Join Reggie Ponder, the Real Critic, and Kathia Woods in another edition of the Real Critics Network podcast as they unwind post-awards season. They share personal stories about family and pet dynamics, and dive deep into the significance of the African American Film Critics Association (AFCA) Awards in recognizing Black voices in the film industry. The discussion shifts to media inequalities, highlighting the struggles of Black media outlets in gaining access to mainstream and Black-focused award shows. Reggie and Kathia also review the documentary "Daughters" and TV shows, with Kathia giving a sneak peek into NBC’s new show 'Gross Point Garden Society'. They conclude with a fiery critique of the film 'Anora' and its perplexing acclaim. Tune in for an engaging mix of industry insights and lively banter.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cri (00:01):
I'm Reggie Ponder, the Real Critic,
and welcome to another editionof the Real Critics Network
podcast.
I am here with my host, KathiaWoods.
And Kathia, how are you?
How are you?
How are you?
Kathia Woods (00:16):
Good.
We both have been, flying tofriendly skies, knock on wood.
We got, we
Kathia Woods (2) (00:21):
went where we needed to be and we got back
home.
Girl,
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Crit (00:26):
it is so good that we're winding
down on awards season.
And going off, going back andforth, I just been, I'm a little
bit under the weather and I amglad to be back home and getting
things started.
I was telling you at one point.
is that this is a, not only abusy time of the year for me for
(00:46):
the award season, it's a realbusy time of the year for me for
birthday season.
And my immediate family, my twodaughters and my wife, all I
have to remember is thisformula.
Now, because people be stealingyour information, I'm not going
to tell what months that's in,right?
But as long as I remember thosenumbers, then I am okay with my
(01:10):
daughter, my wife.
Yeah, my, my two daughters andmy wife because I just need to
remember that and I add 14 inthere because Valentine's Day is
in there somewhere.
So between January and June, I'mdone.
I'm done for my immediate familywith birthdays, but here's the
deal with that, right?
If I add my 10 brothers andsisters My mother in law, my
(01:35):
five in laws, sister and brotherin laws, I got birthdays through
the whole year, and it's justtoo much.
Now, I know for a fact that foryou, it's you, Your husband,
your daughter, and y'all addingon that darn dog.
I'm not adding on the dog for nobirthday.
(01:55):
I'm not.
I'm not celebrating.
I'm not buying the dog a, abone, a birthday cake, a
birthday snacky snack.
I'm not going to one of thesefast food restaurants and asking
them for a pup cup.
I'm not doing that, Kathia.
I'm just not.
Kathia Woods (2) (02:11):
You know what?
But the dog is part of thefamily.
The dog will probably be likeReggie.
Look outside.
Somebody trying to takesomething.
Now, I'm not gonna go out thereand stop them, but I'm gonna
give you the heads up.
The dog will probably come andcheck on you when you're not
feeling well.
You know, he probably, it willgreet you.
(02:32):
I know my dog does.
When our daughter was stillliving at home, I know that the
dog came down the steps a lotfaster than she did to make when
I got home to happy to see me.
I know the dog probably, youprobably in the house a good
couple of hours before the kidsare like, Oh dad, nice to see
(02:54):
you.
So I'm just like, Yeah, we gonnacelebrate the dog because the
dog is part of the family.
He's in the family portrait andpeople.
Yeah, people come he gets alittle pup cup.
He gets a little celebration.
We usually get him something helikes, you know, and I was at a
(03:16):
brunch this weekend.
And let me just tell you,Jessica Williams, who I adore.
Who's on shrinking, which is agreat show on Apple TV.
Plus, do you know, first of all,she was very gracious at South
by Southwest last year and tooka picture with my husband and
who is a big fan of the show.
(03:38):
And I said to her, I understandyou're tired.
If you're not up to it, it'sfine.
No harm, no foul.
And she was like, absolutely notlove that you asked.
Love the way that you asked me.
She took the picture with Kevin.
Make a long story short, wetalked about that and just
thanked her and then she talkedabout that she's a dog mom.
As a girl, I get it because mydog likes a soft life too.
(03:59):
I said, my dog does not do tapwater.
My dog does, heater blankets,spa treatments, meals prep for
him.
KB always laughs that I makepork chops for him.
I'll grill him other littlemeats that he likes.
He likes he has a Kate Spadeblanket.
(04:19):
The vein of my existence, youand I talked about this.
We got this marriage storyblanket and I've been trying to
find a duplicate because heloves a soft blanket, a plush
blanket.
He does not do the regularblankets.
So when we go away and he stays,he has his own situation, he
(04:40):
does not share space.
He's not as Katarina likes tosay with the commoners.
So he's living his best life,
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cri (04:46):
you know what?
It's just a little bit too muchfor me.
So I don't want to kill the dogtalk.
So I'm going to say a couple ofmore things about this.
thing.
The first is I play with the dogbecause I feel for a dog just
sitting in the cage or sittingin the room.
(05:06):
That's just not having as muchfun.
I'm all for that, but I'm nottrying to feed the dog.
I'm not trying to pick up thedog poop.
I'm not when, if the dog has anaccident in the house, I am not
happy.
So if the dog is not in thehouse, it's this, there's
nothing in my body to be like,man we're the dog at.
How come the dog is not in myroom?
(05:29):
No! No! That's just how I feel.
So, when Bobby moves out and shetakes the dog with her, See you
later! You're gonna
Kathia Woods (2) (05:38):
miss
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cr (05:39):
him.
You're gonna miss him.
You're gonna miss him.
Carrie already moved out andtook her dog.
I don't miss it.
And it's the dog we done had thelongest.
Now when I visit Carrie, I playwith the dog.
But it's just like a, it's noteven close to, but it's Yo,
Kathia Woods (2) (05:55):
I think.
Reggie's just saying that tosoften the blow, but I have a
feeling when he visits Kerry,him and the dog have a little
catch up time.
The dog is like, good to seeyou, Reg! He's like, good to see
you, too!
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Crit (06:11):
So the running joke for me and
Kerry's dog is that if Bobby andI are in the same room, I try to
get the dog's attention, and Iknow that the dog is going to go
to Bobby.
And it is so funny that we playthis thing back and forth.
I'll lay on the floor and askthe dog to come here and won't.
(06:32):
And then Bobby will lay on thefloor and the dog will go to
Bobby.
And it's the funniest thing.
I have so much fun with that.
I am good.
That the dog likes Bobby morethan it likes me.
I'm good with that.
I'm okay.
I'm perfectly okay.
Okay.
Kathia Woods (2) (06:47):
When Bobby goes away, does she take the dog
with her?
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cri (06:51):
She does not.
And so because she doesn't takethe dog away, that means that
the responsibility falls onsomebody else in this house.
And I hate it.
I hate it.
I don't want to feed the dog.
I don't want to take the dog outfor a walk.
Kathia Woods (2) (07:04):
So you are in, unofficially, as much as you
like to not be that person, youare still the grandparent, the
dog grandparent.
You are the lodging for when shegoes on the road and does her
thing.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel C (07:18):
Well, what I will say is the dog don't
stay in my room, the dog don'tstay in my bed, the dog goes
back in the Bobby's room, I,nah, it ain't happening.
And when I'm in my office, Idon't have a dog sitting down
here chilling out with me.
Anyway, enough of the dog stuff.
Let's talk about let's talkabout something else.
All right.
Our first segment is calledwhat's on my mind.
(07:42):
And what's on my mind is notabout dogs, right?
What's on my mind is reallyabout the AFCA Awards that we
attended, the African AmericanFilm Critics Association Awards
that we attended.
And I just want to talk aboutnot about the winners and all
the people who were there, butabout why I still think that
(08:02):
these things are so importantto, to have.
And the first point for me isreally about recognition.
I think that what happens isthat this helps to amplify Black
voices.
And specifically, AFCAcelebrates and recognizes the
achievement of Black filmmakers,actors, and other creators in
(08:23):
the industry.
So that's the first point.
And I just think that that'sreally essential.
The second point I want to talkabout is it's actually
countering that mainstream biasand we see that mainstream bias
during award seasons,particularly as we're watching a
particular film, get all theseaccolades and just won some
(08:44):
spirit award things.
And I'll talk about that later.
I cannot believe that this isthe film of the year.
That this is the film that thepeople are loving and like, but
anyway, it counters themainstream.
At least it gives some peoplesome other things to think about
when we talk about qualitycinema.
Also, it sets a precedentbecause it, we often recognize
(09:06):
talent early in their careers.
And we do that all the time.
The talent that we show early inthe career, people be like, Oh,
you guys were hip to them beforewe were, and I love that point.
And then there's the advocacybecause promoting diversity,
celebrating black stories andstorytellers, the AFCA's really
(09:29):
encouraged greater diversity inthe film industry.
I'm saying both in front of andbehind the camera.
It also drives a lot ofconversation.
It doesn't just drive thatconversation between you and I,
because we talk about that allthe time, but it also drives
conversation between our peersalways asking us saying, well, I
like this film.
And did you like, or what didyou like?
(09:49):
And then we'll say, well, didyou see this film?
Did you see daughters?
Did you see such and such?
And they're like, no, I haven'tseen that film.
So it does spark thatconversation.
And I hope.
That it influences mainstreamchoices.
I hope that the mainstreamawards look sometime and say,
wow, they nominated these, orthey awarded these particular
(10:14):
films.
Maybe these are some of thefilms that some of the other,
that some of us maybe shouldsee.
And then as it relates to us.
It creates a space for blackcritics.
A lot of times our voices areabsent, even in some of these
major organizations where wehave a presence that our voice
(10:35):
is absent because our, ourpercentage in that group is
still so small that our voicesare just overtaken.
And so those are the things thatI really want to talk about, the
importance of the awards likeAFCA.
I think it builds community.
I think it's just so importantfor us to have those kind of
(10:57):
awards.
And that is my, what's on mymind after attending our awards
just this week.
Kathia Woods (2) (11:05):
Couldn't agree with you more.
This awards every year.
I literally I have my head downfor a minute.
Because this
Kathia Woods (11:13):
is what this gentleman on X, said about the
fact that, about Viola Davis,
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cri (11:20):
Oh,
Kathia Woods (11:21):
That, the fact that it's hard for black women
to win awards for movies thatcenter black women and, That
type of stuff where let me screw
Kathia Woods (2) (11:34):
up sometimes.
I think he wrote sometimes Ithink about how viola davis was
favored to win best actresstwice and both times voters
Instead gave a third Oscar to awhite woman.
Is that a circumstantial?
Is that circumstantial?
Maybe.
I don't know, but we have somuch evidence that voters just
do not like awarming moviesabout black women.
(11:56):
I said, and I always use Fencesas a good example because
Fences, she is the co lead.
She is the female voice in thatpiece.
And won a whole Tony.
For best actress in a drama andpeople are well, they don't have
best supporting.
No, it's called featured that'swhat it's called instead of best
(12:18):
supporting it's called featuredand But i'm like they basically
took that play and theytranslated it.
