February 11, 2025 • 48 mins
Step back in time with us as we revisit the golden era of South Florida radio alongside our special guest, Deena Lang. We reminisce about the thrill of Y100 and Power 96, sharing stories of industry events like Zeta Fest and Buzz Bake Sale that brought us all together. Deena opens up about her recent battle with TMJ pain and her revitalizing return to podcasting, revealing the passion that fuels her broadcasting journey. Dive into the nostalgia of radio’s past while exploring the expansive and intimate community that keeps us coming back for more.
Transitioning from radio waves to digital screens, we analyze the art of making a living through digital content creation. We uncover the real challenges of monetization across platforms like Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok and the thrill of turning creativity into income. Our conversation shines a light on the necessity of confidence and adaptability in this unpredictable landscape, with personal anecdotes underscoring the joy and unpredictability of social media success. From brand partnerships to user-generated content, we unpack the strategies that drive our digital careers forward.
On a lighter note, we share heartwarming personal stories, including the unexpected joy of rescuing a dog named Rue and the adventures of cruising with Virgin Voyages. As the episode unfolds, we celebrate Deena's upcoming ventures, from stage performances in Charleston to meaningful speaking engagements that promote mental health awareness. Through it all, we emphasize the importance of authenticity, the power of a supportive community, and the ongoing journey of balancing passion projects with professional demands. Join us for an inspiring, laughter-filled discussion that captures the essence of growth, nostalgia, and future possibilities.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
did we just become best friends, Dina Lang.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
that's the name of your podcast, Like you know I
have been so excited for thisday for so long.
You have no idea unless you didany of my Facebook or Instagram
profile stalking, then youcould see maybe some some of the
ways we're connected.
But I have been so excited totalk to you and then I saw my
(00:30):
name appear in your storiestoday.
I mean, welcome, it's Dina Langto the podcast.
I'm so excited, thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
I'm happy to be here.
I'm sorry it took so long toget it together.
Yeah, you said I posted on mystories because I was like it
took so long to get it together.
Yeah, you said I posted on mystories cause I was like, ooh, I
haven't done a podcast in along time, predominantly because
I've really bad TMJ pain, um,but I'm starting to get the
inflammation and all of thatunder control.
So I went okay, I haven't donea podcast in probably two years,
(01:02):
I don't.
I don't know like howtechnology.
I mean I do know how tech, I'mnot like a dinosaur person but I
I didn't know how technology.
I mean I do know how technology, I'm not like a dinosaur person
but I didn't know if I neededto wear pants.
Essentially, I was like am Igoing to be seen?
How much of me is going to beseen?
I don't really want to have towear pants, because stretchy
pants or yoga pants, that's mycomfort zone.
You want to be comfortable whenyou're doing a pod, when you're
(01:23):
doing anything, you want toknow.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
I feel it, I totally feel it and I.
So the first thing I always doon the podcast is I talk about
how we met or didn't meet or howwe're connected.
And the funny thing is you andI've never met in person, never
no, even in all my old days ofradio glory and fangirling over
the local DJs and going toremotes.
(01:47):
You and I have never met inperson, but I actually used to
do the traffic on the radio formany stations that I have a
feeling you're tied to from yourolden golden radio days.
So this is my first questionfor you.
Okay, first of all, thanksagain for coming on the podcast,
but I want to know what was thevery first South Florida radio
(02:07):
station?
You were connected to Y100.
Okay, and that was me too.
So in the eighth grade I had afan club for Paco, who was a DJ
at the radio station, and wetook a trip to the station.
They let us literally go in thestudio and I thought it was the
coolest thing ever.
Let us literally go in thestudio, and I thought it was the
coolest thing ever.
And, for perspective, we didn'thave the internet back then,
(02:30):
okay, people.
So we had to listen, to waitfor our favorite song to come on
the radio.
We would call, I would callincessantly requesting my
favorite song.
So why?
100 was always my first love.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Yeah, they played everything new.
It was like how you knew whatwas going on.
That for me.
I remember also Power 96because riding on the school bus
to middle school our bus driverexposed us to it and would play
the Power 96 morning show and Iwas like this is a freaking job
, like you can just be a totalfool on the radio and you can
(03:02):
pay your bills.
That's crazy and I justremember being enamored by it
but also thinking that's notsomething I'll ever do, like I
didn't feel like that wasanything that I didn't know what
I wanted to do.
But I didn't think that waslike going to be in the cards
for me at all, I just was, youknow that wasn't all I ever
wanted to do was be on the radio.
It was like everybody I meaneverybody can.
(03:24):
You can be more successful thanany radio personality with a
podcast, you know.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
So let me tell you I haven't hit that, sorry to say,
but yeah, no, I mean like thepeople that are out there just
doing this every day, like Idream of working remotely in my
pajamas, and if I could get paidto podcast every day, I would
do it.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
There's no reason why .
There's no reason why it can'thappen for you.
I've watched so many successstories.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
You give me hope, but so tell me okay, after Y100,
what was the next um stationthat I worked?
Speaker 2 (03:59):
for yeah, uh, so, okay, it was Y100.
And then I ended up on 94.9Zeta.
Um, I'm naming like all theheavies, like all the classics,
right, yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
I used to do traffic for Steve Stancil.
Okay Okay, has also been on thepodcast.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
That's so funny.
It's such a it's.
It's such a small.
The South Florida radio marketis just such a small little
incestual, like you don't wantto burn somebody because it's
going to come back to you.
That's the kind of that's howsmall it is as much as it's a
huge market.
It's still that's.
That's the way it goes.
I remember going to Zeta Fest,and those were just some of my
(04:39):
favorite times, same same and Igrew up going to Buzz, bake Sale
, zeta Fest, like I went to allof those, those festival
concerts.
Now you couldn't pay me to goto a festival concert Like I.
You got to, like, pay me toleave my house.
Now I'm such an introvert now,but back then, like that was it.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
That was the thing you know when you say that.
When you talk about being anintrovert, I'm like I'm calling
BS.
What extrovert I'm like I'mcalling BS.
What is going on?
What do you mean?
How, how is it possibleSomebody so like charismatic?
Speaker 2 (05:12):
And, of course, obviously love your content.
We'll talk about that If youreally want to know.
I'll be completely blunt.
I am an extrovert for pay.
I always say that to my husband.
I can.
I'm very good at putting a maskon and going out and doing what
I need to do.
Um the second I am behind closeddoors and back home I am.
My social battery is so drainedto the point where I can't
(05:32):
function for the rest of the day, and that is towards the end of
my radio career.
That's where I was Um and itwas a very unhealthy place to be
.
I was in so much physical pain,um, so much physical pain and
so much mental pain at the sametime, and I didn't understand
what was going on, but I onlythought.
(05:53):
I just kept telling myself thisis, but this is just life Like
this is what you do, this is howit goes Right.
This is just part of you knowgrowing up, I guess.
But were you at the shark atthe end?
The shark was the.
Yes, the shark was the laststation that I was at Um and we
had in the beginning.
I was there for probably fiveyears and in the beginning I
(06:15):
helped launch the station andbuild our social media presence
and all of that.
I was the only um radiopersonality on air at first,
which was really.
It was very lonely but alsovery cool at the same time,
because it was just me literallygoofing off and throwing
spaghetti at the wall and hopingthat like, hey, what's going to
resonate with people.
Yeah, it was like a funexperimental time and we, the
(06:41):
company, was acquired by I'teven so we were Entercom at the
time and then we were acquiredby what is now Odyssey and
things very quickly changed.
We had a cluster.
We had a cluster of just acouple radio stations within
this one little shitholebuilding, like disgusting
(07:02):
building, but it was ourbuilding.
I've been to that building,yeah, so you know like it was.
But it was our building.
Yeah, I mean, like the toiletswere like overflowing, it was
such a disgusting workenvironment but we loved it
because it was just like.
It was such a close, tight knitum environment and everybody
got along and everybody lovedeveryone.
(07:23):
It was such a unique like you Ican't, I can, I don't think
that could ever be replicated um, but then we, they acquired
other radio stations.
They moved us much furthersouth, which was then.
That was the beginning of theend for me.
Yeah, sitting in traffic,commuting, you know having to
rush to drop, rush my son outthe door to drop him off at
school and then rush to get intocommuting.
You know having to rush to drop, rush my son out the door to
(07:45):
drop him off at school and thenrush to get into traffic.
And sometimes, you know, takingan hour and 45 minutes, two
hours to get to work and thenrunning upstairs and just
narrowly making it.
It was, it was just too much.
It was too much on me.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
I feel like it's one thing to be a young single
person in radio, but you enterthe whole family and children.
It is so hard.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
And what's crazy about it is that I had the very
best time slot for somebody whohad.
I mean, it was ideal forsomebody who has kids, who has a
family um 10 to three, likethat's the best.
I couldn't have done afternoonsbecause I wouldn't have been
able to do homework, dinner,anything at night with my son.
I couldn't have done.
I couldn't.
And my my, the bulk of myhistory in radio was in mornings
(08:29):
.
But I, when, when I discussedwith the, the um, the GM of the
station when they first broughtme on, he was like well,
obviously you're going to wantmornings and I said I definitely
cannot do mornings.
At the time I was a single momwith a little a preschooler and
I was like there's no way I cando mornings.
I'm not going to hire somebodyto come live in my house and you
(08:50):
know it's just and not be therefor my kid.
So middays is actually the verybest time slot that you can
have.
And still it was stressing methe fuck out Like it was killing
.
But mostly because of thelocation.
The location was so hard oneverybody who lived in Broward
(09:10):
County or Palm Beach County oranywhere north, which this may
not be super relatable toanybody outside of Florida who's
listening.
But they moved us to this onearea that was just so hard to
get to, area that was just sohard to get to, and it really
took its toll, not only, youknow, on my mental health, but
(09:30):
on so many of my, my friends andcoworkers like it.
Just you don't realize how goodyou have it until you don't
have it anymore.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Yeah, and did you leave Broward because you used
to live here, right, yeah, Ileft almost three years ago.
Are you in St Lucie County?
No, I actually don't talk aboutwhere I am specifically.
Listen, I lived in Port.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
St.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Lucie for nine years.
So I was just curious if youwere in the pizzle, because I
get jealous because I miss myhouse.
I miss, you know, like the goodold days when I had four houses
on the street.
You know, when we first builtup there.
Yeah, that area is going crazy.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Right now, though, I'm watching.
I am the person who is up doomscrolling late at night who's
like let's see what's for sale,even though I have no intention,
I'm not moving anywhere.
We just essentially got here,but I love to look at real
estate and I'm just watchingthat area go.
You know bonkers, I know Um,but yeah, so we, we ended up, um
(10:33):
, moving during like the heightof COVID.
We, we were, just, we were in azero lot line home.
It was very, very stressful with, um, just everyone up and down
the block being home all at thesame time and noise, and I'm
trying to do a radio show likefrom my closet, oh, my gosh,
yeah, so I would do like allthese lives with artists, with
musicians, and they would beperforming, and I'd have like
(10:55):
dogs barking outside and it wasjust so chaotic and I, uh, my
husband and I looked forprobably a year and a half and
got outbid on everything.
The market was just crazy.
