March 10, 2025 • 57 mins
When nobody believes you, sometimes you have to get on that rooftop and make them hear you. That's exactly what Zeke Thomas did when he shared his sexual assault story on Good Morning America at 27 years old, becoming one of few Black men to publicly speak about such trauma.
The talented DJ, producer, and champagne entrepreneur joins me in the passenger seat for a deeply moving conversation about healing, authenticity, and finding your voice when society tries to silence you. As the son of NBA legend Isaiah Thomas, Zeke navigates fame's double-edged sword while creating his own legacy through advocacy and music.
"Average isn't even enough. You can go higher," Zeke shares, reflecting on his journey from rock bottom—battling substance abuse and processing trauma—to reclaiming his life through innovative treatments like ketamine therapy. His candid revelations about creating chosen family and resisting the pressure to compromise his identity will resonate with anyone who's struggled to belong without losing themselves.
We discuss the intersection of race, sexuality, and mental health with refreshing honesty, challenging the stereotypes that claim "strong Black men" can't be vulnerable or that authenticity somehow diminishes their masculinity. "It takes a champion to live in their truth," Zeke declares, reframing vulnerability as the ultimate strength.
Ready for laughs, tears, and transformative wisdom? This episode delivers powerful insights about slowing down, appreciating life's journey, and affirming your worth every day. Subscribe now and remember Zeke's powerful mantra: "I am somebody. I am Black. I am somebody. I am Black and I love me."
Have a Good Day On Purpose...
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Yeah, shine like glitter, let the light in your
life get bigger and in the sky,high like a winner, big and
bright like a diamond.
I'm a shiner, oh yeah, you'rewelcome.
Hello, hello, hello, everybody,and welcome back to In the
(00:24):
Passenger Seat with AletheaCrimmins.
Listen, I know that I say allthe time I'm excited for my
guest, but y'all, I am excitedfor my guest who is in the
passenger seat with me today.
He warms my heart because he isabout the same things that I'm
(00:44):
about.
He's a mental health advocate.
He has a story to tell.
I cannot wait for you to hearhis story and how he got through
pain and trauma.
And wait, he's a DJ.
Like he is a DJ, he is anawesome DJ and y'all know what
(01:04):
is about to be.
If y'all do not know, let meshow y'all exactly who he is.
Roll that clip.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
The cops.
I guess they have to likequestion us or something, and
I'm freaking out.
Please, I can't do this alone.
Please call me back.
I'm here, I'm waiting, I'mstanding by.
(01:40):
He called me.
I dug it afresh like I boot thebeatbox.
I'm soda.
Like Busta, lyrical musta, Ihit the goose.
So that means I go ducked up.
Yeah to nasa, nai andeverything we do.
We gon' wish was right, butI'ma poke her like I roll the
dice and get this bitch hauntedlike I poke the guys.
Yeah, we can't be contained.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
We on fire like Richard Pryor to flame.
Yes Baby, they had me jammingback there.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Listen, introducing the phenomenal, the talented
Zeke Thomas.
Oh man, that sent me back thatsent me back.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Let's go.
What's going on?
Speaker 2 (02:20):
I'm feeling good, sister, thank you for having me
on.
Thank you for having me in thepassenger seat.
Please keep it in park, causewe got a lot to talk about
listen, listen, I'm ready.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
I'm already loving your vibe.
I'm already loving your vibe.
So for the listeners and thepeople watching that do not know
who Zeke Thomas is, tell us whothis handsome man, zeke Thomas,
is.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
So, yes, I'm Joshua Zeke Thomas.
I am a DJ, for sure.
I also run a champagne companycalled Sherlon Champagne and
also have a cannabis company,one World Products with Pro 11
Muscle Gel, not to you know.
Drop some promos, some promos.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
We like promos, like if you ever want to send us some
, my address is in my book.
I got you, I got you.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
I got you Just no drinking and driving.
Now you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
I mean, if you ever want to send something my way,
you know what I'm saying.
We don't mind?
Speaker 2 (03:40):
We don't mind at all, do we?
We don't mind at all, do we?
Uh-uh, mm-mm.
But I've also had the privilegeof hosting MTV's Catfish and
doing other TV hostingappearances like that.
Music's definitely my passion,but it seems like my calling has
(04:01):
been advocacy.
Like my calling has beenadvocacy.
Yes, I was sexually assaulted.
(04:23):
Be at a space to truly helppeople.
I went public with my story.
I was 27 on Good MorningAmerica.
You know I keep going back thatI can't imagine what a person I
(05:11):
could have been in terms of theknowledge that I have now
versus when I told my story infront of everybody.
I wasn't truly ready for, maybe, the responsibility.
I definitely understood what Iwanted to do with my platform,
how I wanted to impact things,was able to get some Title IX
actually funding for HBCUs, ofcourse.
Now we're in a climate wherethat funding is definitely being
(05:36):
affected.
Yes, I've always beenpolitically active, worked on a
few campaigns, um, verymotivated um to make changes in
the world.
I feel that I had the privilegeto have many different
(06:01):
experiences.
Yes, I have the to have manydifferent experiences.
Yes, I have the higher arcingexperience of coming from a
celebrity family or a family oflegacy and my father being
Isaiah Thomas, black males andblack black people.
You know, entertainment andsport um truly were some of our
(06:27):
main um outlets to make impact,um to gain influence, to even
gain wealth, um, and now you'restarting to see um the fruits of
that labor, so to speak.
Um, we have made a lot ofstrides as a people, and that is
(06:49):
why we are facing a massivebacklash.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
We are.
Can I tell you that your storyand your strength is beautiful.
Strength is beautiful Like it.
(07:14):
I.
I wish that more males had thecourage to come forward, because
it's the males that don't,because they feel like they have
something to be ashamed of andyou don't, like you have
absolutely nothing to be ashamedof.
Now.
I heard you say that when youtold your story now, you did
that on a national platform andyou said that you weren't ready.
(07:35):
What made you choose thatplatform at that time, on
national TV, to tell your storyLike?
Speaker 2 (07:47):
my heart would have been Nobody was listening.
Nobody was listening, nobodywas quote believing me in my
heart and soul and I had theability for everyone to hear me
to scream at the top of my lungsand I took that opportunity.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
I love that because sometimes we have to change the
narrative and if people don'thear us, we have to make them
hear us.
And there's so many women thathave been silenced, so many men
that have been silenced becausethey don't want to hear it, they
(08:34):
don't want to hear their story.
But sometimes you have to geton that rooftop and yell it out
loud and say look on thatrooftop and yell it out loud and
say, look, damn it, this, you,you going to hear me today?
Speaker 2 (08:49):
You are going to hear me today and that I feel is yes
, the advocacy work and the umgovernment work definitely comes
from a rooted uh family ofactivists.
However, when I moved to NewYork City as a kid and then
(09:11):
started to explore it as anadult, as a gay man, you know,
before I got on here I wasreflecting about how many women,
how many trans women, helped mealong my journey.
You know, I can feel that I wastaken advantage of by a lot of
(09:35):
gay men in terms of what wasacceptable in society, in
community.
I definitely feel that I lost apart of my core upbringing
values to try to fit in to acommunity.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Oh, I can relate, yeah, I can relate, because you
lose yourself wanting to be,because when you come, when you
come out, and there's backlashand there's oh, this is, this is
a phase, and you know, peoplestart treating you differently.
(10:17):
You're looking for a sense ofcommunity.
You're looking for a sense offamily.
You're looking for somewhere tobelong, and sometimes that's by
any means necessary and itshouldn't always be.
But people notice your need tofit in, your need to belong, so
(10:41):
they're like, oh well, let mejust, you know, do this and do
that Because they can.
They can, they can smell that,not weakness, but but that need
they can, they can smell it andthey are like vultures and it's,
it's.
It's really horrible, butpeople, people smell that need
(11:04):
and they take advantage of it.
Now, how?
I know that there was backlashwhen you told your story.
How did you deal with with thebacklash?
How did you overcome it?
Speaker 2 (11:20):
It's.