So she downgraded because Sheknows having been nominated for
best actress That she has beenoverlooked twice for a white
woman.
(12:39):
There's something wrong, andthis is no shade to Emma Stone,
that we live in a world whereEmma Stone has two Oscars, Meryl
Streep has three, and FrancesMcDermott has two, while Angela
Bassett had to get an honoraryone, while I'll go as much as,
as far as Cicely Tyson.
Not having one should have wonfor what I've got to do with it
(13:04):
doesn't have one, but this is togetting back to your point.
The reason why we need theafterwards and the reason why
Gil and Africa and them startedit because.
Of the way that Ava was treatedfor Selma, and she was like, we
need our own, right?
So, AFCA recognizes MarianneJean Baptiste, who has been
(13:26):
absolutely overlooked this awardseason, with her amazing
performance in Hard Truth.
Don't give me that where thestudio doesn't have money.
I was like, neon don't got awhole bunch of money, but
everybody's giving MickeyMadison, her flowers, right?
Oh my
Reggie Ponder, The Re (13:41):
goodness.
Oh my goodness.
Kathia Woods (2) (13:44):
The image awards, right?
Which by the way, I, haseverybody got their listening
ears on?
For all the folks in the back.
Yes, the majority of people whoget honored at the image awards
are black, but the NationalAssociation for Colored People.
That's what NAACP stands for isfor all people of color, Latinos
(14:07):
have been nominated.
Asians have been nominated.
Native Americans have beennominated.
Have they won overwhelmingly?
No.
But they're celebrated in thatspace.
They're welcomed in that space.
They're more welcomed in thatspace than they are in the
mainstream award shows.
So I don't, so the reason weneed these award shows is
(14:28):
because that is one of the fewspaces where black women,
especially, get acknowledged fortheir contribution that they do
on the big screen.
And also, I don't know if youremember this, Denzel
Washington, the year he won forTraining Day, I said in his
acceptance speech, and I'mparaphrasing.
(14:49):
It was important for me to behere.
Next week we'll do the otherone, meaning the Oscars, right?
But he said it was important forhim to be there.
Because this is the space wherehe was first seen before anybody
else.
saw him.
So that's why he showed up.
And just to make my last point,and I'll let you expand upon
(15:11):
this is, one of the cruxes thatI have with those award shows,
not AFCA cause we don't do thatat AFCA.
Is a lot of people will breaktheir necks to be a guest at the
other award shows, but will notcome to the black award shows.
(15:33):
Once they get crossed over, theystop coming, right?
And it leads me to my part ofthe rant.
Cause I agree with you.
We still need the Alma awardsfor celebrates Latin talent.
We still need the GLAAD awardsfor celebrates members of the
LGBTQIA plus community.
We need, women, the award showsbecause it celebrates women and
(15:55):
the list goes on and on.
We need the essence and blackwomen in Hollywood dinner
because it celebrates blackwomen.
But I want to say this.
What are the issues that I havewith our award shows and I want
to be specific about the honorsand the awards.
I was a black excellent brunchyesterday and several of my
(16:17):
media girlies, black women saidthe invitations gotten a little
dry this year.
Right.
We got ranted about GoldenGlobes drawing back on access,
right?
People not being able to be onthe carpet.
They've been in a carpet fordecades, only getting the green
room.
Well, baby, when nobody wasplaying dust, when the Image
(16:40):
Awards were on in the afternoon,and it was taking 6 hours,
right?
And you only saw it insyndication.
It was just black media outthere.
Mainstream media would sendtheir third cousin Bobo with
just a little tape recorder tocover it.
If you were lucky, they came forboth days.
They only came for one day.
Now that you have variety, theHollywood reporter or whatever,
(17:02):
sending their black team.
Now it's Oh, later for overthere, but we still want you to
cover it.
And I say to myself.
How do I get credential for theAcademy Awards, which in my
opinion are much harder, but Ican't get credentialed for ABFF
Honors, and I can't getcredentialed for the Image
Awards, but they still want meto do a recap.
(17:24):
Make it make sense.
So, in one way, we can't sayit's for us, but we don't
celebrate Black Legacy Media,and what really hurt my soul.
Since I'm on my rant is Iscrolled through my Instagram
like we all do and why I writefor a black legacy newspaper 140
years shout out to thePhiladelphia Tribune and NNPA
(17:48):
outlet which is part of blacknewspapers.
You had somebody on the carpetIt was not following.
They don't have an outlet.
Even my own outlet has moretraffic and everything That was
an influencer.
So what are we doing?
So this is what I'm saying.
Like we take two steps forwardsand we take two steps back.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel C (18:10):
Yeah.
So my thoughts on this, why I'mof two minds.
One, when I was in theadvertising industry, I was the
person that.
Festivals like a BFF came to,and in fact, a BFF did come to
our advertising agency and weworked with our clients to try
to fund that.
(18:31):
And since I was on the groundfloor of all of them, and I
mean, urban world in terms oftrying to get sponsorship.
What was really interesting isthat I know what kind of money
they got and it wasn't a lot.
I know what kind of money theygot.
And so they're trying to producethese shows on a shoestring and
(18:53):
a prayer.
So, on the one hand, I actuallyunderstand why sometimes the
folks in the front are not thefolks Who should be in the
front.
So how the big stations andvariety and all of those folks
get what they get, becausewhat's demanded of those
(19:14):
festivals is the same thingthat's being demanded of the
festivals.
They get all the money.
They want to have the same kindof star access and so on and so
forth.
So they succumb to that pressureand say, okay, I'm going to put
ABC, Variety, The HollywoodReporter, and all these other
(19:37):
outlets first.
Because I need to treat themlike they're royalty.
I gotta treat them like they'reroyalty in order for me to be
able to go back to my sponsorsand then say, Hey, we got the
big boys.
We got KBLA.
We got the stations and all ofthat stuff.
So I understand it.
I understand it from a moneyperspective because my sponsors
(19:59):
asked for that.
They demand that.
They like, wait, you got ReggiePonder on the red carpet or
Indigo?
That that ain't working for methat I'm not going to spend my
money just so I could be on someancillary papers according to
how I feel.
So totally understand that.
(20:21):
The other mind is as a filmcritic and on the red carpet,
I'm always getting the lastspot.
I always get the last spot,which means I don't get the
questions that I don't get totalk to the people.
I don't get the questions.
There has to be a way in whichthese festivals say, you know
what?
These are our people.
We need to make sure that theyget their stuff too.
(20:44):
And I don't know what thatbalance is because I don't run
these award shows.
I don't run these festivals.
I don't know what the balance isbecause I know that in one way
you have to be beholden.
To your sponsors and making surethat they get as much publicity
as they can.
But then on the other hand, youneed to be responsive to your
(21:06):
people.
And so it's a tough one for meand I understand it.
I do understand it.
The
Kathia Woods (2) (21:12):
problem is let's talk ABFF the person who
is spearheading.
The publicist and it's not thecompany because the company has
a black publicist.
The person who is spearheadingthis for abff is a woman is not
a black person.
(21:32):
Is that even a black agency?
It is a woman of Asian descentwho doesn't know because when I
was at abff last year, right?
I had the studio publicist foramazon Divorce in black right?
Shout out to jasmine and themtelling her Let give Kathia that
(21:55):
it let Kathia speak becauseShe's with such and such She was
giving the same person.
She gave credentials to on thecarpet She was letting them and
the girl is trying to get in theshot with the talent.
She's taking selfies.
Tick tock, tick tock.
(22:16):
The clock is ticking, but I'mexpected to write about this and
I'm expected to cover it.
But when the studio who's on thestep and repeat part of the
sponsorship for said festival istelling you, lady, That you need
to let that their talent, whichthey paid for to fly out to
(22:39):
speak to you.
What are you doing
Reggie Ponder, The Reel C (22:44):
that?
Yeah, that was my issue
Kathia Woods (2) (22:45):
and I did write the agency and I said.
My experience with yourpublicist handling this, and
I'll be writing a BFF because Ijust think, especially with last
year, so many of us fought toget down there because, you had
the hurricane and so many peoplecanceled.
Right.
And we still came down there.
We still covered the festival.
(23:07):
So I'm like, we got to, thegrass is not always greener on
the other side.
And I agree with you.
I think there's a way that youcan get the eyeballs where you
can satisfy, sponsorship rightas sponsors and people are
cutting the check.
(23:28):
But the problem is, urban worldhas been up and down because
urban world people are like,well, why aren't you?
Because the lack of consistency,right?
Urban?
Well, it's not.
It's also happens around thesame time as New York film
festival.
So, my thing is.
Why is it harder for us to getaccess, for us to do the work
that we do at New York FilmFestival when it comes to our
(23:51):
own people?
It's not that we don't want tocover it, but it'd be so up and
down, it'd be so disorganized,the lack of professionalism.
And all I'm saying, all I'msaying, Like, it just, again,
it's, it's, you want to do it,but it's always it's always,
like I said, it's ABFF, it'ssuch a hot mess to cover.
It's a great atmosphere, butit's a hot mess to cover that
(24:14):
you're like, we're getting tooold to be doing that, right?
That's too old to be leaving thehouse on messiness.
And instead of saying, Hey, weneed to tighten up.
And on top of that, most of usdon't want to go to Florida and
give our money to that state.
We already like what's going ondown there.
And then you want to act likewe're in inconvenience.
(24:36):
But this is what I'm saying.
We, as black people, the reasonwe have created our own things
is to say, this is our space.
This is community.
We're welcome.
But then too often, we end updoing some of the exclusion,
some of the elitism that we'reescaping from.
Which avoids, which is defeatsthe whole purpose about us
(24:58):
having our own thing.
We
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Crit (24:59):
do the only thing Conti I'm saying
though, is that because I'vebeen on the other side.
No, I feel you and I appreciatethat.
The money really does influencethis.
So for instance, when ABFF needto get a John Singleton or
Denzel Washington and all thosepeople there, they got to pay
some serious money to make surethat their accommodations and
(25:20):
all that other type of stuff isright.
Now, when they don't have thestuff, the people are like, I
ain't coming for that.
If you not treat me A1, I'm notcoming.
And so, the, I did this dealwith, who was that?
It was with TBS, TNT, ABFF, andsome other big company that had
(25:50):
all the money.
And the amount of money thatABFF got out of this big deal
with all of these companiescoming together to do this big
deal.
Was minuscule.
It was absolutely minuscule.
So then when you start talkingabout trying to run a festival,
a lot of the messiness happensbecause part of the messiness
(26:13):
happens because you're trying torun the expectation is that you
run the same quality festivalthat everybody else runs with
the money that you are given.
And how do I know that?
Because as an advertising agencyworking in the advertising
world, my clients wanted thesame amount of service from us.
(26:37):
Not, I'm not even talking aboutfor the festival.
I'm talking about the sameamount of service from us that
they were getting from themajority white firm.
And I so happen to have workedfor a majority white firm.
So I know what money they gotfor that.
And I know what kind of money wegot for this.
So money does kind of run it.
And it becomes this kind of likedomino effect.
