It wasn't supposed to be like this.
Seriously, it wasn't supposed to be just Danielle Young—aka Patti LaDanielle, aka The Root’s social-content producer—and me, Stephen "Gladiator" Crockett Jr. (I'm trying on nicknames, so just go with it, guys.) On this episode, we had a superspecial guest all set up, and then the interview got embargoed because Ms. Patti Patti (shoutout to the person who called her Ms. Patti Patti during a Facebook Live chat; I love you) has the ability to get our guests to chat up a storm, and as such, some supersecret info got leaked. That's how we roll at UV—we are the WikiLeaks of podcasts. So y'all got just the two of us, and don't you dare make that face, because on this episode, we talk all things social media: the good, the bad and the ascot.
First, The Root Senior Editor Yesha Callahan wrote a piece about the opening box-office numbers of The Birth of a Nation and looked at why they were dismal. Veteran newsman Roland Martin took offense to the piece and chose to handle it by coming for Callahan on Twitter. Let's just say that didn't go well.
Next we discuss famed boxer Adrien Broner, who has been a mainstay on social media, often posting photos of himself and his lavish outfits. This week, several messages were posted to his Instagram page that seemed like a cry for help. What upset Ms. Patti Patti wasn't only the fear that Broner might actually commit suicide on social media, but the responses from insensitive followers who were encouraging the boxer to kill himself.
And lastly but not leastly, we discuss Donald Trump and the disgustingness that just won't seem to stop. Because the Donald is gross and has been such for some time, all of his grossness is being unearthed and shared all over social media.
Also, we know that you listen—we can see that you listen because we have keys to the inside of the Matrix; we can literally see you listening. We see the numbers and then we see the numbers rise, which means that you're out there. So talk to us; tell us what you like and don't like. Tell me how much you appreciate my insight and voice. And how you like whatever it is that Patti LaDanielle does. Maybe we—that's you and I, dear listener—can figure out what it is she actually does. (“Shut up, Stephen!” —Ms. Patti Patti)
Anyway, we love you and we promise that when we get big and have official microphones and a studio and a podcast producer, we will drop you like a bag of old onions because that is what famous people do!
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Stephen A. Crockett Jr. is a senior editor at The Root. Follow him on Twitter.