It's so interesting that youasked this question and in this
climate, I've been going back onFacebook forums and reading
comments a meme out about me andum, ej Johnson, um, about, um,
(11:54):
basically demasculating us, umspeaking about.
You know, our fathers didn'tbirth champions.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
That's crazy talk.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
And it it is crazy talk because we've both been
successful in our own right andsolid people, but um, it's those
things, those messages that Iwas just reading and I'm like,
guys, we're still doing this,like we're still.
You know, oh, they got gay kids, oh, they, they soft.
(12:28):
You know, oh, you know magic.
You know, we're still, we'restill doing this first.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
First of all, let me, let me, let me, let me get
close.
Let me let me for the, for the,for the people in the back, let
me get close because y'all needto see and hear and understand.
So, for the people that decidedto make this meme, okay, for
the backwoods people that madethis, because I know that's
(12:58):
where y'all reside Listen foryou to say that they did not
raise champions.
That is absolutely wrong.
That is exactly what they did,because it takes a champion to
live in their truth.
It takes a champion that, eventhough all the bullshit that
(13:21):
this world is giving them, thatthey still stand tall, living in
their truth, unlike the cowardsof the world Hi, unlike the
cowards of the world that areliving undercover, that are so
(13:41):
scared of what the world has tosay that they refuse to live in
their truth.
So they'd rather project theirinsecurities on the champions of
the world.
That's what is going on.
So, sir, you are a champion inmy book, okay, and I love me
(14:08):
some EJ.
I love me some, ej baby.
They can't make me hate, ej.
They can't make me hate at all.
Okay, because they do the samething to Dwayne Wade.
That is his daughter.
Yes, okay, yes, and I live forit.
(14:32):
I love it so very much and Iapplaud you each and every day
that you do not let thenegativity of the world tear you
down, because absolutely not.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
You definitely could and you definitely could succumb
to it.
But that's to me one of themost beautiful yet horrible
things of being black you areable to be strong.
(15:12):
In moments of complete despairand panic.
I definitely turn inward a lotto calm down.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
Like I really feel like as a woman of color, I feel
like as a woman of color and aspeople of color, we have no
choice.
Like we got to be that.
(15:50):
Like we got to just take it.
Like we have no choice but tobe strong because we wasn't
raised to be anything else.
It's like we really don't havea choice.
It's like take it or what,what's what's the other option?
Like there really is no otheroption.
(16:11):
But people may say, and people,people may think that you might
be different because of yourlineage, like they.
They may say oh well, becausethis is like father is Isaiah
Thomas, that he, he had a likesilver spoon and like things
(16:33):
came easy and blah, blah, blah,blah, blah.
Please put these rumors to rest.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
Everybody definitely has their own struggles.
I definitely grew up, I willsay, privileged, but there
definitely comes differentstruggles with my life.
Not everybody wants to be inthe public eye.
Remember reporters following meto high school reporters, being
(17:04):
outside our house.
Fame might seem glamorous the15 minutes, the whatever but
when it becomes invasive andwhen writers or media writers or
(17:28):
media attack, you know I grewup in the newspaper era where,
you know, the New York Post wasrunning, you know two stories a
day, my dad was on the frontcover and he was selling
newspapers, but you were sellingtabloid negativity tweets.
So, yes, did I ever, um, worryabout going hungry?
(17:51):
No, um, but the anxieties, youknow I've.
I moved, I think, live five sit,five different states.
We live five different states.
You know, changing schools,meeting new people.
I definitely developed skillsbut, you know, would I have
(18:14):
loved, you know, live in my, youknow one neighborhood and have,
you know, all that be my wholelife.
Maybe I don't know, I didn'tget that opportunity, but what I
do have is pockets of friendseverywhere and a support system
(18:36):
everywhere, and I like toutilize, you know what I've been
able to learn.
You know what I've been able tolearn and now that I'm really
in my healthy mind, theabundance and the friends who I
want and need are flowing to me.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Oh, I love it.
Oh, I love it.
How accepting was your familywhenever everything just kind of
how?
Speaker 2 (19:18):
accepting, were they?
And did they finally listen?
They definitely finallylistened and they definitely
finally heard.
And it still hurts them to hear, you know, I do.
You know conversations withyourself and with others and
there are certain times, youknow, when I don't share it with
(19:40):
my mother or father, justbecause they don't they don't
want to hear about their childbeing hurt.
Um, it definitely stirs upemotions for them, and they have
been nothing but supportive,however, have given me the best
(20:02):
options for care, even one timelost a deposit on my bad self
when I was going through a toughtime with substances, um,
(20:29):
substances, um.
So I'm very thankful that I hadthem to help me get back up.
But when you hit bottom andyeah, I, I hit it, it's on you.
They can't pull you out.
Nobody, nobody can reach downand get you.
You got to get up, stoptreading water and at least get
on land, and then we can dosomething, you know listen, I
(20:49):
can relate.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
When I do my speaking events, I tell this story all
the time when I try to take myown life, this story all the
time when I try to take my ownlife.
And the last time that I didand it didn't work.
And I was like, and I waslaying in the dark in my dorm
(21:13):
room looking around and then ithit me like Alethea, ain't
nobody come and save you, girl?
Like what are you looking for?
Like ain't nobody coming tosave you?
Like you have to get up andsave yourself.
But the getting up was thehardest part.
The getting up was the hardestpart because, just like you said
(21:36):
, like once you hit rock bottom,it's like how can I get up from
here?
And look, I have bad knees.
So me trying to get up off theground is not easy at all anyway
.
It's not easy anyway it's not,but the good thing about being
(21:57):
at rock bottom is the only placethat you can go is up.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
Like you can't get no lower, you can only get up.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
And you can realize that because you got so low.
Now you realize average isn'teven enough.
You can go higher.
Average isn't even enough.
You can go higher, like youtruly can.
(22:29):
Keep going, keep achievinglevels of balance, routine,
peace, love.
You know all these things flowfrom the, from when you first
get up.
You know, if you get up, brushyour teeth, shower, walk your
animal, you know, like breakfast, like all the little things
that can fill your day.
(22:49):
That might seem overwhelming,truly like when you gotta, you
know, check off, but we all knowthat we could get all that done
in like 15, 20 minutes.
We just gotta get up and do itand after we do it the flow
starts happening a little more.
Now you're like, all right,we'll go to him, we'll go to
(23:11):
work.
Now I have to work you know,maybe I'll talk to somebody you
know like, like the, the anxietylessons, as you start to not
just live but live in purpose.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
I like, oh, I am always.
My motto, my catchphrase, ifyou will, is have a good day on
purpose.
Have a good day on purposebecause nobody can ruin your day
but you, and they can only ruin.
(24:00):
Other people will ruin your dayif you allow them to.
But if you wake up and you sayI'm going to be intentional
about having a good day onpurpose, then that's exactly
what you're going to do.
You are going to be intentionalabout your day because, at the
end of the day, it's yours, itbelongs to you, it does not
belong to anybody else.
It belongs to you, it does notbelong to anybody else, it
(24:21):
belongs to you.
And I love when you say it.
Average is just not enough.
Baby, you cannot bear minimumme.
We, we are.
We are raising the bar to whowe are.
Yes, we are raising the bar.
And people say that there's asaying that you only live once.
(24:44):
No, you only die once.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
You live every day every day, every hour, you can
change it, you can, yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
So why not live?
Why not live?
And I love how you you said,because I have deep depression.
So things like getting up outof bed, brushing my teeth,
shower sometimes those thingsare difficult when you're in it
(25:14):
and it's just the little thingsand it just makes you feel
better.
Okay, I'm gonna get up out thebed, I'm gonna brush brush my
teeth, I'm gonna wash my face,I'm gonna shower.
It makes you want to do justjust a little bit more and it's
like okay well, let's see it's,it's.
It's kind of like the littleinternet could.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
I think I can.
I think I can.
Speaker 1 (25:40):
And it's like, okay, bitch, let's go.
It's like you have to windyourself up and I'm so happy
that you were able to realizethat, dealing with trauma and
overcoming so much trauma,because a lot of people do not
know how to navigate throughtrauma and it seems like you
(26:06):
have mastered well, not mastered, because it's a daily thing,
but it seems like you havelearned how to navigate through
your trauma and you have anamazing support system.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
I got some resources.
You know, talk therapy bigthing.
Also.
Group therapy um can be veryhealing.
(26:40):
You know, even if it's online,um or on um, audio only Um, and
I'm also uh ketamine, uh therapyum really changed my life.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
What, what, what?
What is that for?
For those of us that don't knowwhat that is, so ketamine
therapy is a psychedelic therapy.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
Companies like Better you and Mind Bloom, they can
send it to you in the mail, orthere are clinics they have used
it for decades to treatdepression, anxiety, poor
appetite, ptsd.
(27:33):
It is absolutely something tolook into.
If you are able to becomfortable exploring your
subconscious and working throughdeep traumas, it after each
(27:55):
time I feel like I can trulybreathe Wow, I was able to.
You know, it helped me get off.
I was addicted to crystal methand it helped me get off of it.
Truly did, and then, from there, has helped me explore deepoted
(28:18):
child trauma and continuing,just as putting oil in the gears
, so to speak, just to keep itgoing.
Every, you know, few months orso, I'll get a treatment and
just being able to truly talk,um cause sometimes you, you
(28:44):
don't want to talk or you forgetabout it and you know, being in
a lucid state, um exploringthings that you aren't used to
exploring, um absolutely canhelp.
And I know, you know I'm, I'mout, I might be out there for
some people.
You know, on the hippiemedicine.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Listen, whatever, because I am at the point of my
life, at years old.
Whatever can help me getthrough Cause I I'm a firm
believer in you have to let itout, to let it go.
(29:27):
But sometimes we don't knoweverything that we're holding in
, because we've been holding itin for so long that we don't
know exactly what to let out.
So we want to let it out, butwe just don't know how.
So to have something that willhelp us to really and just let
(29:52):
it out, so that we can let it go.
Yeah, like gimme, gimme, oh yes,yeah, like gimme, oh yes,
because I know.
Because, like we, we put it, weput it in the back of our minds
and it's kind of like if wedon't think about it then we'll
(30:17):
be okay, but then it comes outlater on, like if we get
triggered, then it comes out.
I've been married to my wifefor 10 years and some things
I've noticed throughout ourrelationship has been triggering
(30:37):
and things that I was holdingin came out and I was like what,
what?
What the fuck did that comefrom?
Like what, what did that comefrom?
Like what, why did I do that?
Why did I act like that?
Because there's there's anunderlying issue that I haven't
let out yet and we end up takingit out on the ones that we love
(30:58):
.
So, yeah, like I woulddefinitely definitely give that
a try.
Google.
Speaker 2 (31:09):
Send you a referral.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
Now I mean A coupon code we love a coupon, we love a
coupon, we love a coupon, thenI a coupon.
We love a coupon, then I get itat a discount.
What Get it at a discount?
Because, listen, let me have it, let me have it.
(31:33):
So how did music come into play?
Because I know that music forme, like if I'm having like a
bad day or a messed up day, Iput some music on.
I was 12, 13.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
And I just loved the the control the, the urge to
(32:13):
make people dance, to makepeople have a reaction, um the
things that music could do.
Watching it as a kid I wasmichael jackson obsessed yes but
I but I also am a trained,classically trained violinist.
(32:34):
That's how I first startedplaying music and obviously
played my music video at thebeginning.
So I had some wild successesand I just love performing, I
(32:57):
love connecting, I love seeingpeople dance and groove, I love
setting the vibe.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
I love how humble, how modest he ain't going to say
it, but I'm going to tell youall the truth.
I love how modest.
I had some mild successes.
It wasn't a lot.
(33:30):
You know it wasn't a lot.
You know, I just worked with,like Lady Gaga, like you know,
Jay-Z, Diana Ross, Like it wasno big deal.
I had some mild.
You know, I'm going to telly'all the truth, but I love that
(33:51):
he's so humble with it.
But, baby, listen, Wasn'tnothing wrong about it here?
Wasn't nothing wrong about it?
Speaker 2 (33:59):
Nothing wrong, I'm just saying, all right, it might
be a little hot song yeah.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
It was spicy y'all, it was spicy y'all, it was spicy
.
It was like you know, I justdid a little, a little one, two
just here, nothing to talk aboutoh man I did my research, sir
yes, yes, call me out, call meout.
(34:34):
Every single time, honey, everysingle time I love it.
But I also love how you remainhumble, Because you could not be
Like you could be like I'm thatgirl you could.
(35:00):
Because you could, you couldreally be on your I'm a deeper
I'm a.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
I'm a.
Speaker 1 (35:12):
Yes, but I love the fact that you are not and you're
so humble about you and you'reso down to earth and you're so
genuine.
A lot of that now and peoplelook for authenticity like we
(35:34):
want to see the real you and youbeing as vulnerable as you are,
especially as a black male, isthe most beautiful thing I've
ever seen.
Like I wish that more maleswould, would follow you and take
that lead and know it's okay.
(35:57):
It's okay and there's peopleout there.
You have to find your tribe.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (36:05):
And that's hard, just like you said, like you have to
go through trial and error offinding the people that were
meant for you, but once you do,it is a beautiful thing.
Speaker 2 (36:18):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (36:20):
Because I have a circle.
Well, not a circle, I have adot Because, yeah, I got a dot,
not a circle, I got a dot, butmy dot is strong.
Yes, my, my little dot isstrong and I know that they are
(36:41):
my biggest support systems thatI've ever had, and none of them
are family.
I had to create my own andthat's okay.
Also, that is okay.
Also, most, most of us willfind that we do have to create
our own family from scratch andlove on the people that love you
(37:09):
.
Speaker 2 (37:09):
Love on the people that love you.
I like that.
Speaker 1 (37:13):
Yes, yes, if you can, if you were able to sit down
(37:36):
and talk to little Zeke like ifhe was looking at you in your
face right now.
Speaker 2 (37:39):
What would you tell him?
Speaker 1 (37:40):
read more because reading is fundamental.
Speaker 2 (37:48):
I would tell him to just pace himself.
It'll get there.
You know, felt that it wasrushing a lot, rushing a lot.
Yeah, I've accomplished things,but I was definitely in a rush
(38:11):
to do them things.
But I was definitely in a rushto do them and I've maybe, if I
had, you know, taken a few moredots.
So just take your time, slowdown, enjoy your time with
others.
Speaker 1 (38:31):
That's.
That's a good one.
Enjoy your time with others,because sometimes we don't stop
and smell the roses we miss somuch trying to get somewhere and
trying to get somewhere quickly.
I've been living in the samespot like over three years.
(38:54):
Recently I was walking my dogand I just noticed that one of
my neighbors has this gorgeousgarden.
Never noticed because I'malways zooming by, I'm always in
a rush, I'm always trying toand I was like man.
They got some nice landscapingaround here that I never noticed
(39:16):
because I'm always going, going, going.
But if we just stop and slowdown and notice all of the
beauty around us, we'd besurprised at what we see.
We'd be so shocked at what wesee if we just stop, breathe and
(39:38):
just take it all in.
We don't have to rush, stoprushing.
And reading is fun.
Wait, wait.
Which reading?
Like reading or reading?
Speaker 2 (39:53):
No reading Books, Books, books, Books.
Please Text Full text.
Speaker 1 (40:00):
Full text, because reading is also Because reading.
Speaker 2 (40:04):
I don't need to get arrested anymore as a child.
Speaker 1 (40:08):
Because reading is also fundamental.
Speaker 2 (40:13):
Yes, it is.
Speaker 1 (40:18):
That's what Mother Ruth said.
Reading is fundamental.
Yes, yes.
Speaker 2 (40:25):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (40:29):
So before we let you go, I'm going to play a game.
Speaker 2 (40:33):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (40:42):
Okay, you have to say the first thing.
Like I don't even want you tothink about it, you have to say
the first thing that comes inyour head, okay after what?
After I answer the questionokay, favorite song by Beyonce
(41:05):
go black parade okay, umfavorite fashion, like favorite
style of Black parade Okay.
Speaker 2 (41:19):
Favorite fashion, like favorite style of clothing
Drapey black like just longdrapey capes.
Speaker 1 (41:29):
Oh, drama, drama, drama.
Speaker 2 (41:31):
Serving serving Head wrap.
Speaker 1 (41:36):
Tins across the board .
If you can eat one thing forthe rest of your life.
Speaker 2 (41:46):
Oysters.
Wait, raw or char-raw oh, no,no, raw, I don't.
Speaker 1 (41:57):
I don't eat fried do you eat them broiled like that?
Speaker 2 (42:04):
I don't know if I'm bad at that really I feel like I
just had raw little juice, putit in a little hot sauce, you
know.
Yeah, yeah, see, but this dudeI started to see he allergic to
(42:25):
seafood, so I might have to.
Speaker 1 (42:28):
I couldn't be with nobody like that, I'd give it up
.
I couldn't be with nobody likethat.
Speaker 2 (42:30):
I might have to give it up.
I'd give it up for him.
Speaker 1 (42:35):
I'm sorry.
Speaker 2 (42:37):
You know, we just won't kiss on Saturdays.
I'll eat my seafood onSaturdays.
Speaker 1 (42:41):
Seafood Saturdays, I mean he can't take, no like
Benadryl.
Like he can't, no, he can, butI like Benadryl.
Like he can't no, he can, but Imean.
Speaker 2 (42:55):
I'm just trying.
Look, I'm trying to get it inat the end of the day.
Speaker 1 (43:05):
Sorry, because, look, and if I have to give up Just a
little sample, give to give upJust a little sample.
Speaker 2 (43:14):
Give it up.
Just Listen, because sometimesI know we in a egg shortage so I
am worried about the chickenLike I'm worried.
Speaker 1 (43:25):
Like people need to stop.
Speaker 2 (43:26):
You know Like, yeah, we ain't got no egg.
Speaker 1 (43:28):
We gonna have no chicken.
Y'all.
I have no chicken.
Y'all don't have no chicken.
Fuck these eggs.
Y'all worried about the eggs.
We worried about the fuckingchickens.
We don't have no chickens.
The legs, the thighs, the suckyou know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (43:52):
Ain't nobody worried about your sunny side up?
Speaker 1 (43:58):
Fuck your ass.
Give me a thigh, give me athigh.
Give me a thigh, give me athigh, give me a thigh.
That's my favorite part ofeating thighs Because it's so
juicy, like me.
Yes.
Speaker 2 (44:16):
Yes, yes, yes, yes, get it sexy, get it sexy, get it
sexy, get it sexy, get it sexy,get it sexy Get it sexy, get it
sexy, get it sexy, get it sexy,get it sexy, get it sexy, get
it sexy, get it sexy.
Speaker 1 (44:31):
Don't get me started in this car because, because I,
because hey, don't do it, stopit.
You stop it right now.
Oh man, oh my God, okay, thefirst thing that you look at,
(44:59):
the first thing that you look atwhen Don't lie, the first thing
you look at when meeting a guyis his.
Speaker 2 (45:11):
Social security number.
Give me the background check.
Speaker 1 (45:23):
Give me the background.
What is your credit score?
Speaker 2 (45:30):
All the truth, I'm very nose conscious.
I like a cute little nose,really Cute nose, like a big
little point, like I don't know,like cute little nose, why?
Speaker 1 (45:45):
Why?
I feel like you're lying.
You asked me to be honest.
Speaker 2 (45:50):
You asked me to be honest.
I could lie and be like theeyes.
Speaker 1 (45:57):
You have such wonderful eyes, those white
crowns, those blues, thosehazels.
Speaker 2 (46:05):
I'm telling the truth .
Look next time I have a man, oryou see me with a man, they
gonna have a cute nose.
Speaker 1 (46:15):
Okay, so rate my nose .
Rate my nose from like one toten.
Oh no, your nose is great.
Speaker 2 (46:20):
Your nostrils is proportional.
Speaker 1 (46:22):
You got the nice bridge yeah like come on, you
got the little bro yeah, Cute.
Come on nose A bro.
Come on nose, and you know it'shonest.
Come on nose A broom.
Come on nose, and you know it'shonest, Come on nose.
I just wanted to know if, like,you need an answer for me.
Yes, Because let me know thatmy nose is good.
(46:45):
Let me know Nose is good.
Nose is ready for the face.
It's good.
Pretty Nose is good.
Nose is ready for the face.
Speaker 2 (46:50):
It's good, pretty Y'all.
Let her take off all the makeup.
I'll tell y'all later.
Speaker 1 (46:59):
I'm kidding Bitch, I'm playing, I'm playing.
Thank you so much for joiningus Like we're going to Right.
Now we're having fun he justtried to come for me.
(47:24):
He tried to come, he tried tocome for me, come on.
Baby, let me tell you somethingHold up, hold up.
Speaker 2 (47:42):
Don't pull out a blade.
Speaker 1 (47:43):
Because baby, oh boy, here comes the evidence.
Let's go, Because let me tellyou something, I can wipe this
off right now, baby.
Speaker 2 (47:54):
See, it is natural, it's pretty.
See, we got that pretty skin.
Speaker 1 (47:57):
You don't even need it, she ain't going to steal me
what Right Cool Just snap, Snap.
Speaker 2 (48:08):
I'm going to let y'all know baby, don't know, you
missed a spot.
Speaker 1 (48:13):
And she still sucks.
Snap Sheall know, baby, Don'tknow you missed a spot.
And she still serves.
She still serves bitch.
Speaker 2 (48:19):
She still serves.
Okay, it's not a game.
It's not a game, it's official.
Speaker 1 (48:25):
I did this for you.
Speaker 2 (48:27):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (48:29):
You look beautiful.
Speaker 2 (48:30):
Anybody else I?
Speaker 1 (48:33):
am Me, you.
You are beautiful, anybody.
You play too much.
You play too much, oh my God.
Okay, let me get back to myprofessional the man very the
man Very mindful.
(48:55):
What is your definition?
And, guys, what is yourdefinition of the perfect first
date?
Speaker 2 (49:07):
the perfect first date involves you pulling up
little cuddle, little weed smoke, little little calmization.
Then I make sure you're safe,then we can go outside and do
(49:32):
something and then, hopefully,come back inside and do
something, laughing, laughing,laughing laughing.
Speaker 1 (49:43):
Yes, and do something .
Speaker 2 (49:48):
Yes, but like honestly, I like to even go into
a park.
I want something honestly morerelaxed, chill.
I don't like giving people theimpression that they gotta drop
$120 on a first date like foodor drinks or whatever.
(50:09):
You know what I mean.
Like the whole works, like justpull up, meet somebody, shake
their hand, see if there's avibe, then you can decide to
spend money on it and we'regoing gonna go to Chili's and we
gonna get a two for twenty.
I don't like Chili's.
People be hating on Chili's.
(50:29):
I don't like Chili's.
I don't know if the menu haschanged.
I ain't been in a bit.
I don't know if the ingredients, but I do remember that shit
was fire.
I used to get the fajitas.
You can't fuck the fajitas.
Speaker 1 (50:42):
You can't fuck up fajitas.
It's just shrimp chicken.
You can't fuck it up.
I hope not Well depends on whodoing the chicken.
You stuck on the chicken.
I'm dying Teriyaki chicken.
Speaker 2 (51:04):
Sesame chicken.
Speaker 1 (51:07):
Let me tell you something.
Right now you have an openinvitation to be in the
passenger seat anytime you wantit.
Hear me, thank you.
Anytime you want an invitationto come and sit your little sexy
ass next to me, come on and sitdown and be in the passenger
(51:29):
seat and pull up with a bottleof champagne.
And some Southwest egg rollsfrom Chili's.
Speaker 2 (51:39):
Not bad Not bad, I a bad answer.
Speaker 1 (51:42):
I am simple.
That is all I need.
That's all I need.
That's all I need.
What To get back?
Come on, come on, yes, what togive back come on, come on.
Speaker 2 (52:05):
Yes, I sleep on a noob.
I sleep on a noob, come on stopit, stop it.
Speaker 1 (52:14):
We are getting off topic.
I fucking love you, I love, Ilove, I love, I love you so I
always end with some type ofmotivation that we can pass on.
So if you had one positivething that you can pass on to
(52:37):
somebody else, what would it be?
Speaker 2 (52:43):
The positive thing that I would pass on to somebody
else, right?
Speaker 1 (52:46):
now Motivation In this moment.
Motivate us yes.
I want you to look at yourselfin the mirror and say I am, I am
Somebody, somebody, I am black,I am black, I am Somebody,
somebody, I am black, I am blackand I love me, and I love me
(53:07):
Cause I am, cause I am Somebody,somebody.
Speaker 2 (53:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (53:13):
Listen, listen, listen.
Oh, my goodness See, thank youso much.
My goodness Zeke, thank you somuch for being like.
You have made my day.
Can you tell everybody who islistening, watching, where can
we find more of?
Speaker 2 (53:32):
Zeke Thomas.
You can find more of ZekeThomas Z-E-K-E underscore Thomas
.
I'm on Instagram Blue Sky,although I don on Instagram Blue
Sky, although I don't really beBlue Sky, but I don't even know
where to go.
Dm Miss Grimmins and she'llforward it to me.
Speaker 1 (53:52):
No way, y'all stop telling people to go on my devs.
Now you see what you'restarting.
Wait, with my broken nails Becareful with them pictures.
Speaker 2 (54:05):
now, be careful with them pictures.
They wild.
Y'all don't need to be leadingwith that.
Nobody wants that.
Like really you know what Imean.
Like nobody wants to just opena thing and see a pecker or a
hole.
Speaker 1 (54:21):
Nobody wants that.
Nobody, nobody wants that.
Speaker 2 (54:23):
Nobody is asking for that.
At most I want to see like yourpectorals, at most, at most.
But I definitely want to seeyour face.
Nobody wants to see your face.
I'm into anonymous.
Speaker 1 (54:39):
He's into anonymous.
And wait they be into anonymous.
But have seen me, bro.
What Like this.
This just went left.
Wait, zeke, zeke, yes, I feellike.
(55:01):
I feel like I feel like we weremeant to be friends in real
life, like I feel like I'm goingto have to get your phone
number, absolutely so, because,zeke, listen, because listen,
because, man, I have found myspirit person.
(55:28):
His name is Z-Cob, his name isZ-Cob.
Oh my God.
The game is something the gameis something People don't, is
something we are.
People don't understand that weare the truth, we are the way,
the truth and the life.
No, let me stop.
(55:48):
Ah, oh, shit, okay, I don'teven know how to end this.
Wait, let me see you donemessed me up, okay, baby, listen
(56:09):
, I have enjoyed having Zeke inthe passenger seat.
If you like this baby, you likeit.
Comment, subscribe, share,because it is only going to get
better.
Let me tell you something thebest thing in this world that
you can be is you, because thereis only one, you.
(56:29):
So look at yourself right nowand tell yourself I am somebody,
I am everything and everythingis me.
I am the shit, the whole shit,and nothing but the what?
The shit, baby.
Yes, so as you go out there andbe great in your own face, then
(56:53):
turn around and be great inthey face and, as always,
continue to be fabulous, like Iknow you can be, and you have a
good day on purpose.
Yes,
Yeah, shine like glitter, let the light in your
life get bigger and in the sky,high like a winner, big and
bright like a diamond.
I'm a shiner, oh yeah, you'rewelcome.
Hello, hello, hello, everybody,and welcome back to In the
(00:24):
Passenger Seat with AletheaCrimmins.
Listen, I know that I say allthe time I'm excited for my
guest, but y'all, I am excitedfor my guest who is in the
passenger seat with me today.
He warms my heart because he isabout the same things that I'm
(00:44):
about.
He's a mental health advocate.
He has a story to tell.
I cannot wait for you to hearhis story and how he got through
pain and trauma.
And wait, he's a DJ.
Like he is a DJ, he is anawesome DJ and y'all know what
(01:04):
is about to be.
If y'all do not know, let meshow y'all exactly who he is.
Roll that clip.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
The cops.
I guess they have to likequestion us or something, and
I'm freaking out.
Please, I can't do this alone.
Please call me back.
I'm here, I'm waiting, I'mstanding by.
(01:40):
He called me.
I dug it afresh like I boot thebeatbox.
I'm soda.
Like Busta, lyrical musta, Ihit the goose.
So that means I go ducked up.
Yeah to nasa, nai andeverything we do.
We gon' wish was right, butI'ma poke her like I roll the
dice and get this bitch hauntedlike I poke the guys.
Yeah, we can't be contained.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
We on fire like Richard Pryor to flame.
Yes Baby, they had me jammingback there.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
Listen, introducing the phenomenal, the talented
Zeke Thomas.
Oh man, that sent me back thatsent me back.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Let's go.
What's going on?
Speaker 2 (02:20):
I'm feeling good, sister, thank you for having me
on.
Thank you for having me in thepassenger seat.
Please keep it in park, causewe got a lot to talk about
listen, listen, I'm ready.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
I'm already loving your vibe.
I'm already loving your vibe.
So for the listeners and thepeople watching that do not know
who Zeke Thomas is, tell us whothis handsome man, zeke Thomas,
is.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
So, yes, I'm Joshua Zeke Thomas.
I am a DJ, for sure.
I also run a champagne companycalled Sherlon Champagne and
also have a cannabis company,one World Products with Pro 11
Muscle Gel, not to you know.
Drop some promos, some promos.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
We like promos, like if you ever want to send us some
, my address is in my book.
I got you, I got you.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
I got you Just no drinking and driving.
Now you know what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
I mean, if you ever want to send something my way,
you know what I'm saying.
We don't mind?
Speaker 2 (03:40):
We don't mind at all, do we?
We don't mind at all, do we?
Uh-uh, mm-mm.
But I've also had the privilegeof hosting MTV's Catfish and
doing other TV hostingappearances like that.
Music's definitely my passion,but it seems like my calling has
(04:01):
been advocacy.
Like my calling has beenadvocacy.
Yes, I was sexually assaulted.
(04:23):
Be at a space to truly helppeople.
I went public with my story.
I was 27 on Good MorningAmerica.
You know I keep going back thatI can't imagine what a person I
(05:11):
could have been in terms of theknowledge that I have now
versus when I told my story infront of everybody.
I wasn't truly ready for, maybe, the responsibility.
I definitely understood what Iwanted to do with my platform,
how I wanted to impact things,was able to get some Title IX
actually funding for HBCUs, ofcourse.
Now we're in a climate wherethat funding is definitely being
(05:36):
affected.
Yes, I've always beenpolitically active, worked on a
few campaigns, um, verymotivated um to make changes in
the world.
I feel that I had the privilegeto have many different
(06:01):
experiences.
Yes, I have the to have manydifferent experiences.
Yes, I have the higher arcingexperience of coming from a
celebrity family or a family oflegacy and my father being
Isaiah Thomas, black males andblack black people.
You know, entertainment andsport um truly were some of our
(06:27):
main um outlets to make impact,um to gain influence, to even
gain wealth, um, and now you'restarting to see um the fruits of
that labor, so to speak.
Um, we have made a lot ofstrides as a people, and that is
(06:49):
why we are facing a massivebacklash.
Speaker 1 (06:53):
We are.
Can I tell you that your storyand your strength is beautiful.
Strength is beautiful Like it.
(07:14):
I.
I wish that more males had thecourage to come forward, because
it's the males that don't,because they feel like they have
something to be ashamed of andyou don't, like you have
absolutely nothing to be ashamedof.
Now.
I heard you say that when youtold your story now, you did
that on a national platform andyou said that you weren't ready.
(07:35):
What made you choose thatplatform at that time, on
national TV, to tell your storyLike?
Speaker 2 (07:47):
my heart would have been Nobody was listening.
Nobody was listening, nobodywas quote believing me in my
heart and soul and I had theability for everyone to hear me
to scream at the top of my lungsand I took that opportunity.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
I love that because sometimes we have to change the
narrative and if people don'thear us, we have to make them
hear us.
And there's so many women thathave been silenced, so many men
that have been silenced becausethey don't want to hear it, they
(08:34):
don't want to hear their story.
But sometimes you have to geton that rooftop and yell it out
loud and say look on thatrooftop and yell it out loud and
say, look, damn it, this, you,you going to hear me today?
Speaker 2 (08:49):
You are going to hear me today and that I feel is yes
, the advocacy work and the umgovernment work definitely comes
from a rooted uh family ofactivists.
However, when I moved to NewYork City as a kid and then
(09:11):
started to explore it as anadult, as a gay man, you know,
before I got on here I wasreflecting about how many women,
how many trans women, helped mealong my journey.
You know, I can feel that I wastaken advantage of by a lot of
(09:35):
gay men in terms of what wasacceptable in society, in
community.
I definitely feel that I lost apart of my core upbringing
values to try to fit in to acommunity.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Oh, I can relate, yeah, I can relate, because you
lose yourself wanting to be,because when you come, when you
come out, and there's backlashand there's oh, this is, this is
a phase, and you know, peoplestart treating you differently.
(10:17):
You're looking for a sense ofcommunity.
You're looking for a sense offamily.
You're looking for somewhere tobelong, and sometimes that's by
any means necessary and itshouldn't always be.
But people notice your need tofit in, your need to belong, so
(10:41):
they're like, oh well, let mejust, you know, do this and do
that Because they can.
They can, they can smell that,not weakness, but but that need
they can, they can smell it andthey are like vultures and it's,
it's.
It's really horrible, butpeople, people smell that need
(11:04):
and they take advantage of it.
Now, how?
I know that there was backlashwhen you told your story.
How did you deal with with thebacklash?
How did you overcome it?
Speaker 2 (11:20):
It's.
It's so interesting that youasked this question and in this
climate, I've been going back onFacebook forums and reading
comments a meme out about me andum, ej Johnson, um, about, um,
(11:54):
basically demasculating us, umspeaking about.
You know, our fathers didn'tbirth champions.
Speaker 1 (12:02):
That's crazy talk.
Speaker 2 (12:03):
And it it is crazy talk because we've both been
successful in our own right andsolid people, but um, it's those
things, those messages that Iwas just reading and I'm like,
guys, we're still doing this,like we're still.
You know, oh, they got gay kids, oh, they, they soft.
(12:28):
You know, oh, you know magic.
You know, we're still, we'restill doing this first.
Speaker 1 (12:35):
First of all, let me, let me, let me, let me get
close.
Let me let me for the, for the,for the people in the back, let
me get close because y'all needto see and hear and understand.
So, for the people that decidedto make this meme, okay, for
the backwoods people that madethis, because I know that's
(12:58):
where y'all reside Listen foryou to say that they did not
raise champions.
That is absolutely wrong.
That is exactly what they did,because it takes a champion to
live in their truth.
It takes a champion that, eventhough all the bullshit that
(13:21):
this world is giving them, thatthey still stand tall, living in
their truth, unlike the cowardsof the world Hi, unlike the
cowards of the world that areliving undercover, that are so
(13:41):
scared of what the world has tosay that they refuse to live in
their truth.
So they'd rather project theirinsecurities on the champions of
the world.
That's what is going on.
So, sir, you are a champion inmy book, okay, and I love me
(14:08):
some EJ.
I love me some, ej baby.
They can't make me hate, ej.
They can't make me hate at all.
Okay, because they do the samething to Dwayne Wade.
That is his daughter.
Yes, okay, yes, and I live forit.
(14:32):
I love it so very much and Iapplaud you each and every day
that you do not let thenegativity of the world tear you
down, because absolutely not.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
You definitely could and you definitely could succumb
to it.
But that's to me one of themost beautiful yet horrible
things of being black you areable to be strong.
(15:12):
In moments of complete despairand panic.
I definitely turn inward a lotto calm down.
Speaker 1 (15:30):
Like I really feel like as a woman of color, I feel
like as a woman of color and aspeople of color, we have no
choice.
Like we got to be that.
(15:50):
Like we got to just take it.
Like we have no choice but tobe strong because we wasn't
raised to be anything else.
It's like we really don't havea choice.
It's like take it or what,what's what's the other option?
Like there really is no otheroption.
(16:11):
But people may say, and people,people may think that you might
be different because of yourlineage, like they.
They may say oh well, becausethis is like father is Isaiah
Thomas, that he, he had a likesilver spoon and like things
(16:33):
came easy and blah, blah, blah,blah, blah.
Please put these rumors to rest.
Speaker 2 (16:40):
Everybody definitely has their own struggles.
I definitely grew up, I willsay, privileged, but there
definitely comes differentstruggles with my life.
Not everybody wants to be inthe public eye.
Remember reporters following meto high school reporters, being
(17:04):
outside our house.
Fame might seem glamorous the15 minutes, the whatever but
when it becomes invasive andwhen writers or media writers or
(17:28):
media attack, you know I grewup in the newspaper era where,
you know, the New York Post wasrunning, you know two stories a
day, my dad was on the frontcover and he was selling
newspapers, but you were sellingtabloid negativity tweets.
So, yes, did I ever, um, worryabout going hungry?
(17:51):
No, um, but the anxieties, youknow I've.
I moved, I think, live five sit,five different states.
We live five different states.
You know, changing schools,meeting new people.
I definitely developed skillsbut, you know, would I have
(18:14):
loved, you know, live in my, youknow one neighborhood and have,
you know, all that be my wholelife.
Maybe I don't know, I didn'tget that opportunity, but what I
do have is pockets of friendseverywhere and a support system
(18:36):
everywhere, and I like toutilize, you know what I've been
able to learn.
You know what I've been able tolearn and now that I'm really
in my healthy mind, theabundance and the friends who I
want and need are flowing to me.
Speaker 1 (18:58):
Oh, I love it.
Oh, I love it.
How accepting was your familywhenever everything just kind of
how?
Speaker 2 (19:18):
accepting, were they?
And did they finally listen?
They definitely finallylistened and they definitely
finally heard.
And it still hurts them to hear, you know, I do.
You know conversations withyourself and with others and
there are certain times, youknow, when I don't share it with
(19:40):
my mother or father, justbecause they don't they don't
want to hear about their childbeing hurt.
Um, it definitely stirs upemotions for them, and they have
been nothing but supportive,however, have given me the best
(20:02):
options for care, even one timelost a deposit on my bad self
when I was going through a toughtime with substances, um,
(20:29):
substances, um.
So I'm very thankful that I hadthem to help me get back up.
But when you hit bottom andyeah, I, I hit it, it's on you.
They can't pull you out.
Nobody, nobody can reach downand get you.
You got to get up, stoptreading water and at least get
on land, and then we can dosomething, you know listen, I
(20:49):
can relate.
Speaker 1 (20:51):
When I do my speaking events, I tell this story all
the time when I try to take myown life, this story all the
time when I try to take my ownlife.
And the last time that I didand it didn't work.
And I was like, and I waslaying in the dark in my dorm
(21:13):
room looking around and then ithit me like Alethea, ain't
nobody come and save you, girl?
Like what are you looking for?
Like ain't nobody coming tosave you?
Like you have to get up andsave yourself.
But the getting up was thehardest part.
The getting up was the hardestpart because, just like you said
(21:36):
, like once you hit rock bottom,it's like how can I get up from
here?
And look, I have bad knees.
So me trying to get up off theground is not easy at all anyway
.
It's not easy anyway it's not,but the good thing about being
(21:57):
at rock bottom is the only placethat you can go is up.
Speaker 2 (22:03):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:04):
Like you can't get no lower, you can only get up.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
And you can realize that because you got so low.
Now you realize average isn'teven enough.
You can go higher.
Average isn't even enough.
You can go higher, like youtruly can.
(22:29):
Keep going, keep achievinglevels of balance, routine,
peace, love.
