The Nod

For Colored Nerds is back! And to kick things off, Brittany and Eric sit down with actor Jay Ellis, who plays the most divisive character on Insecure — Lawrence. He told us all about his thoughts on Lawrence, what it’s meant to play such a controversial character, and what’s in store for the rest of Insecure’s fifth and final season. To get your weekly dose of Brittany and Eric, be sure to subscribe to For Colored Nerds wherever you listen to podcasts! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Girlfriends, Insecure, Uncorked — what do they have in common? Executive Producer and Director Prentice Penny of course! Today, Prentice talks about his origins on Girlfriends, Insecure's Emmy noms, and the need for more Black writers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sundance award winning director Radha Blank joins B + E to discuss her debut film, The 40-Year-Old Version, produced by Lena Waithe. She shares why Spike Lee and New York City play a major influence on her work.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What do candidates Pence and Harris have to lose, and what do they have to prove? Political commentator Shawna Thomas reveals how the VP candidates and the debate moderator have prepared for one of the most important moments of the campaign season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With New York Comic-Con going remote, Eric talks with internet sensation, Korra — ahem — Kiera Please about its most beloved tradition: cosplay. They talk Blackness, anime's mainstream re-brand, and she even helps Eric with a Halloween surprise.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The New Orleans Queen of Bounce, Big Freedia, has a lot on her plate! From a doc about gun violence to a brand new cooking show; she tells us how she’s using her platform to shine a light on the culture and the most pressing issues of her city. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brittany and Eric put the internet's most controversial gossip blog in the hot seat. Is The Shade Room good for the Blacks? Author George Johnson discusses The Shade Room's place in Black celebrity gossip and internet culture at large. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NYT best selling author Michael Arceneaux chats with Brittany and Eric about his latest book, I Don't Want to Die Poor, and the untold emotional toll of student debt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Actress La La Anthony tells B + E all about 'The Chi', her journey as an actress, and how she seeks to uplift Black women with her work as a producer. Plus: La La shares which 'Power' character would make a killing on OnlyFans. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brittany and Eric discuss the unprecedented decision of numerous athletes to strike in the wake of the Jacob Blake shooting in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Aminé’s 2nd album Limbo released this month and is already being heralded as his best work to date. The invigorating rising star takes a moment from his wild videos and hectic schedule to reflect with Brittany and Eric on The Nod Show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Senator Kamala Harris made history when she became the first Black Woman to run for Vice President on the Democratic ticket. Brittany and Eric reflect on this moment and hear reactions from some friends of the show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

POSE star Angelica Ross talks about merging activism with all parts of her life. From working on a show that employs transgender cast and crew to enriching lives through her work in the tech space, she shares her life's mission to uplift her community. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Photographer Mel D. Cole is known for capturing some of the most famous faces in hip hop, but now he's using his skills to document what's happening on the front lines of America's civil unrest and protests. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hip hop mogul Master P joins Brittany and Eric to talk about his new BET docuseries “No Limit Chronicles” and how his No Limit Enterprises has become an icon for Black generational wealth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

George Floyd’s death inspired an uprising, but there has been a lack of attention given to Breonna Taylor, another life lost to police brutality. Brittany and Eric speak with Andrea Ritchie about the need to demand justice for Black women. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NPR's Sam Sanders joins Brittany and Eric for a conversation about how mainstream newsrooms are covering these unprecedented times—and how they need to do much better. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

More people are beginning to declare “abolish the police”. It’s not a new position, but it’s still largely misunderstood. We’re joined by Bilphena Yahwon, a dedicated abolitionist, who explains why she thinks we shouldn’t dismiss the concept. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eric and journalist Errin Haines discuss how the current state of upheaval in our country might affect Senator Kamala Harris' chances of becoming Biden's VP running mate. Will voters, now focused on police brutality, support a former prosecutor? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Black journalists are speaking out against the racist culture of their employers, leading to the departure of some of media's highest-ranked executives. Journalist Wesley Lowery joins us to discuss this trend and how he hopes the industry can change. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the heels of the bombshell documentary “On the Record,” which details the reported sexual abuse of Black women at the hands of Russell Simmons, two of his accusers, Sherri Sher and Drew Dixon, join The Nod to share their personal stories. The conversation continues around the documentary as activist and accuser, Sil Lai Abrams, and author and journalist Dr. Joan Morgan discuss the allegations against Russell Simmons and the practice of silencing of women in hip hop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kendrick Sampson dishes on the explosive season finale of Insecure, his new film Miss Juneteenth, and reminds us that we all have a role in the fight for Black liberation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Amid a still raging global pandemic, the nation has been reeling over the most recent spate of killings of Black people at the hands of police. Brittany and Eric sit down to process their feelings and memorialize the lives we lost. #BlackLivesMatter Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this final episode of The Nod podcast, Brittany and Eric take some AMA questions from listeners and each other. As they prepare to embark on their newest journey (a daily video show on Quibi), the friends reflect on what it has been like to work together over the last few years, and make some recommendations for podcasts to listen to once you've exhausted the entire archive of The Nod. And this isn't goodbye! Sign up for updates on the new daily Quibi show The Nod with Brittany & Eric at thenod.show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nod podcast is coming to an end, and this week we are looking back at some of the highlights from the last 2.5 years of the show! It’s just like the moment right before Will turns out the lights in the empty living room at the Banks house. In this jam-packed clip show, Brittany and Eric take a trip down memory lane, and talk about how some of your favorite episodes of The Nod came together. Be sure to come back next week for the final episode of The Nod podcast! And sign up for updates on the new Quibi show The Nod with Brittany and Eric at thenod.show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Saidu Tejan-Thomas Jr. was born in Sierra Leone, and when he was eight years old, his mom brought him to live with her in the States. Then, when he was a teenager, his mom got sick and passed away. In the years since, Saidu has struggled with how distant he felt from his mom, often using poetry to work through his feelings. On this week's show, a beautiful story about the infinite gratitude--and resentment--we can feel for the parents who gave us everything. Plus, an update about our podcast. "Borders Between Us" was produced by Saidu Tejan-Thomas Jr. and Jay Allison for the public radio website transom.org. The story was made possible by funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week's BONUS, Brittany and Eric discuss their intentions for the coming year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We reunite members of Crime Mob to get the inside story of Knuck If You Buck, the club anthem that defined the crunk era and took them from high school kids to rap legends. All tea, no shade—straight from the people who lived it: Diamond, Princess and Lil Jay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, Brittany gets personal as she sits down with author and poet Bassey Ikpi to talk about her new book, I'm Telling the Truth, but I'm Lying. In the book Bassey re-examines her life through the lens of her mental health and diagnosis of bipolar II.* This episode of The Nod contains mentions of suicide and serious mental health issues, and may not be suitable for all of our listeners. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Watchmen, the new superhero drama from HBO, contains some of the sharpest and most deliberate commentary on race currently on television. This week, Eric sits down with Watchmen writer Cord Jefferson (The Good Place, Succession) to talk about how Jefferson approached crafting Watchmen's explosive sixth episode, and what makes the show so singular in its unflinching look at race in America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The movie "White Chicks" may have made critics— and honestly, the world —cringe, but Brittany delivers her treatise on why the film deserves a second look.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Friday, the 1995 comedy starring Ice Cube and the late, great, John Witherspoon, is one of Eric’s all-time favorite movies. But during a recent re-watch, he noticed some deeply unsettling themes that lay in stark contrast to the film’s cheery, comical tone. Can Eric convince Brittany that the cruelty he sees in Friday is real? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Gimlet podcast, Mogul, is back with a new host and a new season about Miami hip hop and the infamous 2 Live Crew. Brittany and Eric invite the new host of the show, Brandon "Jinx" Jenkins, into the studio to learn more about what led this season of Mogul to the 305. And Brittany and Brandon go head to head in a special Miami themed round of Six Degrees of Black Separation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Weddings, school dances, birthday parties for your great auntie—if you’re having a big function, the Cha Cha Slide is going to be on the playlist. But how did the Cha Cha slide become so ubiquitous? Brittany teams up with the Gimlet fam over at Every Little thing to find out. Get ready to learn everything you’ve ever wanted to know about the Cha Cha Slide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What if we told you that every fad diet, fashion editorial, and #fitspo post on social media could all be traced back to racist pseudoscience? In this episode, Brittany is joined by Sabrina Strings, sociologist and author of Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia, whose groundbreaking research parses the intersection of thinness, whiteness, and beauty ideals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On August 5th, 2019, the world lost one of the best of us in Toni Morrison. For Brittany, just being able to grow up in a world where Toni Morrison existed felt like a gift. This week, a special episode from our friends at The Cut On Tuesdays featuring Brittany and other Black women sharing their experiences of growing up with the beloved writer. Featuring: Zoe Haylock, Aminatou Sow, Glory Edim, Kaitlyn Greenidge, Angela TK, and Ashley C. Ford. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brittany and Eric face off against listeners in their favorite game: Six Degrees of Black Separation. Thug tears are shed, hair is snatched and Black history is made. RELATED LINKS: -Twitter thread: Celebrities describing how good Rihanna smells -Additional music in the show is by Takstar  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eric tells Brittany the story of Elouise Westbrook, a legendary housing rights activist in the Bayview-Hunters Point neighborhood of San Francisco who never, ever took no for an answer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brittany and Eric share a new episode of Mogul that's a tribute to the life and career of Reggie Ossé. Reggie hosted the first season of Mogul and he had a personality and a presence that was truly larger than life. A couple of months after completing the show, Reggie was diagnosed with colon cancer and he passed away in December of 2017. The folks at Mogul are going to tell you Reggie’s story — his early days growing up a hip-hop head in Brooklyn, his time as a lawyer representing legendary artists like Jay-Z and Dame Dash and his reinvention as Combat Jack, hip hop’s flagship podcaster. Subscribe to Mogul on Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Two years ago Eric was faced with a dilemma. He hosts a podcast about Black culture. He went to an HBCU. But when it came to choosing a school for his daughter, he wasn’t sure if an Afrocentric education was the right choice. So he decided to go on a journey to learn more about Afrocentric education. Find out what happened, and stay tuned for an update on how Eve is doing two years in. This episode is part of our summer podcast club series. We’ve put together a handy guide on how to organize your own podcast club. For more information, visit thenod.show/podcastclub. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Earlier this year, Brittany finally discovered the steamy, sensual world of romance novels that center Black women. A fire was lit, and she had to know more. So Brittany got schooled on the history of Black women in romance by experts Bim Adewunmi and Nichole Perkins of the Thirst Aid Kit podcast. And Brittany also spoke with the woman who made her fall in love with romance novels in the first place, New York Times bestselling author Jasmine Guillory. Stick around after the episode to get an update from Jasmine about her third book, The Wedding Party, get the lowdown her recently announced fourth book, and hear how she’s learning to have her cake and eat it, too. This episode is part of our summer podcast club series. We’ve put together a handy guide on how to organize your own podcast club! For more information, visit thenod.show/podcastclub. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In our last conversation with Michael Twitty, the chef and culinary historian told us all about his “Southern Discomfort Tour.” The tour, which he wrote about in his book, “The Cooking Gene,” involved travelling the south and cooking on plantations using the same methods that his enslaved ancestors would have used. (He even did it dressed as they would have dressed.) Since our conversation, Michael has won two James Beard awards  — the Oscar’s of the food world! — for his book and food writing. In a follow-up to our original episode, Brittany calls Michael to hear all about what it was like to win the food world’s highest honor, his recent travels all over Africa, and his unfiltered opinions on collard greens. This episode is part of our summer podcast club series. We’ve put together a handy guide on how to organize your own podcast club. For more information, visit thenod.show/podcastclub. Also, make sure to check out Michael Twitty’s book, “The Cooking Gene: A Journey Through African American Culinary History in the Old South.”  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Each week this August, we’re updating some of our most thought-provoking episodes. This week: writer Casey Gerald reflects on what we lose when we buy into the promise of the American dream. We first talked to Casey about his book “There Will Be No Miracles Here,” back in November of 2018. At the end of the episode, there's a very special update from from Casey, including the realization that he was thinking about freedom, and how we get free, all wrong. We want to encourage you to discuss these episodes with friends and family, too, so we’ve put together a handy guide on how to organize your own podcast club. It’s like a book club, but for podcasts. Visit thenod.show/podcastclub for more info. Recommendations from Casey: Chani Nicholas workshops "Awakening the Three Psychic Knots" meditation "An Ecstatic Experience" by Ja'Tovia Gary Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Was T-Pain’s heavily autotuned music totally genius… or the death knell of hip-hop as we knew it? In this edition of Vindication Court, Brittany tries to convince Judge Eric that T-Pain’s use of autotune was not only artistically ambitious, but that it changed music forever-- for the better. But with autotune’s many detractors, this case won’t be an easy one. Will T-Pain’s spin on autotune finally get the recognition it deserves? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Video game consoles were super boring in the early days: you could only switch between a few basic, built-in games — no Super Mario Bros, Sonic the Hedgehog or Legend of Zelda. But that all changed thanks to the contributions of a man named Jerry Lawson. Brittany tells Eric the story of the man who helped make video gaming way more fun, paving the way for the video game industry as we know it today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eric talks with Ed O’Bannon, a former professional basketball player whose landmark lawsuit forced a national conversation on whether the NCAA should pay college athletes. It’s a conversation with massive implications for the thousands of unpaid Black athletes whose work makes millions of dollars for their colleges. Strangely, all this started with a video game. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The turbulence and violence of the late 1980s pushed hip-hop away from its party music roots, giving birth to a new subgenre: conscious rap. Groups like and Public Enemy and artists like KRS-One became stars, creating music that emphasized pro-Black political messaging. But just as conscious rap was reaching its height, one song threatened to bring the whole movement crashing down. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brittany talks to Jimmie Fails, star and co-creator of the award-winning film, “The Last Black Man in San Francisco”, about about the meaning of home, starring in his first movie, and what it was like to grow up in “the Harlem of the West”.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Rachel Wilkerson Miller is a lifestyle writer who has made it her mission to help people find ways to take better care of themselves—whether through meal prep, DIY projects, or learning how to use a dot journal to track mental health. But the concept of self care didn’t really click for her until her own life took an unexpected turn. In this installment of Get Yo Life, Rachel tells Brittany how she found joy in the least likely of places—and gives practical tips for small ways to improve your life in a big way. https://www.rachelwmiller.com/ Additional Music Credits by Calid B and Bobby Lord Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