And then we ended up justmoving like way further North
and I am still getting used toit because we now we have some
(11:19):
space, but it's not like nothingis close by and I'm, I'm, I'm,
I'm enjoying it.
I definitely am enjoying itmore but I still have, you know,
my family and tons of friendsI'm I'm in Broward often.
I work with a lot of businessesin Broward still, and Palm
beach County, so I'm alwaysthere when you come back to
(11:39):
Broward again, we're going tohave to have coffee.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
I love this.
Yes, for sure, for sure.
Okay, you, the reason why I'mso fond of your account.
Obviously I love the radioconnection.
I'm always just watchingeverybody that I have ever been
associated with radio.
Like Kenny Walker, I used to dohis traffic.
Julie Guy my husband was atJulie's wedding.
He's known her for years.
So my husband used to intern at103 she when it was in the
(12:06):
trailer park way back in the day.
So we always reminisce.
Oh, we're just so stuck innostalgia we can't even get out.
We don't have the shovel deepenough.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
So you haven't been traumatized enough.
That's the problem, lydia.
We need to get you some thicktrauma, and then you've locked
it all out immediately.
You wouldn't be reminiscing,you'd be like what?
Speaker 1 (12:27):
I know, I only know the glamour, I only know the
backstage passes and the artistinterviews and you know getting
to go to fancy things.
But no, I never had to pay mybills on radio pay.
So that was pretty good, um,but of course I never really
found success working in radio.
So that's okay, I had a veryshort time but it's all right.
(12:50):
So you move north and I'massuming that you're staying
home because your husband'sworking and you're raising your
child.
But when did you start to beable to really think I could
make this content and I couldactually make an income from
being a digital creator?
Because I know a lot of peopleare having a lot of success, a
(13:11):
lot of people are wanting it.
It's not as easy as everybodythinks it is, especially when
you know the recording and theediting side of it, because I
teach TV production also, so Iknow how much work goes into it,
which is, I think, why Ihaven't really gone and really
dove into it in any capacity.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
That's the thing, that's the funny part, because I
meet so many people who arelike I could totally do what you
do and I'm like okay, edit this.
But that is the part that tripsyou Okay, edit this.
The editing.
You don't understand If editingis such a skill set in itself
and it's something that I knewhow to do.
The audio, I mean, I was like awhiz at audio editing.
(13:51):
But doing the audio and syncingit up with a video and the
transitions and making it, youknow, pop, and making it hooking
people, like it's a, it's anart, and it's not something that
I feel really confident, Istill don't.
I don't feel confident in myability to do it.
I I'm always learning, but Iwill say that I never had a
(14:12):
doubt in my mind about myability to be successful doing
it, which is really crazy,especially if you follow me and
you know how many doubts gothrough my mind all day, every
day.
Um, I am a person who isriddled with doubt, but when it
comes to the content creatorthing, I had no doubt, because I
know how hard of a worker I amand it's very easy if you're you
(14:38):
know, like, if you're in a nineto five, to be able to, like,
lie your way to the top and and,like you know, tell everyone
that you're so great, and thenmaybe they'll believe that
you're so great and you don'treally have to have the skill
set to back it up.
This is not that.
This is a situation whereyou're on your own and you're
going to make or you're going tobreak yourself, and that's
(14:59):
something that I've come toreally love about it.
I can make as much money as Iam determined to make, or I can
really flop and everything is onme.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
I think that's where the curiosity comes in for me,
because you know I've talked toa lot of people and we're going
to get into Virgin Voyages in aminute, because I know that you
went on the cruise and you knowI'm a huge fan.
But one of my people that Ifollow is a huge digital creator
and makes a lot of content forVirgin and we talked in depth
(15:32):
about how she monetizes and Ithink it's a lot of people don't
want to talk about it or, youknow, unless you're one of the
huge TikTokers and they'rebroadcasting what you made last
year on TikTok.
You know if you're a CharliD'Amelio or you're a Michaela,
whatever, but when did you seethat you could actually make
some money?
Because I got the monetizationnotification one time and I
(15:54):
think I got paid $50 one time onInstagram on a reel and I
thought I was like famous, I waslike my day was made at a lousy
$50.
And then it never happenedagain and I'm like what am I
doing wrong?
Speaker 2 (16:06):
Yeah, that was a hard lesson to learn because in the
beginning, when you get thatmonetization notice, you're like
I'm gonna be rich, becausethey're like you can make
$50,000 in a month.
And, of course, you're gonnareach for the stars and
realistically end up with, ifyou're lucky, a couple hundred
dollars If you're lucky.
And I am still like I neverstopped learning, I never
(16:32):
stopped reading.
I'm always trying to educatemyself and figure out, you know,
do I need to pivot?
Am I putting too much time intoInstagram?
Do I need to move?
You know, like I'm in a I'm inum, in a mindset right now where
I'm like okay, I've put maybetoo many eggs in the Instagram
basket.
Let's pull some of those eggsout.
Let's focus more attention on,you know, youtube, uh, long form
(16:53):
video.
Let's focus more attention ongrowing Tik TOK and getting
monetized on Tik TOK, likethings, things like that, or
Facebook reels they, they'rethere.
You cannot rely on theseplatforms to pay your bills and
that that is a big problem.
That's a big misconception, Ithink.
(17:15):
I think any money that comes infrom these platforms is just
kind of like fun money, likewhatever I get, I set aside for
taxes because I know I'm goingto get hit hard at the end of
the year, right?
So that's that's what I do withthe money that you know I make
off of the platforms.
My money is predominantly madefrom um making ads for, for
(17:36):
clients, for brands that I love,that I work with and I have.
Um, most of them are repeat,repeat customers and I'm very
thankful for that.
Usually, if they work with meonce and we have a good rapport,
they'll come back Um, a goodbulk of it probably 30 to 40% of
(17:57):
my income is a, a brand um,maybe just ordering one
deliverable, let's say just areel, an Instagram reel and the
reel will perform well andthey'll come back and say well,
we want to pay you X amount ofdollars to whitelist this reel
now for 30 days, or how much?
How much would you charge towhitelist this for the remainder
of the year?
So I do make a good amount ofincome off of that as well.
(18:19):
Um, and every once in a while Idon't love it, but I will do
I'll take on, like, some usergenerated content, um, uh, gigs,
it all.
It all depends, but I'll dothat every once in a while.
And then I still sometimes I'lldo voice work.
It's usually just for friendsand family, but sometimes I'll
(18:42):
have a brand reach out and go ohwell, you do.
Like I'm, like all the obscurestuff.
I love the medical ads wherethere are a million side effects
.
Having to, like speed, readthrough crazy ass side effects.
I've always been that girl.
I was always the girl at theradio station who was like,
what's the ad?
There are 50 side effects.
Let's go take a deep breath andtry to run through all of them.
(19:02):
That's fun for me.
Um, medical things and on holdmessages for phone services.
Like I, I enjoy that stuff.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
I used to do that years ago, the telephone on hold
, and then every now and thenyou'll get a request.
Somebody wanted your voice andthey'll try to find you.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
Yep, yep, well, tell me, that's when I break out the
recording, like the actual, likevoice recording here for those
projects.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
So here's what I want to know, because my bucket list
so I've accomplished a lot ofmy bucket list travel wise and
things but part of my bucketlist is I want to sit in the
seat at the today show.
I want to be like now it's justJenna and friends.
(19:46):
I'm the friend.
I want to sit there just onetime.
And so when you said you hadgotten the email from the Today
Show, you almost deleted it.
How did that come about?
And were you actually on theToday Show or were you like on a
Zoom?
Because I can't remember.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
So I was supposed to be on the Today Show?
Well, which question?
I'll answer that.
How?
How?
I found out about it first?
So I just was checking my emailand an email came through and
it said it's that it was aproducer from the today show.
And I was like yeah, right,okay, and I went to delete it
and I'm in.
Uh, I have a couple of creatorfriends, we're in a chat
(20:24):
together and I was like you guys, this is so ridiculous,
somebody's playing a joke on me.
And I told them and one of themsaid that I don't know, it
doesn't seem that farfetchedlike respond.
So I responded and it was legitand they had seen something
that I did.
What's funny is all of the, allof the major TV exposure that
(20:46):
I've gotten has been off ofTikTok, which is in no way like
I don't even get monetized onTikTok.
Excuse me, it's not my biggestplatform, but everyone has
booked me through TikTok.
That's wild, so wild to me.
I did the Tamron Hall showthrough TikTok.
One of the producers saw me andbooked me, and then the same
(21:09):
thing.
Both of these appearances werelast year.
So with the Today Show we triedto go back and forth, we tried
to sync up schedules andeverything for me to actually be
able to be on stage.
And they didn't have enoughseats because they wanted to
have experts the experts alwaysget booked first, obviously,
rather rather than like somelady who's complaining that she
(21:29):
has imposter syndrome.
Who am I up against?
A woman who wrote a book andhas studied imposter syndrome
for her 20 years of her life,right?
So I totally understood.
They were like we can only havethree seats on the on the stage
for this segment.
And we actually got her.
We booked this woman who's animposter syndrome expert.
So would you be willing to doit via zoom?
And I was like, yeah, of course.
(21:52):
So I got to, I got to do myinterview via zoom and then I
was part of a um, yeah, like a aa segment on imposter syndrome
and parenting.
And my kid got to see his faceon TV and smiled for the first
time in a while about somethinghe's in those tween years.
So he looked up and he was like, yeah, that's kind of cool.
(22:14):
I was like did you tell yourfriends?
He said no, ew, no, I'm notgoing to tell my friends, but it
is kind of cool.
So that's what I got out ofthat.
Those were the mom points thatI got out of that appearance.
And yeah, tiktok has been crazyfor me and I should definitely
be paying more attention to it.
I just don't really understandit.
And then also with the ban,everybody was kind of like okay,
(22:37):
do we stay or do we go?
What do I do?
Speaker 1 (22:40):
So now I can't even get it back, which is fine,
because I, honestly, as a highschool teacher, I'm going to
tell you these kids are onTikTok way too much.
I mean, it's just, it's ablessing and a curse this whole,
you know screen mentality.
But now you can make a livingon the screen and you can make a
living on all these apps.
So how can we condemn theseapps when they're very
(23:02):
profitable for business andthey're great for marketing?
You know it's, it is a blessingand a curse.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
My child has a kid that he goes to school with who
said that he has monetized hisYouTube, that he posts videos of
himself with his dog, and hehas monetized his YouTube and
made enough money to to setaside so he can buy a car when
he's old enough to drive and inlike a matter of months and
thankfully my kid sees all thatgoes into it on the backend.
(23:31):
So he's like he has zerointerest and I'm very happy
about that, knock on wood, and Ihope it remains that way.
Um, I'm super open andtransparent with him about the
trolls and the amount of workthat goes into it and I think he
gets it.
He's never-.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
People have some balls.
I mean, everybody just thinksthey have a right to comment on
every single thing and theiropinion matters and listen,
that's fine.
I just could never on purposebe that mean in writing.
Well, I mean which I want to,even if I did a snarky comment.
That was funny.
I just don't think I want to bemean.
