you saying, not you, Sylvia, but people saying, oh, I can't get sick, I've already had it. Or, you know, I got tested and I can't get it or whatever the fuck it is. What -- or I'm asymptomatic, or whatever the fuckin excuse is, you can still get somebody else sick. And I really wish y'all would care about humanity. Care about the brother and sister next to you. You know what I'm saying instead of caring about yourself so much. I understand. But you can still pass it along, you could pass it on.
[00:09:48] Sylvia: There's just so much uncertainty. I don't have the answers. I get it. Like me and Scottie do not want to just be in the house alone either. You -- if you know us, you know we are very social people. Like, we like to be outside as much of the next hot girl in the summertime. But it's like, this is our reality. And we want to make it to 2021.
[00:10:04] Sylvia: Like I would really like to get there.
[00:10:05] Scottie: Right. And while, and while we can't really get our hopes up for having another hot girl summer, you know what we can do, Sylvia.
[00:10:14] Sylvia: What's that? What can we do?
[00:10:15] Scottie: Talk about some fine ass daddys. [laughs]
[00:10:16] Sylvia: [laughs] That is not where I thought I saw that going. But okay, let's do it. Let's talk about some fine ass daddies. Let's talk about something fun.
[00:10:29] [Music In]
[00:10:34] Sylvia: So Father's Day was over the weekend, but who says we can't spend some more time appreciating some daddies. Some fine ass daddies. Because honestly, ain't nothing more fine than watching the Black man take care of his responsibilities, including his children. [laughs] Okay. It's attractive. You believe be bringing these various types and defeating the odds of systematic racism, to love on some Black babies. We're here for it. And we're here to celebrate y'all. Okay. So and the only way we can, which is as two single women with no children, is to appreciate all the fathers.
[00:11:13] Scottie: Right.
[00:11:13] Sylvia: So here we are. [laughs] So let's pick our top three. So like, I'm going to rank my top three. And then, Scottie, you could tell me yours. Okay.
[00:11:20] Scottie: Okay.
[00:11:21] Sylvia: Then we'll see how we figure this out. And play at home kids, use the #okay now listen and let us know how you feel about this or who your favorite people are. Okay.
[00:11:31] Scottie: Right.
[00:11:31] Sylvia: So coming in at number three, for me -- and this is hard to even give them one, two, three, because all three of these niggas is fine. I'm here to say.
[00:11:38] Scottie: Okay.
[00:11:39] Sylvia: Okay? For me. But coming in number three is Idris Elba.
[00:11:44] Scottie: Okay, Okay.
[00:11:45] Sylvia: Idris Elba. He's like a grown ass man fine, right. Which is like what I think about when I think about a fine father. Like because it's like, he's just like sophisticated and like he has that accent. And he's like a expensive bottle of red wine. Like full bodied.
[00:12:05] Scottie: Mhmm. Mhmm.
[00:12:05] Sylvia: And an aroma. Like, you know he smells good.
[00:12:08] Scottie: He's thick and he's like mmm. Like he knows he'll take care -- like he's a type to be like, I'll take care of it. Don't you worry, I'll take care of it. I love it. I can take care of it knd of nigga, who can really take care of it. So -- I --
[00:12:20] Sylvia: [[crosstalk] ]Please. Acts of service, is probably his love language. And he gray as well and you like a man who can gray well. Like you know what I mean? He's like got a little salt and pepper thing going on. So anyway.
[00:12:29] Scottie: Right.
[00:12:29] Sylvia: Yes. Idris Elba, Idris fine as Elba. You will always be in my top three. I just want you to know that in case you're listening. Coming up at number two is Lenny Zaddy Kravitz.
[00:12:42] Scottie: Jesus. You -- Okay. This is a lineup. Okay.
[00:12:44] Sylvia: Lenny, let's like -- let's talk about it because I really thought this through and I wanted to pick men who were like fathers for like --.
[00:12:51] Scottie: [crosstalk] That's a bohemian prince.
[00:12:52] Sylvia: [crosstalk] For a while. Right. Because it could be easy to pick people who are just our age who happen to be dads. But when I think about fine men -- like dads, I think about like sophisticated, just like a generation slightly above us, just like --.
[00:13:04] Scottie: What's actually to me -- like to me with Lenny Kravitz is like then -- you could tell he meditates, you could tell he knows how you emotionally manage, you know, like I --
[00:13:16] Sylvia: [laughs] He drinks eight glasses of water a day minimum.
[00:13:18] Scottie: I'd know that he knows how to speak to people. You know, he thinks before he speaks. And he's a great father to Zoe Kravitz because Zoe Kravitz is also beautiful.
[00:13:30] Sylvia: Like they're both gorgeous and they have such a good friendship. Half the time when they walk a red carpet together, they look like they could be low key a couple. And that's just because they're fine and because she looks like her mama so much. Shout out to Lisa.
[00:13:41] Scottie: Oooh!
[00:13:41] Sylvia: [crosstalk] But like I -- Who, honestly, here's my real -- I remind you--.
[00:13:45] Scottie: [crosstalk] The real OG.
[00:13:45] Sylvia: [crosstalk] The real winner here is Lisa --.
[00:13:47] Scottie: [crosstalk] Hello.
[00:13:48] Sylvia: I always tweet this. I've been tweeting this five years, annual reminders that Lisa Bonet got Lenny Kravitz and Jason Momoa at the -- like in the same lifetime. Who gets that? Who gets to have -- those are her baby daddies. Like, it's ridiculous. And it really just puts her in the Hall of Fame right next to the only person who tops Lisa's fortune, to me, is the woman who is -- whose baby daddy I'm about to name next. Erykah Badu, because André 3000.