June is Black Music Month, so Brittany and Eric decided to celebrate with a music-themed edition of Six Degrees of Black Separation… with a twist: the loser has to write and perform a song on a topic of the winner’s choosing. Will Eric FINALLY belt out that R&B slow jam about Oprah Winfrey’s Legends Ball? Will Brittany pen a ballad about The Real Housewives of Atlanta? Listen to find out! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Vindication Court is where we decide whether to redeem people or things that are reviled and ridiculed by the culture. On today’s docket: snap music. Eric tries to prove that snap music was falsely accused of being a stain on hip hop. But will Judge Brittany give snap music the redemption it deserves?  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Following the release of the biggest superhero film to date, Avengers: Endgame, Brittany makes the case that Oprah has already made a superhero movie that puts ALL others to shame. The Nod goes deep into Oprah’s Legend’s Ball, which features some of the greatest real life heroes of our time. Additional songs featured in the show were “Bam Bam” by Calid B, and "Against the Wall” by Cedric Wilson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Erika Alexander, who found fame as Maxine Shaw on the classic sitcom Living Single, details what it was really like to rise to fame with the Cosby Show in the 80s, ride the crest of the Golden Era of Black TV in the 90s, and navigate Hollywood as a Black actress after that Black entertainment boom went bust in the 2000s. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Food writer Nicole A. Taylor introduces Eric to a simple yet fancy dessert that helps her stay connected with her Southern roots. And Brittany tells a story about a little known woman from history who had the freshest collection of wigs, and even better comebacks.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Good for the Blacks returns! This week, we take a fresh look at the latest Kardashian feud with Jordyn Woods, a trusted family friend accused of fooling around with Tristan Thompson, Khloe Kardashian’s boyfriend. The Kardashians tried to destroy Jordyn’s reputation, but Jordyn had a secret weapon in Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith. Will anyone come out on top? BuzzFeed News entertainment reporter Sylvia Obell joins Brittany and Eric to determine if this feud is Good for the Blacks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Della Reese deserves a showstopping biopic for the ages, packed with drama and triumph-- and maybe a fistfight or two-- but one has never been made. This week, Eric gives Brittany three reasons why the real life story of everyone’s favorite guardian angel deserves the silver screen treatment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A woman tries to befriend a robot, but when things don’t go as planned, she decides to take matters into her own hands. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Growing up, a young woman and her dad bonded over their love of basketball. But there was one game she knew they could never talk about. And for years she never asked. But when his health took a turn for the worse, she decided to ask the question she never dared. This week’s story is from The Nod’s editor, Emanuele Berry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week Eric talks with Cord Jefferson, a writer for NBC’s The Good Place, about how Blackness is depicted in the afterlife (Eric’s Chidi Anagonye standom is also discussed). Later, Eric tells Brittany the legendary story of a little-known Black cowboy that’s better than any tall tale. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We are gathered here today to celebrate the life of sister Mabel Madea Simmons. The iconic character, created and played by Tyler Perry, is being retired after 20 years of captivating and aggravating audiences on stage and screen. Join us as we gather with some special guests (including Jason Parham of Wired Magazine) to reflect on Madea’s life and legacy with a funeral service at the Nod-to-God Holy Tabernacle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This Black History month has been whack, but The Nod is still ready to celebrate with an epic game of Six Degrees of Black Separation. Will Eric and Mack embarrass the ancestors or will they redeem BHM for us all? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Romance novels usually conjure images of blonde Fabio wannabees and pale, busty princesses. But Brittany recently discovered a steamy, sensual world of romance novels that center Black women. What can these books offer Black women that other media can’t? Brittany talks to Bim Adewunmi and Nichole Perkins of the podcast Thirst Aid Kit and NYT best selling author, Jasmine Guillory, to find out. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A new kind of treatment for PTSD, MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, may be just a few years away from legalization. What could it do for Black patients struggling with trauma? Brittany speaks to one woman about her experience with MDMA in therapy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eric walks us through the life of Father Divine, a Black man who believed he was God, amassed thousands of followers all over the world, and became the biggest cult religious leader you’ve likely never heard of. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Producer Simone Polanen thought she knew her little sister well, until she discovered a major part of her sister’s identity that she knew nothing about. When Simone confronts her sister, the conversation gets heated. This month, we're sharing some of Brittany and Eric's most memorable episodes of The Nod so far. This week is Brittany's pick: "Sister, Sister". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eric's always had an affinity for Polo Ralph Lauren. But he discovers a group of boosters in Brooklyn that took their love for Polo to another level. This month, we're sharing some of Brittany and Eric's most memorable episodes of The Nod so far. This week is Eric's pick: "On That Lo Life $hit". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Every New Year, Brittany makes a list of intentions for how to live her life in the coming year. Last year, Eric was skeptical of the process. This year, he is a willing participant. In this week's BONUS, Brittany and Eric discuss their intentions for 2019. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brittany and Eric were recently guests on The Upgrade podcast's first ever live show, where the theme for the night was "How to Fail". In this week's BONUS, we are sharing an excerpt from that show, where they discuss each other's biggest failures and play a work inspired game of Never Have I Ever. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"If Beale Street Could Talk" and "A Star Is Born" are two of the biggest films out this year, and they’re both dramatic romance epics. Eric and Brittany dig into a spoiler-free conversation about how these movies get viewers to root for the love at the center of the story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The beef between rap titans Cardi B and Nicki Minaj consumed the news this year. Shoes have been thrown, emails leaked, political candidates endorsed, and Harriet Tubman’s queenhood questioned. We consult comedian Nore Davis and associate editor at Vulture Hunter Harris to determine whether the beef is Good For The Blacks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A little-known story of how one woman stood up to one of the most powerful men in American history. Her story comes to us from Uncivil, a history podcast from Gimlet where they go back to the time our divisions turned into a war, and bring you stories left out of the official history.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week's BONUS, we have a conversation with Lindsay Peoples Wagner, Teen Vogue's newest editor-in-chief. Last summer, Wagner wrote Everywhere and Nowhere: What its really like to be black and work in fashion, where she interviewed more than 100 people about their experiences in the fashion industry. She talked about putting together that piece, and her own experiences in the fashion world with Molly Fischer, the host of Gimlet's newest podcast The Cut on Tuesdays. In this extended cut of their conversation, Wagner talks to Fischer about who has all the power in fashion, how hard it is to get your foot in the door, and the time one of her bosses asked her if her parents had been in slavery. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brittany schools Eric on the true nature of romantic male leads, from Marcus in "Boomerang" to Lance in "The Best Man." And she pays special tribute to a prince charming from "Living Single" who’s never gotten his due. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Writer and thinker Casey Gerald reflects on what we lose when we buy into the promise of the American dream. In his new book, “There Will Be No Miracles Here,” Gerald unravels his origin story, which was previously held up as a “rags to riches” tale, and tells his truth, which is much more complicated. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You’ve heard of the Little Rock Nine, but what about the Memphis 13? Eric talks to a man whose parents put him on the front lines of the battle for public school desegregation.... when he was only five years old.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week's bonus outtakes, Brittany explains why Disneyland is the best place to get drunk, and Eric dabbles in the occult. We are back next week with a new episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Writer Hannah Giorgis grew up eating lasagna the Ethiopian way, and she shows Brittany why that is the BEST way. Plus, author Michael Arceneaux describes his new book I Can't Date Jesus as "learning how to ho without the fear of God." He tells Brittany how he gets his life. MUSIC Music by Calid B, Cedric Wilson and Takstar. RELATED LINKS Check out Hannah's recipe for Ethiopian lasagna. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eric has a story about the biggest celebrity wedding you’ve never heard of. And Brittany plays a game that brings together Trina, WB sitcom stars, Tyler Perry, wig lines and Whitney Houston’s goddaughter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

BONUS: This week, Brittany and The Nod's producer Mack sit down to talk about a life-changing event… seeing Beyoncé in concert.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kunta Kinte, Geordi LaForge, and Reading Rainbow. LeVar Burton has given the world so much. On this episode, Brittany and Eric give him something back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Autumn loves to play The Sims. The life simulation game gives the 15-year-old an escape from her difficult home life. But after something terrible happens, the line between the game and real life starts to blur. Producer Wallace Mack brings us this week’s story on the journey to find peace amid tragedy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For years, KalaLea experiences painful periods that keep her in bed for days at a time. As she tries to figure out what’s happening to her body, she discovers that she has a condition that disproportionately affects Black women. This is the story of how KalaLea listened closely to her own body and made her doctors listen, too. This week’s story comes from the Bodies podcast. After the show, KalaLea joins Brittany in the studio to share advice on how to better advocate for your own wellness.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brittany and Eric sit down for a conversation with Boots Riley to discuss his first feature film, the critically acclaimed Sorry to Bother You. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A woman comes to the Nod Bureau of Investigation (NBI) with a mystery that only a Black person could have. Brittany and her team of detectives embark on a search for a long lost childhood memento and become entangled in a web of Internet k-holes and clandestine Facebook groups. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What foods do you associate with Black culture? Eric’s friend makes him a sugary treat with surprising connections to the Congo. Plus, Brittany talks to a woman who helps breathe new life into people… literally. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Kenan Thompson is the longest-tenured cast member in Saturday Night Live’s history, and one of the funniest. But his acting hasn’t landed him an Emmy nomination… until now. Eric makes an impassioned plea for Emmy voters to recognize Kenan’s mastery of the craft. And we revisit some of Kenan’s best moments on classic shows like Kenan & Kel and All That. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Every year, descendants of both enslaved people and slave owners come together for a family reunion. The darker side of their shared past remains hidden underneath the celebrations and pleasantries. Until one year, when Ever Lee Hairston says two words that break decades of silence. To commemorate our 1 year anniversary, we’ll be playing the hits, as determined by you, all month. The people voted, and here we have it— the final installment of Best of The Nod series, "The Hairston’s" Parts 1 &2. We'll be back next week with a NEW episode! Music in this episode from: Tyler Strickland, Bobby Lord, Golden Gram, Jupyter, Takstar and Nick From Islands. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There was once a grocery store in Chicago that Black folks LOVED. And that grocery store made one of the most iconic commercials the city has ever seen. We hear the story behind that commercial. Plus, what does it mean to “buy Black?” And how… practical is that? Brittany and Eric go on a scavenger hunt to figure it out. To commemorate our 1 year anniversary, we’ll be playing the hits, as determined by you, all month. The people voted, and here we have it— part 3 of The Best of The Nod, featuring "Moo and Oink" and "Buy Black. " Watch the classic "Moo and Oink" commercial here. Music in this episode from: Haley Shaw, Takstar and Calid B. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week we have two stories about incredible Black trailblazers. First up, a story about a Black designer and a group of Black models that revolutionized the fashion world forever. Then, a story about a Black, queer icon that you may not have heard of, but will never forget. To commemorate our 1 year anniversary, we’ll be playing the hits, as determined by you, all month. The people voted, and here we have it— The Best of The Nod: Black Excellence, featuring "Chitlins at Bergdorfs" and "The Cowboy of West Village." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

According to a certain conspiracy theorist, Beyoncé is hiding a secret from the world. He also has strong feelings about Big Sean and clones. To commemorate our 1 year anniversary, we’ll be playing the hits, as determined by you, all month. The people voted, and here we have it— a two parter of Shawn Blazington’s conspiracy theories.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We reunite members of Crime Mob to get the inside story of Knuck If You Buck, the club anthem that defined the crunk era and took them from high school kids to rap legends. All tea, no shade—straight from the people who lived it: Diamond, Princess and Lil Jay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Comedian Wyatt Cenac, host of the new HBO series “Problem Areas,” joins Brittany and Eric onstage at their recent live show in Brooklyn. Wyatt dishes on his favorite conspiracy theories, makes a case for why we should ban all babies from bars, and solves some of our listeners’ most pressing problems.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eric tells a story about forgotten part of civil-rights history that is still very much alive. In 1965, a group of black men in Louisiana called the Deacons for Defense and Justice took up arms against the Klan. Now a daughter of the Deacons wants to start a museum in their honor, but not everyone in town wants their story told. This episode originally aired on the Gimlet show “Undone,” and includes a special update on the story from Eric.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brittany and Eric talk to Startup podcast host Amy Standen about Arlan Hamilton--a gay Black woman who started a venture capital fund unlike any other in Silicon Valley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A young man named Eric embarks on an epic quest to figure out why so many Black folks love kung fu. He seeks the wisdom of two teachers, including RZA of The Wu-Tang Clan and the lead martial arts consultant on "Avatar: The Last Airbender." Will he discover what it takes to become a true master? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The movie "White Chicks" may have made critics— and honestly, the world —cringe, but Brittany delivers her treatise on why the film deserves a second look.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What does it take to get Black women’s hair authentically represented on TV? Brittany talks to Yara Shahidi, the star of the popular sitcom Grown-ish, to find out. To find a list of our sponsors and show-related promo codes, go to gimlet.media/OurAdvertisers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever wondered how Brittany and Eric became such good friends? Well wonder no more, because this week's bonus tells the story of how the pair first met. And if you like this one, be sure to check out the Kismet podcast for more stories of connections being made. We are back next week with a new episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Coming to America may have given us the greatest Jheri Curl anthem ever made, but that doesn’t make it untouchable. With a potential sequel on the way, we asked a question we never thought we’d ask: is Coming to America, good or bad for the Blacks? Guests Luvvie Ajayi and Saidu Tejan-Thomas help us decide.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we’ll take you to Zaire for a story about national identity, colonialism, and one of the most notorious dictators in history. All courtesy of our friends at the new Gimlet podcast, “We Came to Win.” To find a list of our sponsors and show-related promo codes, go to gimlet.media/OurAdvertisers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A high schooler takes a seat to make a stand. And Rapper’s Delight makes it big - to one lady’s chagrin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Had enough Cardi B and Drake ? We've got a new tune that slaps! Thank the (Bobby) Lord.