I don't want to be mean onpurpose.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
Well, it's a special type of human being who does
that, and it's usually someone'sgrandfather, I've come to find
out.
It's almost always a man Almostalways who's hiding behind some
kind of anime picture for theirprofile.
Right, I get a lot of hate fromgrandpas excuse me, which is
(24:31):
crazy to me.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
I mean because you're super cute and I'm thinking
that they would be liking you,but you know gray hair would do
it for them.
Uh, you, first of all, yourgray hair journey.
I want to applaud you.
You're so brave, you know,naturally a pretty light.
Um, you know, like golden Brownand my, my blonde highlights do
conceal any gray, do you have?
(24:52):
I don't have that much, butthat I've been watching that
journey.
It's like a nail biting journeyfor me.
I'm like, okay, she's goingback down to Fort Lauderdale to
the circus salon or whateverit's called.
I'm like, what's it going tolook like today?
Cause they're doing somethingelse.
You know, I'm so, I'm soinvested in your hair journey,
but you have beautiful hair.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
Well, thank you.
Yeah, I, you know I.
I set out not to try to like bea poster child for anything,
but to kind of support people ifit was something that they
wanted to do also.
Yeah, and I had a lot of peoplesaying I'm really nervous about
it, but if you're doing it like, I'll do it with you.
So there are a lot of peoplewho are, you know, grown well,
grown out to almost two years atthis point.
(25:43):
And I keep saying if I change mymind I'm dying it back Like I'm
not that girl who's going to be?
Speaker 1 (25:47):
um, yeah, I'm not, thank you, I want to change the
world.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
I want to change the world for the better in many
ways, but this is not the thehill, the hill that I want to
die on.
I feel like people have to dowhatever they want and need to
do in order to be happy,physically and mentally, in life
.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
And it's just way too much pressure.
I mean, I only highlight myhair like quarterly, so it's not
really about a cost thing forme.
But I know for some people itwas like every four weeks that
they didn't get into that salon.
That was it.
The grays were struggling.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
My roots were coming in every two and a half to three
weeks.
At the end when I when Istopped dying it, it was like it
was craziness and I feel like Iunderstand.
I never understood, like howyou'd see like a grandma rocking
hot pink hair.
Now I get it.
Now that I'm living like aslower lifestyle and I've had
(26:41):
the chance to breathe and calmdown a little bit, I'm like
whatever you need to do to enjoyyour life, you should do.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
Yeah, I agree.
I mean, I don't have that gray,but if it ever comes to the
point where I feel like it'sbetter to just let it go, then
we let it go.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
It's not the end of the world, no, and I know there
are some creators who are verylike, very adamant that gray is
the way and I'm never going tobe that person.
I'm never going to forcesomething down, you know, down
your throat, with anything.
I think it.
That's one of the best parts ofthe human experience is having
(27:20):
the freedom to change your mindor say I was wrong.
I tried it.
It didn't work for me.
You know, experimenting is partof the process.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
My husband gives me a lot of crap about changing my
mind and I go well, you justbetter be thankful it's not
changing my mind about you,that's exactly what I say to him
.
Exactly, it's just dinner, Ipivot.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
I mean, I'm, I am just nonstop pivoting in life
and it leads me almost everytime to a better place.
So I'm, I'm in the pivot fanclub, I'm, I'm all for it, I
think.
I think you can always improveyour situation and if you made a
decision, that's you know,screwing things up, turn around
(28:01):
and go back if you can.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
Love it, and now I'm in the life's too short and YOLO
stage with everything.
So one of the things that I'mreally passionate about is
travel, and I couldn't help butnotice that you and your husband
went on the Virgin voyages.
Speaker 2 (28:17):
It was awesome.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
Tell me first of all, was that like a creator thing
where you invited media, or wasthat like just you booked a
vacation because you and Philneeded to get away?
Speaker 2 (28:28):
No, that's another one.
We, um, they reached outthrough threads.
They saw my work on threads, um, and they wanted to grow their
presence on threads.
So they said, will you come on,will you like live thread some
of your experience?
And I said Absolutely.
And I'm not.
I'm not the type of personwho's going to be like a total
(28:48):
stickler for like it's only gotto stay on threads because
that's what we worked out.
I a lot of people want somethings in writing like that is
what that's, this is what I'mdoing.
I'm not going to give away, youknow, I'm not going to give the
milk away for free, don't getme wrong.
But wherever I am, I'm going tomake content out of experience.
So I was sharing it on the otherplatforms.
(29:09):
I was sharing it on Tik TOK andInstagram, but they hired me
predominantly to um share theexperience on threads, and
that's incredible because Inever read threads because I'm
like I can't manage anotherplatform.
Speaker 1 (29:21):
How many more platforms am I going to have to
put on my phone?
And then I'm like I get it, I'mso tempted because they have
really good teasers on Instagram, the threads give you half the
paragraph and I'm like so Idownloaded it.
But then I'm like never on.
But I want to just talk about,first of all, which sailing did
you go on?
Because you were there like aweek or two before me.
I was so mad that I was not onthe ship at the same time as you
(29:43):
.
We were on the November 22ndsailing because I had things to
do.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
So, yeah, I think we went the 15th.
We went literally like a weekbefore you.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
I was like she's not on the ship at the same time.
I mean, this is so unfair.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
We traveled on the resilient lady and we had just
an unreal time.
And what's what's crazy is thatthings change so much when it
comes to traveling in yourtwenties and thirties.
And that's what I love aboutthe cruise line is they really
cater.
The music, the vibe, and youknow, if you went it's 90s,
early 2000s, some 80s, been thetrivia, and then it's not, and
you don't, and it is.
(30:24):
It really is the only cruiseline that caters to our specific
generation, I think, althoughI'm not by any means, I'm not a
travel creator, so I don't, Idon't know.
We have another cruise thatwe're doing like a big family
cruise coming up in a few monthsand that's like going to be a
completely different experience.
Speaker 1 (30:42):
Oh, which ship are you going on?
Speaker 2 (30:44):
We're sailing with Crystal.
We're doing an internationalcruise with the grandparents,
I'm so excited for you.
Yeah, it's going to be my kids'first time overseas and I am
like it doesn't even feel likeit's real.
It doesn't feel like it'sreally happening.
Speaker 1 (31:01):
I'm so excited Now tell me though you actually did
eat all that food you orderedfrom room service Cause when you
posted all those plates andyou're like, and yes, we are
going to eat every bit of thisfood, Every bit.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
I'm not that girl, I'm not like.
Yeah, no, it's funny because Iremember, um, just the memories
that we hang on to in our, inour like late thirties and up, I
think, are the craziest.
I don't know, at least, maybemy, maybe it's just my brain,
but I have this vivid memory ofdoing a live broadcast at magic
(31:35):
kingdom, being on the morningshow.
The sun is rising over MagicKingdom.
There are literally maybe like10 of us out there sitting at
the castle.
It's this gorgeous scene.
They have this spread of likebreakfast food out and watching
one of and she's a dear friendof mine, but watching one of one
of my friends suffer throughthis flavorless plain yogurt and
(31:59):
nothing else, suffer throughthis flavorless plain yogurt and
nothing else, and she's alreadylike rail thin, eating this
flavorless plain yogurt anddrinking black coffee and doing
you know like it's the pressuresthat we grew up under in the
eighties and the nineties.
Yeah, Can't you know?
And I'm like I'm going to eat.
They gave us good food.
I'm going to eat.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
I'm going to have food on Virgin voyages, yeah.
Speaker 2 (32:21):
It's not.
It is not a time or place totry to be dainty.
You need to try everything.
Speaker 1 (32:27):
Well, having been down the weight loss rabbit hole
myself lost.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
I want to ask you about that.
Speaker 1 (32:34):
I have lost almost 160 pounds at this point With
what you did.
You do the band.
I had the gastric sleeve, okayOkay, and then I started doing
the GLP meds about two years agowhen I had some regain.
So I am very transparent.
I talk about it all.
I talk about the good, bad, theugly of all of it, and I
actually did a whole podcastepisode on it because of the
(32:55):
fact that people were so curiousand kept asking me and said let
me just record a podcast aboutthe whole weight loss thing.
And now I'm getting ready torecord another one about my
surgery because I just had mymommy makeover.
Yes, I had mom guilt overbecause it's like 15K on a
surgery.
Put things where they'resupposed to be again and get rid
of my loose skin.
And now I had my tummy tuck andeverything when I could have
(33:18):
bought my kid a car skin.
And now I had my tummy tuck andeverything when I could have
bought my kid a car.
But I said, you know what?
I need to do this for myselfbecause I deserve it, I'm worth
it.
Speaker 2 (33:28):
And then you still got to go to college.
It all works and it sounds sostupid to say that, but it does
all work itself out.
It really does.
And so if it takes a little bitlonger for your, your kid, to
get a car, for you to be happyand not be, you know, looking
obsessing over, looking in themirror with saggy skin that
you're.
You know, really, really hardto get to where you are and
(33:51):
you've got to be good with it.
Like I said, whatever you haveto do to feel good in life.
Speaker 1 (34:01):
I'm a big believer of , but that's amazing.
I eat and I eat, and I eat whatI want, and I eat it in
moderation, but I have chocolateat least once a day.
That's awesome.
I love my chocolate.
I'm not giving it up.
No, I love that you went on theVirgin Voyages, because I just
am such a big fan of that cruiseline, and I love that they're
treating digital creators welland they're inviting them to
come see.
(34:21):
It's a win-win for both of them.
Speaker 2 (34:23):
I think they're great Four times.
Speaker 1 (34:25):
I've been four times and going again.
Wow, that's awesome.
I love Virgin, I love it.
Speaker 2 (34:30):
I can't wait to get a group of friends together and
go back.
I think going with friends isjust like next level, so I'm
really excited for us to go dothat.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
Go ham.
And one of the things that Iactually loved the most this
last sailing I, when I had neverdone it before was the bingo
with the diva.
We didn't get to do that.
You have to do it next time,okay, next time for sure.
Speaker 2 (34:54):
Yeah, I'm like you know trying to make plans with
friends how hard that is afteryou know.
So I'm like anybody want to go.
It's just a couple of days.
But just a couple of dayssometimes is not possible to
line up.
It's wild.
Speaker 1 (35:07):
Well, I'm your new best friend and I'm always in
for a cruise.
I'm going.
Actually, in a couple of weeks,on Valentine's Day, I'm taking
my husband.
I'm Royal Caribbean for thefirst time.
So he prefers Virgin becauseit's no kids, no buffets.
He's kind of a germaphobe, thatthing.
But I'm so looking forward toit and I am really proud.
As we wrap up here, I want tosay I did officially, in writing
(35:30):
, predict that Rue would be thefoster fail which she was.
How is little Rue who yourescued?
She's awesome.
I'll never forget that day.
I look at your account.
Next thing, you know you'resaving a dog and I'm like, here
we go, well, like.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
I said, sometimes we pivot.
The plan was to have one dogand only one dog, and August
16th is my birthday.
So last August we were drivingto dinner, we had a reservation
and we were late and we'respeeding there and I was like,
okay, I rarely open Facebook.
I'm like I just want to gothrough Facebook and see cause
people had posted all these nicemessages and everything.