[00:14:20] Scottie: Okay.
[00:14:20] Sylvia: André 3000 is my number one choice, because André is just like I think when I think about classically fine, I think I put like just like if you just make that, that's all it is. Like yes Lenny and Idris are probably finer than him to most people, including -- just in the face. Right. Even in the body. Like Lenny and Idris both got six packs and pecs and all that stuff. André's a little skinny but he is just -- I love a creative ass nigga. Like I just love like André will like write a rap sonnets to me and like I love his accent. Like I, a New Jersey girl, Outkast, like most people was one the first time that I really got to listen to rap from down there. And I would just like bury me in Andre's accent. Bury me in it. If I had to pick a resting place, it would be an André 3000's southern drawl. Because that man the -- when he talks, it's so sexy to me. And just the way his mind works. And the thing I like about him and Lenny is that they're very comfortable in their masculinity. Like I love how comfortable they are in their masculinity. Like they make fashion choices that like not -- that's not always, that sometimes is feminine and like, you know, sometimes they'll paint their nails or like something like that. Or like have hairstyle that's, you know, I be like damn bae, your hair look better than mine today. That's crazy. But like I, I love André. I think it's for me because I'm always like, as a creative, I'll always be into a man who's just talented on the mic like that. André is fine. André, Idris and Lenny. I don't talk about them off them. But I think what I think about fathers, like daddy, like grown ass men, that's where I'm at. That's where I'm looking at. What's your list looking like, Scottie?
[00:16:03] Scottie: Okay, so. My number three. Coming in at number three would be LaKeith Stanfield. Okay. He is a daddy.
[00:16:14] Sylvia: Okay. He is the father.
[00:16:16] Scottie: He's a daddy.
[00:16:17] Sylvia: He has a baby girl.
[00:16:17] Scottie: Yes. He might be a bit skinny, but I do love the way his mind works. Okay. I love that he's very, very severely talented. I love that he tries to, you know, to dip his toe in other lanes, such as music and other things. I think, you know, a man that's deeply into the arts too, I'm a fan of and I could tell that LaKeith Stanfield is just that. Plus, he has the most mesmerizing eyes ever.
[00:16:46] Sylvia: Ooh. The way he looks at you.
[00:16:46] Scottie: The looked the way he looks at Issa Rae in -- you know, Photograph is like --
[00:16:52] Sylvia: [laughs] In photography.
[00:16:53] Scottie: In photography. In Photograph, is one of my favorites.
[00:16:58] Sylvia: Danger.
[00:16:58] Scottie: Like I love the way he looks at whomever he's in love with in the movie.
[00:17:03] Sylvia: [crosstalk] It's seductive. It's like a seductive lazy eye, I don't know it's just beautiful.
[00:17:05] Sylvia: [crosstalk] Yeah, it is. It is is something beautiful to see.
[00:17:08] Sylvia: I kind of feel like André, André walked so LaKeith could fly.
[00:17:12] Scottie: Then we got Serge Ibaka coming at number two. Lord. Lord. Lord. Lord.
[00:17:19] Sylvia: [crosstalk] Whooo, that's a wild card pick. That is the wild card pick.
[00:17:24] Scottie: Let me tell you something about Serge Ibaka. Yes, he's fine. He's chocolate. He's tall. He's built. You know he don't play. He's from, I think from the Congo. You know, the man doesn't walk light at all. You know what I'm saying. [laughter].
[00:17:37] Sylvia: [crosstalk] [laughs] He's carrying some heavy things.
[00:17:37] Scottie: [crosstalk] He definitely loves to piss the ground off. You hear me? Like he is that man. He's built. Yes. Look him up. If you don't know who I'm talking about. He plays for the Toronto Raptors. He's fine. But aside from that, the man loves to cook. Now ---.
[00:17:54] Sylvia: Does he?
[00:17:55] Scottie: If you want to get me in any way, shape or form, it's to pick up a spoon and start to whip that shit right in front of me. [laughter] That nigga knows how to cook. He has a little cooking show, I'm sure. Or something like that. Some kind of cooking vlog or something like that going on. And I was like, yeah, I'm for it. So you mean you could feed your family? As -- literally? Absolutely. Aside from providing, you can also feed your fam --.
[00:18:17] Sylvia: [crosstalk] Not just pay for the food. Not just pay for the food but you could whip it up in the kitchen. Like you can bring home the bacon and cook it.
[00:18:23] Scottie: Hello! Fry it!
[00:18:26] Sylvia: Bake it. However you like it.
[00:18:27] Scottie: Flambé. Whatever you want to do, sweetheart. You can do it. The world's yours. Aside from that, too. He speaks four languages. Okay.
[00:18:37] Sylvia: Shut up.
[00:18:38] Scottie: You don't know real life until you've seen him actually respond to three different questions in three different languages fluently. Okay. You don't play with Serge. Serge don't play with you. That is my number two pick. And last but certainly not least, my number one. Okay.
[00:18:59] Sylvia: Drum roll please. [laughs]
[00:18:59] Scottie: [crosstalk] My number one in this rank. Drum roll, please is Michael motherfucking Ealy. You hear me? Micheal Ealy.
[00:19:14] Sylvia: [crosstalk] You gotta say the motherfucking when you when you say it.
[00:19:17] Scottie: Jesus Christ. Listen, I don't need to really point out why. Y'all know why, the man is fine beyond you. I don't get it. Sometimes I just sit in just amazement of how God can really wrap his arms around our -- like these beautiful beings and be like here and release him to such an earth that is trash. You released -- I'm just --
[00:19:38] Sylvia: [crosstalk] Took his time, took his time with Michael.
[00:19:41] Scottie: [crosstalk] I love him. I love him so much.
[00:19:41] Sylvia: [crosstalk] A double portion of fine.
[00:19:43] Scottie: [crosstalk] You know, everybody keeps asking me -- right.
[00:19:45] Sylvia: [crosstalk] It was like God spilled. Like he didn't mean to put it all in --
[00:19:46] Scottie: And then everybody keeps asking me, he's like, somebody said on Twitter, like, it doesn't bother you that he threw them kids out the window. [laughter] Fuck them kids. Honestly and truly because it's Michael Ealy. Y'all don't understand what I'm saying to you. All right. I - them kids, what kids? Never heard of them. Don't know them.
[00:20:05] Sylvia: Not the kids from For Colored Girls. [laughs]
[00:20:06] Scottie: Right. [laughs] Fuck them kids. Goodbye.
[00:20:13] Sylvia: [crosstalk] Please, please to the people at home she's talking about in a movie, not in real life!
[00:20:15] Scottie: [crosstalk] No, no, no. It's a movie called For Colored Girls, guys.
[00:20:19] Sylvia: For Colored Girls. He did throw them kids out that window. Goddamn.
[00:20:21] Scottie: They were like, it bother you? No it don't bother me. I love him.
[00:20:24] Sylvia: That was fake. Second of all, he was fine when he did it still.
[00:20:27] Scottie: [crosstalk] Eat shit. Hello?
[00:20:29] Sylvia: God forgive us. [laughs] Oh when she said fuck them kids.
[00:20:33] Scottie: [crosstalk] Lord he is --.
[00:20:33] Sylvia: Words of Michael Jordan.
[00:20:34] Scottie: Let me tell you something.
[00:20:34] Sylvia: We going take our time on Michael cause he deserves. And then we were renken this whole list together. I would be just fine putting him in number one --.
[00:20:42] Scottie: [crosstalk] He is the one Lord.
[00:20:44] Sylvia: Because the first time I saw Ricky in the barber shop.
[00:20:47] Scottie: Oh. Mmm. Okay.
[00:20:47] Sylvia: Which is the first time I saw Michael Ealy.
[00:20:50] Scottie: Okay.
[00:20:50] Sylvia: I know, cause I was not even -- I was, I had to be like eleven, twelve. All I know was it was one of the first times I remember realizing that something else goes on when you're an adult. Like I was like, what's this I feel in my bod -- What's this tingle I feel in my body?
[00:21:05] Scottie: [crosstalk] Exactly. I never.
[00:21:05] Sylvia: [crosstalk] Watching this man cut hair. I was like, why is he -- did they always make men like this? Like is this what growing up is like? Like I remember being a pre-teen having very adult thoughts about Michael Ealy and being like, what does this mean? What's happening.
[00:21:21] Scottie: How do you -- how does a man look like that?
[00:21:24] Sylvia: He definitely confirmed that I was straight. I'm sure he confirmed to some people that they weren't. [laughs] Like he just confirmed people across the board.
[00:21:30] Scottie: [crosstalk] Facts. Then on top of that his voice. If you take a moment, you know --.
[00:21:34] Sylvia: Take your time, pastor, take your time.
[00:21:37] Scottie: When he was in -- what's that movie? The horrible, the horrible book by Steve Harvey. What's the name of that?
[00:21:44] Sylvia: Oh. Think Like a Man. [laughs] Horrible book.
[00:21:46] Scottie: Think Like a Man. Yeah. So that movie, which is great.
[00:21:50] Sylvia: [crosstalk] It was a good movie.
[00:21:50] Scottie: [crosstalk] It's a good movie. It was very cute movie. I enjoyed it.
[00:21:52] Sylvia: [crosstalk] Better movie than it was a book, better movie than the book.
[00:21:54] Scottie: [crosstalk] Absolutely. But the way he treated Taraji. Come on. Come on.
[00:21:58] Sylvia: [crosstalk] He -- the way he was cooking for her on that rooftop while John Legend played in the background.
[00:22:02] Scottie: Come on.
[00:22:02] Sylvia: I was like, tonight is the night we lose control.
[00:22:06] Scottie: Hello!
[00:22:07] Sylvia: It is -- [laughs]. Something hits tonight.
[00:22:08] Scottie: [crosstalk] I don't care. He had no job, not a job in sight. Okay.
[00:22:12] Sylvia: [singing] I'll take care of you.
[00:22:12] Scottie: Never heard of it.
[00:22:13] Sylvia: I said, Taraji, girl, put your pride aside girl. This -- do you see him? When they woke up the next morning he cooked -- He made a meal out the leftovers in her fridge.
[00:22:24] Scottie: Yes. Which is -- I was like, don't be going through my shit. But [laughter] but I love that.
[00:22:32] Sylvia: And didn't even talk about the eyes, which is how you know.
[00:22:34] Scottie: I mean we don't even need to talk about the eyes.
[00:22:38] Sylvia: They speak for themselves. But his hair? I don't even like corn rows. And he won me over with cornrows in the Barbershop because he's that fine.
[00:22:45] Scottie: [crosstalk] And that was a wig. Wasn't that a wig?
[00:22:47] Sylvia: Was it? I mean, no, because he took it out on the second one. Like he had like the whole -- remember, that was the thing where it was in to have like the half fro, half braid situation. It's not a Tyler Perry movie, so I don't think it was -- [laughs]
[00:22:57] Scottie: Well still, niggas can still wear wigs. Just good wigs. But yeah.
[00:23:03] Sylvia: We could thirst all day. But like you said, this is where we at. That's the list. Michael Ealy's at top for sure. Them eyes. I think André is a fair second for both of us?
[00:23:14] Scottie: Yes. Absolutely. Absolutely.
[00:23:15] Sylvia: [crosstalk] On this list, particularly. Andrés a fair second.
[00:23:18] Scottie: And third would be like --.
[00:23:21] Sylvia: Idris and Serge are like the same kind of -- they're giving me like this -- I have the same thirst reasons for both of them. Like they're both international, they're both dark, tall and handsome. They both look like they can lay the pipe. [laughs]
[00:23:34] Scottie: Right. Well, well, well.
[00:23:37] Sylvia: Well. It's a tie. They tie for third place for me. I mean --
[00:23:40] Scottie: Okay. I'll agree with the tie. I'll take tie. So I think we did great --.
[00:23:45] Sylvia: Yes, good job.
[00:23:45] Scottie: I think we did amazing.
[00:23:46] Sylvia: So if y'all got some fun as daddies that we might have forgotten, again, please let us know by using the #okaynowlisten.
[00:23:56] Scottie: And if your daddy is fine as hell, please.
[00:24:00] Sylvia: If you all got some more fine ass daddies that we might have forgot. Not yours personally, but, you know, celebrity ones. Please let us know. Using the #okay now listen. And we will most definitely assess if we need to update this list. We will assess. We are here for all feedback.
[00:24:17] Scottie: Right.
[00:24:17] [Music In]
[00:24:24] Scottie: We know how crucial it is for Black women and Black men to love and support one another, but it's also just as crucial to see Black men love on Black men. We had the chance to chat with the one and only Spike Lee about his newly released Netflix film, Da 5 Bloods, and discuss just how important depicting that love was for the making of his film. Check it out.
[00:24:44] [Music Out]
[00:24:48] Scottie: All right. We are here with the master storyteller himself, Spike Lee. Welcome to Okay, Now Listen with Sylvia Obelle and Scottie Beam. How are you feeling? How's your heart, Spike Lee?
[00:25:00] Spike Lee: Day by day.
[00:25:01] Scottie: Day by day, day by day. And your spirit?
[00:25:04] Spike: Day by day.
[00:25:05] Scottie: Both day by day. I feel that completely.
[00:25:09] Spike: Got two pandemics.
[00:25:10] Scottie: Right.
[00:25:12] Spike: Corona and racism--.
[00:25:13] Scottie: [crosstalk] And Racism Mm hmm.
[00:25:14] Spike: You know, Black bodies being killed left and right.
[00:25:17] Scottie: Right. Right.
[00:25:18] Sylvia: Yeah. And we definitely want to talk about that. But first, let's start by talking about your new movie, Da 5 Bloods.
[00:25:25] Scottie: Talk to us about the moment that you knew you had to make this film. Like, what inspired you to tell this story specifically?
[00:25:33] Spike: I mean, any film that I've done in all these four decades, is a story I want to tell that particular time. But this project was brought to me as not something that I originated. And I liked that it was written by Danny Bilson and Paul De Meo. And it was -- and Oliver Stone had it for two years and he decided not to do it. And right before I was getting ready to shoot BlacKkKlansman, I had a meeting with the producer, Lloyd Levin. Also was with me was my co-writer, Kevin Willmott. And we both like the script, love -- in fact, loved the script. But we flipped it in May and turned on the Vietnam vets at the Black Vietnam vets.
[00:26:19] Scottie: Right. Okay. And what went into making sure you can accurately and with intention tell this story?
[00:26:26] Spike: Research. I do research and all my films, whether documentaries or narrative films. I always do research. And Kevin and I watch all the documentaries, all the films. And we read books. There's been a whole lot of stuff about the Vietnam War. And before we released the film, I had four separate screenings of this movie here in New York for Black and brown Vietnam vets. So, I mean, they were there. They were shipped, United States of America all -- halfway across the world when they were 17, 18, 19 years old.
[00:27:10] Scottie: Right.
[00:27:10] Spike: And so they loved the film. For me, that was a validation.
[00:27:15] Scottie: Yeah.
[00:27:15] Spike: Because they put their lives on the line for this United States of America. Many of them, their buddies, friends, were not so fortunate. And here they are -- middle aged men. And they, and they thank me and joking a lot of them said, Spike, what took you so long?
[00:27:32] Scottie: Right.
[00:27:32] Spike: And they loved the film. So that's -- for me, that's my validation right there. Because these were the cats that were in the jungle.
[00:27:42] Sylvia: Yeah. I also realize that the Vietnam War was the backdrop of your upbringing. You know, like you're -- the time period when you were growing up and --.
[00:27:53] Spike: In '67, I was 10 years old.
[00:27:56] Sylvia: Right. And then it -- the war went on for so long that I sometimes I think back I wonder like what it must have felt like growing up, not knowing when it was ending. Not knowing if you would reach the age where maybe you could get drafted. How did growing up would be -- like that as the backdrop impact you?
[00:28:13] Spike: Thank you for the question. The Vietnam War was a first war that was televised into American homes. Every day local news at 6. If you're in New York, local news at 6, national news at 7. You would see the Vietnam War. Plus, I was seeing the anti-war movement here. So I was really born in the right pocket where I was old enough to see what was happening. But young enough not to be drafted.
[00:28:48] Scottie: And I'd also love to know the greatest lesson you've learned from a Black vet. I mean, a lot of us were raised by Black veterans. I was. And, you know, so was Sylvia.
[00:28:58] Spike: Courage. And again, I'd like to add that this is not the second time I've done about -- a film about Black people fighting the war. I did a film called Miracle [at St. Anna].
[00:29:07] Scottie: Right.