(27:02):
I still think, though, like yousaid, if ABFF, for instance, has
a black firm running it, butthen all of a sudden, they get a
black PR firm, but then thepeople who Don't value who we
are and what we are.
It does cause a problem.
This is a major issue.
You are absolutely right.
(27:23):
I don't know to solve for it.
Maybe we'll have some stuff.
Maybe on one of our segmentswe'll have some, we need
Kathia Woods (2) (27:29):
to have PR.
And because it just is, and youknow, the other thing that I
noticed, and I'm sure you dotoo, friend every day.
You know, we had some friends, acolleague, fellow African
member, Candace Fendrick, and awhole bunch of people at
Huffington Culture just got laidoff.
The one girl that's with me inTCA, she's been at Huffington
(27:51):
Post for 10 years, just got laidoff.
IndieWire just laid off somepeople.
If you don't understand if youdon't start valuing the
relationship and those of usthat are still around in the
press, Maybe they ain't going tobe nobody there to come to your
event because it's going to benothing but freelancers and the
(28:12):
only way you can rightfullypitch to an outlet if you have
the credentials, right?
So it's just very, veryinteresting in this media
landscape where every time youturn around, somebody is getting
laid off.
How this is going to work out ifyou don't start valuing people
(28:32):
because ain't nobody going to beleft.
Cause everybody's going to be,we're all fighting for the same
piece of cheese.
So it's going to be reallyinteresting how things shake
out, but, I appreciate yourperspective cause yeah, I mean,
money is very important causeyou can't do any of it.
Without money.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel C (28:49):
Yeah.
All right.
Well, we're going to revisitthis discussion again.
We already know that's going tohappen for sure.
I, we only have one movie fortoday to, to talk about.
I know you, you're going to talkabout in, in your segment the
rant and rave segment, you'lltalk about some of the TV shows
you're watching, but there's onemovie that I just want to
highlight.
I always do this because you arethe documentary watching person.
(29:13):
If I ever need to know about adocumentary.
I just need to call you.
Did you, did you, have you seena good documentary lately?
Girl, that documentary daughtersis fire.
It is one of my favorite,favorite documentaries, maybe
(29:36):
because I'm a man and how it, ithonored us in so many different
ways.
But it did not let us escape ourresponsibilities either.
It's so interesting how you getthis film that says, you are,
(29:57):
you have a responsibility, butalso says that we understand
what you're going through.
It also says we understand whatthese young kids are going
through.
We also understand what thesewomen are going through, who are
trying to raise these daughters.
It was a complete film, and Ishould just back up, so I'll do,
(30:19):
and tell people what it's about.
Kathia Woods (30:22):
Place it.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cr (30:22):
This film is about a program that was
started on the ideas on theminds of young girls.
There was supposed to be a daddydaughter dance at a school, and
one of the, one of the younggirls says, Well, my daddy can't
(30:44):
come because he's in jail.
Another girl says, well, whycan't we just take the daddy
daughter dance to the jail?
That idea in and of itself wason, from the minds of babes
they, from the mouths of babes,right?
Kid says, let's do it.
And a woman decided to try tomake it happen.
(31:08):
These kids wrote a letter to, Iguess, the correctional people
and said, Hey, can we do a daddydance at the jail?
And for 12 years, they've beendoing this daddy daughter dance
to reconnect daddies with theirdaughters to, to help the
daughters, but also to help thefathers.
(31:31):
And in the process, it alsohelps the mothers.
It is one of the most eyeopening, touching, loving,
disheartening films I've seen ina long time.
I just really love it because itmade the dad see the impact they
(31:54):
can have on their kids lives.
It made the daughter see thatthe dad still cared and still
loved them.
It made the mother see that evenfor those who are mad at those
fathers, That it was importantfor these daughters to reconnect
with their father.
It's just a great film to watch.
(32:14):
And I am encouraging folks tocheck it out.
Since you told me to check itout as usual, I'm going to, I'm
going to just drop it there,drop it like it's hot.
It's
Kathia Woods (32:23):
just a movie that it touches your
Kathia Woods (2) (32:25):
soul.
We always talk about the breakupof the black family.
People like to say welfare,welfare had a part in it, but
also incarceration.
Mass incarceration.
Now you can say, well, theyshouldn't have been doing what
they're doing.
We also, friend, let's pause fora minute.
We know that black men go tojail longer than their white
(32:48):
counterparts for the samecrimes.
We also know that black men getmore false accused than their
counterparts.
We just had a man who gotreleased from prison after
having no DNA evidence on thetestimony of a cold conspirator
who later on rescinded And saidthat he lied and this man spent
(33:12):
24 years and the whole 24 yearshe said he didn't do it.
Is, are you talking about theguy in
Reggie Ponder, The Ree (33:19):
Chicago?
Are you talking about the guy inChicago?
Yeah.
Because the guy in Chicago justdid 30 years.
He did 30 years.
No, I'm
Kathia Woods (2) (33:25):
saying that's another guy who just came home.
Listen, there's so many We coulddo a whole show on that alone.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cr (33:32):
This just happened.
This guy was just released twoor three days ago.
This is another 30 years, 30years in
Kathia Woods (2) (33:39):
prison.
Well, there's a story.
There's so many, but the pointthat I'm making is before you're
like there shouldn't have beenthis and shouldn't have been
that more black families.
And especially with the crackepidemic, you had, in some
cases, mother, father,grandparents going to school,
(34:00):
going to jail, and the kids wereleft to fend for themselves in
the foster care system.
It's easy to sit there andjudge.
Are there some people?
Well, they gotta sit down for aminute, right?
And it's hard to explain thekids, like you said, when you
and I were talking like she saidseven years and he said, oh, it
(34:20):
could be seven or eight years.
In some cases, it's 14 years andthey're trying to and, also a
lot of these families aren'trich.
It's hard.
There was another documentaryabout a lady in Philadelphia.
Who had a service her and hermother would drive the van up to
the state prison, right?
Every Sunday morning you paid.
(34:42):
She adopted her brother's sonbecause he was incarcerated.
So that had them start theservice because they realized
the challenges of them keepingup.
So for like 10, the girls allpaid in paid like 10 for the
women to go see these men alongwith the kids.
(35:03):
And it's hard, some people don'twant their kids to see him in
prison.
It's hard to get to.
It's not like when you get sentto prison, you go around the
corner from where you committedthe crime.
You get sent a lot of times outof state, depending if it's a
federal crime.
So you have those challenges.
So the fathers are trying tostay connected via phone and
(35:26):
these kids are feeling like,well, I don't see you or it's
harder.
It's harder when I talk to youon the phone.
So they show all of thechallenges, but the father,
daddy.
Dance, it's an opportunity forthem to have memories for them
to have something and say, hey,I got to spend time with my dad
to me, my dad.
(35:46):
And the dad is not in the chumpsuit, that kind of thing.
They're wearing a suit, but Ithink it also helps the men
while they're in there.
Be like, I got a demand that.
Are in there because it shouldbe in there.
It lets them know.
I got to straighten up.
I got to tighten up.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Crit (36:02):
It really does.
And I want to punctuate thatpoint is that I think it was the
number is 95 percent of thefathers who go through the daddy
dance.
they don't go back to jail.
And that's because before theydo the dance, they have to go
through a, I think a 10 weekprogram where they discuss a lot
(36:24):
of things, how they feel abouttheir baby's mama, how they feel
about their children, how theyfeel about what happened to
them, what they think.
about their own father.
They talk about all of thosethings and by time they get to
the dance, their mindset is sodifferent.
The most poignant, I can't evensay the most poignant because
(36:45):
everything in there was poignantto me.
I, it touched my soul.
But one of the most moving partsis when the fathers I asked to
make a promise.
To their daughters, they andthey're promising that they're
going to be there, that they'regoing to straighten up and fly
right that they're going to bethe kind of father that they
(37:06):
didn't have.
And it is just so absolutelybeautiful.
So, yeah.
Wow.
Kathia Woods (37:13):
Yeah.
And
Kathia Woods (2) (37:14):
It's, again, it's a conversation we need to
have in a community.
There's a lot of weight put onthese women, but I think as
women, we also have to askourselves, what part we have and
making sure that the father stayin the lives because, you can
always.
Listen, I know sometimes it'snot easy, but it took two people
(37:36):
to make the child and you twoare going to be tied at the hip,
whether you want to be or not.
Once you have a child withsomebody, you're not divorced
just because you may not talk tothat person.
That guy may not talk to theperson you're in the
relationship to the day you die.
You two are always going to beconnected.
So why not make the best of it?
And I think.
(37:56):
Keep the communication open andit helps the kids later on, when
the fathers get out, it does.
To try to, to men.
Excuse me.
and I'm glad that we're talkingabout, I had an opportunity to
speak to Quest Love, and one ofthe things we talked about is
mental health, how we're talkingabout it more in the black
community, about addressinggenerational trauma and bad
(38:18):
decision making and how we cancourse correct.
And it starts.
So I'm glad that is a componentand that the prison system is
saying, Hey, before you get backout there, address that ish so
you can be productive.
So you don't, have angermanagement and all that stuff.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel C (38:37):
Yeah, well, I, I'm highly
recommending.
People check this film out.
It's getting a four out of fouron my scale.
I I'm going to watch it with mydaughters and we have, I think
we got a good relationship, butmaybe after they watch it,
they'd be like, daddy, you knowwhat?
There's a couple of things thatI wanted to tell you.
And so let me talk to you aboutthat.
Kathia Woods (2) (38:55):
You are an amazing dad.
You're a girl, you're a bonafidegirl, dad.
You're an amazing dad.
You know what I mean?
And you can tell.
By the way, the girls love youand also how you show up, but I
think again We don't I thinkthat's something else.
We don't talk enough about Goodfathers.
(39:17):
I'm like for everybody that Godhelp us out there on the
internet ranting about theirbaby daddy Please can we have
four women talk about yeah, wemight not be together, but I got
to give it to him He's a goodfather.
You know what I mean?
Yeah He's doing what he'ssupposed to.
And can we also get past moneyis important, but money is not
(39:37):
parenting.
Cause we have a lot of richfathers who give money, but they
don't give time.
They're not there to help raisethe kids that are showing up to
the games.
I think a lot of people confoundmoney with being a good parent.
Those two don't necessarily workin concert.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cr (39:55):
It's so interesting that you say that
because there are two youngladies in particularly in this
documentary where you could tellthat they are so angry with the
dead and they're not angry withtheir dad about money.
They're not angry.
But one of them says, it says,you did it and you are impacting
(40:15):
my life because of the stupiddecisions you make.
And this is a kid.
He mad.
She's like, you impacted mylife.
And she not thinking about, Oh,I need a new PlayStation or I
wish you were here to give me acar.
I just wish you were here.
(40:36):
It is a really good one.
I'm saying absolutely check itout and it's on Netflix.
So that's our movie for theweek.
And the last, our last segment,I'm actually going to let you
have, I'm not going to let youhave this, I'm, you're going to
lead this one because you'rewatching a couple of shows that
I think are noteworthy and weneed to talk about it.