(36:09):
I'll respond.
So I open it up and the firstthing that I see is this um,
local charity, riley's petrescue.
They're amazing.
Is this dog in a, in a cage,completely overgrown?
This like shaggy shaggy dog,like you can't even see the
dog's eyes.
It looks so depressed and sad.
And I looked over at my husbandand I was like I need to go see
(36:32):
this dog.
I like I have to make he goes.
You're this isn't, you can'tlike, this isn't going to happen
.
And I said, well, I need you tounderstand it's happening.
Um, two days later, told my kidout of school, we got in the
car, we drove three and a halfhours North.
Um, the lady came out.
The dog.
She was so overgrown, she waslike dreadlocks, she was so
(36:55):
uncomfortable, she would like,she was like soiling herself.
It was bad.
Um.
And the second she was able tohear my son's voice.
She started wagging her tail.
She was all dejected andeverything, and then just
started wagging her tail andmade her way over, followed his
voice and made her way over tohim and I was like okay, get in
(37:15):
the car.
Speaker 1 (37:17):
We're done here.
I applaud you for saying shewas going to be a foster, though
, because I knew, I knew, yeah,we really did.
Speaker 2 (37:24):
We really wanted to foster and because we didn't
know how our other dog was goingto react.
Our other dog is super hot andcold when it comes to other
animals.
She actually likes cats morethan dogs and it has been a
journey it's been than dogs andit has been a journey it's been.
Rue has been with us for sixmonths now and it has taken five
(37:44):
, five and a half months.
Like olive is just now comingaround to the idea of her being
here.
She was, yeah, she wasmiserable with her at first, but
we've done a lot of work withthe two of them and now she's
not as annoyed and there's likea two and a half year age
difference between the two ofthem and all of this very she's
(38:05):
just the og and she is annoyedby everything well, I loved
watching the happy tale unfold.
Yeah, it ended so well.
Everything's great and we loverue and she's such a great
addition to the family.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
So what's next?
For it's Dina Lang.
What's happening?
Anything exciting you want totalk about?
Cause there's people in othercountries that listen to this
podcast.
I am always shocked when I lookat the stats, even though I
don't have a lot of downloadsevery month, but it's it's like
last week, I think, I got like54 downloads and I was so
excited.
Are you a reality reality TVjunkie or anything Like?
(38:40):
Do you watch the housewivesLike what's your no, what's your
guilty pleasure?
Speaker 2 (38:45):
No, I used to.
I'm watching.
Right now I'm watching umparadise on Hulu.
It is incredible.
If you haven't seen it, you gotto watch it.
Speaker 1 (38:53):
Okay, the storytelling and everything is
incredible, but I and I caughtup on five seasons of Grey's
Anatomy.
Speaker 2 (39:04):
Oh yeah, I left Grey's in probably season seven.
I left Grey's in the.
Speaker 1 (39:09):
COVID years Cause I was like we're living this.
I can't watch it on TV also,For real.
Speaker 2 (39:14):
And that's when I left Housewives also, Cause I
was like we have enough drama, Idon't need additional drama on
top of my drama.
I'm good, Um, but I, yeah, so Iwatch a lot of murder docs.
I love all that stuff and Ihave, um, I'm going to actually
it's funny because I'm I'mripping the bandaid off I got
invited to be part of a stageproduction in Charleston.
Speaker 1 (39:36):
That's what I was hoping you were going to talk
about, cause I was like, yeah,miss introvert, that you're
getting on the stage.
Speaker 2 (39:43):
I am.
And what's funny is that I saidto um the producer, when, when
we were talking about it, I waslike do you understand, cause?
She said I followed you foryears.
I think you're fantastic and Ithink you're the person for this
, for this part.
And I said do you understand ifyou followed me for years?
I haven't been on stage inyears and I have severe, severe
(40:05):
social anxiety at this point inmy life.
And she said I do understandthat.
Do you think you can do it?
And I stopped and I thoughtabout it and I said I can.
I can put a mask on long enough, like I can.
I can mask everything.
I can do it Like I can make ithappen.
And I said um, I'll probably beshaking in my boots.
(40:25):
Do you have somebody, do youhave like makeup people that can
fix all the mascara that'll berunning down my face and
everything?
She said.
She said I'll give you a cheese.
Yep, I'll give you a dedicatedmakeup person.
She will touch up all your,everything If your makeup's
running, if you're scared, ifyou're sweating, whatever.
That's.
Yes, we want you and like let'smake it happen.
Speaker 1 (40:44):
So what is this role and where?
Where are you going to beappearing?
Speaker 2 (40:49):
Um, I'm going to be appearing at the Charleston
music hall in March I believeit's on March 12th or 13th March
12th and it's it's going to belive streamed so everybody
everywhere in the world canwatch it, and some of the
proceeds are going to go towomen's mental health and teen
(41:09):
mental health awarenessfoundations.
And I can't believe this isreal life.
I just keep saying, with everynew opportunity that hits, I'm
like how is this happening?
So I have that going on inMarch and then in April I will
be speaking um with one of mygood girlfriends.
We're going to speak together.
We're presenting about um onthe subject of how to be a
(41:33):
successful creator when you're,once your kids are grown up, and
removing your children fromyour content to to retain their
safety and still being able tobe, you know, create successful
content.
So that's something I'm verypassionate about and that was.
I booked that probably earlylast year and have been in
(41:54):
denial about it because again,that's another public speaking
thing.
Speaker 1 (41:58):
I'm dying to get on the speaking circuit and I don't
know how to start.
And it's so funny because Ithought, well, what's my story?
What's the big deal?
Again, imposter syndrome.
What do I have to tell?
Well, I have a massive weightloss.
I have trauma, like everybodyelse has, about certain things I
have.
You know, I'm in my secondmarriage.
I mean, that alone is comedygold, having a step parent,
(42:24):
step-children situation.
But yeah, I'm really excited.
So, yeah, keep me posted, keepus all posted on the speaking,
the conference or whereveryou're going to be.
Speaker 2 (42:33):
I will.
I'll be doing a lot of behindthe scenes.
And as for you, I mean you justgot to post about it.
That's almost become my sloganat this point, but nobody knows
you're going through it If youdon't post about it.
This is very true, you don'ttalk about it.
You gotta, you gotta just takethe filter off and go, go for it
.
Speaker 1 (42:52):
Now do you have the same handle on all your
platforms for anybody who wantsto follow?
Speaker 2 (42:56):
Yep, yep, across the board.
I am a not active Snapchat, butyou know, the alpha
generation's telling me I needto be in.
Speaker 1 (43:06):
Gen Z is telling me I need to be, so at some point
maybe I have to click on eachindividual person to see what
they're doing.
I can't do it, Lydia.
It's a lot Too much.
I have to have limits, I haveto have boundaries, and then you
know what I do is I give up allsocial media for Lent and I
just go rogue for 40 days andit's the best thing ever.
Speaker 2 (43:32):
That's awesome.
Bad for business, I know, butit's so bad for business.
No, it's so good for mentalhealth and it's so bad for it's
funny, because all of theseplatforms will tell you like
that their number one concern isyour mental health.
And then they're like you know,but but if you don't post three
times a day, we're going tobury you in the algorithm and no
one will see you.
We're going to essentially likewe're going to murder you
digitally, murder you if youdon't keep up with, you know,
posting as much as we want youto.
(43:52):
So it's a it's.
It's a ridiculous situationtrying to keep up with
maintaining your mental healthand doing well, and it's
something I definitely have notfigured out.
I think I don't think anybody'sfigured it out, but we're just
trying to balance, one day at atime.
The less, the better.
The less you're on, the lessyou're scrolling In my opinion,
(44:14):
the better.
I actually think curating yourfeed it's not even about the
amount of time you're spending.
I think it's more about takingthe time to curate your feed.
Speaker 1 (44:27):
I think that's what the real kicker is when it comes
to mental health issues.
Well, you know me, I love MelRobbins.
Mel Robbins, like my, mypodcasting guru, goddess, and
she talks about it all the time.
But again, I'm scrolling andI'm seeing her.
I'm seeing stuff that I thinkhelps me.
Speaker 2 (44:38):
Yeah, If it doesn't serve you, you got to get rid of
it.
That's why they say you know,the worst, the worst thing for
the for for female, um, femalesof Gen Z, and I would say our
generation too.
But they're saying the worstthing for, like the Gen Z female
, uh, population, is thecomparison that they're
(44:59):
following these people, thatthey're, you know, like a five,
10, 200 pound woman following afive, 410 pound woman and
they're trying to replicatethese looks and do all these
things and they say that's themost unhealthy thing you could
ever do, that you need to followpeople especially if you're
following for fashion stuff whodo look like you, who do wear
(45:21):
the same size that you wear,because you can't.
You know you're.
You're only going to makeyourself mentally sick by trying
to replicate what somebody elselooks like.
Speaker 1 (45:31):
I agree.
Comparison is the thief of joy,and my joy will not be stolen,
so there you go.
No, I can't compare myself toyou, because you did on today's
show, but I could take my ownjourney to the Today Show.
Speaker 2 (45:44):
You sure can.
I think you'll make it.
Speaker 1 (45:47):
I'm going to do it.
You know what I did.
I called, I talked to some ofthe producers and you know I
have to show up.
I need to show up.
And I always said to myself mydream was I would take a
November.
My dream was I would take aNovember that I didn't have to
work and save up all my vacationtime and just spend the whole
month of November in New Yorkcity and do all the things New
(46:08):
York and spend every day at thetoday show and stalk my way onto
the stage.
Speaker 2 (46:12):
What do you want to do?
What's it?
What are you going to do, like,let's say, they go okay and
Jenna pulls you out of the crowdand throws a mic in front of
you?
What's your?
Speaker 1 (46:18):
purpose.
I just want to co-host with herone time.
Really, I want to co-host withHoda, but then Hoda went and
left.
Speaker 2 (46:24):
I know Hoda was it for I love Hoda, I just love her
.
Speaker 1 (46:29):
I just love her.
I'm a positive, I'm an optimist, I'm always sunshiny.
I try to always see the brightside of things and when I see
other people there, people thatare like me, I'm like oh yeah,
you're going to be drawn to it.
Yeah, of course.
So well, you'll make it happenbeing here with me today.
Speaker 2 (46:52):
I appreciate.
Everybody out there should gofollow at.
It's Dina Lang.
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (46:54):
Thanks for making me so comfy.
Likes, comments rate, review,subscribe.
Speaker 2 (46:58):
I still think you should have a podcast, but you
know that's just me wishing,wishing for a co-host, that's
the one thing that still makesmy stomach rise up into my
throat when people say I know, Ihear it, I hear it every day of
my life is when are you goingto start?
Speaker 1 (47:16):
And I've been hearing it for four years, since I left
radio only because you would beso great, only because you have
so many stories to tell, and Imean I know I would listen, but
I think it's just-.
Speaker 2 (47:27):
It's just too close to.
It's too close to my formerhome, I think, and it's too much
work.
It's a lot of work, it's waymore work than I to do it right.
And that's my personality isI'm very obsessive, and in order
to do it right, I don't havethe bandwidth to do it.