[00:29:09] Spike: Black soldiers, the Buffalo Soldiers, 92nd Division that fought in World War I in Italy against Mussolini's fascists and Hitler's Nazis. So what I learned from speaking those -- for that film, I spoke to a lot of World War II veterans, some have died since Miracle of St. Anna came out. Also, Tuskegee Airmen. And what I learned was the courage that these brothers had. Because they were fighting two wars. They were fighting a war in Vietnam. They were fighting the war in Japan. They were fighting the war in -- in France and Germany. And they were fighting for a country that they loved --.
[00:29:58] Scottie: But didn't love them back.
[00:30:00] Spike: And here we are right in the middle of this uprising. I want to -- I want to make this clear, sisters. I try -- I've slipped sometimes, slip up -- but I try to refrain from using the word riot. I use the word uprising. So what you see today is am uprising all over these United States. And what I see today reminds me of what I saw growing up.
[00:30:29] Sylvia: Speaking of all that's happening in the country right now. I notice you recently tweeted a video montage showing the deaths of Eric Garner, George Floyd and the fictional death of Radio Raheem from Do the Right Thing, with a caption: three brothers. Can you talk about the message you were hoping to convey when you shared that?
[00:30:46] Scottie: The fictional death of Radio Raheem is based upon the death of Michael Stewart in 1983. Michael Stewart was a good friend of Jean-Michel Basquiat, who was a graffiti artist. And he was tagging the 1st Avenue Station and a bunch of New York City transit cops jumped on him. He died in a coma many days later, but they strangled him to death. That's where I got idea for the murder of Radio Raheem by the NYPD. So fast forward. When I saw the death -- the murder of Eric Garner, I called my editor, Barry Brown, who edited many of my films, and he edited Do the Right Thing. Said we got to put something together intercutting between the fictional death of Radio Raheem based upon the real life murder of Michael Stewart. We did that. And then when I saw the murder of our brother, George Floyd.
[00:31:55] Spike: I call my now editor, Adam Good, who’s edited Da 5 Bloods. I said need you to edit Floyd's murder to the murder of Ray Raheem, fictional, but based upon Michael Stewart with a Eric Garner. And I was on Don Lemon's show Sunday night. And that's when we had the world premiere for it.
[00:32:29] Sylvia: Yeah, and I think the exhausting part for a lot of Black people right now is that it's so clear. But there's the conservatives and then there's white people -- even on Twitter that I'll see -- will try to rewrite what's happening already.
[00:32:43] Spike: Don't don't spend your time arguing with people on Twitter.
[00:32:45] Sylvia: Oh, I don't. I definitely do not.
[00:32:48] Scottie: I do. Because I got time. I be having some time.
[00:32:51] Sylvia: That's -- that's Scottie.
[00:32:52] Scottie: [crosstalk] Hello. I have time.
[00:32:53] Sylvia: [crosstalk] That's Scottie you gotta talk to about fighting with the trolls because --.
[00:32:54] Spike: There's sometimes you gotta -- sometimes you feel you gotta put some people in check, right?
[00:32:58] Scottie: Yes. Sometimes you just gotta correct some people because misinformation is the worst -- like, I cannot stand misinformation. So if somebody does have that or decides to do that on social media and it gets retweeted a thousand trillion times, I have to say something. Something has to be said.
[00:33:15] Spike: You're right. You're right. You're absolutely right. My bad.
[00:33:18] Scottie: But I won't go -- I won't go for it. [laughs] Like I say what I need to say and then I'm out. You know what I'm saying? I've got to protect my peace a little bit.
[00:33:25] Spike: Hey. My bad. You have to do right, sister.
[00:33:27] Sylvia: It's a balance.
[00:33:29] Spike: You highlighted in the film Bobby Seale's speech where he recounts the times Black men were on the front lines fighting for something they never got, fighting for something they were never prepared to even get in the first place. I mean, that people weren't prepared to give Black people in the first place, which was freedom. Do you believe we are free? And what does freedom look like to you, Spike?
[00:33:51] Spike: Well, I haven't seen it. We haven't seen it. Since 1619, when our ancestors were brought to Jamestown, Virginia, we have not seen freedom. We've seen glimpses of it. Patches. But how can we say we've seen freedom when we see Black people, they're like snuff films. And then think of all the people who were murdered before the technology and what not. So I don't know how we call ourselves -- okay, let me just say this. I can't -- I'm not speaking for everybody. I'm gonna roll it back. I don't feel free. I cannot feel free when I see with my eyes, even though I wear glasses, I still see it. That's -- I got four eyes!
[00:34:44] Sylvia: [laughs] So you see it even more.
[00:34:44] Spike: I see it twice more.
[00:34:49] Sylvia: Here's what we need, I think, it's a whole different study now. Post slavery stress symptoms. We hear at the year of our Lord 2020, we are still dealing with sl -- stress with slavery. That is still with us! That is the new study. We, as people of color, ancestors of slaves from Mother Africa, we are still dealing with post slavery stress syndrome.
[00:35:36] Sylvia: Yeah.
[00:35:37] Scottie: I agree.
[00:35:38] Sylvia: No, and I think that trauma only multiplies with each and every thing. It's slavery. And then it's trying to -- then it's, you know, the Great Depression hitting us when we already have nothing. And not us -- being able to bring, build generational wealth. Then there's the wars and then there's the civil rights movement. And it's just and, and, and, and. And it's just compiling each other. And I think we see how that trickles down even to the Black family home. You know, I think the -- even the way this film touches on the trauma Black vets buried both literally and figuratively from the Vietnam War, like Scottie mentioned, we both -- like my stepfather, is a vet. And I -- scottie, you mentioned that your --.
[00:36:17] Spike: Vietnam War?
[00:36:18] Sylvia: Yeah. And I think about how, you know, the PTSD of that, even when it's just about how Black men are able to love their families. And after seeing such things like that, did you learn anything or have any thoughts about how all these particular traumas, even if we want to, you know, be specific to Da 5 Bloods and even how we saw some of that with the father and son dynamic, and just being able to love on each other with all that PTSD and trauma that they've experienced.
[00:36:48] Spike: Well, when the soldier came back to me in a war, there was no clinical term, you know post stress syndrome. You know that -- I mean, that, there was no term. So that's something that happened afterwards. And when men and women go to war, that changed your whole life. You don't go to war and come back the same. And that affects you the rest of your life. And for instance, in Da 5 Bloods, the character Paul played by the great, great Delroy Lindo. His character chose not to get help.
[00:37:34] Scottie: Yes. And the language that he uses when he says that he's broken.
[00:37:39] Spike: Yes.
[00:37:40] Scottie: That was -- that tore me up. That tore me up. Because I think a lot of Black people feel that way, especially Black men, and can't find spaces where they can speak like this. Where the only place they could speak like this is with other people who have experienced the same things that they have, which is with his brothers. You know what I'm saying? And I thought that was beautiful and I wanted to know why you decided, as a Black man, to make sure that was captured.
[00:38:08] Spike: That's the story. That's one of the narratives of the brothers, the bloods that came back from the Vietnam War. And I do like to say this, like across the board Vietnam vets when they came back to states white, Black, brown, red, you know, they were vilified, spat upon, cursed, called baby killers.
[00:38:33] Spike: So when soldiers came back from World War II or Korean War, they were not treated like that. And maybe one of the reasons you could say, people knew that the Vietnam War was a moral war. And these guys were just -- I know it's hard to say but, you know, fulfilling their duty for the United States. Sent half around the world to kill the people that is it like -- the film begins with Mohamed Ali saying, you know, no Vietcong -- I don't no beef -- and I'm paraphrasing -- I have not beef cus they never called me nigger.
[00:39:06] Scottie: Right.
[00:39:06] Sylvia: [laughs] No -- yeah. I can't imagine the cycle -- the psychology behind go -- fighting for freedom, risking your life for freedom that you're never going to benefit from.
[00:39:18] Spike: But here's the thing I like to add. And it was just something that we touched upon in the film, sisters, the character Stormin Norman, played by Chadwick Boseman. He references Crispus Attucks, who was the first person to die for this country. A Black man killed in the Boston Massacre. So the point that I want to make putting that in the script, is that we've been dying for this country from day one.
[00:39:53] Scottie: Hello.
[00:39:53] Spike: So what you talked about this feeling about fighting for a country that doesn't love you, we've been feeling that from day one.
[00:40:02] Scottie: Yep.
[00:40:02] Sylvia: Yeah, from the get. And I think the thing, while I feel like a lot of Black trau -- like a lot of the things that Black men and women have to experience, we all, like it doesn't, it doesn't cater to like, you know, the cops are killing Black men and Black women. You know, I mean, a lot of these things hit both of us. But I do think one of the things that is very specific to Black men, especially of that time, is that they were draft -- you know they had to fight for a country with no choice. Or, you know, like or their choice is to go to jail or their choice of this other thing. So it's like, I can't even imagine -- like I can't even fathom that.
[00:40:36] Spike: Go to jail or go to Canada. Virgil Goode and.
[00:40:38] Scottie: Yeah. Right.
[00:40:39] Sylvia: [laughs] Shout out to the ones that got away. Stay up. But like.
[00:40:43] Spike: And to piggyback on your thought, sister, during the height of the Vietnam War, the African-American population was only 11 percent. But at the height of the Vietnam war, almost a third of the fighting force were Black. How is it that we're 11 percent American population, but almost a third of the fighting forces in Vietnam during the height of the war? And they sent our Black asses to the front line. So it is easy to compare the Vietnam War -- they say it's a virus -- to Corona. Because the Vietnam War, we say it's a virus, we had more injuries or fatalities than anybody else. And it's the same thing with Corona. Where you know, Black and brown people are, you know, over index.
[00:41:38] Sylvia: I want to touch on the fact that this film is not subtle or does not shy away at all from the gore of this war. And, you know, it's very violent. The camera did not turn away at moments when I think it might. Why was it important for you to make sure that you did not soften the violence or the gore at all? And what do you suggest for maybe people who may be triggered by it? You know because we're dealing with so much violence -- violence still as Black people in America.
[00:42:08] Spike: Well, war is hell. And I think what's more dangerous is gratuitous violence. And I want to show it the way it is. Not gratuitous, you know, not people shooting, people laughing about it and, you know, that type of stuff.
[00:42:27] Sylvia: Yeah.
[00:42:28] Scottie: Since you mentioned Crispus Attucks, because your movies are timeless, you have educated and immortalize like many Black leaders for kids like me. The reason why I've learned so much about Black leaders and actually, you know, decided to be as pro-Black as I am is because of most of your films, Spike. So as a Black filmmaker or even a creator, should it be a choice or an obligation to inform the next generation on our Black leaders?
[00:42:59] Spike: That's a great question. And when I was young -- younger -- and somewhat immature, I thought that all Black artists had to do the same thing. Now, I'm 63 years old, I hope a little wiser, and everybody has their own path. So my mother told me at a very young age, my late dear mother told me at a very young age, that all Black people were not one monolithic group. We don't all think alike, look alike, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. And artists are human beings. And they make the choices. Here's the thing, though. Artists are people. People make the choices they make and they have to live with the consequences of their choice.
[00:44:00] Scottie: Yeah.
[00:44:00] Spike: So I no longer will say, you know, like you should be doing this, doing this. You know, I can't do that. I stopped doing that. You know, I mean me and Tyler Perry are cool. We're mad cool. If we had a beef, you'd think that he'd invited me down to Atlanta and show me what my name is on one of the stages?
[00:44:21] Sylvia: Now, I love that moment. I've seen that.
[00:44:22] Scottie: [crosstalk] Woo! Y'all gonna make me cry.
[00:44:24] Spike: Tyler and I are mad cool. It's low.
[00:44:27] Scottie: Right.
[00:44:27] Sylvia: I love that you talked about like, you touched on Black people not being a monolith, because I think that that's definitely something we see even, I think that a lot of that comes to like we're all unpacking the craziness of having to live in like a skin that's viewed as a weapon, in our own ways and how we try to relate to that in this country. I mean, we're seeing that even now with the debates about how to vote. Do we vote? How do we get the Democratic Party to respect our vote? And how do we do all these other things? I think the film also touches on that a bit with the Paul character, who made a Trump supporter. And I have to ask you about that. And like what -- if this is the message you are trying to continue also because, I mean, somebody who loves me some Delroy Lindo, love the good fight. But that's like he's a real character. There's Black people out there right now still rooting for him in the midst of all of these protests that were happening. And I think a lot of us are having a hard time making sense of that. So how do you make sense of it even?
[00:45:27] Spike: Well, I referred earlier to what my mother, my dear late mother, told about Black people, not one monolithic group.
[00:45:34] Sylvia: Right.
[00:45:35] Spike: So all these guys can't think the same. So Kevin Wilmott and I, my co-writer, we thought about was the most extreme thing we can do for a character [laughs], and we said, let this guy be a supporter of Agent Orange. You know, he drank the orange Kool-Aid. Shout out the Busta Rhymes. He's the one that came with that term Agent Orange. [laughter] And I think that the numbers show that only a very, very small percentage of Black folks voted for Agent Orange, the last president -- president election. This one, I think, is going to be less. But the fact is, there are some. You can not say that every single Black person who can vote, there's not at least one person who's voted for this guy.
[00:46:26] Scottie: I keep you 100 with you, right now. My grandfather voted for Trump.
[00:46:30] Spike: Yeah?
[00:46:30] Scottie: We fought.
[00:46:31] Spike: Why? [laughter] What did he tell you? When you tried to put your grandfather on blast, what'd he say?
[00:46:36] Scottie: I did. I had to put my grandfather. He --
[00:46:39] Sylvia: I'm gonna say, clearly, this is revenge. But like -- [laughs].
[00:46:42] Scottie: No, I love him. But he kept talking about jobs and how we need more jobs. And, you know, Trump is going to give us more jobs and jobs and employing and jobs. And that's all that he kept saying. But my grandfather, you know, was raised in a different time and I try to give --.
[00:47:03] Spike: Was he raised in the South?
[00:47:05] Scottie: Yes, he's raised in the South.
[00:47:07] Spike: There you go. There's something there too.
[00:47:09] Scottie: Yeah. And, you know, I try to give him grace, but I don't let him off the hook. He now knows he's made the biggest mistake of his life. Ever. When we have the conversation, because I never let him forget it because, you know, Black women did their thing. You know, I just like to point out.
[00:47:28] Sylvia: We did.
[00:47:28] Scottie: Black woman did their thing with it. We --.
[00:47:33] Spike: And -- thank you for sharing that story.
[00:47:34] Scottie: Yeah. I just need to be honest.
[00:47:35] Spike: There's a way that we as Black people can disagree. And it's not about shouting and this is not like. Let me explain to you where --.
[00:47:49] Scottie: You went wrong.
[00:47:51] Spike: I'm thinking. And then tell me why are you thinking that?
[00:47:54] Scottie: Right.
[00:47:54] Spike: Also, speaking of love, I think that, you know, one of the things we really appreciated with how you made an effort to show Black men love on each other and Black men tackled the topic --.
[00:48:05] Spike: That was deliberate.
[00:48:07] Sylvia: Talk about the -- talk about your intention there.
[00:48:09] Spike: Well, a lot of times we don't see Black men love each other. And I'm talking, I'm not talking about a physical loveo. I'm talking about a spiritual love. And a lot of times we've been raised as Black men not to show emotion, to cry. We treat ourselves like that. Boy, why are you crying?
[00:48:32] Scottie: Right.
[00:48:33] Spike: And that stuff is generational, is passed down and down and down where I understand the thinking, where like we can't we can't afford to show any weakness. We got to be strong all the time. But that takes a toll where you're raised and showing your emotions is phrased as weakness. That's being a punk. You know, so we still have a lot of issues with Black masculinity, you know. That's you know, I'm not -- you know, this and I'm not telling you, educated -- edumacated sisters [laughter] that are like -- that you know, already. You know, we got issues.
[00:49:17] Scottie: Right. You know. And then I just say this, too. I'll ask this and then we can just -- but at the end of the movie, you quoted one of my favorite people ever, which is Langston Hughes, trying not to cry. America never was America to me. And yet, I swear this oath, America will be. Surely a quote that rings true today, but what does that quote mean to you, Spike?
[00:49:46] Spike: I think that our ancestors were stolen from Mother Africa. 1619, the first slave ship landed in Jamestown. Virginia. United States -- the foundation of United States of America was stealing the land from the Native people, genocide of Native people and slavery. That is the motherfucking foundation of the United States of America. Anybody says, love it or leave it, fuck them. We're not going back. We're go back to visit. But we're not en masse going to leave this country. We built this country. We built this country. We have died for this country. We -- as you see in this film, Crispus Attucks was the first person to die for the United States of America. A Black man. So we got blood, sweat and tears in this country. And that is why we have fought and died for his country, for the promise! For the promise! Which Langston Hughes is talking about in that poem, which was quoted by Dr. Martin Luther King, at a speech at Riverside Church April 4th, 1967. And he was assassinated to the date a year later. So this is our country. And the struggle continues till we can get our freedom.
[00:51:23] Scottie: Thank you so much, Spike, for that. Thank you. Thank you for sitting with us. Thank you for talking to us.
[00:51:30] Spike: You know what? Let me say this though. Why it got to be on a movie? Why you got to have a movie to be on your show?
[00:51:35] Sylvia: Oh! [laughs].
[00:51:37] Scottie: [crosstalk] Spike, please now. You can always come. That's --
[00:51:38] Sylvia: [crosstalk] Spike, you are always welcome back. You know, you are what, a top three guess.
[00:51:46] Spike: Top three.
[00:51:46] Sylvia: First three out the gate.
[00:51:48] Spike: All right. So. So we don't have to wait for my next film will be to come back right?
[00:51:53] Scottie: [crosstalk] No. Please come back anytime.
[00:51:55] Sylvia: No. And you know what I said, I'm on Dean Street. Come on. Just yell up. [laughs]
[00:51:59] Scottie: Come on down. I'm in Newark, so it's a bit different.
[00:52:02] Spike: Oh, you're in Bricktown.
[00:52:05] I'm in Brick City. So I'm not --
[00:52:07] Spike: Brick City. She's in Bed Stuy, do or die. And I'm in Fort Greene. The Fort.
[00:52:12] Sylvia: Yes. [laughs].
[00:52:13] Scottie: Thank you much Spike.
[00:52:15] Spike: BK!
[00:52:15] Scottie: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for you doing this.
[00:52:16] Sylvia: Yes, thank you. Anytime you want.
[00:52:18] Spike: Please, ladies, listeners. Please be safe. We need you.
[00:52:22] Sylvia: Thank you.
[00:52:22] Scottie: Yeah. We will.
[00:52:23] [Music In]
[00:52:27] Scottie: All right, now is the time where we've put you on to some new, new shit. Sylvia. What are you recommending this week?
[00:52:36] Sylvia: Okay. So keepin in this episode's theme of talking to Black men and brotherhood and fathers and all of that, I wanted to recommend a product this week that works as much for men as it does for women. And that is REN's Clean Skincare's Toner. It's called Ready, Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic. And this is not an ad, I must say. Just get that out there. It's not. But it is a life tip that will get you glowing for the rest of your days.
[00:53:03] Scottie: Please. Wash your face.
[00:53:06] Sylvia: Wash your face. Tone it. And moisturize it.
[00:53:09] Scottie: [crosstalk] Tone it, Lord. Yes.
[00:53:12] Sylvia: If you're a Black man, even those three steps should be in your routine. You're welcome. You're welcome. How about you, Scottie? What you got?
[00:53:20] Scottie: Well, aside from I want to put gel on the protecting Black woman, I also want to put you on to, you know, holding y'all accountable. But, well, I want to put y'all on to accountability. How about -- [laughter] But aside from that, aside from that, there is an Instagram called Therapy for Black Men. It's on Instagram but they also have a website called TherapyforBlackMen.org, where you can find a therapist to talk to. They do advance searches. You know, you can join -- if you are a therapist. Please join to help these Black men out. There are tons of Black men that I do know and some that I don't that I know, for a fact, need therapy. And that's not a bad thing. We all need therapy. We all need somebody to talk to. We all need to go after and help and work on our mental health wellness. So I just want us to -- not us, y'all Black men, to actually take initiative and seek therapy. #please #okay now listen if you need some help with trying to find one, I will try to help you, sir. Please.
[00:54:37] Sylvia: [crosstalk] You're gonna do the work, I see.
[00:54:37] Scottie: [crosstalk] I will show you how. Of course, I will --.
[00:54:39] Sylvia: I mean find a therapist yourself. You got the phone right in your hand. I get it. It's hard, but they like -- you just gave them the resource to do it. Like.
[00:54:45] Scottie: I know. I know. Now, see, that's me. That's okay.
[00:54:48] Sylvia: That's what we do.
[00:54:49] Scottie: Yes.
[00:54:50] Sylvia: There you go again.
[00:54:51] Scottie: There we go. But --.
[00:54:52] Sylvia: [crosstalk] I like it.
[00:54:53] Scottie: Glow from inside out. Just like Sylvia said.
[00:54:55] Sylvia: We got you from -- We've got you covered from the front and on the inside.
[00:54:59] Scottie: Right.
[00:54:59] Sylvia: The outside and the inside cus both need to be good. Both --.
[00:55:02] Scottie: Hello.
[00:55:02] Sylvia: Both ain't cute. It ain't. You ain't gonna -- you know I ain't trying make you my baby daddy. And that's just the facts of it.
[00:55:07] Scottie: Hello.
[00:55:09] Sylvia: All right. That's our show. Thank you all for tuning in.
[00:55:14] Scottie: Our show is a production of Pineapple's Street Studios in partnership with Netflix and Strong Black Lead. Shout out to our team. Executive Producers Agarenesh Ashgre and Jasmyn Lawson. Our Lead Producer is Jess Jupiter. And our music is by Amanda Jones. Special thanks to Max Linsky and Jenna Weiss-Berman.
[00:55:33] Sylvia: Make sure you share all of your thoughts with us on this episode using the #okay now listen, follow Strong Black Lead on the socials @StrongBlackLead. And follow us too. I'm @SylviaObelle.
[00:55:46] Scottie: And I'm @ScottieBeam.
[00:55:48] Sylvia: Until next time folks, stay blessed.
[00:55:51] [Music Out]