(40:59):
So this is our rant and ravesegment.
What you what you got to rantand rave about, Kathia?
Kathia Woods (2) (41:04):
Well, we have a new show that's coming to NBC.
10 p.
m.
tomorrow and it's called grosspoint garden society And when I
tell you if you like desperatehousewives, if you like that
type of trauma Well, let me tellyou something these people are
(41:26):
in the garden club fromdifferent walks of life And they
commit a murder.
We don't know who did themurder, but they cover it up
together and baby then I'm putold boy in the garden, in the,
in the little flower bed.
(41:46):
And yes, usually, but, andeverybody got their own personal
mess.
Now they're in this other messtogether.
This show is so much fun.
You think NBC, some of their midseason replacements are better.
Then they're false stuff.
(42:08):
And when I tell you, when I tellyou, It is like, you're gonna
laugh.
It's messiness.
But it's a good time.
It's escape television.
And it starts AnnaSophiaRob asAlice.
And Alice's marriage is all theway over the place.
Melissa Fumero who plays Birdie.
(42:29):
And this is a different role forMelissa Fumero because Her, she
plays a sexy, spicy, kind oflike reality.
She's very notorious, but shegot her secrets.
You remember her from BrooklynNine Nine?
Ben Rappaport is Brett.
He is a divorced father, doesn'tmake a lot of money.
And the wife, he caught his wifecheating, and she got married to
(42:52):
a new guy.
It stars Anna Asia Naomi King.
She was in the Apple show.
She's Catherine and Catherine'sBob is slayed and she's in a
marriage and she's like, thinkof her as like your society,
black woman, AKA, but they arethe four main characters and
they are together in this gardenclub.
(43:13):
And now You know they'retogether by crime.
So you're trying to figure out,and each episode is one of them
narrates.
And there's also, you getflashbacks on who they are, and
it fast forwards and hasdifferent components.
And then also, but they don'tknow.
The beauty of the show also isthe cast members, and they shot
(43:34):
up to, I also did a set visit.
It's shot here in Atlanta.
So it was up to episode eight.
They still don't know who didit.
So they don't know who did itamongst the four.
And at the same time you everyepisode you learn more and more
and more and more and more andmore and more about them, but
it's a good time and I highlyrecommend it.
(43:56):
You like these characters?
I love these characters.
And again, you, as soon as youwatch it, you can say, Oh, it
has a feeling to DesperateHousewives.
It's because the same personworked on it.
So it's coming on NBC.
You'll be able to catch it onPeacock.
And again, I said this before,Reggie, but soaps are back.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Crit (44:17):
Oh yeah.
Kathia Woods (2) (44:18):
Soap operas are back.
That type of show where we getlike escapism and we get
messiness and we get beautifulpeople.
That is back.
Beyond the Gates, that's goingto be premiering.
So, I think right now, becausewith everything that's going on,
and we're not going to getthrough political, but I think,
(44:40):
with everything going on, Beyondthe Gates, which premieres on 2
24, on CBS at 2pm.
Now, remember, all my CBS heads,that used to be the slot for As
the World Turns.
If you know, my soap operapeople, but I think the time has
(45:01):
come where people are sayingRome is burning reality is a
lot.
I want to watch some stuff whereI can just kiki and have a good
time and live through otherpeople's mess.
All
Reggie Ponder, The Reel C (45:14):
Well, in a
Kathia Woods (2) (45:14):
fun way.
So I think this show is it.
Also, I did book of Canaan thisweek.
I did the junket.
Season four is coming next monthand baby, then people continue
to be messy.
You're about to find outsomebody we thought that died,
didn't die.
Rocky, Rocky's still Rocky, buther and Kanan are in this
(45:38):
business relationship, butthey're struggling as mother and
son.
But yeah, baby.
Yeah it's still, it's myfavorite show out of the power
verse.
And I think, the ante, the heatis going to be raised.
And just when you think theycouldn't have gotten any worse,
you're going to be like, come onnow.
(45:59):
So it's going to be, it's goingto be really, those of you that
are fans of the show, it's theonly one I like it more than
ghost.
This is the one for me.
Cause I love Patina.
I think she is amazing.
And yeah,
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cri (46:13):
For sure.
But I didn't like, I don't likeit better than ghosts.
Kathia Woods (2) (46:17):
I like it better than this first spin off,
which was ghost, right?
And then not the original power,but I like it better.
But I do think, I think thereason we are more than ever in
this climate, I stand by this isbecause people are saying, I
just want to tune out for anhour, two hours, I think like,
if I think right now is thetime, if you're a studio to
(46:39):
green light, some rom coms.
Because they're cheap to make,they don't cost as much as these
superhero movies.
People want to fall in love.
People want to see somethingelse.
They don't want to see, I thinkwith the movies that I think
we're getting this feedback withthese movies that are being in
this award season, not thatthey're not good movies, but the
queers, the brutalists, likepeople are like, life is life
(47:04):
and right now, I do not want tosit to three hours of sheer
tragedy and disappointment and.
Just absolute emotional, whereI'm being raked over the coals.
I want to see something else.
And I think right now studiosneed to lean into that, you
know?
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Criti (47:23):
I was thinking that I didn't have
a rant or rave to rant and raveto talk about, but I actually
do.
And I actually started off ourpodcast.
Talking about it.
And it is this movie, Anur.
Go for it.
I can't.
I can't.
You and
Kathia Woods (2) (47:44):
I, you and me both.
I don't get
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cri (47:47):
it.
I just don't.
I cannot deal with this film.
And so I've, I had to ask otherpeople, why did they like this?
And what did they feel?
Was phenomenal about it.
And to a person, theperformances for most folks.
(48:08):
in this film, they feel thatit's exceptional.
This absolutely exceptional,particularly Mikey Madison's
performance.
Just won another one at theSpirit Awards.
And actually it won three awardsat the Spirit Awards, which was
Best Picture, Best Actor, Ithink, and something else.
(48:33):
So that's one of the thingspeople like the other thing is
that it's I guess I guess it's aunique story because people are
like Oh, it's unique.
It's different.
It's unique and I'm like, huh?
Okay, I don't get it And thenpeople really think that Sean
Baker killed this one from adirect from a directing
(48:53):
standpoint I'm thinking firstlyit felt pornographic Secondly, I
didn't think that there was muchnuances to Madison's
performance.
I just didn't.
I didn't think that, okay, fromhollering and screaming the
whole film, that this was a filmwhere you could say to somebody
(49:15):
like, Oh yeah, she was really,really exceptional as an actor.
It just didn't work for me.
It wasn't interesting.
It wasn't fun.
It wasn't funny because peoplethought it was funny too.
People thought it was funny.
I just don't get it.
And if this is what we believeis the best film of 2024, I'm
(49:41):
like, wow, the best film of 2024for me is a different film, but
I won't get into that.
I just cannot get into thismovie.
And Nora, and I think that.
The Critics Choice Associationmade a mistake.
I think BAFTA's made a mistake.
I think Spirit Awards have madea mistake.
And I think that the Oscars aregonna make a mistake.
Kathia Woods (50:07):
I don't see her winning Best Actress.
I don't see that.
Kathia Woods (2) (50:10):
Also, we got to remember like SAG has been so
different than the actualAcademy Awards.
So whatever they win at SAG, butI don't either.
I don't like Sean Baker'smovies.
He's not my cup of tea.
I'm not saying I don't know theman, so I'm not speaking on him.
I didn't like Red Rocket,thought that was gross.
(50:31):
I don't like this movie, and I'mnot a person that's a prude
about nudity or sexuality.
I just think it's Yeah, I'm noteither.
I feel like he makes movies forteenage boys.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Criti (50:41):
I
Kathia Woods (2) (50:43):
just do.
I don't think he empowers women.
It looks like I'm not sure if helikes women.
You froze a little
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cri (50:46):
bit on your side.
I just think this is you froze alittle bit on your side, so I
didn't hear the last thing yousaid.
You didn't like it, and I saidI'm
Kathia Woods (50:52):
not sure that he likes women.
You know what I mean?
I just don't I don't It's justlook to me,
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Crit (51:02):
It is to me and I guess one of my
critic friends says that itreally is about the American
dream.
Here is a young lady who feelsthat she's about to experience,
she's working hard just to makeends meet and all of a sudden
she meets this Russian, the sonof a Russian oligarch and she
(51:24):
hit the jackpot.
So now he's going from, I guess,peanut butter and jelly to
caviar.
And what did the guy from therich and the famous used to say?
I can't remember what he used tosay for his show, but she's
doing caviar and limousines.
And so all of a suddeneverything is just really hunky
dory.
(51:44):
I guess the story is unique inthe way in which they're trying
to present it.
But it just doesn't land for meas the best film, the best film
of 2024.
So that's my rant and rave.
That's my rant and rave and Iguess
Kathia Woods (2) (52:01):
I endorse that.
And here's me, let's just keepit real.
Ain't nobody watching a Norafive years from now.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cri (52:11):
See what you just said, I'm saying
to myself, would I watch thisagain?
After I watched it the firsttime, would I watch a Nora
again?
No.
In fact, it was excruciatingwatching it the first time.
And I just wouldn't watch it thesecond time.
And I'd like to ask my criticsfriends, would they be like,
Hey, everybody, come on over andwe're going to have an honor
(52:32):
watching party.
I don't think so.
So I'm with you on that one.
I guess that's it.
That's our show.
We're like at the end, right?
Kathia Woods (3) (52:45):
Yeah, but we got it done even though we
traveled, and we got to see eachother in person.
So that's always nice.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cri (52:51):
No, no, we did.
We did.
Even though it's really funny.
I will say this before we closeout.
Is that you, you what?
I wanna say left a little early.
Kathia Woods (2) (53:06):
I had to leave early.
You know why?
Because I had to get up at thecrack of dawn to do the, to do
baby.
It was like I was coming in.
You and I both flew in, so wewere all in different time
zones.
My slot for this power junketwas seven something in the
morning.
Like
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Crit (53:24):
it was early and
Kathia Woods (2) (53:25):
I hadn't really slept, so I needed to
sleep.
I mean, normally I don't dip.
But I was fighting for my lifealready having dipped it.
You know,
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cri (53:36):
You said you had to get up out of
there.
Kathia Woods (53:39):
I
Kathia Woods (2) (53:39):
love everybody, but I couldn't do it.
I was, I, as soon as I got backto my room and took off my
makeup, went straight to bed.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel C (53:49):
Well,
Kathia Woods (53:49):
you know,
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Crit (53:50):
No worries.
Again, this is the Real CriticsNetwork.
We got two critics.
Two opinions and one mission.
This is where dialogue engages,educates, and entertains, and
occasionally escalates.
And we escalated at this time,but not against each other, but
against the industry.
(54:11):
You can find me on Twitter andall those other places.
What as the real critic, ourEEL, Kathia, I still haven't
really engaged in this new one.
So I'm going to, I'm going to dothat soon and try to see if I
can get some followers.
And you could also go to mywebsite at Reggie ponder.
com.
(54:31):
Where can we find you?
Kathia.
Kathia Woods (54:33):
You can find me everywhere.
Well, except Twitter.
I'm no longer on Twitter and Xor whatever, but you can find me
anywhere else at Katia, K A T HI A underscore woods.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel C (54:44):
There you go.
We're out.
See you next time.
I'm Reggie Ponder, the Real Critic,
and welcome to another editionof the Real Critics Network
podcast.
I am here with my host, KathiaWoods.
And Kathia, how are you?
How are you?
How are you?
Kathia Woods (00:16):
Good.
We both have been, flying tofriendly skies, knock on wood.
We got, we
Kathia Woods (2) (00:21):
went where we needed to be and we got back
home.
Girl,
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Crit (00:26):
it is so good that we're winding
down on awards season.
And going off, going back andforth, I just been, I'm a little
bit under the weather and I amglad to be back home and getting
things started.
I was telling you at one point.
is that this is a, not only abusy time of the year for me for
(00:46):
the award season, it's a realbusy time of the year for me for
birthday season.
And my immediate family, my twodaughters and my wife, all I
have to remember is thisformula.
Now, because people be stealingyour information, I'm not going
to tell what months that's in,right?
But as long as I remember thosenumbers, then I am okay with my
(01:10):
daughter, my wife.
Yeah, my, my two daughters andmy wife because I just need to
remember that and I add 14 inthere because Valentine's Day is
in there somewhere.
So between January and June, I'mdone.
I'm done for my immediate familywith birthdays, but here's the
deal with that, right?
If I add my 10 brothers andsisters My mother in law, my
(01:35):
five in laws, sister and brotherin laws, I got birthdays through
the whole year, and it's justtoo much.
Now, I know for a fact that foryou, it's you, Your husband,
your daughter, and y'all addingon that darn dog.
I'm not adding on the dog for nobirthday.
(01:55):
I'm not.
I'm not celebrating.
I'm not buying the dog a, abone, a birthday cake, a
birthday snacky snack.
I'm not going to one of thesefast food restaurants and asking
them for a pup cup.
I'm not doing that, Kathia.
I'm just not.
Kathia Woods (2) (02:11):
You know what?
But the dog is part of thefamily.
The dog will probably be likeReggie.
Look outside.
Somebody trying to takesomething.
Now, I'm not gonna go out thereand stop them, but I'm gonna
give you the heads up.
The dog will probably come andcheck on you when you're not
feeling well.
You know, he probably, it willgreet you.
(02:32):
I know my dog does.
When our daughter was stillliving at home, I know that the
dog came down the steps a lotfaster than she did to make when
I got home to happy to see me.
I know the dog probably, youprobably in the house a good
couple of hours before the kidsare like, Oh dad, nice to see
(02:54):
you.
So I'm just like, Yeah, we gonnacelebrate the dog because the
dog is part of the family.
He's in the family portrait andpeople.
Yeah, people come he gets alittle pup cup.
He gets a little celebration.
We usually get him something helikes, you know, and I was at a
(03:16):
brunch this weekend.
And let me just tell you,Jessica Williams, who I adore.
Who's on shrinking, which is agreat show on Apple TV.
Plus, do you know, first of all,she was very gracious at South
by Southwest last year and tooka picture with my husband and
who is a big fan of the show.
(03:38):
And I said to her, I understandyou're tired.
If you're not up to it, it'sfine.
No harm, no foul.
And she was like, absolutely notlove that you asked.
Love the way that you asked me.
She took the picture with Kevin.
Make a long story short, wetalked about that and just
thanked her and then she talkedabout that she's a dog mom.
As a girl, I get it because mydog likes a soft life too.
(03:59):
I said, my dog does not do tapwater.
My dog does, heater blankets,spa treatments, meals prep for
him.
KB always laughs that I makepork chops for him.
I'll grill him other littlemeats that he likes.
He likes he has a Kate Spadeblanket.
(04:19):
The vein of my existence, youand I talked about this.
We got this marriage storyblanket and I've been trying to
find a duplicate because heloves a soft blanket, a plush
blanket.
He does not do the regularblankets.
So when we go away and he stays,he has his own situation, he
(04:40):
does not share space.
He's not as Katarina likes tosay with the commoners.
So he's living his best life,
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cri (04:46):
you know what?
It's just a little bit too muchfor me.
So I don't want to kill the dogtalk.
So I'm going to say a couple ofmore things about this.
thing.
The first is I play with the dogbecause I feel for a dog just
sitting in the cage or sittingin the room.
(05:06):
That's just not having as muchfun.
I'm all for that, but I'm nottrying to feed the dog.
I'm not trying to pick up thedog poop.
I'm not when, if the dog has anaccident in the house, I am not
happy.
So if the dog is not in thehouse, it's this, there's
nothing in my body to be like,man we're the dog at.
How come the dog is not in myroom?
(05:29):
No! No! That's just how I feel.
So, when Bobby moves out and shetakes the dog with her, See you
later! You're gonna
Kathia Woods (2) (05:38):
miss
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cr (05:39):
him.
You're gonna miss him.
You're gonna miss him.
Carrie already moved out andtook her dog.
I don't miss it.
And it's the dog we done had thelongest.
Now when I visit Carrie, I playwith the dog.
But it's just like a, it's noteven close to, but it's Yo,
Kathia Woods (2) (05:55):
I think.
Reggie's just saying that tosoften the blow, but I have a
feeling when he visits Kerry,him and the dog have a little
catch up time.
The dog is like, good to seeyou, Reg! He's like, good to see
you, too!
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Crit (06:11):
So the running joke for me and
Kerry's dog is that if Bobby andI are in the same room, I try to
get the dog's attention, and Iknow that the dog is going to go
to Bobby.
And it is so funny that we playthis thing back and forth.
I'll lay on the floor and askthe dog to come here and won't.
(06:32):
And then Bobby will lay on thefloor and the dog will go to
Bobby.
And it's the funniest thing.
I have so much fun with that.
I am good.
That the dog likes Bobby morethan it likes me.
I'm good with that.
I'm okay.
I'm perfectly okay.
Okay.
Kathia Woods (2) (06:47):
When Bobby goes away, does she take the dog
with her?
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cri (06:51):
She does not.
And so because she doesn't takethe dog away, that means that
the responsibility falls onsomebody else in this house.
And I hate it.
I hate it.
I don't want to feed the dog.
I don't want to take the dog outfor a walk.
Kathia Woods (2) (07:04):
So you are in, unofficially, as much as you
like to not be that person, youare still the grandparent, the
dog grandparent.
You are the lodging for when shegoes on the road and does her
thing.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel C (07:18):
Well, what I will say is the dog don't
stay in my room, the dog don'tstay in my bed, the dog goes
back in the Bobby's room, I,nah, it ain't happening.
And when I'm in my office, Idon't have a dog sitting down
here chilling out with me.
Anyway, enough of the dog stuff.
Let's talk about let's talkabout something else.
All right.
Our first segment is calledwhat's on my mind.
(07:42):
And what's on my mind is notabout dogs, right?
What's on my mind is reallyabout the AFCA Awards that we
attended, the African AmericanFilm Critics Association Awards
that we attended.
And I just want to talk aboutnot about the winners and all
the people who were there, butabout why I still think that
(08:02):
these things are so importantto, to have.
And the first point for me isreally about recognition.
I think that what happens isthat this helps to amplify Black
voices.
And specifically, AFCAcelebrates and recognizes the
achievement of Black filmmakers,actors, and other creators in
(08:23):
the industry.
So that's the first point.
And I just think that that'sreally essential.
The second point I want to talkabout is it's actually
countering that mainstream biasand we see that mainstream bias
during award seasons,particularly as we're watching a
particular film, get all theseaccolades and just won some
(08:44):
spirit award things.
And I'll talk about that later.
I cannot believe that this isthe film of the year.
That this is the film that thepeople are loving and like, but
anyway, it counters themainstream.
At least it gives some peoplesome other things to think about
when we talk about qualitycinema.
Also, it sets a precedentbecause it, we often recognize
(09:06):
talent early in their careers.
And we do that all the time.
The talent that we show early inthe career, people be like, Oh,
you guys were hip to them beforewe were, and I love that point.
And then there's the advocacybecause promoting diversity,
celebrating black stories andstorytellers, the AFCA's really
(09:29):
encouraged greater diversity inthe film industry.
I'm saying both in front of andbehind the camera.
It also drives a lot ofconversation.
It doesn't just drive thatconversation between you and I,
because we talk about that allthe time, but it also drives
conversation between our peersalways asking us saying, well, I
like this film.
And did you like, or what didyou like?
(09:49):
And then we'll say, well, didyou see this film?
Did you see daughters?
Did you see such and such?
And they're like, no, I haven'tseen that film.
So it does spark thatconversation.
And I hope.
That it influences mainstreamchoices.
I hope that the mainstreamawards look sometime and say,
wow, they nominated these, orthey awarded these particular
(10:14):
films.
Maybe these are some of thefilms that some of the other,
that some of us maybe shouldsee.
And then as it relates to us.
It creates a space for blackcritics.
A lot of times our voices areabsent, even in some of these
major organizations where wehave a presence that our voice
(10:35):
is absent because our, ourpercentage in that group is
still so small that our voicesare just overtaken.
And so those are the things thatI really want to talk about, the
importance of the awards likeAFCA.
I think it builds community.
I think it's just so importantfor us to have those kind of
(10:57):
awards.
And that is my, what's on mymind after attending our awards
just this week.
Kathia Woods (2) (11:05):
Couldn't agree with you more.
This awards every year.
I literally I have my head downfor a minute.
Because this
Kathia Woods (11:13):
is what this gentleman on X, said about the
fact that, about Viola Davis,
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cri (11:20):
Oh,
Kathia Woods (11:21):
That, the fact that it's hard for black women
to win awards for movies thatcenter black women and, That
type of stuff where let me screw
Kathia Woods (2) (11:34):
up sometimes.
I think he wrote sometimes Ithink about how viola davis was
favored to win best actresstwice and both times voters
Instead gave a third Oscar to awhite woman.
Is that a circumstantial?
Is that circumstantial?
Maybe.
I don't know, but we have somuch evidence that voters just
do not like awarming moviesabout black women.
(11:56):
I said, and I always use Fencesas a good example because
Fences, she is the co lead.
She is the female voice in thatpiece.
And won a whole Tony.
For best actress in a drama andpeople are well, they don't have
best supporting.
No, it's called featured that'swhat it's called instead of best
(12:18):
supporting it's called featuredand But i'm like they basically
took that play and theytranslated it.
So she downgraded because Sheknows having been nominated for
best actress That she has beenoverlooked twice for a white
woman.
(12:39):
There's something wrong, andthis is no shade to Emma Stone,
that we live in a world whereEmma Stone has two Oscars, Meryl
Streep has three, and FrancesMcDermott has two, while Angela
Bassett had to get an honoraryone, while I'll go as much as,
as far as Cicely Tyson.
Not having one should have wonfor what I've got to do with it
(13:04):
doesn't have one, but this is togetting back to your point.
The reason why we need theafterwards and the reason why
Gil and Africa and them startedit because.
Of the way that Ava was treatedfor Selma, and she was like, we
need our own, right?
So, AFCA recognizes MarianneJean Baptiste, who has been
(13:26):
absolutely overlooked this awardseason, with her amazing
performance in Hard Truth.
Don't give me that where thestudio doesn't have money.
I was like, neon don't got awhole bunch of money, but
everybody's giving MickeyMadison, her flowers, right?
Oh my
Reggie Ponder, The Re (13:41):
goodness.
Oh my goodness.
Kathia Woods (2) (13:44):
The image awards, right?
Which by the way, I, haseverybody got their listening
ears on?
For all the folks in the back.
Yes, the majority of people whoget honored at the image awards
are black, but the NationalAssociation for Colored People.
That's what NAACP stands for isfor all people of color, Latinos
(14:07):
have been nominated.
Asians have been nominated.
Native Americans have beennominated.
Have they won overwhelmingly?
No.
But they're celebrated in thatspace.
They're welcomed in that space.
They're more welcomed in thatspace than they are in the
mainstream award shows.
So I don't, so the reason weneed these award shows is
(14:28):
because that is one of the fewspaces where black women,
especially, get acknowledged fortheir contribution that they do
on the big screen.
And also, I don't know if youremember this, Denzel
Washington, the year he won forTraining Day, I said in his
acceptance speech, and I'mparaphrasing.
(14:49):
It was important for me to behere.
Next week we'll do the otherone, meaning the Oscars, right?
But he said it was important forhim to be there.
Because this is the space wherehe was first seen before anybody
else.
saw him.
So that's why he showed up.
And just to make my last point,and I'll let you expand upon
(15:11):
this is, one of the cruxes thatI have with those award shows,
not AFCA cause we don't do thatat AFCA.
Is a lot of people will breaktheir necks to be a guest at the
other award shows, but will notcome to the black award shows.
(15:33):
Once they get crossed over, theystop coming, right?
And it leads me to my part ofthe rant.
Cause I agree with you.
We still need the Alma awardsfor celebrates Latin talent.
We still need the GLAAD awardsfor celebrates members of the
LGBTQIA plus community.
We need, women, the award showsbecause it celebrates women and
(15:55):
the list goes on and on.
We need the essence and blackwomen in Hollywood dinner
because it celebrates blackwomen.
But I want to say this.
What are the issues that I havewith our award shows and I want
to be specific about the honorsand the awards.
I was a black excellent brunchyesterday and several of my
(16:17):
media girlies, black women saidthe invitations gotten a little
dry this year.
Right.
We got ranted about GoldenGlobes drawing back on access,
right?
People not being able to be onthe carpet.
They've been in a carpet fordecades, only getting the green
room.
Well, baby, when nobody wasplaying dust, when the Image
(16:40):
Awards were on in the afternoon,and it was taking 6 hours,
right?
And you only saw it insyndication.
It was just black media outthere.
Mainstream media would sendtheir third cousin Bobo with
just a little tape recorder tocover it.
If you were lucky, they came forboth days.
They only came for one day.
Now that you have variety, theHollywood reporter or whatever,
(17:02):
sending their black team.
Now it's Oh, later for overthere, but we still want you to
cover it.
And I say to myself.
How do I get credential for theAcademy Awards, which in my
opinion are much harder, but Ican't get credentialed for ABFF
Honors, and I can't getcredentialed for the Image
Awards, but they still want meto do a recap.
(17:24):
Make it make sense.
So, in one way, we can't sayit's for us, but we don't
celebrate Black Legacy Media,and what really hurt my soul.
Since I'm on my rant is Iscrolled through my Instagram
like we all do and why I writefor a black legacy newspaper 140
years shout out to thePhiladelphia Tribune and NNPA
(17:48):
outlet which is part of blacknewspapers.
You had somebody on the carpetIt was not following.
They don't have an outlet.
Even my own outlet has moretraffic and everything That was
an influencer.
So what are we doing?
So this is what I'm saying.
Like we take two steps forwardsand we take two steps back.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel C (18:10):
Yeah.
So my thoughts on this, why I'mof two minds.
One, when I was in theadvertising industry, I was the
person that.
Festivals like a BFF came to,and in fact, a BFF did come to
our advertising agency and weworked with our clients to try
to fund that.
(18:31):
And since I was on the groundfloor of all of them, and I
mean, urban world in terms oftrying to get sponsorship.
What was really interesting isthat I know what kind of money
they got and it wasn't a lot.
I know what kind of money theygot.
And so they're trying to producethese shows on a shoestring and
(18:53):
a prayer.
So, on the one hand, I actuallyunderstand why sometimes the
folks in the front are not thefolks Who should be in the
front.
So how the big stations andvariety and all of those folks
get what they get, becausewhat's demanded of those
(19:14):
festivals is the same thingthat's being demanded of the
festivals.
They get all the money.
They want to have the same kindof star access and so on and so
forth.
So they succumb to that pressureand say, okay, I'm going to put
ABC, Variety, The HollywoodReporter, and all these other
(19:37):
outlets first.
Because I need to treat themlike they're royalty.
I gotta treat them like they'reroyalty in order for me to be
able to go back to my sponsorsand then say, Hey, we got the
big boys.
We got KBLA.
We got the stations and all ofthat stuff.
So I understand it.
I understand it from a moneyperspective because my sponsors
(19:59):
asked for that.
They demand that.
They like, wait, you got ReggiePonder on the red carpet or
Indigo?
That that ain't working for methat I'm not going to spend my
money just so I could be on someancillary papers according to
how I feel.
So totally understand that.
(20:21):
The other mind is as a filmcritic and on the red carpet,
I'm always getting the lastspot.
I always get the last spot,which means I don't get the
questions that I don't get totalk to the people.
I don't get the questions.
There has to be a way in whichthese festivals say, you know
what?
These are our people.
We need to make sure that theyget their stuff too.
(20:44):
And I don't know what thatbalance is because I don't run
these award shows.
I don't run these festivals.
I don't know what the balance isbecause I know that in one way
you have to be beholden.
To your sponsors and making surethat they get as much publicity
as they can.
But then on the other hand, youneed to be responsive to your
(21:06):
people.
And so it's a tough one for meand I understand it.
I do understand it.
The
Kathia Woods (2) (21:12):
problem is let's talk ABFF the person who
is spearheading.
The publicist and it's not thecompany because the company has
a black publicist.
The person who is spearheadingthis for abff is a woman is not
a black person.
(21:32):
Is that even a black agency?
It is a woman of Asian descentwho doesn't know because when I
was at abff last year, right?
I had the studio publicist foramazon Divorce in black right?
Shout out to jasmine and themtelling her Let give Kathia that
(21:55):
it let Kathia speak becauseShe's with such and such She was
giving the same person.
She gave credentials to on thecarpet She was letting them and
the girl is trying to get in theshot with the talent.
She's taking selfies.
Tick tock, tick tock.
(22:16):
The clock is ticking, but I'mexpected to write about this and
I'm expected to cover it.
But when the studio who's on thestep and repeat part of the
sponsorship for said festival istelling you, lady, That you need
to let that their talent, whichthey paid for to fly out to
(22:39):
speak to you.
What are you doing
Reggie Ponder, The Reel C (22:44):
that?
Yeah, that was my issue
Kathia Woods (2) (22:45):
and I did write the agency and I said.
My experience with yourpublicist handling this, and
I'll be writing a BFF because Ijust think, especially with last
year, so many of us fought toget down there because, you had
the hurricane and so many peoplecanceled.
Right.
And we still came down there.
We still covered the festival.
(23:07):
So I'm like, we got to, thegrass is not always greener on
the other side.
And I agree with you.
I think there's a way that youcan get the eyeballs where you
can satisfy, sponsorship rightas sponsors and people are
cutting the check.
(23:28):
But the problem is, urban worldhas been up and down because
urban world people are like,well, why aren't you?
Because the lack of consistency,right?
Urban?
Well, it's not.
It's also happens around thesame time as New York film
festival.
So, my thing is.
Why is it harder for us to getaccess, for us to do the work
that we do at New York FilmFestival when it comes to our
(23:51):
own people?
It's not that we don't want tocover it, but it'd be so up and
down, it'd be so disorganized,the lack of professionalism.
And all I'm saying, all I'msaying, Like, it just, again,
it's, it's, you want to do it,but it's always it's always,
like I said, it's ABFF, it'ssuch a hot mess to cover.
It's a great atmosphere, butit's a hot mess to cover that
(24:14):
you're like, we're getting tooold to be doing that, right?
That's too old to be leaving thehouse on messiness.
And instead of saying, Hey, weneed to tighten up.
And on top of that, most of usdon't want to go to Florida and
give our money to that state.
We already like what's going ondown there.
And then you want to act likewe're in inconvenience.
(24:36):
But this is what I'm saying.
We, as black people, the reasonwe have created our own things
is to say, this is our space.
This is community.
We're welcome.
But then too often, we end updoing some of the exclusion,
some of the elitism that we'reescaping from.
Which avoids, which is defeatsthe whole purpose about us
(24:58):
having our own thing.
We
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Crit (24:59):
do the only thing Conti I'm saying
though, is that because I'vebeen on the other side.
No, I feel you and I appreciatethat.
The money really does influencethis.
So for instance, when ABFF needto get a John Singleton or
Denzel Washington and all thosepeople there, they got to pay
some serious money to make surethat their accommodations and
(25:20):
all that other type of stuff isright.
Now, when they don't have thestuff, the people are like, I
ain't coming for that.
If you not treat me A1, I'm notcoming.
And so, the, I did this dealwith, who was that?
It was with TBS, TNT, ABFF, andsome other big company that had
(25:50):
all the money.
And the amount of money thatABFF got out of this big deal
with all of these companiescoming together to do this big
deal.
Was minuscule.
It was absolutely minuscule.
So then when you start talkingabout trying to run a festival,
a lot of the messiness happensbecause part of the messiness
(26:13):
happens because you're trying torun the expectation is that you
run the same quality festivalthat everybody else runs with
the money that you are given.
And how do I know that?
Because as an advertising agencyworking in the advertising
world, my clients wanted thesame amount of service from us.
(26:37):
Not, I'm not even talking aboutfor the festival.
I'm talking about the sameamount of service from us that
they were getting from themajority white firm.
And I so happen to have workedfor a majority white firm.
So I know what money they gotfor that.
And I know what kind of money wegot for this.
So money does kind of run it.
And it becomes this kind of likedomino effect.
(27:02):
I still think, though, like yousaid, if ABFF, for instance, has
a black firm running it, butthen all of a sudden, they get a
black PR firm, but then thepeople who Don't value who we
are and what we are.
It does cause a problem.
This is a major issue.
You are absolutely right.
(27:23):
I don't know to solve for it.
Maybe we'll have some stuff.
Maybe on one of our segmentswe'll have some, we need
Kathia Woods (2) (27:29):
to have PR.
And because it just is, and youknow, the other thing that I
noticed, and I'm sure you dotoo, friend every day.
You know, we had some friends, acolleague, fellow African
member, Candace Fendrick, and awhole bunch of people at
Huffington Culture just got laidoff.
The one girl that's with me inTCA, she's been at Huffington
(27:51):
Post for 10 years, just got laidoff.
IndieWire just laid off somepeople.
If you don't understand if youdon't start valuing the
relationship and those of usthat are still around in the
press, Maybe they ain't going tobe nobody there to come to your
event because it's going to benothing but freelancers and the
(28:12):
only way you can rightfullypitch to an outlet if you have
the credentials, right?
So it's just very, veryinteresting in this media
landscape where every time youturn around, somebody is getting
laid off.
How this is going to work out ifyou don't start valuing people
(28:32):
because ain't nobody going to beleft.
Cause everybody's going to be,we're all fighting for the same
piece of cheese.
So it's going to be reallyinteresting how things shake
out, but, I appreciate yourperspective cause yeah, I mean,
money is very important causeyou can't do any of it.
Without money.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel C (28:49):
Yeah.
All right.
Well, we're going to revisitthis discussion again.
We already know that's going tohappen for sure.
I, we only have one movie fortoday to, to talk about.
I know you, you're going to talkabout in, in your segment the
rant and rave segment, you'lltalk about some of the TV shows
you're watching, but there's onemovie that I just want to
highlight.
I always do this because you arethe documentary watching person.
(29:13):
If I ever need to know about adocumentary.
I just need to call you.
Did you, did you, have you seena good documentary lately?
Girl, that documentary daughtersis fire.
It is one of my favorite,favorite documentaries, maybe
(29:36):
because I'm a man and how it, ithonored us in so many different
ways.
But it did not let us escape ourresponsibilities either.
It's so interesting how you getthis film that says, you are,
(29:57):
you have a responsibility, butalso says that we understand
what you're going through.
It also says we understand whatthese young kids are going
through.
We also understand what thesewomen are going through, who are
trying to raise these daughters.
It was a complete film, and Ishould just back up, so I'll do,
(30:19):
and tell people what it's about.
Kathia Woods (30:22):
Place it.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cr (30:22):
This film is about a program that was
started on the ideas on theminds of young girls.
There was supposed to be a daddydaughter dance at a school, and
one of the, one of the younggirls says, Well, my daddy can't
(30:44):
come because he's in jail.
Another girl says, well, whycan't we just take the daddy
daughter dance to the jail?
That idea in and of itself wason, from the minds of babes
they, from the mouths of babes,right?
Kid says, let's do it.
And a woman decided to try tomake it happen.
(31:08):
These kids wrote a letter to, Iguess, the correctional people
and said, Hey, can we do a daddydance at the jail?
And for 12 years, they've beendoing this daddy daughter dance
to reconnect daddies with theirdaughters to, to help the
daughters, but also to help thefathers.
(31:31):
And in the process, it alsohelps the mothers.
It is one of the most eyeopening, touching, loving,
disheartening films I've seen ina long time.
I just really love it because itmade the dad see the impact they
(31:54):
can have on their kids lives.
It made the daughter see thatthe dad still cared and still
loved them.
It made the mother see that evenfor those who are mad at those
fathers, That it was importantfor these daughters to reconnect
with their father.
It's just a great film to watch.
(32:14):
And I am encouraging folks tocheck it out.
Since you told me to check itout as usual, I'm going to, I'm
going to just drop it there,drop it like it's hot.
It's
Kathia Woods (32:23):
just a movie that it touches your
Kathia Woods (2) (32:25):
soul.
We always talk about the breakupof the black family.
People like to say welfare,welfare had a part in it, but
also incarceration.
Mass incarceration.
Now you can say, well, theyshouldn't have been doing what
they're doing.
We also, friend, let's pause fora minute.
We know that black men go tojail longer than their white
(32:48):
counterparts for the samecrimes.
We also know that black men getmore false accused than their
counterparts.
We just had a man who gotreleased from prison after
having no DNA evidence on thetestimony of a cold conspirator
who later on rescinded And saidthat he lied and this man spent
(33:12):
24 years and the whole 24 yearshe said he didn't do it.
Is, are you talking about theguy in
Reggie Ponder, The Ree (33:19):
Chicago?
Are you talking about the guy inChicago?
Yeah.
Because the guy in Chicago justdid 30 years.
He did 30 years.
No, I'm
Kathia Woods (2) (33:25):
saying that's another guy who just came home.
Listen, there's so many We coulddo a whole show on that alone.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cr (33:32):
This just happened.
This guy was just released twoor three days ago.
This is another 30 years, 30years in
Kathia Woods (2) (33:39):
prison.
Well, there's a story.
There's so many, but the pointthat I'm making is before you're
like there shouldn't have beenthis and shouldn't have been
that more black families.
And especially with the crackepidemic, you had, in some
cases, mother, father,grandparents going to school,
(34:00):
going to jail, and the kids wereleft to fend for themselves in
the foster care system.
It's easy to sit there andjudge.
Are there some people?
Well, they gotta sit down for aminute, right?
And it's hard to explain thekids, like you said, when you
and I were talking like she saidseven years and he said, oh, it
(34:20):
could be seven or eight years.
In some cases, it's 14 years andthey're trying to and, also a
lot of these families aren'trich.
It's hard.
There was another documentaryabout a lady in Philadelphia.
Who had a service her and hermother would drive the van up to
the state prison, right?
Every Sunday morning you paid.
(34:42):
She adopted her brother's sonbecause he was incarcerated.
So that had them start theservice because they realized
the challenges of them keepingup.
So for like 10, the girls allpaid in paid like 10 for the
women to go see these men alongwith the kids.
(35:03):
And it's hard, some people don'twant their kids to see him in
prison.
It's hard to get to.
It's not like when you get sentto prison, you go around the
corner from where you committedthe crime.
You get sent a lot of times outof state, depending if it's a
federal crime.
So you have those challenges.
So the fathers are trying tostay connected via phone and
(35:26):
these kids are feeling like,well, I don't see you or it's
harder.
It's harder when I talk to youon the phone.
So they show all of thechallenges, but the father,
daddy.
Dance, it's an opportunity forthem to have memories for them
to have something and say, hey,I got to spend time with my dad
to me, my dad.
(35:46):
And the dad is not in the chumpsuit, that kind of thing.
They're wearing a suit, but Ithink it also helps the men
while they're in there.
Be like, I got a demand that.
Are in there because it shouldbe in there.
It lets them know.
I got to straighten up.
I got to tighten up.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Crit (36:02):
It really does.
And I want to punctuate thatpoint is that I think it was the
number is 95 percent of thefathers who go through the daddy
dance.
they don't go back to jail.
And that's because before theydo the dance, they have to go
through a, I think a 10 weekprogram where they discuss a lot
(36:24):
of things, how they feel abouttheir baby's mama, how they feel
about their children, how theyfeel about what happened to
them, what they think.
about their own father.
They talk about all of thosethings and by time they get to
the dance, their mindset is sodifferent.
The most poignant, I can't evensay the most poignant because
(36:45):
everything in there was poignantto me.
I, it touched my soul.
But one of the most moving partsis when the fathers I asked to
make a promise.
To their daughters, they andthey're promising that they're
going to be there, that they'regoing to straighten up and fly
right that they're going to bethe kind of father that they
(37:06):
didn't have.
And it is just so absolutelybeautiful.
So, yeah.
Wow.
Kathia Woods (37:13):
Yeah.
And
Kathia Woods (2) (37:14):
It's, again, it's a conversation we need to
have in a community.
There's a lot of weight put onthese women, but I think as
women, we also have to askourselves, what part we have and
making sure that the father stayin the lives because, you can
always.
Listen, I know sometimes it'snot easy, but it took two people
(37:36):
to make the child and you twoare going to be tied at the hip,
whether you want to be or not.
Once you have a child withsomebody, you're not divorced
just because you may not talk tothat person.
That guy may not talk to theperson you're in the
relationship to the day you die.
You two are always going to beconnected.
So why not make the best of it?
And I think.
(37:56):
Keep the communication open andit helps the kids later on, when
the fathers get out, it does.
To try to, to men.
Excuse me.
and I'm glad that we're talkingabout, I had an opportunity to
speak to Quest Love, and one ofthe things we talked about is
mental health, how we're talkingabout it more in the black
community, about addressinggenerational trauma and bad
(38:18):
decision making and how we cancourse correct.
And it starts.
So I'm glad that is a componentand that the prison system is
saying, Hey, before you get backout there, address that ish so
you can be productive.
So you don't, have angermanagement and all that stuff.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel C (38:37):
Yeah, well, I, I'm highly
recommending.
People check this film out.
It's getting a four out of fouron my scale.
I I'm going to watch it with mydaughters and we have, I think
we got a good relationship, butmaybe after they watch it,
they'd be like, daddy, you knowwhat?
There's a couple of things thatI wanted to tell you.
And so let me talk to you aboutthat.
Kathia Woods (2) (38:55):
You are an amazing dad.
You're a girl, you're a bonafidegirl, dad.
You're an amazing dad.
You know what I mean?
And you can tell.
By the way, the girls love youand also how you show up, but I
think again We don't I thinkthat's something else.
We don't talk enough about Goodfathers.
(39:17):
I'm like for everybody that Godhelp us out there on the
internet ranting about theirbaby daddy Please can we have
four women talk about yeah, wemight not be together, but I got
to give it to him He's a goodfather.
You know what I mean?
Yeah He's doing what he'ssupposed to.
And can we also get past moneyis important, but money is not
(39:37):
parenting.
Cause we have a lot of richfathers who give money, but they
don't give time.
They're not there to help raisethe kids that are showing up to
the games.
I think a lot of people confoundmoney with being a good parent.
Those two don't necessarily workin concert.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cr (39:55):
It's so interesting that you say that
because there are two youngladies in particularly in this
documentary where you could tellthat they are so angry with the
dead and they're not angry withtheir dad about money.
They're not angry.
But one of them says, it says,you did it and you are impacting
(40:15):
my life because of the stupiddecisions you make.
And this is a kid.
He mad.
She's like, you impacted mylife.
And she not thinking about, Oh,I need a new PlayStation or I
wish you were here to give me acar.
I just wish you were here.
(40:36):
It is a really good one.
I'm saying absolutely check itout and it's on Netflix.
So that's our movie for theweek.
And the last, our last segment,I'm actually going to let you
have, I'm not going to let youhave this, I'm, you're going to
lead this one because you'rewatching a couple of shows that
I think are noteworthy and weneed to talk about it.
(40:59):
So this is our rant and ravesegment.
What you what you got to rantand rave about, Kathia?
Kathia Woods (2) (41:04):
Well, we have a new show that's coming to NBC.
10 p.
m.
tomorrow and it's called grosspoint garden society And when I
tell you if you like desperatehousewives, if you like that
type of trauma Well, let me tellyou something these people are
(41:26):
in the garden club fromdifferent walks of life And they
commit a murder.
We don't know who did themurder, but they cover it up
together and baby then I'm putold boy in the garden, in the,
in the little flower bed.
(41:46):
And yes, usually, but, andeverybody got their own personal
mess.
Now they're in this other messtogether.
This show is so much fun.
You think NBC, some of their midseason replacements are better.
Then they're false stuff.
(42:08):
And when I tell you, when I tellyou, It is like, you're gonna
laugh.
It's messiness.
But it's a good time.
It's escape television.
And it starts AnnaSophiaRob asAlice.
And Alice's marriage is all theway over the place.
Melissa Fumero who plays Birdie.
(42:29):
And this is a different role forMelissa Fumero because Her, she
plays a sexy, spicy, kind oflike reality.
She's very notorious, but shegot her secrets.
You remember her from BrooklynNine Nine?
Ben Rappaport is Brett.
He is a divorced father, doesn'tmake a lot of money.
And the wife, he caught his wifecheating, and she got married to
(42:52):
a new guy.
It stars Anna Asia Naomi King.
She was in the Apple show.
She's Catherine and Catherine'sBob is slayed and she's in a
marriage and she's like, thinkof her as like your society,
black woman, AKA, but they arethe four main characters and
they are together in this gardenclub.
(43:13):
And now You know they'retogether by crime.
So you're trying to figure out,and each episode is one of them
narrates.
And there's also, you getflashbacks on who they are, and
it fast forwards and hasdifferent components.
And then also, but they don'tknow.
The beauty of the show also isthe cast members, and they shot
(43:34):
up to, I also did a set visit.
It's shot here in Atlanta.
So it was up to episode eight.
They still don't know who didit.
So they don't know who did itamongst the four.
And at the same time you everyepisode you learn more and more
and more and more and more andmore and more about them, but
it's a good time and I highlyrecommend it.
(43:56):
You like these characters?
I love these characters.
And again, you, as soon as youwatch it, you can say, Oh, it
has a feeling to DesperateHousewives.
It's because the same personworked on it.
So it's coming on NBC.
You'll be able to catch it onPeacock.
And again, I said this before,Reggie, but soaps are back.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Crit (44:17):
Oh yeah.
Kathia Woods (2) (44:18):
Soap operas are back.
That type of show where we getlike escapism and we get
messiness and we get beautifulpeople.
That is back.
Beyond the Gates, that's goingto be premiering.
So, I think right now, becausewith everything that's going on,
and we're not going to getthrough political, but I think,
(44:40):
with everything going on, Beyondthe Gates, which premieres on 2
24, on CBS at 2pm.
Now, remember, all my CBS heads,that used to be the slot for As
the World Turns.
If you know, my soap operapeople, but I think the time has
(45:01):
come where people are sayingRome is burning reality is a
lot.
I want to watch some stuff whereI can just kiki and have a good
time and live through otherpeople's mess.
All
Reggie Ponder, The Reel C (45:14):
Well, in a
Kathia Woods (2) (45:14):
fun way.
So I think this show is it.
Also, I did book of Canaan thisweek.
I did the junket.
Season four is coming next monthand baby, then people continue
to be messy.
You're about to find outsomebody we thought that died,
didn't die.
Rocky, Rocky's still Rocky, buther and Kanan are in this
(45:38):
business relationship, butthey're struggling as mother and
son.
But yeah, baby.
Yeah it's still, it's myfavorite show out of the power
verse.
And I think, the ante, the heatis going to be raised.
And just when you think theycouldn't have gotten any worse,
you're going to be like, come onnow.
(45:59):
So it's going to be, it's goingto be really, those of you that
are fans of the show, it's theonly one I like it more than
ghost.
This is the one for me.
Cause I love Patina.
I think she is amazing.
And yeah,
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cri (46:13):
For sure.
But I didn't like, I don't likeit better than ghosts.
Kathia Woods (2) (46:17):
I like it better than this first spin off,
which was ghost, right?
And then not the original power,but I like it better.
But I do think, I think thereason we are more than ever in
this climate, I stand by this isbecause people are saying, I
just want to tune out for anhour, two hours, I think like,
if I think right now is thetime, if you're a studio to
(46:39):
green light, some rom coms.
Because they're cheap to make,they don't cost as much as these
superhero movies.
People want to fall in love.
People want to see somethingelse.
They don't want to see, I thinkwith the movies that I think
we're getting this feedback withthese movies that are being in
this award season, not thatthey're not good movies, but the
queers, the brutalists, likepeople are like, life is life
(47:04):
and right now, I do not want tosit to three hours of sheer
tragedy and disappointment and.
Just absolute emotional, whereI'm being raked over the coals.
I want to see something else.
And I think right now studiosneed to lean into that, you
know?
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Criti (47:23):
I was thinking that I didn't have
a rant or rave to rant and raveto talk about, but I actually
do.
And I actually started off ourpodcast.
Talking about it.
And it is this movie, Anur.
Go for it.
I can't.
I can't.
You and
Kathia Woods (2) (47:44):
I, you and me both.
I don't get
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cri (47:47):
it.
I just don't.
I cannot deal with this film.
And so I've, I had to ask otherpeople, why did they like this?
And what did they feel?
Was phenomenal about it.
And to a person, theperformances for most folks.
(48:08):
in this film, they feel thatit's exceptional.
This absolutely exceptional,particularly Mikey Madison's
performance.
Just won another one at theSpirit Awards.
And actually it won three awardsat the Spirit Awards, which was
Best Picture, Best Actor, Ithink, and something else.
(48:33):
So that's one of the thingspeople like the other thing is
that it's I guess I guess it's aunique story because people are
like Oh, it's unique.
It's different.
It's unique and I'm like, huh?
Okay, I don't get it And thenpeople really think that Sean
Baker killed this one from adirect from a directing
(48:53):
standpoint I'm thinking firstlyit felt pornographic Secondly, I
didn't think that there was muchnuances to Madison's
performance.
I just didn't.
I didn't think that, okay, fromhollering and screaming the
whole film, that this was a filmwhere you could say to somebody
(49:15):
like, Oh yeah, she was really,really exceptional as an actor.
It just didn't work for me.
It wasn't interesting.
It wasn't fun.
It wasn't funny because peoplethought it was funny too.
People thought it was funny.
I just don't get it.
And if this is what we believeis the best film of 2024, I'm
(49:41):
like, wow, the best film of 2024for me is a different film, but
I won't get into that.
I just cannot get into thismovie.
And Nora, and I think that.
The Critics Choice Associationmade a mistake.
I think BAFTA's made a mistake.
I think Spirit Awards have madea mistake.
And I think that the Oscars aregonna make a mistake.
Kathia Woods (50:07):
I don't see her winning Best Actress.
I don't see that.
Kathia Woods (2) (50:10):
Also, we got to remember like SAG has been so
different than the actualAcademy Awards.
So whatever they win at SAG, butI don't either.
I don't like Sean Baker'smovies.
He's not my cup of tea.
I'm not saying I don't know theman, so I'm not speaking on him.
I didn't like Red Rocket,thought that was gross.
(50:31):
I don't like this movie, and I'mnot a person that's a prude
about nudity or sexuality.
I just think it's Yeah, I'm noteither.
I feel like he makes movies forteenage boys.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Criti (50:41):
I
Kathia Woods (2) (50:43):
just do.
I don't think he empowers women.
It looks like I'm not sure if helikes women.
You froze a little
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cri (50:46):
bit on your side.
I just think this is you froze alittle bit on your side, so I
didn't hear the last thing yousaid.
You didn't like it, and I saidI'm
Kathia Woods (50:52):
not sure that he likes women.
You know what I mean?
I just don't I don't It's justlook to me,
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Crit (51:02):
It is to me and I guess one of my
critic friends says that itreally is about the American
dream.
Here is a young lady who feelsthat she's about to experience,
she's working hard just to makeends meet and all of a sudden
she meets this Russian, the sonof a Russian oligarch and she
(51:24):
hit the jackpot.
So now he's going from, I guess,peanut butter and jelly to
caviar.
And what did the guy from therich and the famous used to say?
I can't remember what he used tosay for his show, but she's
doing caviar and limousines.
And so all of a suddeneverything is just really hunky
dory.
(51:44):
I guess the story is unique inthe way in which they're trying
to present it.
But it just doesn't land for meas the best film, the best film
of 2024.
So that's my rant and rave.
That's my rant and rave and Iguess
Kathia Woods (2) (52:01):
I endorse that.
And here's me, let's just keepit real.
Ain't nobody watching a Norafive years from now.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cri (52:11):
See what you just said, I'm saying
to myself, would I watch thisagain?
After I watched it the firsttime, would I watch a Nora
again?
No.
In fact, it was excruciatingwatching it the first time.
And I just wouldn't watch it thesecond time.
And I'd like to ask my criticsfriends, would they be like,
Hey, everybody, come on over andwe're going to have an honor
(52:32):
watching party.
I don't think so.
So I'm with you on that one.
I guess that's it.
That's our show.
We're like at the end, right?
Kathia Woods (3) (52:45):
Yeah, but we got it done even though we
traveled, and we got to see eachother in person.
So that's always nice.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cri (52:51):
No, no, we did.
We did.
Even though it's really funny.
I will say this before we closeout.
Is that you, you what?
I wanna say left a little early.
Kathia Woods (2) (53:06):
I had to leave early.
You know why?
Because I had to get up at thecrack of dawn to do the, to do
baby.
It was like I was coming in.
You and I both flew in, so wewere all in different time
zones.
My slot for this power junketwas seven something in the
morning.
Like
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Crit (53:24):
it was early and
Kathia Woods (2) (53:25):
I hadn't really slept, so I needed to
sleep.
I mean, normally I don't dip.
But I was fighting for my lifealready having dipped it.
You know,
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Cri (53:36):
You said you had to get up out of
there.
Kathia Woods (53:39):
I
Kathia Woods (2) (53:39):
love everybody, but I couldn't do it.
I was, I, as soon as I got backto my room and took off my
makeup, went straight to bed.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel C (53:49):
Well,
Kathia Woods (53:49):
you know,
Reggie Ponder, The Reel Crit (53:50):
No worries.
Again, this is the Real CriticsNetwork.
We got two critics.
Two opinions and one mission.
This is where dialogue engages,educates, and entertains, and
occasionally escalates.
And we escalated at this time,but not against each other, but
against the industry.
(54:11):
You can find me on Twitter andall those other places.
What as the real critic, ourEEL, Kathia, I still haven't
really engaged in this new one.
So I'm going to, I'm going to dothat soon and try to see if I
can get some followers.
And you could also go to mywebsite at Reggie ponder.
com.
(54:31):
Where can we find you?
Kathia.
Kathia Woods (54:33):
You can find me everywhere.
Well, except Twitter.
I'm no longer on Twitter and Xor whatever, but you can find me
anywhere else at Katia, K A T HI A underscore woods.
Reggie Ponder, The Reel C (54:44):
There you go.
We're out.
See you next time.
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