So I know, just knowing, um,just knowing my capabilities, I,
(47:48):
I, I, I can't.
Speaker 1 (47:53):
That's why, for me, it's just a hobby, it's when I
get time and there's no pressure, because I do work during the
day.
And you know, if it was, if Ididn't have to work, it'd be
different story.
But all right, well, thank youfor being here.
Thank you so much, lydia you.
did we just become best friends, Dina Lang.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
that's the name of your podcast, Like you know I
have been so excited for thisday for so long.
You have no idea unless you didany of my Facebook or Instagram
profile stalking, then youcould see maybe some some of the
ways we're connected.
But I have been so excited totalk to you and then I saw my
(00:30):
name appear in your storiestoday.
I mean, welcome, it's Dina Langto the podcast.
I'm so excited, thank you.
Speaker 2 (00:38):
I'm happy to be here.
I'm sorry it took so long toget it together.
Yeah, you said I posted on mystories because I was like it
took so long to get it together.
Yeah, you said I posted on mystories cause I was like, ooh, I
haven't done a podcast in along time, predominantly because
I've really bad TMJ pain, um,but I'm starting to get the
inflammation and all of thatunder control.
So I went okay, I haven't donea podcast in probably two years,
(01:02):
I don't.
I don't know like howtechnology.
I mean I do know how tech, I'mnot like a dinosaur person but I
I didn't know how technology.
I mean I do know how technology, I'm not like a dinosaur person
but I didn't know if I neededto wear pants.
Essentially, I was like am Igoing to be seen?
How much of me is going to beseen?
I don't really want to have towear pants, because stretchy
pants or yoga pants, that's mycomfort zone.
You want to be comfortable whenyou're doing a pod, when you're
(01:23):
doing anything, you want toknow.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
I feel it, I totally feel it and I.
So the first thing I always doon the podcast is I talk about
how we met or didn't meet or howwe're connected.
And the funny thing is you andI've never met in person, never
no, even in all my old days ofradio glory and fangirling over
the local DJs and going toremotes.
(01:47):
You and I have never met inperson, but I actually used to
do the traffic on the radio formany stations that I have a
feeling you're tied to from yourolden golden radio days.
So this is my first questionfor you.
Okay, first of all, thanksagain for coming on the podcast,
but I want to know what was thevery first South Florida radio
(02:07):
station?
You were connected to Y100.
Okay, and that was me too.
So in the eighth grade I had afan club for Paco, who was a DJ
at the radio station, and wetook a trip to the station.
They let us literally go in thestudio and I thought it was the
coolest thing ever.
Let us literally go in thestudio, and I thought it was the
coolest thing ever.
And, for perspective, we didn'thave the internet back then,
(02:30):
okay, people.
So we had to listen, to waitfor our favorite song to come on
the radio.
We would call, I would callincessantly requesting my
favorite song.
So why?
100 was always my first love.
Speaker 2 (02:40):
Yeah, they played everything new.
It was like how you knew whatwas going on.
That for me.
I remember also Power 96because riding on the school bus
to middle school our bus driverexposed us to it and would play
the Power 96 morning show and Iwas like this is a freaking job
, like you can just be a totalfool on the radio and you can
(03:02):
pay your bills.
That's crazy and I justremember being enamored by it
but also thinking that's notsomething I'll ever do, like I
didn't feel like that wasanything that I didn't know what
I wanted to do.
But I didn't think that waslike going to be in the cards
for me at all, I just was, youknow that wasn't all I ever
wanted to do was be on the radio.
It was like everybody I meaneverybody can.
(03:24):
You can be more successful thanany radio personality with a
podcast, you know.
Speaker 1 (03:29):
So let me tell you I haven't hit that, sorry to say,
but yeah, no, I mean like thepeople that are out there just
doing this every day, like Idream of working remotely in my
pajamas, and if I could get paidto podcast every day, I would
do it.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
There's no reason why .
There's no reason why it can'thappen for you.
I've watched so many successstories.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
You give me hope, but so tell me okay, after Y100,
what was the next um stationthat I worked?
Speaker 2 (03:59):
for yeah, uh, so, okay, it was Y100.
And then I ended up on 94.9Zeta.
Um, I'm naming like all theheavies, like all the classics,
right, yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
I used to do traffic for Steve Stancil.
Okay Okay, has also been on thepodcast.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
That's so funny.
It's such a it's.
It's such a small.
The South Florida radio marketis just such a small little
incestual, like you don't wantto burn somebody because it's
going to come back to you.
That's the kind of that's howsmall it is as much as it's a
huge market.
It's still that's.
That's the way it goes.
I remember going to Zeta Fest,and those were just some of my
(04:39):
favorite times, same same and Igrew up going to Buzz, bake Sale
, zeta Fest, like I went to allof those, those festival
concerts.
Now you couldn't pay me to goto a festival concert Like I.
You got to, like, pay me toleave my house.
Now I'm such an introvert now,but back then, like that was it.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
That was the thing you know when you say that.
When you talk about being anintrovert, I'm like I'm calling
BS.
What extrovert I'm like I'mcalling BS.
What is going on?
What do you mean?
How, how is it possibleSomebody so like charismatic?
Speaker 2 (05:12):
And, of course, obviously love your content.
We'll talk about that If youreally want to know.
I'll be completely blunt.
I am an extrovert for pay.
I always say that to my husband.
I can.
I'm very good at putting a maskon and going out and doing what
I need to do.
Um the second I am behind closeddoors and back home I am.
My social battery is so drainedto the point where I can't
(05:32):
function for the rest of the day, and that is towards the end of
my radio career.
That's where I was Um and itwas a very unhealthy place to be
.
I was in so much physical pain,um, so much physical pain and
so much mental pain at the sametime, and I didn't understand
what was going on, but I onlythought.
(05:53):
I just kept telling myself thisis, but this is just life Like
this is what you do, this is howit goes Right.
This is just part of you knowgrowing up, I guess.
But were you at the shark atthe end?
The shark was the.
Yes, the shark was the laststation that I was at Um and we
had in the beginning.
I was there for probably fiveyears and in the beginning I
(06:15):
helped launch the station andbuild our social media presence
and all of that.
I was the only um radiopersonality on air at first,
which was really.
It was very lonely but alsovery cool at the same time,
because it was just me literallygoofing off and throwing
spaghetti at the wall and hopingthat like, hey, what's going to
resonate with people.
Yeah, it was like a funexperimental time and we, the
(06:41):
company, was acquired by I'teven so we were Entercom at the
time and then we were acquiredby what is now Odyssey and
things very quickly changed.
We had a cluster.
We had a cluster of just acouple radio stations within
this one little shitholebuilding, like disgusting
(07:02):
building, but it was ourbuilding.
I've been to that building,yeah, so you know like it was.
But it was our building.
Yeah, I mean, like the toiletswere like overflowing, it was
such a disgusting workenvironment but we loved it
because it was just like.
It was such a close, tight knitum environment and everybody
got along and everybody lovedeveryone.
(07:23):
It was such a unique like you Ican't, I can, I don't think
that could ever be replicated um, but then we, they acquired
other radio stations.
They moved us much furthersouth, which was then.
That was the beginning of theend for me.
Yeah, sitting in traffic,commuting, you know having to
rush to drop, rush my son outthe door to drop him off at
school and then rush to get intocommuting.
You know having to rush to drop, rush my son out the door to
(07:45):
drop him off at school and thenrush to get into traffic.
And sometimes, you know, takingan hour and 45 minutes, two
hours to get to work and thenrunning upstairs and just
narrowly making it.
It was, it was just too much.
It was too much on me.
Speaker 1 (07:58):
I feel like it's one thing to be a young single
person in radio, but you enterthe whole family and children.
It is so hard.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
And what's crazy about it is that I had the very
best time slot for somebody whohad.
I mean, it was ideal forsomebody who has kids, who has a
family um 10 to three, likethat's the best.
I couldn't have done afternoonsbecause I wouldn't have been
able to do homework, dinner,anything at night with my son.
I couldn't have done.
I couldn't.
And my my, the bulk of myhistory in radio was in mornings
(08:29):
.
But I, when, when I discussedwith the, the um, the GM of the
station when they first broughtme on, he was like well,
obviously you're going to wantmornings and I said I definitely
cannot do mornings.
At the time I was a single momwith a little a preschooler and
I was like there's no way I cando mornings.
I'm not going to hire somebodyto come live in my house and you
(08:50):
know it's just and not be therefor my kid.
So middays is actually the verybest time slot that you can
have.
And still it was stressing methe fuck out Like it was killing
.
But mostly because of thelocation.
The location was so hard oneverybody who lived in Broward
(09:10):
County or Palm Beach County oranywhere north, which this may
not be super relatable toanybody outside of Florida who's
listening.
But they moved us to this onearea that was just so hard to
get to, area that was just sohard to get to, and it really
took its toll, not only, youknow, on my mental health, but
(09:30):
on so many of my, my friends andcoworkers like it.
Just you don't realize how goodyou have it until you don't
have it anymore.
Speaker 1 (09:37):
Yeah, and did you leave Broward because you used
to live here, right, yeah, Ileft almost three years ago.
Are you in St Lucie County?
No, I actually don't talk aboutwhere I am specifically.
Listen, I lived in Port.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
St.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Lucie for nine years.
So I was just curious if youwere in the pizzle, because I
get jealous because I miss myhouse.
I miss, you know, like the goodold days when I had four houses
on the street.
You know, when we first builtup there.
Yeah, that area is going crazy.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
Right now, though, I'm watching.
I am the person who is up doomscrolling late at night who's
like let's see what's for sale,even though I have no intention,
I'm not moving anywhere.
We just essentially got here,but I love to look at real
estate and I'm just watchingthat area go.
You know bonkers, I know Um,but yeah, so we, we ended up, um
(10:33):
, moving during like the heightof COVID.
We, we were, just, we were in azero lot line home.
It was very, very stressful with, um, just everyone up and down
the block being home all at thesame time and noise, and I'm
trying to do a radio show likefrom my closet, oh, my gosh,
yeah, so I would do like allthese lives with artists, with
musicians, and they would beperforming, and I'd have like
(10:55):
dogs barking outside and it wasjust so chaotic and I, uh, my
husband and I looked forprobably a year and a half and
got outbid on everything.
The market was just crazy.
And then we ended up justmoving like way further North
and I am still getting used toit because we now we have some
(11:19):
space, but it's not like nothingis close by and I'm, I'm, I'm,
I'm enjoying it.
I definitely am enjoying itmore but I still have, you know,
my family and tons of friendsI'm I'm in Broward often.
I work with a lot of businessesin Broward still, and Palm
beach County, so I'm alwaysthere when you come back to
(11:39):
Broward again, we're going tohave to have coffee.
Speaker 1 (11:41):
I love this.
Yes, for sure, for sure.
Okay, you, the reason why I'mso fond of your account.
Obviously I love the radioconnection.
I'm always just watchingeverybody that I have ever been
associated with radio.
Like Kenny Walker, I used to dohis traffic.
Julie Guy my husband was atJulie's wedding.
He's known her for years.
So my husband used to intern at103 she when it was in the
(12:06):
trailer park way back in the day.
So we always reminisce.
Oh, we're just so stuck innostalgia we can't even get out.
We don't have the shovel deepenough.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
So you haven't been traumatized enough.
That's the problem, lydia.
We need to get you some thicktrauma, and then you've locked
it all out immediately.
You wouldn't be reminiscing,you'd be like what?
Speaker 1 (12:27):
I know, I only know the glamour, I only know the
backstage passes and the artistinterviews and you know getting
to go to fancy things.
But no, I never had to pay mybills on radio pay.
So that was pretty good, um,but of course I never really
found success working in radio.
So that's okay, I had a veryshort time but it's all right.
(12:50):
So you move north and I'massuming that you're staying
home because your husband'sworking and you're raising your
child.
But when did you start to beable to really think I could
make this content and I couldactually make an income from
being a digital creator?
Because I know a lot of peopleare having a lot of success, a
(13:11):
lot of people are wanting it.
It's not as easy as everybodythinks it is, especially when
you know the recording and theediting side of it, because I
teach TV production also, so Iknow how much work goes into it,
which is, I think, why Ihaven't really gone and really
dove into it in any capacity.
Speaker 2 (13:30):
That's the thing, that's the funny part, because I
meet so many people who arelike I could totally do what you
do and I'm like okay, edit this.
But that is the part that tripsyou Okay, edit this.
The editing.
You don't understand If editingis such a skill set in itself
and it's something that I knewhow to do.
The audio, I mean, I was like awhiz at audio editing.
(13:51):
But doing the audio and syncingit up with a video and the
transitions and making it, youknow, pop, and making it hooking
people, like it's a, it's anart, and it's not something that
I feel really confident, Istill don't.
I don't feel confident in myability to do it.
I I'm always learning, but Iwill say that I never had a
(14:12):
doubt in my mind about myability to be successful doing
it, which is really crazy,especially if you follow me and
you know how many doubts gothrough my mind all day, every
day.
Um, I am a person who isriddled with doubt, but when it
comes to the content creatorthing, I had no doubt, because I
know how hard of a worker I amand it's very easy if you're you
(14:38):
know, like, if you're in a nineto five, to be able to, like,
lie your way to the top and and,like you know, tell everyone
that you're so great, and thenmaybe they'll believe that
you're so great and you don'treally have to have the skill
set to back it up.
This is not that.
This is a situation whereyou're on your own and you're
going to make or you're going tobreak yourself, and that's
(14:59):
something that I've come toreally love about it.
I can make as much money as Iam determined to make, or I can
really flop and everything is onme.
Speaker 1 (15:12):
I think that's where the curiosity comes in for me,
because you know I've talked toa lot of people and we're going
to get into Virgin Voyages in aminute, because I know that you
went on the cruise and you knowI'm a huge fan.
But one of my people that Ifollow is a huge digital creator
and makes a lot of content forVirgin and we talked in depth
(15:32):
about how she monetizes and Ithink it's a lot of people don't
want to talk about it or, youknow, unless you're one of the
huge TikTokers and they'rebroadcasting what you made last
year on TikTok.
You know if you're a CharliD'Amelio or you're a Michaela,
whatever, but when did you seethat you could actually make
some money?
Because I got the monetizationnotification one time and I
(15:54):
think I got paid $50 one time onInstagram on a reel and I
thought I was like famous, I waslike my day was made at a lousy
$50.
And then it never happenedagain and I'm like what am I
doing wrong?
Speaker 2 (16:06):
Yeah, that was a hard lesson to learn because in the
beginning, when you get thatmonetization notice, you're like
I'm gonna be rich, becausethey're like you can make
$50,000 in a month.
And, of course, you're gonnareach for the stars and
realistically end up with, ifyou're lucky, a couple hundred
dollars If you're lucky.
And I am still like I neverstopped learning, I never
(16:32):
stopped reading.
I'm always trying to educatemyself and figure out, you know,
do I need to pivot?
Am I putting too much time intoInstagram?
Do I need to move?
You know, like I'm in a I'm inum, in a mindset right now where
I'm like okay, I've put maybetoo many eggs in the Instagram
basket.
Let's pull some of those eggsout.
Let's focus more attention on,you know, youtube, uh, long form
(16:53):
video.
Let's focus more attention ongrowing Tik TOK and getting
monetized on Tik TOK, likethings, things like that, or
Facebook reels they, they'rethere.
You cannot rely on theseplatforms to pay your bills and
that that is a big problem.
That's a big misconception, Ithink.
(17:15):
I think any money that comes infrom these platforms is just
kind of like fun money, likewhatever I get, I set aside for
taxes because I know I'm goingto get hit hard at the end of
the year, right?
So that's that's what I do withthe money that you know I make
off of the platforms.
My money is predominantly madefrom um making ads for, for
(17:36):
clients, for brands that I love,that I work with and I have.
Um, most of them are repeat,repeat customers and I'm very
thankful for that.
Usually, if they work with meonce and we have a good rapport,
they'll come back Um, a goodbulk of it probably 30 to 40% of
(17:57):
my income is a, a brand um,maybe just ordering one
deliverable, let's say just areel, an Instagram reel and the
reel will perform well andthey'll come back and say well,
we want to pay you X amount ofdollars to whitelist this reel
now for 30 days, or how much?
How much would you charge towhitelist this for the remainder
of the year?
So I do make a good amount ofincome off of that as well.
(18:19):
Um, and every once in a while Idon't love it, but I will do
I'll take on, like, some usergenerated content, um, uh, gigs,
it all.
It all depends, but I'll dothat every once in a while.
And then I still sometimes I'lldo voice work.
It's usually just for friendsand family, but sometimes I'll
(18:42):
have a brand reach out and go ohwell, you do.
Like I'm, like all the obscurestuff.
I love the medical ads wherethere are a million side effects
.
Having to, like speed, readthrough crazy ass side effects.
I've always been that girl.
I was always the girl at theradio station who was like,
what's the ad?
There are 50 side effects.
Let's go take a deep breath andtry to run through all of them.
(19:02):
That's fun for me.
Um, medical things and on holdmessages for phone services.
Like I, I enjoy that stuff.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
I used to do that years ago, the telephone on hold
, and then every now and thenyou'll get a request.
Somebody wanted your voice andthey'll try to find you.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
Yep, yep, well, tell me, that's when I break out the
recording, like the actual, likevoice recording here for those
projects.
Speaker 1 (19:26):
So here's what I want to know, because my bucket list
so I've accomplished a lot ofmy bucket list travel wise and
things but part of my bucketlist is I want to sit in the
seat at the today show.
I want to be like now it's justJenna and friends.
(19:46):
I'm the friend.
I want to sit there just onetime.
And so when you said you hadgotten the email from the Today
Show, you almost deleted it.
How did that come about?
And were you actually on theToday Show or were you like on a
Zoom?
Because I can't remember.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
So I was supposed to be on the Today Show?
Well, which question?
I'll answer that.
How?
How?
I found out about it first?
So I just was checking my emailand an email came through and
it said it's that it was aproducer from the today show.
And I was like yeah, right,okay, and I went to delete it
and I'm in.
Uh, I have a couple of creatorfriends, we're in a chat
(20:24):
together and I was like you guys, this is so ridiculous,
somebody's playing a joke on me.
And I told them and one of themsaid that I don't know, it
doesn't seem that farfetchedlike respond.
So I responded and it was legitand they had seen something
that I did.
What's funny is all of the, allof the major TV exposure that
(20:46):
I've gotten has been off ofTikTok, which is in no way like
I don't even get monetized onTikTok.
Excuse me, it's not my biggestplatform, but everyone has
booked me through TikTok.
That's wild, so wild to me.
I did the Tamron Hall showthrough TikTok.
One of the producers saw me andbooked me, and then the same
(21:09):
thing.
Both of these appearances werelast year.
So with the Today Show we triedto go back and forth, we tried
to sync up schedules andeverything for me to actually be
able to be on stage.
And they didn't have enoughseats because they wanted to
have experts the experts alwaysget booked first, obviously,
rather rather than like somelady who's complaining that she
(21:29):
has imposter syndrome.
Who am I up against?
A woman who wrote a book andhas studied imposter syndrome
for her 20 years of her life,right?
So I totally understood.
They were like we can only havethree seats on the on the stage
for this segment.
And we actually got her.
We booked this woman who's animposter syndrome expert.
So would you be willing to doit via zoom?
And I was like, yeah, of course.
(21:52):
So I got to, I got to do myinterview via zoom and then I
was part of a um, yeah, like a aa segment on imposter syndrome
and parenting.
And my kid got to see his faceon TV and smiled for the first
time in a while about somethinghe's in those tween years.
So he looked up and he was like, yeah, that's kind of cool.
(22:14):
I was like did you tell yourfriends?
He said no, ew, no, I'm notgoing to tell my friends, but it
is kind of cool.
So that's what I got out ofthat.
Those were the mom points thatI got out of that appearance.
And yeah, tiktok has been crazyfor me and I should definitely
be paying more attention to it.
I just don't really understandit.
And then also with the ban,everybody was kind of like okay,
(22:37):
do we stay or do we go?
What do I do?
Speaker 1 (22:40):
So now I can't even get it back, which is fine,
because I, honestly, as a highschool teacher, I'm going to
tell you these kids are onTikTok way too much.
I mean, it's just, it's ablessing and a curse this whole,
you know screen mentality.
But now you can make a livingon the screen and you can make a
living on all these apps.
So how can we condemn theseapps when they're very
(23:02):
profitable for business andthey're great for marketing?
You know it's, it is a blessingand a curse.
Speaker 2 (23:08):
My child has a kid that he goes to school with who
said that he has monetized hisYouTube, that he posts videos of
himself with his dog, and hehas monetized his YouTube and
made enough money to to setaside so he can buy a car when
he's old enough to drive and inlike a matter of months and
thankfully my kid sees all thatgoes into it on the backend.
(23:31):
So he's like he has zerointerest and I'm very happy
about that, knock on wood, and Ihope it remains that way.
Um, I'm super open andtransparent with him about the
trolls and the amount of workthat goes into it and I think he
gets it.
He's never-.
Speaker 1 (23:48):
People have some balls.
I mean, everybody just thinksthey have a right to comment on
every single thing and theiropinion matters and listen,
that's fine.
I just could never on purposebe that mean in writing.
Well, I mean which I want to,even if I did a snarky comment.
That was funny.
I just don't think I want to bemean.
I don't want to be mean onpurpose.
Speaker 2 (24:08):
Well, it's a special type of human being who does
that, and it's usually someone'sgrandfather, I've come to find
out.
It's almost always a man Almostalways who's hiding behind some
kind of anime picture for theirprofile.
Right, I get a lot of hate fromgrandpas excuse me, which is
(24:31):
crazy to me.
Speaker 1 (24:32):
I mean because you're super cute and I'm thinking
that they would be liking you,but you know gray hair would do
it for them.
Uh, you, first of all, yourgray hair journey.
I want to applaud you.
You're so brave, you know,naturally a pretty light.
Um, you know, like golden Brownand my, my blonde highlights do
conceal any gray, do you have?
(24:52):
I don't have that much, butthat I've been watching that
journey.
It's like a nail biting journeyfor me.
I'm like, okay, she's goingback down to Fort Lauderdale to
the circus salon or whateverit's called.
I'm like, what's it going tolook like today?
Cause they're doing somethingelse.
You know, I'm so, I'm soinvested in your hair journey,
but you have beautiful hair.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
Well, thank you.
Yeah, I, you know I.
I set out not to try to like bea poster child for anything,
but to kind of support people ifit was something that they
wanted to do also.
Yeah, and I had a lot of peoplesaying I'm really nervous about
it, but if you're doing it like, I'll do it with you.
So there are a lot of peoplewho are, you know, grown well,
grown out to almost two years atthis point.
(25:43):
And I keep saying if I change mymind I'm dying it back Like I'm
not that girl who's going to be?
Speaker 1 (25:47):
um, yeah, I'm not, thank you, I want to change the
world.
Speaker 2 (25:50):
I want to change the world for the better in many
ways, but this is not the thehill, the hill that I want to
die on.
I feel like people have to dowhatever they want and need to
do in order to be happy,physically and mentally, in life
.
Speaker 1 (26:05):
And it's just way too much pressure.
I mean, I only highlight myhair like quarterly, so it's not
really about a cost thing forme.
But I know for some people itwas like every four weeks that
they didn't get into that salon.
That was it.
The grays were struggling.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
My roots were coming in every two and a half to three
weeks.
At the end when I when Istopped dying it, it was like it
was craziness and I feel like Iunderstand.
I never understood, like howyou'd see like a grandma rocking
hot pink hair.
Now I get it.
Now that I'm living like aslower lifestyle and I've had
(26:41):
the chance to breathe and calmdown a little bit, I'm like
whatever you need to do to enjoyyour life, you should do.
Speaker 1 (26:49):
Yeah, I agree.
I mean, I don't have that gray,but if it ever comes to the
point where I feel like it'sbetter to just let it go, then
we let it go.
Speaker 2 (27:00):
It's not the end of the world, no, and I know there
are some creators who are verylike, very adamant that gray is
the way and I'm never going tobe that person.
I'm never going to forcesomething down, you know, down
your throat, with anything.
I think it.
That's one of the best parts ofthe human experience is having
(27:20):
the freedom to change your mindor say I was wrong.
I tried it.
It didn't work for me.
You know, experimenting is partof the process.
Speaker 1 (27:28):
My husband gives me a lot of crap about changing my
mind and I go well, you justbetter be thankful it's not
changing my mind about you,that's exactly what I say to him
.
Exactly, it's just dinner, Ipivot.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
I mean, I'm, I am just nonstop pivoting in life
and it leads me almost everytime to a better place.
So I'm, I'm in the pivot fanclub, I'm, I'm all for it, I
think.
I think you can always improveyour situation and if you made a
decision, that's you know,screwing things up, turn around
(28:01):
and go back if you can.
Speaker 1 (28:03):
Love it, and now I'm in the life's too short and YOLO
stage with everything.
So one of the things that I'mreally passionate about is
travel, and I couldn't help butnotice that you and your husband
went on the Virgin voyages.
Speaker 2 (28:17):
It was awesome.
Speaker 1 (28:18):
Tell me first of all, was that like a creator thing
where you invited media, or wasthat like just you booked a
vacation because you and Philneeded to get away?
Speaker 2 (28:28):
No, that's another one.
We, um, they reached outthrough threads.
They saw my work on threads, um, and they wanted to grow their
presence on threads.
So they said, will you come on,will you like live thread some
of your experience?
And I said Absolutely.
And I'm not.
I'm not the type of personwho's going to be like a total
(28:48):
stickler for like it's only gotto stay on threads because
that's what we worked out.
I a lot of people want somethings in writing like that is
what that's, this is what I'mdoing.
I'm not going to give away, youknow, I'm not going to give the
milk away for free, don't getme wrong.
But wherever I am, I'm going tomake content out of experience.
So I was sharing it on the otherplatforms.
(29:09):
I was sharing it on Tik TOK andInstagram, but they hired me
predominantly to um share theexperience on threads, and
that's incredible because Inever read threads because I'm
like I can't manage anotherplatform.
Speaker 1 (29:21):
How many more platforms am I going to have to
put on my phone?
And then I'm like I get it, I'mso tempted because they have
really good teasers on Instagram, the threads give you half the
paragraph and I'm like so Idownloaded it.
But then I'm like never on.
But I want to just talk about,first of all, which sailing did
you go on?
Because you were there like aweek or two before me.
I was so mad that I was not onthe ship at the same time as you
(29:43):
.
We were on the November 22ndsailing because I had things to
do.
Speaker 2 (29:47):
So, yeah, I think we went the 15th.
We went literally like a weekbefore you.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
I was like she's not on the ship at the same time.
I mean, this is so unfair.
Speaker 2 (30:03):
We traveled on the resilient lady and we had just
an unreal time.
And what's what's crazy is thatthings change so much when it
comes to traveling in yourtwenties and thirties.
And that's what I love aboutthe cruise line is they really
cater.
The music, the vibe, and youknow, if you went it's 90s,
early 2000s, some 80s, been thetrivia, and then it's not, and
you don't, and it is.
(30:24):
It really is the only cruiseline that caters to our specific
generation, I think, althoughI'm not by any means, I'm not a
travel creator, so I don't, Idon't know.
We have another cruise thatwe're doing like a big family
cruise coming up in a few monthsand that's like going to be a
completely different experience.
Speaker 1 (30:42):
Oh, which ship are you going on?
Speaker 2 (30:44):
We're sailing with Crystal.
We're doing an internationalcruise with the grandparents,
I'm so excited for you.
Yeah, it's going to be my kids'first time overseas and I am
like it doesn't even feel likeit's real.
It doesn't feel like it'sreally happening.
Speaker 1 (31:01):
I'm so excited Now tell me though you actually did
eat all that food you orderedfrom room service Cause when you
posted all those plates andyou're like, and yes, we are
going to eat every bit of thisfood, Every bit.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
I'm not that girl, I'm not like.
Yeah, no, it's funny because Iremember, um, just the memories
that we hang on to in our, inour like late thirties and up, I
think, are the craziest.
I don't know, at least, maybemy, maybe it's just my brain,
but I have this vivid memory ofdoing a live broadcast at magic
(31:35):
kingdom, being on the morningshow.
The sun is rising over MagicKingdom.
There are literally maybe like10 of us out there sitting at
the castle.
It's this gorgeous scene.
They have this spread of likebreakfast food out and watching
one of and she's a dear friendof mine, but watching one of one
of my friends suffer throughthis flavorless plain yogurt and
(31:59):
nothing else, suffer throughthis flavorless plain yogurt and
nothing else, and she's alreadylike rail thin, eating this
flavorless plain yogurt anddrinking black coffee and doing
you know like it's the pressuresthat we grew up under in the
eighties and the nineties.
Yeah, Can't you know?
And I'm like I'm going to eat.
They gave us good food.
I'm going to eat.
Speaker 1 (32:17):
I'm going to have food on Virgin voyages, yeah.
Speaker 2 (32:21):
It's not.
It is not a time or place totry to be dainty.
You need to try everything.
Speaker 1 (32:27):
Well, having been down the weight loss rabbit hole
myself lost.
Speaker 2 (32:32):
I want to ask you about that.
Speaker 1 (32:34):
I have lost almost 160 pounds at this point With
what you did.
You do the band.
I had the gastric sleeve, okayOkay, and then I started doing
the GLP meds about two years agowhen I had some regain.
So I am very transparent.
I talk about it all.
I talk about the good, bad, theugly of all of it, and I
actually did a whole podcastepisode on it because of the
(32:55):
fact that people were so curiousand kept asking me and said let
me just record a podcast aboutthe whole weight loss thing.
And now I'm getting ready torecord another one about my
surgery because I just had mymommy makeover.
Yes, I had mom guilt overbecause it's like 15K on a
surgery.
Put things where they'resupposed to be again and get rid
of my loose skin.
And now I had my tummy tuck andeverything when I could have
(33:18):
bought my kid a car skin.
And now I had my tummy tuck andeverything when I could have
bought my kid a car.
But I said, you know what?
I need to do this for myselfbecause I deserve it, I'm worth
it.
Speaker 2 (33:28):
And then you still got to go to college.
It all works and it sounds sostupid to say that, but it does
all work itself out.
It really does.
And so if it takes a little bitlonger for your, your kid, to
get a car, for you to be happyand not be, you know, looking
obsessing over, looking in themirror with saggy skin that
you're.
You know, really, really hardto get to where you are and
(33:51):
you've got to be good with it.
Like I said, whatever you haveto do to feel good in life.
Speaker 1 (34:01):
I'm a big believer of , but that's amazing.
I eat and I eat, and I eat whatI want, and I eat it in
moderation, but I have chocolateat least once a day.
That's awesome.
I love my chocolate.
I'm not giving it up.
No, I love that you went on theVirgin Voyages, because I just
am such a big fan of that cruiseline, and I love that they're
treating digital creators welland they're inviting them to
come see.
(34:21):
It's a win-win for both of them.
Speaker 2 (34:23):
I think they're great Four times.
Speaker 1 (34:25):
I've been four times and going again.
Wow, that's awesome.
I love Virgin, I love it.
Speaker 2 (34:30):
I can't wait to get a group of friends together and
go back.
I think going with friends isjust like next level, so I'm
really excited for us to go dothat.
Speaker 1 (34:41):
Go ham.
And one of the things that Iactually loved the most this
last sailing I, when I had neverdone it before was the bingo
with the diva.
We didn't get to do that.
You have to do it next time,okay, next time for sure.
Speaker 2 (34:54):
Yeah, I'm like you know trying to make plans with
friends how hard that is afteryou know.
So I'm like anybody want to go.
It's just a couple of days.
But just a couple of dayssometimes is not possible to
line up.
It's wild.
Speaker 1 (35:07):
Well, I'm your new best friend and I'm always in
for a cruise.
I'm going.
Actually, in a couple of weeks,on Valentine's Day, I'm taking
my husband.
I'm Royal Caribbean for thefirst time.
So he prefers Virgin becauseit's no kids, no buffets.
He's kind of a germaphobe, thatthing.
But I'm so looking forward toit and I am really proud.
As we wrap up here, I want tosay I did officially, in writing
(35:30):
, predict that Rue would be thefoster fail which she was.
How is little Rue who yourescued?
She's awesome.
I'll never forget that day.
I look at your account.
Next thing, you know you'resaving a dog and I'm like, here
we go, well, like.
Speaker 2 (35:47):
I said, sometimes we pivot.
The plan was to have one dogand only one dog, and August
16th is my birthday.
So last August we were drivingto dinner, we had a reservation
and we were late and we'respeeding there and I was like,
okay, I rarely open Facebook.
I'm like I just want to gothrough Facebook and see cause
people had posted all these nicemessages and everything.
(36:09):
I'll respond.
So I open it up and the firstthing that I see is this um,
local charity, riley's petrescue.
They're amazing.
Is this dog in a, in a cage,completely overgrown?
This like shaggy shaggy dog,like you can't even see the
dog's eyes.
It looks so depressed and sad.
And I looked over at my husbandand I was like I need to go see
(36:32):
this dog.
I like I have to make he goes.
You're this isn't, you can'tlike, this isn't going to happen
.
And I said, well, I need you tounderstand it's happening.
Um, two days later, told my kidout of school, we got in the
car, we drove three and a halfhours North.
Um, the lady came out.
The dog.
She was so overgrown, she waslike dreadlocks, she was so
(36:55):
uncomfortable, she would like,she was like soiling herself.
It was bad.
Um.
And the second she was able tohear my son's voice.
She started wagging her tail.
She was all dejected andeverything, and then just
started wagging her tail andmade her way over, followed his
voice and made her way over tohim and I was like okay, get in
(37:15):
the car.
Speaker 1 (37:17):
We're done here.
I applaud you for saying shewas going to be a foster, though
, because I knew, I knew, yeah,we really did.
Speaker 2 (37:24):
We really wanted to foster and because we didn't
know how our other dog was goingto react.
Our other dog is super hot andcold when it comes to other
animals.
She actually likes cats morethan dogs and it has been a
journey it's been than dogs andit has been a journey it's been.
Rue has been with us for sixmonths now and it has taken five
(37:44):
, five and a half months.
Like olive is just now comingaround to the idea of her being
here.
She was, yeah, she wasmiserable with her at first, but
we've done a lot of work withthe two of them and now she's
not as annoyed and there's likea two and a half year age
difference between the two ofthem and all of this very she's
(38:05):
just the og and she is annoyedby everything well, I loved
watching the happy tale unfold.
Yeah, it ended so well.
Everything's great and we loverue and she's such a great
addition to the family.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
So what's next?
For it's Dina Lang.
What's happening?
Anything exciting you want totalk about?
Cause there's people in othercountries that listen to this
podcast.
I am always shocked when I lookat the stats, even though I
don't have a lot of downloadsevery month, but it's it's like
last week, I think, I got like54 downloads and I was so
excited.
Are you a reality reality TVjunkie or anything Like?
(38:40):
Do you watch the housewivesLike what's your no, what's your
guilty pleasure?
Speaker 2 (38:45):
No, I used to.
I'm watching.
Right now I'm watching umparadise on Hulu.
It is incredible.
If you haven't seen it, you gotto watch it.
Speaker 1 (38:53):
Okay, the storytelling and everything is
incredible, but I and I caughtup on five seasons of Grey's
Anatomy.
Speaker 2 (39:04):
Oh yeah, I left Grey's in probably season seven.
I left Grey's in the.
Speaker 1 (39:09):
COVID years Cause I was like we're living this.
I can't watch it on TV also,For real.
Speaker 2 (39:14):
And that's when I left Housewives also, Cause I
was like we have enough drama, Idon't need additional drama on
top of my drama.
I'm good, Um, but I, yeah, so Iwatch a lot of murder docs.
I love all that stuff and Ihave, um, I'm going to actually
it's funny because I'm I'mripping the bandaid off I got
invited to be part of a stageproduction in Charleston.
Speaker 1 (39:36):
That's what I was hoping you were going to talk
about, cause I was like, yeah,miss introvert, that you're
getting on the stage.
Speaker 2 (39:43):
I am.
And what's funny is that I saidto um the producer, when, when
we were talking about it, I waslike do you understand, cause?
She said I followed you foryears.
I think you're fantastic and Ithink you're the person for this
, for this part.
And I said do you understand ifyou followed me for years?
I haven't been on stage inyears and I have severe, severe
(40:05):
social anxiety at this point inmy life.
And she said I do understandthat.
Do you think you can do it?
And I stopped and I thoughtabout it and I said I can.
I can put a mask on long enough, like I can.
I can mask everything.
I can do it Like I can make ithappen.
And I said um, I'll probably beshaking in my boots.
(40:25):
Do you have somebody, do youhave like makeup people that can
fix all the mascara that'll berunning down my face and
everything?
She said.
She said I'll give you a cheese.
Yep, I'll give you a dedicatedmakeup person.
She will touch up all your,everything If your makeup's
running, if you're scared, ifyou're sweating, whatever.
That's.
Yes, we want you and like let'smake it happen.
Speaker 1 (40:44):
So what is this role and where?
Where are you going to beappearing?
Speaker 2 (40:49):
Um, I'm going to be appearing at the Charleston
music hall in March I believeit's on March 12th or 13th March
12th and it's it's going to belive streamed so everybody
everywhere in the world canwatch it, and some of the
proceeds are going to go towomen's mental health and teen
(41:09):
mental health awarenessfoundations.
And I can't believe this isreal life.
I just keep saying, with everynew opportunity that hits, I'm
like how is this happening?
So I have that going on inMarch and then in April I will
be speaking um with one of mygood girlfriends.
We're going to speak together.
We're presenting about um onthe subject of how to be a
(41:33):
successful creator when you're,once your kids are grown up, and
removing your children fromyour content to to retain their
safety and still being able tobe, you know, create successful
content.
So that's something I'm verypassionate about and that was.
I booked that probably earlylast year and have been in
(41:54):
denial about it because again,that's another public speaking
thing.
Speaker 1 (41:58):
I'm dying to get on the speaking circuit and I don't
know how to start.
And it's so funny because Ithought, well, what's my story?
What's the big deal?
Again, imposter syndrome.
What do I have to tell?
Well, I have a massive weightloss.
I have trauma, like everybodyelse has, about certain things I
have.
You know, I'm in my secondmarriage.
I mean, that alone is comedygold, having a step parent,
(42:24):
step-children situation.
But yeah, I'm really excited.
So, yeah, keep me posted, keepus all posted on the speaking,
the conference or whereveryou're going to be.
Speaker 2 (42:33):
I will.
I'll be doing a lot of behindthe scenes.
And as for you, I mean you justgot to post about it.
That's almost become my sloganat this point, but nobody knows
you're going through it If youdon't post about it.
This is very true, you don'ttalk about it.
You gotta, you gotta just takethe filter off and go, go for it
.
Speaker 1 (42:52):
Now do you have the same handle on all your
platforms for anybody who wantsto follow?
Speaker 2 (42:56):
Yep, yep, across the board.
I am a not active Snapchat, butyou know, the alpha
generation's telling me I needto be in.
Speaker 1 (43:06):
Gen Z is telling me I need to be, so at some point
maybe I have to click on eachindividual person to see what
they're doing.
I can't do it, Lydia.
It's a lot Too much.
I have to have limits, I haveto have boundaries, and then you
know what I do is I give up allsocial media for Lent and I
just go rogue for 40 days andit's the best thing ever.
Speaker 2 (43:32):
That's awesome.
Bad for business, I know, butit's so bad for business.
No, it's so good for mentalhealth and it's so bad for it's
funny, because all of theseplatforms will tell you like
that their number one concern isyour mental health.
And then they're like you know,but but if you don't post three
times a day, we're going tobury you in the algorithm and no
one will see you.
We're going to essentially likewe're going to murder you
digitally, murder you if youdon't keep up with, you know,
posting as much as we want youto.
(43:52):
So it's a it's.
It's a ridiculous situationtrying to keep up with
maintaining your mental healthand doing well, and it's
something I definitely have notfigured out.
I think I don't think anybody'sfigured it out, but we're just
trying to balance, one day at atime.
The less, the better.
The less you're on, the lessyou're scrolling In my opinion,
(44:14):
the better.
I actually think curating yourfeed it's not even about the
amount of time you're spending.
I think it's more about takingthe time to curate your feed.
Speaker 1 (44:27):
I think that's what the real kicker is when it comes
to mental health issues.
Well, you know me, I love MelRobbins.
Mel Robbins, like my, mypodcasting guru, goddess, and
she talks about it all the time.
But again, I'm scrolling andI'm seeing her.
I'm seeing stuff that I thinkhelps me.
Speaker 2 (44:38):
Yeah, If it doesn't serve you, you got to get rid of
it.
That's why they say you know,the worst, the worst thing for
the for for female, um, femalesof Gen Z, and I would say our
generation too.
But they're saying the worstthing for, like the Gen Z female
, uh, population, is thecomparison that they're
(44:59):
following these people, thatthey're, you know, like a five,
10, 200 pound woman following afive, 410 pound woman and
they're trying to replicatethese looks and do all these
things and they say that's themost unhealthy thing you could
ever do, that you need to followpeople especially if you're
following for fashion stuff whodo look like you, who do wear
(45:21):
the same size that you wear,because you can't.
You know you're.
You're only going to makeyourself mentally sick by trying
to replicate what somebody elselooks like.
Speaker 1 (45:31):
I agree.
Comparison is the thief of joy,and my joy will not be stolen,
so there you go.
No, I can't compare myself toyou, because you did on today's
show, but I could take my ownjourney to the Today Show.
Speaker 2 (45:44):
You sure can.
I think you'll make it.
Speaker 1 (45:47):
I'm going to do it.
You know what I did.
I called, I talked to some ofthe producers and you know I
have to show up.
I need to show up.
And I always said to myself mydream was I would take a
November.
My dream was I would take aNovember that I didn't have to
work and save up all my vacationtime and just spend the whole
month of November in New Yorkcity and do all the things New
(46:08):
York and spend every day at thetoday show and stalk my way onto
the stage.
Speaker 2 (46:12):
What do you want to do?
What's it?
What are you going to do, like,let's say, they go okay and
Jenna pulls you out of the crowdand throws a mic in front of
you?
What's your?
Speaker 1 (46:18):
purpose.
I just want to co-host with herone time.
Really, I want to co-host withHoda, but then Hoda went and
left.
Speaker 2 (46:24):
I know Hoda was it for I love Hoda, I just love her
.
Speaker 1 (46:29):
I just love her.
I'm a positive, I'm an optimist, I'm always sunshiny.
I try to always see the brightside of things and when I see
other people there, people thatare like me, I'm like oh yeah,
you're going to be drawn to it.
Yeah, of course.
So well, you'll make it happenbeing here with me today.
Speaker 2 (46:52):
I appreciate.
Everybody out there should gofollow at.
It's Dina Lang.
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (46:54):
Thanks for making me so comfy.
Likes, comments rate, review,subscribe.
Speaker 2 (46:58):
I still think you should have a podcast, but you
know that's just me wishing,wishing for a co-host, that's
the one thing that still makesmy stomach rise up into my
throat when people say I know, Ihear it, I hear it every day of
my life is when are you goingto start?
Speaker 1 (47:16):
And I've been hearing it for four years, since I left
radio only because you would beso great, only because you have
so many stories to tell, and Imean I know I would listen, but
I think it's just-.
Speaker 2 (47:27):
It's just too close to.
It's too close to my formerhome, I think, and it's too much
work.
It's a lot of work, it's waymore work than I to do it right.
And that's my personality isI'm very obsessive, and in order
to do it right, I don't havethe bandwidth to do it.
So I know, just knowing, um,just knowing my capabilities, I,
(47:48):
I, I, I can't.
Speaker 1 (47:53):
That's why, for me, it's just a hobby, it's when I
get time and there's no pressure, because I do work during the
day.
And you know, if it was, if Ididn't have to work, it'd be
different story.
But all right, well, thank youfor being here.
Thank you so much, lydia you.
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