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eric talks to Full Force's Bowlegged Lou about the group's sound, getting called out by Patti LaBelle for being "too busy" to work on her album and a crazy recording experience with James Brown.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Oo-OOOOOO! It’s quesadilla time. Brittany heads to L.A. to talk with a chef who’s making “Black tacos.” Turns out they’re more than just a delicious food. To find a list of our sponsors and show-related promo codes, go to gimlet.media/OurAdvertisers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Actor Michael K. Williams joins Brittany and Eric in the studio and dishes on his love of Janet Jackson’s "Rhythm Nation," self-help books and his favorite fried chicken joint. He also shares a personal story that led to his new Vice on HBO documentary, "Raised in the System."  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“That banana you ate for lunch was a clone ... So what makes you think they won't clone your black ass ?” Eric and Brittany try to figure out who Jason Derulo really is. To find a list of our sponsors and show-related promo codes, go to gimlet.media/OurAdvertisers  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s bonus is a lighting round of Good For The Blacks from our SXSW live show! Brittany, Eric, and their guests Kara Brown and Aaron Edwards must quickly decide if Bruno Mars' musical and visual aesthetic is good or bad for the culture. We are back next week with a new episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week we’re heading to Wakanda, y’all! Black Panther's Erik Killmonger might be fine and fighting for black liberation, but does that make him a hero ? We invited Kara Brown and Aaron Edwards to help us decide: is Wakanda's rebel, good or bad for the Blacks ? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Find out what happens when two hosts stop being polite… and start getting real. And Brittany has some thoughts on bitterness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Josephine Baker is famous for doing outrageous things: dancing in a banana skirt, walking a cheetah on a leash, working as a French spy… But did you know about her attempt to build a racial utopia? This week, we dive into Josephine Baker’s grand plan. And for all you listeners in Austin, we are going to be at SXSW Monday, March 12! Come out and see The Nod live: https://schedule.sxsw.com/2018/events/PP99701 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week's bonus outtakes, Eric thinks about planning for the apocalypse, and Brittany shares a pro cooking tip for the bacon lover in your life. We are back next week with a new episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Planning a wedding is stressful. There’s making the guest list, sticking to a budget and picking the right dress. Writer Ashley Ford knows this all too well — she’s getting married! This week, Eric guides Ashley through a wedding decision that’s a lot more complicated than it appears... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brittany and Eric watch the blackest commercial ever made. Also, an untold story from Black history where somebody gets… bit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Producer Simone Polanen thought she knew her little sister well, until she discovered a major part of her sister’s identity that she knew nothing about. When Simone confronts her sister, the conversation gets heated. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week's bonus, Brittany and Eric talk about eating spring mix, why they're proud of Ciara, and what a season of American Crime Story about The Nod would look like. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Luther Vandross may be master of the love ballad, but Eric argues he has another, secret side. And Brittany gives the totally normal and sane reason she wants to get cremated. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When we discover something we love at The Nod, we’ve gotta share it with the fam. Eric’s close friend, a self-proclaimed “glo-up artist,” explains how a piece of clothing changed his life forever. And Eric shares something he just can’t stop thinking about. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some funny things happened in the past year: a reality TV star became president, tiki torches had to renounce white nationalism, and CNN's Don Lemon seemingly went through a reinvention. In our latest edition of Good For The Blacks, culture writer Ira Madison III joins us to debate Don Lemon’s 'transformation’ from respectability politician in chief to beacon of wokeness. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brittany doesn't make New Year's resolutions. Instead, she creates a list of intentions for how to live her life in the coming year. Eric is skeptical of the process. In this week's bonus, Brittany tells Eric her 2018 intentions, and tries to convince him to make at least one intention of his own. We are back next week with an all new episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week's bonus, Eric may (or may not) have taken advice from Brittany. And that advice may (or may not) have worked. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Reggie Ossé, friend of The Nod and host of The Combat Jack Show, explains how a wild night of dancing and partying helped him get into his dream law school. And Producer Emanuele Berry shares the story of the man who made that magic night happen: DJ Larry Levan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Every year, descendants of both enslaved people and slave owners come together for a family reunion. The darker side of their shared past remains hidden underneath the celebrations and pleasantries. Until one year, when Ever Lee Hairston says two words that break decades of silence. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At a plantation in the South, descendants of enslaved people and slave owners stayed together as family, entangled by namesake and blood, long after the end of slavery. Eric tells the story of one woman who broke away. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week's bonus, Brittany makes an appearance on the Grownups Read Things They Wrote as Kids stage. Listen to find out which celebrity young Brittany was convinced she would marry, and come back next week for an all new episode of The Nod! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tupac vs. Biggie. Mac vs. PC… Brittany vs. Eric. This week, Brittany and Eric’s rivalry reaches new heights as they face off in a competition that tests their smarts, perseverance and maybe even their friendship. Who will win bragging rights for life? And who will take the L? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Now this is a story all about how the life of actress Karyn Parsons (aka Hilary Banks) got flipped, turned upside down. And we’d like to take a few minutes—just sit right there—and we’ll tell you how she makes Black history movies with flair.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s bonus is a lightning round of Good For The Blacks from our Toronto live show! Brittany, Eric and special guests Vicky Mochama and Sarah Hagi discuss a topic that has taken over the tabloids. Is the relationship between American actress Meghan Markle and the UK’s Prince Harry good or bad for Black culture? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who's Blacker: Oprah or Sojourner Truth? Producer Kate Parkinson-Morgan tells Brittany and Eric about a new game that asks players to argue what makes one person Blacker than another. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Drake might be proud of us, but are we proud of him? In our latest Good For The Blacks, we debate Drizzy’s sampling of the African diaspora with Vicky Mochama and Sarah Hagi. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brittany tells the incredible story of a person you should have heard of by now, but probably haven’t. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Nod is off this week, but Brittany and Eric are still here to present Uncivil, Gimlet Media's newest show. Uncivil is a history podcast that goes back to the moment when the divisions in this country turned into a war. The show ransacks the official version of the Civil War—with untold stories about covert operations, corruption, resistance and mutiny. Uncivil is hosted by Jack Hitt and Chenjerai Kumanyika (who you may remember from our episode on Purple Stuff). Jack and Chenjerai take on what you think you know about the Civil War, and connect what happened then to the political battlefield we’re living on right now. Listen to Uncivil on Apple Podcasts | Overcast | Stitcher | Pocketcasts The Nod will be back next week with an all new episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week's bonus episode, Brittany and Eric share the story of their recent trip to New Orleans. Because what happens in New Orleans... doesn't stay in New Orleans, at least when it comes to these two. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brittany talks to a man who dresses and cooks like his enslaved ancestors. And Eric drags Brittany to see a famous pit.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We return to debate if the #LawrenceHive’s hero is “hella good” or “bad as f**k” with Bim Adewunmi and Aaron Edwards, recorded live at the Now Hear This Podcast Festival. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Nelly on the cover of Sweatsuit, Eve during New York Fashion Week, Cam'ron on Rap City's Tha Bassment. This week, we follow the rise, fall, and rise again, of the durag. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week's outtakes: Eric struggles with names, and Brittany has good foundational skincare. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Jolly Ranchers. Skittles. Gatorade. No matter what, Eric always goes for the purple stuff. This week, he uncovers the deliciously deep roots of his love for grape flavor. Plus, Eric challenges Brittany to eat an unhealthy amount of peanut butter… all for the culture. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eric hosts a podcast about Black culture. He went to an HBCU. But when it comes to choosing a school for his daughter, he's not sure if an Afrocentric education is the right choice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you think Kanye West was the first to change the American fashion game, meet one of the flyest Black fashion squads in history. RELATED LINKS Check out Robin Givhan’s book, “The Battle of Versailles: The Night American Fashion Stumbled into the Spotlight and Made History.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re off this week, but we wanted to share a little of the behind the scenes magic of our show. There’s a lot that goes into making an episode of The Nod…and there’s a lot that doesn’t go in. Enjoy these outtakes and come back next week for an all new episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Snoop Dogg has a TV show with Martha Stewart. The Tyler Perry movie "Boo! A Madea Halloween" made almost $100 million at the box office. A Black man once held the nuclear codes for President Trump. Sometimes in life we have to decide if a thing is good or bad for the Culture. RELATED LINKS Read Vinson Cunningham’s work at The New Yorker: http://www.newyorker.com/contributors/vinson-cunningham Follow Aminatou Sow on Twitter. She's @aminatou. If you are struggling to decide if something is good for the Blacks, email us at goodfortheblacks AT gimletmedia DOT com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eric's always had an affinity for Polo Ralph Lauren. But he discovers a group of boosters in Brooklyn that took their love for Polo to another level. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Eric tries to convince Brittany that Beyoncé is hiding something, but Brittany needs more receipts.   RELATED LINKS For the full experience, watch “Beyoncé forced Solange to give birth to Blue Ivy EXPOSED” on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQOPnV6pWkc Shawn Blazington’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKB0LMauvWrRJkqDYyynihw Celesse’s Beyoncé fan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/throwbackxyonce Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A YouTube sex empress is making waves. RELATED LINKS: Save the Last Dance clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c3_bLCIsLf4 Glamazon Tyomi's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/GLAMerotica101 Zane's Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorZane/ Because we are a new show, we would love if you could rate us on Apple Podcasts.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A new podcast about Black culture from Gimlet Media, hosted by Blackness' biggest fans, Brittany Luse and Eric Eddings. Premieres July 17th. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices