April 11, 2023 • 48 mins
Michelle and Kalen are covering it all! Kalen discusses the journey of his divinely guided career. He also talks about navigating the balance of the highs and lows of life’s transitions, his experience with compounded grief and he even asks Michelle a few questions of his own! CHECK IN to this episode for a happy, healthy conversation.
Follow Kalen on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok: @TheKalenAllen
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Instagram: @MichelleWilliams
Twitter: @RealMichelleW
The Black Effect Podcast Network will be making history again with the first Black Effect Podcast Festival taking place on April 22nd in Atlanta. Checking in With Michelle Williams will be hitting the live podcast stage with 85 South Show, WHOREible Decisions, Big Facts, Reasonably Shady, and many more. Make sure to grab your tickets today at BlackEffect.com
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Checking In with Michelle Williams, a production of
My Heart Radio and The Black Effect. Hey everybody, how
y'all doing? I am so glad to be speaking with
(00:24):
y'all again. I've got a friend someone where we check
in on each other. Honey is internationally known. He is
so awesome. Great great friend, great host, great guy that
just keeps us laughing. We were supposed to have this
(00:45):
conversation a while ago. You'll find out why though in
the episode. But I'm so glad that Kaylin Allen is
stopping by. We're about to have fun. Y'all. Listen, y'all.
I am excited. I have my buddy, someone who has
(01:07):
wowed us, inspired us, encouraged us, and it's such a light.
Some years ago, we saw him just doing videos at home,
talking about pistachio marshmallow, seven layer taco salads that people
would make, and he would deconstruct these videos and be like, now, ma'am,
I don't look like a heart attack for it come
to be on a toilet, and just like, his authenticity
(01:32):
is what won the hearts of millions. Went on to
work with and have his own show through Ellen DeGeneres,
and is now transitioning and doing so many great things.
He is someone's friend. He is someone's son to us.
We love him. He is Kaylin Alan, Hey Michale, Hey Bo,
(02:00):
how you do? How are you feeling? I am good?
I am good. How are you, dear heart? I'm wonderful.
You look wonderful. You look so sity. I love it, chat,
It's just I put on some oil. Uh huh. Because
Joe skin is always flawless, y'all. I'm like, does he
get like micro deummer brasion and hydrofacials every day? Oh
(02:21):
my gosh, I wish honey. It's genetics, baby, it's genetics. Now,
we're not mad at that. We are not mad at that, y'all. Listen,
I forgot to say, y'all. Klin is an artist, like,
he's an all around artist, music actor. Can you tell
(02:41):
us about the movie? Uh? Yeah, I get let me
see where I cannot tea. So it's a Christmas movie.
It's a Christmas movie, which is what I'm excited about
because you know, I'm also finishing a Christmas album right now.
So it's gonna be a very Kalin Christmas, very Kalin Christmas.
I love it. Congratulations. Let me tell you something, and
this is a nugget. If you can do Christmas movies,
(03:04):
Christmas albums, anything for Christmas, that stuff like lives on
forever because people are always looking for something to do holiday.
So you are right in there. Okay, so listen, Yeah,
you went viral a long time ago. Okay with your
(03:27):
Kalin reacts food videos. All right, can you go into
like what made you say I'm just gonna put this
phone up here because people don't realize the power of
the phone in your authenticity and how it can change
your bank account. Well, you know what's funny about that
is that so when this happened, this was in November
(03:48):
twenty seventeen, right, So this is really the decline of YouTube.
You know, back in the day, YouTubers were like a
huge thing. It was like that's what you dote. Well,
the reason why I say that is because there wasn't
as much emphasis on being a YouTube creator at this time.
So like that wasn't a new thing that was coming up.
Like the people that you would watch on YouTube have
(04:09):
been doing it for years, you know, like the Jackie
ian As, the Patrick Stars, these people had been doing
YouTube for a very long time. So you weren't seeing
like new money being put into YouTube. And this was
also before TikTok existed, So I really came in at
a sweet spot of because it was so funny. Now
especially it's like when it comes to reaction videos, like
(04:30):
a few of us did them at this time, but
now because TikTok has really made it really accessible to
be able to do like a split screen kind of thing.
Now everybody in a mama does it, you know what
I mean. And at that time, it was an accident.
It was not something that I was planning on doing.
You know. I was at school in Tippa University. I
was getting my degrees in theater and film. The plan
(04:51):
was that I was gonna move to New York and
I was gonna try to be on Broadway and I
was just gonna do that and that was gonna be it.
And then that first semester of my senior year, is
just had this feeling. I believe that I am divinely guided.
That's what I told people all the time, And there
was a feeling that told me to make that first
video and then I did it and I posted it.
(05:12):
Next thing, I knew that woman had gone viral and
then a month later I was going to feel my
first episode of Ellen. And then in January twenty eighteen,
I moved to Los Angeles. It all happened at three months.
Wait a minute, have you heard Tabitha Brown story? Yes,
kind of the same thing where she said she heard
a voice say, get your phone, use your phone, and
(05:37):
to see what you two have done, just by the
power of making good use out of the phone, bringing
joy to people's hearts. Because people use their phones for evil.
I'm just gonna say it, but y'all, you use your
phone to make us did you know you were you
trying to make us laugh? No? And you know what's
(05:58):
so funny about that? And I tell people to all
times that I'm not a comedian, and it's like, I
just know I'm a comedic entertainer. I know comedy. I
just know what's funny. And it's really a lot of
times it's just how I talk. It's just how I
expressed myself. It's just who I am, you know. So
it's just like I don't see it as I'm sitting down,
(06:18):
like writing down a joke or something like that. It's
just like every now, And to be honest, even the
way that I make content. Now it's all off a feeling.
I don't believe in making content just to say that
I've made some content or whatever. I have to feel it. So,
for instance, like the other day, was at the grocery
store and these two boys call me sir, and so
that it's something that my spirit was like, this would
(06:39):
be a funny video. So I went home. I was like,
I already know what I want to say, I know
how I want to say. I'm a pressure record and
I'm gonna talk to this phone for a minute at
thirty seconds, you know what I mean? And I think
And what I realized after that video is that I
think because because it is so natural to me, I
think it becomes so believable that people think that I
(07:00):
actually really care about it, if that makes sense of
being like and I'm like, I don't really care that
these boys call me sir. Like that's not that's not
keeping me up at night, you know what I mean.
But it's like it's a part of the comedy. It's
a part of the hysteria of it all. It's a performance.
I love it. I have those moments and where I
(07:22):
should press record, but then I'm self conscious, like, well,
you don't have on a makeup, I gotta do this,
you gotta do that, don't be coming on looking busted.
So a lot of my thoughts just stay thoughts. But
I'm gonna try to do some more natural moments of
you know, spontaneous filming. Now, where do you feel like
(07:42):
that self consciousness comes from? Where does it stem from? Um?
So this could you interviewing me? I can't help it.
I can't. Okay, I know where it comes from. It
comes from always being known or seen as glamor hair
and makeup always done, and it's like I should at
(08:04):
least have on some lipstick. Okay. I'm not saying one
that comes on natural with no makeup done or no
hair done. I'm not saying that they're wrong, but it's
just like if I don't, will it be like, oh,
what's she going through today? Okay, I don't know, but
that's me overthinking assuming what people are thinking, and they're
(08:26):
probably not. They probably don't care. Well I would. I
would say that the flip is. I think it's also
the fact of like you being in the industry at
a time before social media, but at the level that
you were doing it as well. I can understand why
you would have that perspective, and I think the industry
has changed so much in today's day and age, is
(08:48):
that it's two different times, you know what I mean.
So I don't think it has anything to do with
you overthinking at all. I think it's you thinking in
what you're used to and what are you to be?
You know what I mean, which that I can understand.
And this has been your ask doctor Kaylin. Thank you
(09:10):
though you are so right, You're spot on. That's why
I was sitting in the spirit of hush because I
was like, Kaylyn is actually his spot on. I don't know.
I just try to add prospective to stuff. You know.
I think I'm very especially so. And I don't know
if I've even told you this before. Is that I
plan on when this is, you know, when I decide
I want to retire and I want to like, you know,
(09:32):
sit down or somewhere, I plan to become a therapist too,
specifically to people that work in the industry, because in
my experience and going to therapy, therapists could only understand
the everyday stuff, but when it came to industry stuff,
they had no idea of how to help me and
a lot of especially earlier that was a lot of
(09:54):
my issues were rooted in navigating the industry, and it
was just like, well, who am I ls to talk to?
You know what I mean? So I want to be
able to be that resource to people. So you think
we should go to school together and open up a brack,
Come on, let's go, we should let's go. I like that.
I like that. Okay, I'll let you get back to
(10:17):
the interview with no, no, we no, because it's gonna
flow and a half eighty percent of what we're talking
about ain't even you're right about it. So you did
a reaction video? Now wait a minute. Were people that
you did reaction videos too? Did they actually get offended? Some?
Some at first? But it was never like a big thing. Um,
(10:39):
But I do remember I think there was at some
point when the videos would be, you know, featured on
on Kalen or on Ellen, that people would be like, well,
we need to cut, you know, like because it's like
we're technically a cut of the ad revenue. You know. No, no,
you don't need what your cook needed to be cut? Okay,
exactly exactly exactly. It cut the video, but the funny
(11:03):
thing about that is that technically it's a parody, you know,
because it's like a commentary or whatever. But you know,
when you when you're dealing with something that was getting
that many views. I think once I left ellen on
Kaalen itself had already done over a billion views in itself.
So it's like when you have stuff of that magnitude,
of course people want to you know, cash in or
(11:24):
get a cut oft to check or whatever. I didn't
really care about that because I don't that's not why
I make stuff. But yeah, no, I think what was
also crazy about it was just that then, and this
is why I stopped doing them, was because I noticed
that people were just making videos too. That was just nasty.
And I think for me, everything is about authenticity, you know,
(11:45):
And so I was like I was watching video and
I'd be like that's not real, you know, and me
talking about like how I'm not a comedian. It's like,
I'm not about to sit here and just write a
couple of jokes to try and make this funny, you
know what I mean. It's like I don't ever want
to be a character or for it to feel inauthentic.
So I was just like, so I just want to
do with it that much. I'll just find something else
(12:07):
to do, you know what I mean. I'm still stuck
on because we saw the videos and then wow, I'm
just tripping. Like you said, it was only three months
later that Ellen Degenerous calls you and then you literally
Saunter and Sachet and strut out on that show and
(12:28):
you sit down and you cross your legs and you're
sitting with Ellen Degenerous. This is what twenty s eighteen.
So I take the first episode December of twenty seventeen,
and so what was that like? You get the phone
call to go out there. Well, it was a whirlwind.
(12:50):
Kansas born very much, so very much. So it was
a whirlwind, you know. So my first idea was that
I was going to show up. It was gonna give
me a cute little shutterfly check and I was gonna
go buy my business. Like that's what I thought it
was gonna be. And then I wasn't expecting to be
offered at the job. And so when I was offer
at the job, I said yes. On the show. I
(13:12):
remember I left there. I was staying at the Hilton
and Universal City Hunt, so I was at the Hilton,
and I remember the next day. I think my flight
may have been in the evening or something. I was like, Okay, well,
I'm gonna get up and go to Universal Studios. I
ain't never been, you know, I'm gonna go buy myself.
I gonna have fun and I'm mean right out to university.
And I called at that time my acting teacher at Temple.
(13:33):
I said, this is the deal. I was offered a job.
I need to move to LA. The original contract did
not say I needed to move to LA, but I
knew that if I moved to LA, then I would
be used more. They would use me more because I
was there. I was more convenient, they didn't have to
pay for travel and stuff like that. And so I
was like, we need to figure out how I can
finish my degrees in LA, and with this move needs
(13:55):
to happen asap. So I flew back to Temple, packed
up all my stuff. We figured it out. I did
class at night while I was at Ellen, and then
I moved to Los Angeles. But I will say that
it was very scary at first, and to be honest,
it's probably one of my most depressive moments of my life.
And the reason is is because I was thrown into
(14:19):
something with little to no guidance as to far as
how it operated and how it worked, you know what
I mean. Also, and when I got the job, I
was working five jobs in college like I was used to,
you know, working, working, working BBB, And now my only
job is the Ellen Degenerous Show. But this is before
on Kalen. This is before regular appearances. So it's just
(14:40):
like every down and then so I'm just sitting in
the apartment like I'm just sitting in my apartment watching
TV all day. It was driving me insane. I was like,
I'm so bored. I was in like a furnished apartment,
so it really wasn't mine. So the apartment was just
like there and it was dark. There wasn't a lot
of sunlight. I was like, I can't do this. This
(15:01):
is sad. I don't like it. So then that was
when I asked for an office at Warner Brothers, because
I was like, give me, give me purpose, give me
somewhere I can go, you know. And I think that
that was really why then everything else started to happen.
Was because I was very hands on and you know me,
I'm a very vocal person. I am very like all
(15:21):
toesy and you know what I mean. So that's just
who I am. I could be wrong, but I'm wondering
when you asked for an office, did that send a
positive signal to them, like, Oh, he want to come
in and work, he wants to be visible, versus someone
else that might have been lazy, Right, Mike would just
sit at home and be like, oh, I would just
(15:41):
wait for them to call me. I'll just but you
didn't have to. But you chose to go up there,
maybe even when you weren't called, but just to be
in the environment, being the atmosphere to stay upbeat. Is
that what am I hearing? You're right? Well, yes, yes,
and I think you know, I think a lot of
my career is I can honestly they say, I know,
fool wholeheartedly. I am a boss and that is how
(16:04):
I run my life. You know what I mean a
lot of the opportunities that come to me is because
I worked to make them happen. I made the connections,
I built the relationships, you know what I mean. Like
and that's important to me because especially for me being
from Kansas, it was like when people would ask like well,
who do you look up to? Who do you want
to be when you grow up? Or something like that.
(16:24):
I'm just like, I don't there's nothing there. You know,
a lot of who I am is made from the
lack thereof, especially being like a black queer person, you
know what I mean. So it's just like I have
to I have to work this hard. I have to
do all this to be representation in visibility purposes, you
know what I mean. Yes, And I know you've been
very vocal about not only what comes with being black,
(16:49):
but black and queer, and maybe the struggles or the
limitations were they're any put on you even before, Ellen, Oh,
even if they were before, I don't think I noticed
it to the magnitude that I do now. And I
would say that I even I even experienced social limitations
(17:09):
still to this day, you know what I mean. There
are a lot of times, but now. Yeah. And the
reason why I say that, it's because I think I
think the the fulfillment was different, if that makes sense.
I think prior to especially during theater, it was just
like that's kind of where you know, we all lived,
(17:32):
you know, that's where all the queer people went. They
went to the theater. So it was just like right,
so it was like this was safe. But now, and
I tell people all the time, it's like when it
comes to my career, the frustrating thing apart about it
is that I know that a lot of times it's
something doesn't sustain or something as a failure, or say
I do a show and it only has one season.
(17:54):
It's like it would be different if I could know
that that was because of my ability and I just
need to practice some more or learn some more. I said.
But it is frustrating when you know that a lot
of the rejection of who I am is because of
bigotry or because someone doesn't want my black body on there,
or they don't want my queer body in that space,
(18:16):
you know what I mean. And so it's like because
at that point you're like I'm hitting the wall, Like
it's like I don't know how to be anybody but myself.
So it's like what more do you want from me,
you know what I mean? Or finding where you fit
into the puzzle, you know what I mean. And I
think that's also why I gravitate I you know, even
when it comes to like Ellen or like you, I
(18:37):
think I gravitate to building relationships, and I care more
about creating relationships with people that have meant something to
me in my growing up or the people that influenced me,
or that you know, meant something Like I remember being
in middle school and like being in my Grandma's christ
their three hundred and on the sixth disc change, it
(18:59):
was destiny fulfilled, you know what I mean. So it's like,
but having those full circle moments of thinking about the
things that made me who I am, it helps to
resent to me to know that I have a purpose,
and especially now looking at the relationships that I have
for so many people that, yeah, at one point, what
I would have never imagined is to me is reassurance
(19:20):
that I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing, even
when it comes to like meeting Oprah and talking to
Oprah and then like having conversations with like Michelle Obama.
You know, I remember being at that place where you're
seeing people in textbooks or you're seeing people on MTVVH
one or entertainment Tonight, and then before you know it,
(19:44):
some years passed by and you're brushing elbows and you're
being on the red carpet. You said, something that I
would have never thought. But I understand when you first
got call you were excited, but then you said it
was one of the most depressing moments because you were
(20:05):
kind of thrust in there with no guidance. Right, How
has it been for you now? Because me and you
have briefly we've been talking about transition and what it's like,
how people and rebranding, reinventing yourself because people know you now.
For one thing, how has that been? Ellen Degenerous y'all
(20:26):
did y'all's last season last year and we were talking
about transition. How has that been for you? Well, you
know what's so funny about that? It's one thing I
had to realize. And I think it also had a
lot to do with the fact that I started while
I was still in college. I think I was still
operating as in the mindset of a child, to where
everything is laid out for me, and that you know,
(20:48):
people are telling me where to go, what to do,
this is the time you go to class and stuff
like that. And I think at some point I realized
that I needed to start transitioning to thinking like an
adult and to find that peace in the transitions. So
I think one of the best transitions that I made
was moving to New York, because that was always the dream.
(21:09):
That's always where I wanted to be. And I hated
Los Angeles, you know what I mean. And so I
was like, Los Angeles, I've always hated Los Angeles. I
just Michelle Michelle out when we saw each other at
the World bar Ar Galla. Do you know I had
only been in LA for like ten hours. I flew
in just for the gala, and I left me too.
(21:31):
I was there less than twenty four hours. Listen here,
and I said, I literally when I was talking to Trail,
I was like, what time is the gala over? And
he was like it was supposed to in round tenth thirty.
We know, it was a little bit longer than that.
And so then I was like, okay, with my flight
gonna be at midnight. And then because we both left
together and we both went to the airport, and I
was like, I'm out of here. When I go to LA,
(21:52):
I want to be in and out. Okay, Oh my gosh.
I did not know that, yes, honey, And so I
was like, I gotta get out of here. And so
then and the reason why it's like you know this.
Los Angeles is very industry heavy. Everybody there practically works
in the industry or guy has some connection to it
and a lot of who I am, especially when it
(22:13):
comes to the art that I make and my comedic.
You know, spirit about me is derived from the everyday person.
And I was just like, this is not in everyday life.
We live the same day every single day. I need seasons.
I want Christmas to feel like Christmas. I want Halloween
to feel like Halloween. Like that's what I need. I
(22:33):
need some normalcy. And I was like, yeah, I'm out
of here. I'm out of here. But I mean the
version of who I am here is like night and
day to who I was in LA. Are you happier? Oh?
I love it? I love it. I see things crystal
clear every day. I'm just up and ready to go.
(22:53):
I love it. It's just like you moved to I did,
but I moved to Atlanta, Georgia. Everybody you know seems
to find their way down here. Life brought me here
and it's been good for me. Now alaa New York
I would want to live. I'm the Hampton's Girl. Okay, Okay,
(23:18):
I think I don't know now I don't know if
I want to you do. Come on, I see for
me to feel for you. Come on, let's continue to
see it for each other. Yea la maybe on the
outskirts somewhere, you know the Santa Barbara ye it Cino.
(23:41):
Sherman Oaks is getting to live well, you used to
live in Sherman Oaks. You used to live in Sherman Oaks.
And I've heard it, as Cha Yang, I believe that.
I think people are starting to move out a lot. Yeah,
it has changed a lot. Now. You did talk about
relationships prior, and just so y'all know, Kaitlin and I
(24:02):
were supposed to do this interview a couple months ago.
Oh yes, all right, but due to the loss of
his very close friend Twitch, we had to postpone it.
And you talked about going to La doing Ellen not
having guidance. How did the relationship with you and Twitch happened?
(24:25):
And do you think if it wasn't for your relationship
with him, you were like, I probably would have just
commuted back and forth here. Oh, you know, you're absolutely right.
You know so funny about that. It's like that was
such a shock to me and it affected me in
ways that I didn't even know it was going to
(24:45):
affect me. It affected the way that I the way
that I approached my work, the way I approached my life,
what I thought about what I need to do from
here on out, you know. And I think what was
great about having Twitch as far as like us practically
being like the only black like you know, talent on
(25:08):
the show, is that we were able to support each
other in ways that we couldn't have gotten that from
anybody else, just off a race itself, you know what
I mean. And I think you know, Bro, you know exactly,
but just being able to have and I think also
as two people that were figuring out the industry and
(25:30):
figuring out what was next, you know, and doing that together,
especially because you know, he had been at the show
for so long, right and I was new, Like I
was there for five years and he was there for fifteen,
you know, and so even with me being able to
help and tell him, like what the industry is like now,
because you know, when you have that safety net of
a show for that long, it's hard to understand. I mean,
(25:53):
you could probably understand that of being like in a
group for so long and now it's over and then
you throw him to the wolf rules. Yeah, and then
you got to figure it out, you know, and then
it's like you don't know what to do because you've
had this safety net for so long. And then you
have to deal now you have to figure out how
to stand out on your own and make a name
for yourself while you got a whole bunch of people
(26:15):
trying to tell you who you should be or what
you're supposed to do. You know what I mean, we
have lived these same transition. I want you to know
that I see you, and I know the hard work
that you are doing. I know you're happier now, you know,
because you are in New York, But you had some
(26:35):
compounded grief. You have more than one type of grief, okay,
grieving the loss of community relationships that were built on
the show, and then the actual loss of a life.
You know, to someone, can you break down your journey
(26:56):
your grief journey for someone that's listening checking in is
definitely based in mental health, but we try not to
be so heavy with it, but maybe share, you know,
your grief journey with us. Yeah, So I think I
felt I felt all of it. Um At first I
was in shock, then probably about a couple of days,
(27:17):
and I became really really sad about it, to where
it's all I thought about all day long, every single day,
and it would just replay in my mind over and
over and over again. And then I became angry. Then
I got mad, you know. But those are the steps
of grief, right right then. I then I became very
(27:40):
angry about a lot of things. And then afterwards, after
the anger part, I think I got a little bit
more insightful, you know, And I think I started to
have more direct conversations with him about it all about
what was next, what needed to happen next, you know
what I mean, and what I could say even I
(28:02):
felt this. A couple of weeks ago, I was in
Miami for South Beach Food and Wine Festival, but right before,
I was very very frustrated, you know, and I was
very frustrated with the industry, with Hollywood. I was at
a point where I was like, you know what, Kaitlin,
maybe you should just go get a nine to five,
because I'm tired of this, you know what I mean.
And so I was in this battle and I was
(28:22):
talking to somebody about it, and I said, you know what,
it probably actually has a lot more to do with
Twitch that I feeled this anger. And I said, because
a lot of the conversations that me and Twitch were
always surrounded about careers, you know, and making sure that
the world outside of these safety nets finds value in
(28:44):
us and worth in us, and you know, and that
we can actually do this on our own. And you know,
even when I wrote in my thing, because all the
headlines were talking about like Ellen's sidekicking stuff like that,
and I was just like, this man has a name,
you know, And so I wrote it in my post
like he was no one's sidekick, you know. I was
like he was the glue, he kept it together, you
(29:04):
know what I mean. And so and so I think
I became in a moment of maybe even more so,
I was in a fighter mode. I was, It's like,
I'm gonna make these dreams and aspirations come true, even
if I have to do it myself, because I'm tired
of sitting at these tables begging and pleading for somebody
to see my worth when the analytics are already there,
when the proof is already in the pudding. I'm not
gonna keep trying to beg you to give me an opportunity.
(29:26):
If you won't do it, then I'll just do it myself.
Because it was the power of you were you kind
of were starting doing it yourself and some I mean
with a Tyler Perry saying it ain't nobody going to
invite you to the table, make your own table. Yeah right,
And you are so capable of doing all of that,
(29:47):
and with that being said, capable of so many things.
How in the world, by the way, thank you for
sharing with us your journey, Yes right, the highs the lows,
because people think, oh my goss, you you're in LA,
You're driving this fancy card, you have this, you're on
(30:07):
l you're doing this. You got it. Oh I'm paying.
You got YouTube, you got food Network, you got this
and that. But it takes some true strength, some grounding
because people don't realize what you do go through to maintain.
So thank you for keeping it all the way real
and sharing with us a part of your grief journey
of course, and um fast forward to everything that you're
(30:30):
capable of. How are you on the East Coast NYU
and Juilliard? Yeah, those those aren't easy program schools to
get into. What made you say I'm I'm headed. I'm
headed to New York. I'm going to NYU and Julie, well,
you know, I knew that I wanted to have a
(30:52):
talk show one day, and everything that I do, it
is important that I know the ins and out so
that I come with the tools and what I need
to be able to do it to the best of
my ability. And so I was like, I was, this
is another thing. I'm telling you, All these things just
come to me. I was scrolling through Facebook one day
and I saw an ad for an online master's program
(31:14):
at NYU, and something told me apply, and so I
click the link. I applied to the school. That happened.
The same thing happened with Juliard. I. So the week
I've moved to Los Angeles, I had a Juilliard grad
School audition for acting and I canceled it because of
(31:35):
course I was moving to La So so I was
here and I was just like one day I was
in the bed, I was watching TV and I said
something in my spirit, said Kaylin, going to Juilliard's website
right now. I go to Julliard's website. I see that
they have a Juilliard Extension program, which basically allows people
to be able to train It's Juilliard without having to
(31:57):
do the full degree program. So I so some says,
just apply, and I did, and then that's how both
of those things happened. Come on, all right, because this
is mirroring one of my aspirations and dreams to do.
Did you have people to tell you you don't need
to go to school? Yeah? But I mean nobody can
(32:18):
really tell me what to do because it almost came
out of my mouth, because I mean, you have the
natural gift to talk correct, right, which is also why
I think the program is really easy for me. It's
because a lot of stuff I just already know how
to do. But and I knew people were gonna say that,
(32:39):
you know. Deray McKesson said the same to me. He
was like, why are you going to school? You don't
need to go to school, you know what I mean?
And this is another reason why I said, and this
really is where the race and the identity comes into
it as well. I said, because especially the fact that
I'm I'm classified as a digital creator. I said, I
don't want anyone to say that I didn't earn my spot.
(33:01):
I don't want anyone to be able to say that.
I was like, I'm gonna have this paper and I'm
gonna also have the knowledge and the tools to be
able to like, well, here it is, I hear it, now,
I hear you there. But the reason why I'm kind
of like, uh uh huh huh. Sometimes favor, Amen, let
(33:21):
you do things a man at an accelerated pace. Correct
that it does that, it does, it gets you to
the front of the line. Amen. Favor is not understood
and it does not look fair, which and I can admit,
I can admit, And this wasn't really until I was
(33:43):
in industry that I started to somewhat care more about
what people thought or what they said. You know, it's
kind of inevitable. It's kind of ineviable, especially when you
I think this is what another thing that people don't understand.
It's like when you are getting so much feed back
and criticism at mass amounts, like we're talking thousands of
(34:06):
people being able to have an opinion on you. I
think people just think that it's just like, oh, yeah,
I wrote this comment and it's one comment, but you're
not realizing I'm getting thousands of stuff, you know what
I mean. And it's like I can This was more
so early in my career. It was like you could
(34:27):
have fifty million good comments and then you see that
one bad one. You see that one bad one, and
for some reason, you your mind tells you that's the
one that's real, that's the true one. Like people can
say I love you blah blah blah blah fifty million
times and you'd be like, oh, thank you, I love
you so much. Somebody got something smart to say or
mean to say, and you like, hold on, you know
(34:50):
what I mean? Yeah, yeah, I see what you're saying.
I see what you're saying. I got questions for you too,
but I want you to keep yours. No, you fine,
you fine, you fine, come on, ask me some questions. Well,
you know, I was, you know, I keep up with
you on an everyday basis, and so no, no, no,
(35:13):
So like I see, you know, interviews and stuff like that.
And one thing that I remember, especially now even still
to this day, when you are connected to an entity
already and people always ask you questions about everybody else's business.
You know what I mean? Does that get on your nerves?
Because it gets on mine. It does. And that's why
(35:35):
I was even careful to ask you about twitch. Right,
it's different, I know, but it's like, no, be interested
in my life. You know, people you know it's be
honestly gonna have another baby. It's Kelly gonna have another baby?
Are you gonna have a baby? Well what it was
it like to what's blue light? Well? What I like?
(35:56):
Y'all all right? Like what? But it took me a
year to accept people's natural curiosity and interest. Right, But
as far as when I'm doing interviews, I'm coming like,
respect me enough to at least make the first half
of the interview about me. And if you want to
(36:16):
slide in the question that I get every day or
Destiny's child ever reunited, I get it, but like respect
me about what I'm here to promote, but don't be
trying to slide in shade or questions. So unfortunately it
comes with it, but they should know better. They should
(36:38):
know better. And that's why I think, you know, with
me wanting to do a talk show one day or
even having checking in, I feel I'm a safe person
to have people on as a guest because I will
never be intrusive, you know, and or disrespectful or ask
questions or make you feel like I've promoted albums and
(37:00):
the radio station you don't play my music. But because
I'm a part of Destiny's Child, right, that got me
through the door. Right. And I would ask the radio
promo people at my label like are they even playing
my record? Well? Why am I going up there? Because
they know it is a way to talk about other
people in my project. It's so funny that she said
(37:24):
that because even when I was talking about like, you know,
the people I met, and you slid into Beyonce thing.
And I think for me, because I know how excited
you are. You've been so publicly vocal about meeting her,
and I person was so happy when you did. Yes,
But I think it's also it's like, also, have you
watched Swarm Swarm not yet? I have not. It's crazy
(37:47):
is it about they say, she the young lady that
starts in it. They say it is not about Beyonce
or to be high. Oh, it absolutely is. Episode six.
It's like Blaton. It's like, oh, yes, okay, but so
but it's so complicated. But I think for me, I
am very protective of it um And the reason why
I say that is because so I remember when I
(38:10):
guess hosted Ellen and I interview Kelly, and I remember
reading a lot of the trivia questions beforehand and me
being like, no, we are not asking that, you know
what I mean. And it was almost had to be
a compromise because they always people just they're in they
want to know. They feel like that's their only way
(38:32):
in interviews. They would have to ask us because they
could just refer to her exactly, but maybe they're like, well,
we're not gonna get it out of her, so maybe
we gotta get it out of other people, right exactly.
That's the whole thing. But it's even like, for instance,
like like the Beyonce thing, like me meeting her at
web Bro and we walked out together, right, Like I
didn't walk up to you and were walking out and
(38:53):
being like, girl, guess who I finally met? You know
what I mean? Because it's not necessary. And I also
believes that two worlds can exist, you know what I mean,
Like like you can have you can admire somebody and
and it doesn't have to be always about them, just
because you know other people connected to them, you know
(39:14):
what I mean. And it's just like why can't it
just exist as two separate things? Being like yes, this
is the relationship I have with this person. Yeah, they
know this person. But I was never in the point
of being like, Michelle, can you tell me be ansked
to call me? Can you can you tell to send
me so far as like, because that's unnecessary. It's unnecessary,
(39:35):
and I think it's as well as me living and
working in the industry. At the end of the day,
people just want to feel like human beings and people
want to be respected as such, you know what I mean.
And I think that's another reason why I had to
leave La, because everybody just cared too much about the mess,
you know what I mean, or the stuff that didn't matter.
(39:57):
It was just like, let's just connect to turn it off,
right or to have balance, right, you know. And so
the reason why I'm glad that I don't live in
LA anymore because it gave me so much anxiety. I
always felt like, well, I'm here, I better take a meeting.
Yeah right, let him know, let me you know, like
(40:19):
you said, you're almost selling yourself for for opportunities. But
I'm so thankful since I've been in Georgia, like so
much has come my way without having to have all
of these eighty thousand meetings, right, you know. Girls. So
crazy about that is that I found that same experience
(40:40):
moving to New York. And I think it's also because,
like you know, everybody that does what I do essentially
with live in Los Angeles, right, because I was like
the rare diamond and the rough out here to where
I was doing it at the magnitude that I've been
doing it. Then I became an asset. Butchell, the other day,
(41:00):
I was going through me and my assistant, We're going
through the emails and it was like an invite to
a movie premiere, and I was like, why am I
invited to this? Like do y'all like who is sitting
at the list? Like, yeah, Kalin would like this, you
know what. It would be the most random stuff. But
it's like, and I love that people find that I
bring that value to it and stuff like that. I
(41:21):
really do enjoy that. And it's just like you said,
I think I learned that the way that I got
into it was just the gateway, you know. Yeah, it
was just the door to be able to do everything
else that I wanted to do. Yes, there's so much more.
You're not in a box, right, you know, you have
many many many lanes to feel and don't let anybody
(41:46):
make you feel like you have to stay in one.
But you're showing us that you don't because you've got
you You were a judge or you're a judge on
a cooking show off. Yeah, yeah, I was a judge
on Holiday Banking Championship, Gingerbread Showdown. Yeah, Okay, Are you
gonna do anything more in that space? Please? Oh? Yes, absolutely?
You know I think that's like my bread and butter.
(42:06):
You know, I think I am a judge on which
we feel months ago, you know what I mean. So
it's like it's like I don't have any plans of
stopping or like I just love doing any and everything.
I love to be able to just be well round
it and conquer it all. You know. I know I
want to do Broadway. I know I want to do
(42:28):
all that. I'm so excited about that red carpet. Yes,
I'm gonna. I'm putting in my bed from my invitation
to your first opening night on BROA because I know
you're born for Broadway. You already know a baby. But
I do have a question about the podcast that you
have with Ricky Lay Yes, no, what a minute now,
(42:50):
you aren't old enough to know Ricky Lake. Okay. So
I've done Hairspray twice and so that's really where I
knew Ricky Lake for. And actually how I ended up
on the podcast. I was at brunch with Deray McKesson,
who was an executive producer on the podcast Yea and Yes,
Hey Deray. And so we were at brunch and he
was like, Oh, Ricky Lake is doing this podcast and
(43:13):
they're looking for, you know, young millennial talent to do
it with her. And he was like, I think you'd
be great fit. Let me know. And so I happened
to be going to LA that next week, and so
they had already auditioned people, like they have been doing
auditions for people, and I was a last minute audition
and they asked me to come into the studio and
film and record with Ricky. So I walk in, I
(43:36):
meet Ricky and she's like, Okay, you want to try this.
I was like, Yeah, let's do it. And I went
in there, I watched the clips and me and her
just talked and she was obsessed from day from the jump,
and she was like this is who I want. Like
she hired me on the spot and then that's how
the podcast was born. Wow, I love it. I am
here for all the I mean, there's so many like tentacles,
(44:00):
you know, as far as all that you can do. Now. Lastly,
you have been vocal about love you but you've been
very vocal about love in your life. Do you feel
like that like best an important need of yours? Who
(44:23):
now see listen you said lastly, But I'm like this
got a couple of layers in because all the times
where I'm like I'm good, okay, I'm gonna be brutally
honest with you, I'm be brutally honest where I am
right now, and after the experiences that I've had, especially
while working in the industry, I've been like, Nope, don't
(44:46):
want it. Nope, I'm better off without it because it's
too much, it's too stressful, and I don't have time
to be trying to figure out other folks intentions. I'm
a little tired of it, you know what I mean. Okay,
So you're saying that's where you are right now, Okay, y'all,
I'm not intrusive, IM ain't gonna be nosy. Well, we
(45:09):
already kind of you know, past our time. We're gonna
have to do a part two. So I am thankful
that you came to our show, giving so much hope
and inspiration that when people are really who they are, authenticity,
people see it and they gravitate to that more than
something contrived and made up. I feel like consumers are
(45:32):
way smarter now than they were even twenty years ago.
Because twenty years ago you could get away with the
publicity stunt, right, But I feel like people smell it,
and I feel like people know now this ain't real.
You know you're smarter than that, And so thank you.
Thank you. A trail blazer, Plin, a trail blazer us
(45:54):
here at checking in, we are rooting for you and
we are so excited about your new East Coast journey.
Will you check in with us again? Oh? Come all right?
I love you. I'll see you later to the move,
all right, didn't we have fun? I told y'all, y'all
don't be I don't be believing me. At times, I'm
(46:16):
so grateful for a connection and relationship with Kalen. I
understand transition. I understand the transition that he's making and
going through, but I really feel like he's doing well
with his transition. And prayerfully. This conversation was something for
anybody else that's going through a job change or a
school change, or relationship change, changes in the family, or
(46:39):
whatever it is that you're going through that requires change.
Change is good, Evolving is good. Deciding to reinvent yourself
and what you want to do is good. I just
want you to know that it's good. All right. It
(47:00):
ain't over until it's good. Just know that you're loved. Hey, hey, hey,
(47:27):
hey hey. If you live in Atlanta or you're like,
you know what, I think, I just want to catch
a flight, not feelings, you know. I think I want
to take a road trip to be in Atlanta on
April twenty second for the first Black Effect Podcast Festival.
All Right, it's gonna be live podcasts from your favorite shows.
(47:49):
I'm excited about the live podcast festival because it's going
to be the first one. This festival is the first one,
so I know it's gonna be amazing. And I'm so
glad that Charlotte Mayne chose to have it home where
I live. I don't know if he did it for me,
but I'm just gonna put it out there he did
(48:10):
it because of me. Okay, so listen. Come and check
me out, Come check me out. I'm gonna be with
the girls from Reasonably Shady. There's so many more. We're
gonna rock it out. Okay. Tickets are available at black
affect dot com. Get your tickets today at black affect
(48:30):
dot com. All Right, I want to see you there,
because if I don't, I'm gonna be mad and then
I'll have to go get therapy. All right, So just
come see your girl. Checking In with Michelle Williams is
a production of iHeartRadio and The Black Effect. For more
podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or
(48:51):
wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
Welcome to Checking In with Michelle Williams, a production of
My Heart Radio and The Black Effect. Hey everybody, how
y'all doing? I am so glad to be speaking with
(00:24):
y'all again. I've got a friend someone where we check
in on each other. Honey is internationally known. He is
so awesome. Great great friend, great host, great guy that
just keeps us laughing. We were supposed to have this
(00:45):
conversation a while ago. You'll find out why though in
the episode. But I'm so glad that Kaylin Allen is
stopping by. We're about to have fun. Y'all. Listen, y'all.
I am excited. I have my buddy, someone who has
(01:07):
wowed us, inspired us, encouraged us, and it's such a light.
Some years ago, we saw him just doing videos at home,
talking about pistachio marshmallow, seven layer taco salads that people
would make, and he would deconstruct these videos and be like, now, ma'am,
I don't look like a heart attack for it come
to be on a toilet, and just like, his authenticity
(01:32):
is what won the hearts of millions. Went on to
work with and have his own show through Ellen DeGeneres,
and is now transitioning and doing so many great things.
He is someone's friend. He is someone's son to us.
We love him. He is Kaylin Alan, Hey Michale, Hey Bo,
(02:00):
how you do? How are you feeling? I am good?
I am good. How are you, dear heart? I'm wonderful.
You look wonderful. You look so sity. I love it, chat,
It's just I put on some oil. Uh huh. Because
Joe skin is always flawless, y'all. I'm like, does he
get like micro deummer brasion and hydrofacials every day? Oh
(02:21):
my gosh, I wish honey. It's genetics, baby, it's genetics. Now,
we're not mad at that. We are not mad at that, y'all. Listen,
I forgot to say, y'all. Klin is an artist, like,
he's an all around artist, music actor. Can you tell
(02:41):
us about the movie? Uh? Yeah, I get let me
see where I cannot tea. So it's a Christmas movie.
It's a Christmas movie, which is what I'm excited about
because you know, I'm also finishing a Christmas album right now.
So it's gonna be a very Kalin Christmas, very Kalin Christmas.
I love it. Congratulations. Let me tell you something, and
this is a nugget. If you can do Christmas movies,
(03:04):
Christmas albums, anything for Christmas, that stuff like lives on
forever because people are always looking for something to do holiday.
So you are right in there. Okay, so listen, Yeah,
you went viral a long time ago. Okay with your
(03:27):
Kalin reacts food videos. All right, can you go into
like what made you say I'm just gonna put this
phone up here because people don't realize the power of
the phone in your authenticity and how it can change
your bank account. Well, you know what's funny about that
is that so when this happened, this was in November
(03:48):
twenty seventeen, right, So this is really the decline of YouTube.
You know, back in the day, YouTubers were like a
huge thing. It was like that's what you dote. Well,
the reason why I say that is because there wasn't
as much emphasis on being a YouTube creator at this time.
So like that wasn't a new thing that was coming up.
Like the people that you would watch on YouTube have
(04:09):
been doing it for years, you know, like the Jackie
ian As, the Patrick Stars, these people had been doing
YouTube for a very long time. So you weren't seeing
like new money being put into YouTube. And this was
also before TikTok existed, So I really came in at
a sweet spot of because it was so funny. Now
especially it's like when it comes to reaction videos, like
(04:30):
a few of us did them at this time, but
now because TikTok has really made it really accessible to
be able to do like a split screen kind of thing.
Now everybody in a mama does it, you know what
I mean. And at that time, it was an accident.
It was not something that I was planning on doing.
You know. I was at school in Tippa University. I
was getting my degrees in theater and film. The plan
(04:51):
was that I was gonna move to New York and
I was gonna try to be on Broadway and I
was just gonna do that and that was gonna be it.
And then that first semester of my senior year, is
just had this feeling. I believe that I am divinely guided.
That's what I told people all the time, And there
was a feeling that told me to make that first
video and then I did it and I posted it.
(05:12):
Next thing, I knew that woman had gone viral and
then a month later I was going to feel my
first episode of Ellen. And then in January twenty eighteen,
I moved to Los Angeles. It all happened at three months.
Wait a minute, have you heard Tabitha Brown story? Yes,
kind of the same thing where she said she heard
a voice say, get your phone, use your phone, and
(05:37):
to see what you two have done, just by the
power of making good use out of the phone, bringing
joy to people's hearts. Because people use their phones for evil.
I'm just gonna say it, but y'all, you use your
phone to make us did you know you were you
trying to make us laugh? No? And you know what's
(05:58):
so funny about that? And I tell people to all
times that I'm not a comedian, and it's like, I
just know I'm a comedic entertainer. I know comedy. I
just know what's funny. And it's really a lot of
times it's just how I talk. It's just how I
expressed myself. It's just who I am, you know. So
it's just like I don't see it as I'm sitting down,
(06:18):
like writing down a joke or something like that. It's
just like every now, And to be honest, even the
way that I make content. Now it's all off a feeling.
I don't believe in making content just to say that
I've made some content or whatever. I have to feel it. So,
for instance, like the other day, was at the grocery
store and these two boys call me sir, and so
that it's something that my spirit was like, this would
(06:39):
be a funny video. So I went home. I was like,
I already know what I want to say, I know
how I want to say. I'm a pressure record and
I'm gonna talk to this phone for a minute at
thirty seconds, you know what I mean? And I think
And what I realized after that video is that I
think because because it is so natural to me, I
think it becomes so believable that people think that I
(07:00):
actually really care about it, if that makes sense of
being like and I'm like, I don't really care that
these boys call me sir. Like that's not that's not
keeping me up at night, you know what I mean.
But it's like it's a part of the comedy. It's
a part of the hysteria of it all. It's a performance.
I love it. I have those moments and where I
(07:22):
should press record, but then I'm self conscious, like, well,
you don't have on a makeup, I gotta do this,
you gotta do that, don't be coming on looking busted.
So a lot of my thoughts just stay thoughts. But
I'm gonna try to do some more natural moments of
you know, spontaneous filming. Now, where do you feel like
(07:42):
that self consciousness comes from? Where does it stem from? Um?
So this could you interviewing me? I can't help it.
I can't. Okay, I know where it comes from. It
comes from always being known or seen as glamor hair
and makeup always done, and it's like I should at
(08:04):
least have on some lipstick. Okay. I'm not saying one
that comes on natural with no makeup done or no
hair done. I'm not saying that they're wrong, but it's
just like if I don't, will it be like, oh,
what's she going through today? Okay, I don't know, but
that's me overthinking assuming what people are thinking, and they're
(08:26):
probably not. They probably don't care. Well I would. I
would say that the flip is. I think it's also
the fact of like you being in the industry at
a time before social media, but at the level that
you were doing it as well. I can understand why
you would have that perspective, and I think the industry
has changed so much in today's day and age, is
(08:48):
that it's two different times, you know what I mean.
So I don't think it has anything to do with
you overthinking at all. I think it's you thinking in
what you're used to and what are you to be?
You know what I mean, which that I can understand.
And this has been your ask doctor Kaylin. Thank you
(09:10):
though you are so right, You're spot on. That's why
I was sitting in the spirit of hush because I
was like, Kaylyn is actually his spot on. I don't know.
I just try to add prospective to stuff. You know.
I think I'm very especially so. And I don't know
if I've even told you this before. Is that I
plan on when this is, you know, when I decide
I want to retire and I want to like, you know,
(09:32):
sit down or somewhere, I plan to become a therapist too,
specifically to people that work in the industry, because in
my experience and going to therapy, therapists could only understand
the everyday stuff, but when it came to industry stuff,
they had no idea of how to help me and
a lot of especially earlier that was a lot of
(09:54):
my issues were rooted in navigating the industry, and it
was just like, well, who am I ls to talk to?
You know what I mean? So I want to be
able to be that resource to people. So you think
we should go to school together and open up a brack,
Come on, let's go, we should let's go. I like that.
I like that. Okay, I'll let you get back to
(10:17):
the interview with no, no, we no, because it's gonna
flow and a half eighty percent of what we're talking
about ain't even you're right about it. So you did
a reaction video? Now wait a minute. Were people that
you did reaction videos too? Did they actually get offended? Some?
Some at first? But it was never like a big thing. Um,
(10:39):
But I do remember I think there was at some
point when the videos would be, you know, featured on
on Kalen or on Ellen, that people would be like, well,
we need to cut, you know, like because it's like
we're technically a cut of the ad revenue. You know. No, no,
you don't need what your cook needed to be cut? Okay,
exactly exactly exactly. It cut the video, but the funny
(11:03):
thing about that is that technically it's a parody, you know,
because it's like a commentary or whatever. But you know,
when you when you're dealing with something that was getting
that many views. I think once I left ellen on
Kaalen itself had already done over a billion views in itself.
So it's like when you have stuff of that magnitude,
of course people want to you know, cash in or
(11:24):
get a cut oft to check or whatever. I didn't
really care about that because I don't that's not why
I make stuff. But yeah, no, I think what was
also crazy about it was just that then, and this
is why I stopped doing them, was because I noticed
that people were just making videos too. That was just nasty.
And I think for me, everything is about authenticity, you know,
(11:45):
And so I was like I was watching video and
I'd be like that's not real, you know, and me
talking about like how I'm not a comedian. It's like,
I'm not about to sit here and just write a
couple of jokes to try and make this funny, you
know what I mean. It's like I don't ever want
to be a character or for it to feel inauthentic.
So I was just like, so I just want to
do with it that much. I'll just find something else
(12:07):
to do, you know what I mean. I'm still stuck
on because we saw the videos and then wow, I'm
just tripping. Like you said, it was only three months
later that Ellen Degenerous calls you and then you literally
Saunter and Sachet and strut out on that show and
(12:28):
you sit down and you cross your legs and you're
sitting with Ellen Degenerous. This is what twenty s eighteen.
So I take the first episode December of twenty seventeen,
and so what was that like? You get the phone
call to go out there. Well, it was a whirlwind.
(12:50):
Kansas born very much, so very much. So it was
a whirlwind, you know. So my first idea was that
I was going to show up. It was gonna give
me a cute little shutterfly check and I was gonna
go buy my business. Like that's what I thought it
was gonna be. And then I wasn't expecting to be
offered at the job. And so when I was offer
at the job, I said yes. On the show. I
(13:12):
remember I left there. I was staying at the Hilton
and Universal City Hunt, so I was at the Hilton,
and I remember the next day. I think my flight
may have been in the evening or something. I was like, Okay, well,
I'm gonna get up and go to Universal Studios. I
ain't never been, you know, I'm gonna go buy myself.
I gonna have fun and I'm mean right out to university.
And I called at that time my acting teacher at Temple.
(13:33):
I said, this is the deal. I was offered a job.
I need to move to LA. The original contract did
not say I needed to move to LA, but I
knew that if I moved to LA, then I would
be used more. They would use me more because I
was there. I was more convenient, they didn't have to
pay for travel and stuff like that. And so I
was like, we need to figure out how I can
finish my degrees in LA, and with this move needs
(13:55):
to happen asap. So I flew back to Temple, packed
up all my stuff. We figured it out. I did
class at night while I was at Ellen, and then
I moved to Los Angeles. But I will say that
it was very scary at first, and to be honest,
it's probably one of my most depressive moments of my life.
And the reason is is because I was thrown into
(14:19):
something with little to no guidance as to far as
how it operated and how it worked, you know what
I mean. Also, and when I got the job, I
was working five jobs in college like I was used to,
you know, working, working, working BBB, And now my only
job is the Ellen Degenerous Show. But this is before
on Kalen. This is before regular appearances. So it's just
(14:40):
like every down and then so I'm just sitting in
the apartment like I'm just sitting in my apartment watching
TV all day. It was driving me insane. I was like,
I'm so bored. I was in like a furnished apartment,
so it really wasn't mine. So the apartment was just
like there and it was dark. There wasn't a lot
of sunlight. I was like, I can't do this. This
(15:01):
is sad. I don't like it. So then that was
when I asked for an office at Warner Brothers, because
I was like, give me, give me purpose, give me
somewhere I can go, you know. And I think that
that was really why then everything else started to happen.
Was because I was very hands on and you know me,
I'm a very vocal person. I am very like all
(15:21):
toesy and you know what I mean. So that's just
who I am. I could be wrong, but I'm wondering
when you asked for an office, did that send a
positive signal to them, like, Oh, he want to come
in and work, he wants to be visible, versus someone
else that might have been lazy, Right, Mike would just
sit at home and be like, oh, I would just
(15:41):
wait for them to call me. I'll just but you
didn't have to. But you chose to go up there,
maybe even when you weren't called, but just to be
in the environment, being the atmosphere to stay upbeat. Is
that what am I hearing? You're right? Well, yes, yes,
and I think you know, I think a lot of
my career is I can honestly they say, I know,
fool wholeheartedly. I am a boss and that is how
(16:04):
I run my life. You know what I mean a
lot of the opportunities that come to me is because
I worked to make them happen. I made the connections,
I built the relationships, you know what I mean. Like
and that's important to me because especially for me being
from Kansas, it was like when people would ask like well,
who do you look up to? Who do you want
to be when you grow up? Or something like that.
(16:24):
I'm just like, I don't there's nothing there. You know,
a lot of who I am is made from the
lack thereof, especially being like a black queer person, you
know what I mean. So it's just like I have
to I have to work this hard. I have to
do all this to be representation in visibility purposes, you
know what I mean. Yes, And I know you've been
very vocal about not only what comes with being black,
(16:49):
but black and queer, and maybe the struggles or the
limitations were they're any put on you even before, Ellen, Oh,
even if they were before, I don't think I noticed
it to the magnitude that I do now. And I
would say that I even I even experienced social limitations
(17:09):
still to this day, you know what I mean. There
are a lot of times, but now. Yeah. And the
reason why I say that, it's because I think I
think the the fulfillment was different, if that makes sense.
I think prior to especially during theater, it was just
like that's kind of where you know, we all lived,
(17:32):
you know, that's where all the queer people went. They
went to the theater. So it was just like right,
so it was like this was safe. But now, and
I tell people all the time, it's like when it
comes to my career, the frustrating thing apart about it
is that I know that a lot of times it's
something doesn't sustain or something as a failure, or say
I do a show and it only has one season.
(17:54):
It's like it would be different if I could know
that that was because of my ability and I just
need to practice some more or learn some more. I said.
But it is frustrating when you know that a lot
of the rejection of who I am is because of
bigotry or because someone doesn't want my black body on there,
or they don't want my queer body in that space,
(18:16):
you know what I mean. And so it's like because
at that point you're like I'm hitting the wall, Like
it's like I don't know how to be anybody but myself.
So it's like what more do you want from me,
you know what I mean? Or finding where you fit
into the puzzle, you know what I mean. And I
think that's also why I gravitate I you know, even
when it comes to like Ellen or like you, I
(18:37):
think I gravitate to building relationships, and I care more
about creating relationships with people that have meant something to
me in my growing up or the people that influenced me,
or that you know, meant something Like I remember being
in middle school and like being in my Grandma's christ
their three hundred and on the sixth disc change, it
(18:59):
was destiny fulfilled, you know what I mean. So it's like,
but having those full circle moments of thinking about the
things that made me who I am, it helps to
resent to me to know that I have a purpose,
and especially now looking at the relationships that I have
for so many people that, yeah, at one point, what
I would have never imagined is to me is reassurance
(19:20):
that I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing, even
when it comes to like meeting Oprah and talking to
Oprah and then like having conversations with like Michelle Obama.
You know, I remember being at that place where you're
seeing people in textbooks or you're seeing people on MTVVH
one or entertainment Tonight, and then before you know it,
(19:44):
some years passed by and you're brushing elbows and you're
being on the red carpet. You said, something that I
would have never thought. But I understand when you first
got call you were excited, but then you said it
was one of the most depressing moments because you were
(20:05):
kind of thrust in there with no guidance. Right, How
has it been for you now? Because me and you
have briefly we've been talking about transition and what it's like,
how people and rebranding, reinventing yourself because people know you now.
For one thing, how has that been? Ellen Degenerous y'all
(20:26):
did y'all's last season last year and we were talking
about transition. How has that been for you? Well, you
know what's so funny about that? It's one thing I
had to realize. And I think it also had a
lot to do with the fact that I started while
I was still in college. I think I was still
operating as in the mindset of a child, to where
everything is laid out for me, and that you know,
(20:48):
people are telling me where to go, what to do,
this is the time you go to class and stuff
like that. And I think at some point I realized
that I needed to start transitioning to thinking like an
adult and to find that peace in the transitions. So
I think one of the best transitions that I made
was moving to New York, because that was always the dream.
(21:09):
That's always where I wanted to be. And I hated
Los Angeles, you know what I mean. And so I
was like, Los Angeles, I've always hated Los Angeles. I
just Michelle Michelle out when we saw each other at
the World bar Ar Galla. Do you know I had
only been in LA for like ten hours. I flew
in just for the gala, and I left me too.
(21:31):
I was there less than twenty four hours. Listen here,
and I said, I literally when I was talking to Trail,
I was like, what time is the gala over? And
he was like it was supposed to in round tenth thirty.
We know, it was a little bit longer than that.
And so then I was like, okay, with my flight
gonna be at midnight. And then because we both left
together and we both went to the airport, and I
was like, I'm out of here. When I go to LA,
(21:52):
I want to be in and out. Okay, Oh my gosh.
I did not know that, yes, honey, And so I
was like, I gotta get out of here. And so
then and the reason why it's like you know this.
Los Angeles is very industry heavy. Everybody there practically works
in the industry or guy has some connection to it
and a lot of who I am, especially when it
(22:13):
comes to the art that I make and my comedic.
You know, spirit about me is derived from the everyday person.
And I was just like, this is not in everyday life.
We live the same day every single day. I need seasons.
I want Christmas to feel like Christmas. I want Halloween
to feel like Halloween. Like that's what I need. I
(22:33):
need some normalcy. And I was like, yeah, I'm out
of here. I'm out of here. But I mean the
version of who I am here is like night and
day to who I was in LA. Are you happier? Oh?
I love it? I love it. I see things crystal
clear every day. I'm just up and ready to go.
(22:53):
I love it. It's just like you moved to I did,
but I moved to Atlanta, Georgia. Everybody you know seems
to find their way down here. Life brought me here
and it's been good for me. Now alaa New York
I would want to live. I'm the Hampton's Girl. Okay, Okay,
(23:18):
I think I don't know now I don't know if
I want to you do. Come on, I see for
me to feel for you. Come on, let's continue to
see it for each other. Yea la maybe on the
outskirts somewhere, you know the Santa Barbara ye it Cino.
(23:41):
Sherman Oaks is getting to live well, you used to
live in Sherman Oaks. You used to live in Sherman Oaks.
And I've heard it, as Cha Yang, I believe that.
I think people are starting to move out a lot. Yeah,
it has changed a lot. Now. You did talk about
relationships prior, and just so y'all know, Kaitlin and I
(24:02):
were supposed to do this interview a couple months ago.
Oh yes, all right, but due to the loss of
his very close friend Twitch, we had to postpone it.
And you talked about going to La doing Ellen not
having guidance. How did the relationship with you and Twitch happened?
(24:25):
And do you think if it wasn't for your relationship
with him, you were like, I probably would have just
commuted back and forth here. Oh, you know, you're absolutely right.
You know so funny about that. It's like that was
such a shock to me and it affected me in
ways that I didn't even know it was going to
(24:45):
affect me. It affected the way that I the way
that I approached my work, the way I approached my life,
what I thought about what I need to do from
here on out, you know. And I think what was
great about having Twitch as far as like us practically
being like the only black like you know, talent on
(25:08):
the show, is that we were able to support each
other in ways that we couldn't have gotten that from
anybody else, just off a race itself, you know what
I mean. And I think you know, Bro, you know exactly,
but just being able to have and I think also
as two people that were figuring out the industry and
(25:30):
figuring out what was next, you know, and doing that together,
especially because you know, he had been at the show
for so long, right and I was new, Like I
was there for five years and he was there for fifteen,
you know, and so even with me being able to
help and tell him, like what the industry is like now,
because you know, when you have that safety net of
a show for that long, it's hard to understand. I mean,
(25:53):
you could probably understand that of being like in a
group for so long and now it's over and then
you throw him to the wolf rules. Yeah, and then
you got to figure it out, you know, and then
it's like you don't know what to do because you've
had this safety net for so long. And then you
have to deal now you have to figure out how
to stand out on your own and make a name
for yourself while you got a whole bunch of people
(26:15):
trying to tell you who you should be or what
you're supposed to do. You know what I mean, we
have lived these same transition. I want you to know
that I see you, and I know the hard work
that you are doing. I know you're happier now, you know,
because you are in New York, But you had some
(26:35):
compounded grief. You have more than one type of grief, okay,
grieving the loss of community relationships that were built on
the show, and then the actual loss of a life.
You know, to someone, can you break down your journey
(26:56):
your grief journey for someone that's listening checking in is
definitely based in mental health, but we try not to
be so heavy with it, but maybe share, you know,
your grief journey with us. Yeah, So I think I
felt I felt all of it. Um At first I
was in shock, then probably about a couple of days,
(27:17):
and I became really really sad about it, to where
it's all I thought about all day long, every single day,
and it would just replay in my mind over and
over and over again. And then I became angry. Then
I got mad, you know. But those are the steps
of grief, right right then. I then I became very
(27:40):
angry about a lot of things. And then afterwards, after
the anger part, I think I got a little bit
more insightful, you know, And I think I started to
have more direct conversations with him about it all about
what was next, what needed to happen next, you know
what I mean, and what I could say even I
(28:02):
felt this. A couple of weeks ago, I was in
Miami for South Beach Food and Wine Festival, but right before,
I was very very frustrated, you know, and I was
very frustrated with the industry, with Hollywood. I was at
a point where I was like, you know what, Kaitlin,
maybe you should just go get a nine to five,
because I'm tired of this, you know what I mean.
And so I was in this battle and I was
(28:22):
talking to somebody about it, and I said, you know what,
it probably actually has a lot more to do with
Twitch that I feeled this anger. And I said, because
a lot of the conversations that me and Twitch were
always surrounded about careers, you know, and making sure that
the world outside of these safety nets finds value in
(28:44):
us and worth in us, and you know, and that
we can actually do this on our own. And you know,
even when I wrote in my thing, because all the
headlines were talking about like Ellen's sidekicking stuff like that,
and I was just like, this man has a name,
you know, And so I wrote it in my post
like he was no one's sidekick, you know. I was
like he was the glue, he kept it together, you
(29:04):
know what I mean. And so and so I think
I became in a moment of maybe even more so,
I was in a fighter mode. I was, It's like,
I'm gonna make these dreams and aspirations come true, even
if I have to do it myself, because I'm tired
of sitting at these tables begging and pleading for somebody
to see my worth when the analytics are already there,
when the proof is already in the pudding. I'm not
gonna keep trying to beg you to give me an opportunity.
(29:26):
If you won't do it, then I'll just do it myself.
Because it was the power of you were you kind
of were starting doing it yourself and some I mean
with a Tyler Perry saying it ain't nobody going to
invite you to the table, make your own table. Yeah right,
And you are so capable of doing all of that,
(29:47):
and with that being said, capable of so many things.
How in the world, by the way, thank you for
sharing with us your journey, Yes right, the highs the lows,
because people think, oh my goss, you you're in LA,
You're driving this fancy card, you have this, you're on
(30:07):
l you're doing this. You got it. Oh I'm paying.
You got YouTube, you got food Network, you got this
and that. But it takes some true strength, some grounding
because people don't realize what you do go through to maintain.
So thank you for keeping it all the way real
and sharing with us a part of your grief journey
of course, and um fast forward to everything that you're
(30:30):
capable of. How are you on the East Coast NYU
and Juilliard? Yeah, those those aren't easy program schools to
get into. What made you say I'm I'm headed. I'm
headed to New York. I'm going to NYU and Julie, well,
you know, I knew that I wanted to have a
(30:52):
talk show one day, and everything that I do, it
is important that I know the ins and out so
that I come with the tools and what I need
to be able to do it to the best of
my ability. And so I was like, I was, this
is another thing. I'm telling you, All these things just
come to me. I was scrolling through Facebook one day
and I saw an ad for an online master's program
(31:14):
at NYU, and something told me apply, and so I
click the link. I applied to the school. That happened.
The same thing happened with Juliard. I. So the week
I've moved to Los Angeles, I had a Juilliard grad
School audition for acting and I canceled it because of
(31:35):
course I was moving to La So so I was
here and I was just like one day I was
in the bed, I was watching TV and I said
something in my spirit, said Kaylin, going to Juilliard's website
right now. I go to Julliard's website. I see that
they have a Juilliard Extension program, which basically allows people
to be able to train It's Juilliard without having to
(31:57):
do the full degree program. So I so some says,
just apply, and I did, and then that's how both
of those things happened. Come on, all right, because this
is mirroring one of my aspirations and dreams to do.
Did you have people to tell you you don't need
to go to school? Yeah? But I mean nobody can
(32:18):
really tell me what to do because it almost came
out of my mouth, because I mean, you have the
natural gift to talk correct, right, which is also why
I think the program is really easy for me. It's
because a lot of stuff I just already know how
to do. But and I knew people were gonna say that,
(32:39):
you know. Deray McKesson said the same to me. He
was like, why are you going to school? You don't
need to go to school, you know what I mean?
And this is another reason why I said, and this
really is where the race and the identity comes into
it as well. I said, because especially the fact that
I'm I'm classified as a digital creator. I said, I
don't want anyone to say that I didn't earn my spot.
(33:01):
I don't want anyone to be able to say that.
I was like, I'm gonna have this paper and I'm
gonna also have the knowledge and the tools to be
able to like, well, here it is, I hear it, now,
I hear you there. But the reason why I'm kind
of like, uh uh huh huh. Sometimes favor, Amen, let
(33:21):
you do things a man at an accelerated pace. Correct
that it does that, it does, it gets you to
the front of the line. Amen. Favor is not understood
and it does not look fair, which and I can admit,
I can admit, And this wasn't really until I was
(33:43):
in industry that I started to somewhat care more about
what people thought or what they said. You know, it's
kind of inevitable. It's kind of ineviable, especially when you
I think this is what another thing that people don't understand.
It's like when you are getting so much feed back
and criticism at mass amounts, like we're talking thousands of
(34:06):
people being able to have an opinion on you. I
think people just think that it's just like, oh, yeah,
I wrote this comment and it's one comment, but you're
not realizing I'm getting thousands of stuff, you know what
I mean. And it's like I can This was more
so early in my career. It was like you could
(34:27):
have fifty million good comments and then you see that
one bad one. You see that one bad one, and
for some reason, you your mind tells you that's the
one that's real, that's the true one. Like people can
say I love you blah blah blah blah fifty million
times and you'd be like, oh, thank you, I love
you so much. Somebody got something smart to say or
mean to say, and you like, hold on, you know
(34:50):
what I mean? Yeah, yeah, I see what you're saying.
I see what you're saying. I got questions for you too,
but I want you to keep yours. No, you fine,
you fine, you fine, come on, ask me some questions. Well,
you know, I was, you know, I keep up with
you on an everyday basis, and so no, no, no,
(35:13):
So like I see, you know, interviews and stuff like that.
And one thing that I remember, especially now even still
to this day, when you are connected to an entity
already and people always ask you questions about everybody else's business.
You know what I mean? Does that get on your nerves?
Because it gets on mine. It does. And that's why
(35:35):
I was even careful to ask you about twitch. Right,
it's different, I know, but it's like, no, be interested
in my life. You know, people you know it's be
honestly gonna have another baby. It's Kelly gonna have another baby?
Are you gonna have a baby? Well what it was
it like to what's blue light? Well? What I like?
(35:56):
Y'all all right? Like what? But it took me a
year to accept people's natural curiosity and interest. Right, But
as far as when I'm doing interviews, I'm coming like,
respect me enough to at least make the first half
of the interview about me. And if you want to
(36:16):
slide in the question that I get every day or
Destiny's child ever reunited, I get it, but like respect
me about what I'm here to promote, but don't be
trying to slide in shade or questions. So unfortunately it
comes with it, but they should know better. They should
(36:38):
know better. And that's why I think, you know, with
me wanting to do a talk show one day or
even having checking in, I feel I'm a safe person
to have people on as a guest because I will
never be intrusive, you know, and or disrespectful or ask
questions or make you feel like I've promoted albums and
(37:00):
the radio station you don't play my music. But because
I'm a part of Destiny's Child, right, that got me
through the door. Right. And I would ask the radio
promo people at my label like are they even playing
my record? Well? Why am I going up there? Because
they know it is a way to talk about other
people in my project. It's so funny that she said
(37:24):
that because even when I was talking about like, you know,
the people I met, and you slid into Beyonce thing.
And I think for me, because I know how excited
you are. You've been so publicly vocal about meeting her,
and I person was so happy when you did. Yes,
But I think it's also it's like, also, have you
watched Swarm Swarm not yet? I have not. It's crazy
(37:47):
is it about they say, she the young lady that
starts in it. They say it is not about Beyonce
or to be high. Oh, it absolutely is. Episode six.
It's like Blaton. It's like, oh, yes, okay, but so
but it's so complicated. But I think for me, I
am very protective of it um And the reason why
I say that is because so I remember when I
(38:10):
guess hosted Ellen and I interview Kelly, and I remember
reading a lot of the trivia questions beforehand and me
being like, no, we are not asking that, you know
what I mean. And it was almost had to be
a compromise because they always people just they're in they
want to know. They feel like that's their only way
(38:32):
in interviews. They would have to ask us because they
could just refer to her exactly, but maybe they're like, well,
we're not gonna get it out of her, so maybe
we gotta get it out of other people, right exactly.
That's the whole thing. But it's even like, for instance,
like like the Beyonce thing, like me meeting her at
web Bro and we walked out together, right, Like I
didn't walk up to you and were walking out and
(38:53):
being like, girl, guess who I finally met? You know
what I mean? Because it's not necessary. And I also
believes that two worlds can exist, you know what I mean,
Like like you can have you can admire somebody and
and it doesn't have to be always about them, just
because you know other people connected to them, you know
(39:14):
what I mean. And it's just like why can't it
just exist as two separate things? Being like yes, this
is the relationship I have with this person. Yeah, they
know this person. But I was never in the point
of being like, Michelle, can you tell me be ansked
to call me? Can you can you tell to send
me so far as like, because that's unnecessary. It's unnecessary,
(39:35):
and I think it's as well as me living and
working in the industry. At the end of the day,
people just want to feel like human beings and people
want to be respected as such, you know what I mean.
And I think that's another reason why I had to
leave La, because everybody just cared too much about the mess,
you know what I mean, or the stuff that didn't matter.
(39:57):
It was just like, let's just connect to turn it off,
right or to have balance, right, you know. And so
the reason why I'm glad that I don't live in
LA anymore because it gave me so much anxiety. I
always felt like, well, I'm here, I better take a meeting.
Yeah right, let him know, let me you know, like
(40:19):
you said, you're almost selling yourself for for opportunities. But
I'm so thankful since I've been in Georgia, like so
much has come my way without having to have all
of these eighty thousand meetings, right, you know. Girls. So
crazy about that is that I found that same experience
(40:40):
moving to New York. And I think it's also because,
like you know, everybody that does what I do essentially
with live in Los Angeles, right, because I was like
the rare diamond and the rough out here to where
I was doing it at the magnitude that I've been
doing it. Then I became an asset. Butchell, the other day,
(41:00):
I was going through me and my assistant, We're going
through the emails and it was like an invite to
a movie premiere, and I was like, why am I
invited to this? Like do y'all like who is sitting
at the list? Like, yeah, Kalin would like this, you
know what. It would be the most random stuff. But
it's like, and I love that people find that I
bring that value to it and stuff like that. I
(41:21):
really do enjoy that. And it's just like you said,
I think I learned that the way that I got
into it was just the gateway, you know. Yeah, it
was just the door to be able to do everything
else that I wanted to do. Yes, there's so much more.
You're not in a box, right, you know, you have
many many many lanes to feel and don't let anybody
(41:46):
make you feel like you have to stay in one.
But you're showing us that you don't because you've got
you You were a judge or you're a judge on
a cooking show off. Yeah, yeah, I was a judge
on Holiday Banking Championship, Gingerbread Showdown. Yeah, Okay, Are you
gonna do anything more in that space? Please? Oh? Yes, absolutely?
You know I think that's like my bread and butter.
(42:06):
You know, I think I am a judge on which
we feel months ago, you know what I mean. So
it's like it's like I don't have any plans of
stopping or like I just love doing any and everything.
I love to be able to just be well round
it and conquer it all. You know. I know I
want to do Broadway. I know I want to do
(42:28):
all that. I'm so excited about that red carpet. Yes,
I'm gonna. I'm putting in my bed from my invitation
to your first opening night on BROA because I know
you're born for Broadway. You already know a baby. But
I do have a question about the podcast that you
have with Ricky Lay Yes, no, what a minute now,
(42:50):
you aren't old enough to know Ricky Lake. Okay. So
I've done Hairspray twice and so that's really where I
knew Ricky Lake for. And actually how I ended up
on the podcast. I was at brunch with Deray McKesson,
who was an executive producer on the podcast Yea and Yes,
Hey Deray. And so we were at brunch and he
was like, Oh, Ricky Lake is doing this podcast and
(43:13):
they're looking for, you know, young millennial talent to do
it with her. And he was like, I think you'd
be great fit. Let me know. And so I happened
to be going to LA that next week, and so
they had already auditioned people, like they have been doing
auditions for people, and I was a last minute audition
and they asked me to come into the studio and
film and record with Ricky. So I walk in, I
(43:36):
meet Ricky and she's like, Okay, you want to try this.
I was like, Yeah, let's do it. And I went
in there, I watched the clips and me and her
just talked and she was obsessed from day from the jump,
and she was like this is who I want. Like
she hired me on the spot and then that's how
the podcast was born. Wow, I love it. I am
here for all the I mean, there's so many like tentacles,
(44:00):
you know, as far as all that you can do. Now. Lastly,
you have been vocal about love you but you've been
very vocal about love in your life. Do you feel
like that like best an important need of yours? Who
(44:23):
now see listen you said lastly, But I'm like this
got a couple of layers in because all the times
where I'm like I'm good, okay, I'm gonna be brutally
honest with you, I'm be brutally honest where I am
right now, and after the experiences that I've had, especially
while working in the industry, I've been like, Nope, don't
(44:46):
want it. Nope, I'm better off without it because it's
too much, it's too stressful, and I don't have time
to be trying to figure out other folks intentions. I'm
a little tired of it, you know what I mean. Okay,
So you're saying that's where you are right now, Okay, y'all,
I'm not intrusive, IM ain't gonna be nosy. Well, we
(45:09):
already kind of you know, past our time. We're gonna
have to do a part two. So I am thankful
that you came to our show, giving so much hope
and inspiration that when people are really who they are, authenticity,
people see it and they gravitate to that more than
something contrived and made up. I feel like consumers are
(45:32):
way smarter now than they were even twenty years ago.
Because twenty years ago you could get away with the
publicity stunt, right, But I feel like people smell it,
and I feel like people know now this ain't real.
You know you're smarter than that, And so thank you.
Thank you. A trail blazer, Plin, a trail blazer us
(45:54):
here at checking in, we are rooting for you and
we are so excited about your new East Coast journey.
Will you check in with us again? Oh? Come all right?
I love you. I'll see you later to the move,
all right, didn't we have fun? I told y'all, y'all
don't be I don't be believing me. At times, I'm
(46:16):
so grateful for a connection and relationship with Kalen. I
understand transition. I understand the transition that he's making and
going through, but I really feel like he's doing well
with his transition. And prayerfully. This conversation was something for
anybody else that's going through a job change or a
school change, or relationship change, changes in the family, or
(46:39):
whatever it is that you're going through that requires change.
Change is good, Evolving is good. Deciding to reinvent yourself
and what you want to do is good. I just
want you to know that it's good. All right. It
(47:00):
ain't over until it's good. Just know that you're loved. Hey, hey, hey,
(47:27):
hey hey. If you live in Atlanta or you're like,
you know what, I think, I just want to catch
a flight, not feelings, you know. I think I want
to take a road trip to be in Atlanta on
April twenty second for the first Black Effect Podcast Festival.
All Right, it's gonna be live podcasts from your favorite shows.
(47:49):
I'm excited about the live podcast festival because it's going
to be the first one. This festival is the first one,
so I know it's gonna be amazing. And I'm so
glad that Charlotte Mayne chose to have it home where
I live. I don't know if he did it for me,
but I'm just gonna put it out there he did
(48:10):
it because of me. Okay, so listen. Come and check
me out, Come check me out. I'm gonna be with
the girls from Reasonably Shady. There's so many more. We're
gonna rock it out. Okay. Tickets are available at black
affect dot com. Get your tickets today at black affect
(48:30):
dot com. All Right, I want to see you there,
because if I don't, I'm gonna be mad and then
I'll have to go get therapy. All right, So just
come see your girl. Checking In with Michelle Williams is
a production of iHeartRadio and The Black Effect. For more
podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcast, or
(48:51):
wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
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