You know all these things flowfrom the, from when you first
get up.
You know, if you get up, brushyour teeth, shower, walk your
animal, you know, like breakfast, like all the little things
that can fill your day.
(22:49):
That might seem overwhelming,truly like when you gotta, you
know, check off, but we all knowthat we could get all that done
in like 15, 20 minutes.
We just gotta get up and do itand after we do it the flow
starts happening a little more.
Now you're like, all right,we'll go to him, we'll go to
(23:11):
work.
Now I have to work you know,maybe I'll talk to somebody you
know like, like the, the anxietylessons, as you start to not
just live but live in purpose.
Speaker 1 (23:35):
I like, oh, I am always.
My motto, my catchphrase, ifyou will, is have a good day on
purpose.
Have a good day on purposebecause nobody can ruin your day
but you, and they can only ruin.
(24:00):
Other people will ruin your dayif you allow them to.
But if you wake up and you sayI'm going to be intentional
about having a good day onpurpose, then that's exactly
what you're going to do.
You are going to be intentionalabout your day because, at the
end of the day, it's yours, itbelongs to you, it does not
belong to anybody else.
It belongs to you, it does notbelong to anybody else, it
(24:21):
belongs to you.
And I love when you say it.
Average is just not enough.
Baby, you cannot bear minimumme.
We, we are.
We are raising the bar to whowe are.
Yes, we are raising the bar.
And people say that there's asaying that you only live once.
(24:44):
No, you only die once.
Speaker 2 (24:47):
You live every day every day, every hour, you can
change it, you can, yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
So why not live?
Why not live?
And I love how you you said,because I have deep depression.
So things like getting up outof bed, brushing my teeth,
shower sometimes those thingsare difficult when you're in it
(25:14):
and it's just the little thingsand it just makes you feel
better.
Okay, I'm gonna get up out thebed, I'm gonna brush brush my
teeth, I'm gonna wash my face,I'm gonna shower.
It makes you want to do justjust a little bit more and it's
like okay well, let's see it's,it's.
It's kind of like the littleinternet could.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
I think I can.
I think I can.
Speaker 1 (25:40):
And it's like, okay, bitch, let's go.
It's like you have to windyourself up and I'm so happy
that you were able to realizethat, dealing with trauma and
overcoming so much trauma,because a lot of people do not
know how to navigate throughtrauma and it seems like you
(26:06):
have mastered well, not mastered, because it's a daily thing,
but it seems like you havelearned how to navigate through
your trauma and you have anamazing support system.
Speaker 2 (26:20):
I got some resources.
You know, talk therapy bigthing.
Also.
Group therapy um can be veryhealing.
(26:40):
You know, even if it's online,um or on um, audio only Um, and
I'm also uh ketamine, uh therapyum really changed my life.
Speaker 1 (26:57):
What, what, what?
What is that for?
For those of us that don't knowwhat that is, so ketamine
therapy is a psychedelic therapy.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
Companies like Better you and Mind Bloom, they can
send it to you in the mail, orthere are clinics they have used
it for decades to treatdepression, anxiety, poor
appetite, ptsd.
(27:33):
It is absolutely something tolook into.
If you are able to becomfortable exploring your
subconscious and working throughdeep traumas, it after each
(27:55):
time I feel like I can trulybreathe Wow, I was able to.
You know, it helped me get off.
I was addicted to crystal methand it helped me get off of it.
Truly did, and then, from there, has helped me explore deepoted
(28:18):
child trauma and continuing,just as putting oil in the gears
, so to speak, just to keep itgoing.
Every, you know, few months orso, I'll get a treatment and
just being able to truly talk,um cause sometimes you, you
(28:44):
don't want to talk or you forgetabout it and you know, being in
a lucid state, um exploringthings that you aren't used to
exploring, um absolutely canhelp.
And I know, you know I'm, I'mout, I might be out there for
some people.
You know, on the hippiemedicine.
Speaker 1 (29:06):
Listen, whatever, because I am at the point of my
life, at years old.
Whatever can help me getthrough Cause I I'm a firm
believer in you have to let itout, to let it go.
(29:27):
But sometimes we don't knoweverything that we're holding in
, because we've been holding itin for so long that we don't
know exactly what to let out.
So we want to let it out, butwe just don't know how.
So to have something that willhelp us to really and just let
(29:52):
it out, so that we can let it go.
Yeah, like gimme, gimme, oh yes,yeah, like gimme, oh yes,
because I know.
Because, like we, we put it, weput it in the back of our minds
and it's kind of like if wedon't think about it then we'll
(30:17):
be okay, but then it comes outlater on, like if we get
triggered, then it comes out.
I've been married to my wifefor 10 years and some things
I've noticed throughout ourrelationship has been triggering
(30:37):
and things that I was holdingin came out and I was like what,
what?
What the fuck did that comefrom?
Like what, what did that comefrom?
Like what, why did I do that?
Why did I act like that?
Because there's there's anunderlying issue that I haven't
let out yet and we end up takingit out on the ones that we love
(30:58):
.
So, yeah, like I woulddefinitely definitely give that
a try.
Google.
Speaker 2 (31:09):
Send you a referral.
Speaker 1 (31:10):
Now I mean A coupon code we love a coupon, we love a
coupon, we love a coupon, thenI a coupon.
We love a coupon, then I get itat a discount.
What Get it at a discount?
Because, listen, let me have it, let me have it.
(31:33):
So how did music come into play?
Because I know that music forme, like if I'm having like a
bad day or a messed up day, Iput some music on.
I was 12, 13.
Speaker 2 (31:46):
And I just loved the the control the, the urge to
(32:13):
make people dance, to makepeople have a reaction, um the
things that music could do.
Watching it as a kid I wasmichael jackson obsessed yes but
I but I also am a trained,classically trained violinist.
(32:34):
That's how I first startedplaying music and obviously
played my music video at thebeginning.
So I had some wild successesand I just love performing, I
(32:57):
love connecting, I love seeingpeople dance and groove, I love
setting the vibe.
Speaker 1 (33:07):
I love how humble, how modest he ain't going to say
it, but I'm going to tell youall the truth.
I love how modest.
I had some mild successes.
It wasn't a lot.
(33:30):
You know it wasn't a lot.
You know, I just worked with,like Lady Gaga, like you know,
Jay-Z, Diana Ross, Like it wasno big deal.
I had some mild.
You know, I'm going to telly'all the truth, but I love that
(33:51):
he's so humble with it.
But, baby, listen, Wasn'tnothing wrong about it here?
Wasn't nothing wrong about it?
Speaker 2 (33:59):
Nothing wrong, I'm just saying, all right, it might
be a little hot song yeah.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
It was spicy y'all, it was spicy y'all, it was spicy
.
It was like you know, I justdid a little, a little one, two
just here, nothing to talk aboutoh man I did my research, sir
yes, yes, call me out, call meout.
(34:34):
Every single time, honey, everysingle time I love it.
But I also love how you remainhumble, Because you could not be
Like you could be like I'm thatgirl you could.
(35:00):
Because you could, you couldreally be on your I'm a deeper
I'm a.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
I'm a.
Speaker 1 (35:12):
Yes, but I love the fact that you are not and you're
so humble about you and you'reso down to earth and you're so
genuine.
A lot of that now and peoplelook for authenticity like we
(35:34):
want to see the real you and youbeing as vulnerable as you are,
especially as a black male, isthe most beautiful thing I've
ever seen.
Like I wish that more maleswould, would follow you and take
that lead and know it's okay.
(35:57):
It's okay and there's peopleout there.
You have to find your tribe.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (36:05):
And that's hard, just like you said, like you have to
go through trial and error offinding the people that were
meant for you, but once you do,it is a beautiful thing.
Speaker 2 (36:18):
Yes.
Speaker 1 (36:20):
Because I have a circle.
Well, not a circle, I have adot Because, yeah, I got a dot,
not a circle, I got a dot, butmy dot is strong.
Yes, my, my little dot isstrong and I know that they are
(36:41):
my biggest support systems thatI've ever had, and none of them
are family.
I had to create my own andthat's okay.
Also, that is okay.
Also, most, most of us willfind that we do have to create
our own family from scratch andlove on the people that love you
(37:09):
.
Speaker 2 (37:09):
Love on the people that love you.
I like that.
Speaker 1 (37:13):
Yes, yes, if you can, if you were able to sit down
(37:36):
and talk to little Zeke like ifhe was looking at you in your
face right now.
Speaker 2 (37:39):
What would you tell him?
Speaker 1 (37:40):
read more because reading is fundamental.
Speaker 2 (37:48):
I would tell him to just pace himself.
It'll get there.
You know, felt that it wasrushing a lot, rushing a lot.
Yeah, I've accomplished things,but I was definitely in a rush
(38:11):
to do them things.
But I was definitely in a rushto do them and I've maybe, if I
had, you know, taken a few moredots.
So just take your time, slowdown, enjoy your time with
others.
Speaker 1 (38:31):
That's.
That's a good one.
Enjoy your time with others,because sometimes we don't stop
and smell the roses we miss somuch trying to get somewhere and
trying to get somewhere quickly.
I've been living in the samespot like over three years.
(38:54):
Recently I was walking my dogand I just noticed that one of
my neighbors has this gorgeousgarden.
Never noticed because I'malways zooming by, I'm always in
a rush, I'm always trying toand I was like man.
They got some nice landscapingaround here that I never noticed
(39:16):
because I'm always going, going, going.
But if we just stop and slowdown and notice all of the
beauty around us, we'd besurprised at what we see.
We'd be so shocked at what wesee if we just stop, breathe and
(39:38):
just take it all in.
We don't have to rush, stoprushing.
And reading is fun.
Wait, wait.
Which reading?
Like reading or reading?
Speaker 2 (39:53):
No reading Books, Books, books, Books.
Please Text Full text.
Speaker 1 (40:00):
Full text, because reading is also Because reading.
Speaker 2 (40:04):
I don't need to get arrested anymore as a child.
Speaker 1 (40:08):
Because reading is also fundamental.
Speaker 2 (40:13):
Yes, it is.
Speaker 1 (40:18):
That's what Mother Ruth said.
Reading is fundamental.
Yes, yes.
Speaker 2 (40:25):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (40:29):
So before we let you go, I'm going to play a game.
Speaker 2 (40:33):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (40:42):
Okay, you have to say the first thing.
Like I don't even want you tothink about it, you have to say
the first thing that comes inyour head, okay after what?
After I answer the questionokay, favorite song by Beyonce
(41:05):
go black parade okay, umfavorite fashion, like favorite
style of Black parade Okay.
Speaker 2 (41:19):
Favorite fashion, like favorite style of clothing
Drapey black like just longdrapey capes.
Speaker 1 (41:29):
Oh, drama, drama, drama.
Speaker 2 (41:31):
Serving serving Head wrap.
Speaker 1 (41:36):
Tins across the board .
If you can eat one thing forthe rest of your life.
Speaker 2 (41:46):
Oysters.
Wait, raw or char-raw oh, no,no, raw, I don't.
Speaker 1 (41:57):
I don't eat fried do you eat them broiled like that?
Speaker 2 (42:04):
I don't know if I'm bad at that really I feel like I
just had raw little juice, putit in a little hot sauce, you
know.
Yeah, yeah, see, but this dudeI started to see he allergic to
(42:25):
seafood, so I might have to.
Speaker 1 (42:28):
I couldn't be with nobody like that, I'd give it up
.
I couldn't be with nobody likethat.
Speaker 2 (42:30):
I might have to give it up.
I'd give it up for him.
Speaker 1 (42:35):
I'm sorry.
Speaker 2 (42:37):
You know, we just won't kiss on Saturdays.
I'll eat my seafood onSaturdays.
Speaker 1 (42:41):
Seafood Saturdays, I mean he can't take, no like
Benadryl.
Like he can't, no, he can, butI like Benadryl.
Like he can't no, he can, but Imean.
Speaker 2 (42:55):
I'm just trying.
Look, I'm trying to get it inat the end of the day.
Speaker 1 (43:05):
Sorry, because, look, and if I have to give up Just a
little sample, give to give upJust a little sample.
Speaker 2 (43:14):
Give it up.
Just Listen, because sometimesI know we in a egg shortage so I
am worried about the chickenLike I'm worried.
Speaker 1 (43:25):
Like people need to stop.
Speaker 2 (43:26):
You know Like, yeah, we ain't got no egg.
Speaker 1 (43:28):
We gonna have no chicken.
Y'all.
I have no chicken.
Y'all don't have no chicken.
Fuck these eggs.
Y'all worried about the eggs.
We worried about the fuckingchickens.
We don't have no chickens.
The legs, the thighs, the suckyou know what I mean.
Speaker 2 (43:52):
Ain't nobody worried about your sunny side up?
Speaker 1 (43:58):
Fuck your ass.
Give me a thigh, give me athigh.
Give me a thigh, give me athigh, give me a thigh.
That's my favorite part ofeating thighs Because it's so
juicy, like me.
Yes.
Speaker 2 (44:16):
Yes, yes, yes, yes, get it sexy, get it sexy, get it
sexy, get it sexy, get it sexy,get it sexy Get it sexy, get it
sexy, get it sexy, get it sexy,get it sexy, get it sexy, get
it sexy, get it sexy.
Speaker 1 (44:31):
Don't get me started in this car because, because I,
because hey, don't do it, stopit.
You stop it right now.
Oh man, oh my God, okay, thefirst thing that you look at,
(44:59):
the first thing that you look atwhen Don't lie, the first thing
you look at when meeting a guyis his.
Speaker 2 (45:11):
Social security number.
Give me the background check.
Speaker 1 (45:23):
Give me the background.
What is your credit score?
Speaker 2 (45:30):
All the truth, I'm very nose conscious.
I like a cute little nose,really Cute nose, like a big
little point, like I don't know,like cute little nose, why?
Speaker 1 (45:45):
Why?
I feel like you're lying.
You asked me to be honest.
Speaker 2 (45:50):
You asked me to be honest.
I could lie and be like theeyes.
Speaker 1 (45:57):
You have such wonderful eyes, those white
crowns, those blues, thosehazels.
Speaker 2 (46:05):
I'm telling the truth .
Look next time I have a man, oryou see me with a man, they
gonna have a cute nose.
Speaker 1 (46:15):
Okay, so rate my nose .
Rate my nose from like one toten.
Oh no, your nose is great.
Speaker 2 (46:20):
Your nostrils is proportional.
Speaker 1 (46:22):
You got the nice bridge yeah like come on, you
got the little bro yeah, Cute.
Come on nose A bro.
Come on nose, and you know it'shonest.
Come on nose A broom.
Come on nose, and you know it'shonest, Come on nose.
I just wanted to know if, like,you need an answer for me.
Yes, Because let me know thatmy nose is good.
(46:45):
Let me know Nose is good.
Nose is ready for the face.
It's good.
Pretty Nose is good.
Nose is ready for the face.
Speaker 2 (46:50):
It's good, pretty Y'all.
Let her take off all the makeup.
I'll tell y'all later.
Speaker 1 (46:59):
I'm kidding Bitch, I'm playing, I'm playing.
Thank you so much for joiningus Like we're going to Right.
Now we're having fun he justtried to come for me.
(47:24):
He tried to come, he tried tocome for me, come on.
Baby, let me tell you somethingHold up, hold up.
Speaker 2 (47:42):
Don't pull out a blade.
Speaker 1 (47:43):
Because baby, oh boy, here comes the evidence.
Let's go, Because let me tellyou something, I can wipe this
off right now, baby.
Speaker 2 (47:54):
See, it is natural, it's pretty.
See, we got that pretty skin.
Speaker 1 (47:57):
You don't even need it, she ain't going to steal me
what Right Cool Just snap, Snap.
Speaker 2 (48:08):
I'm going to let y'all know baby, don't know, you
missed a spot.
Speaker 1 (48:13):
And she still sucks.
Snap Sheall know, baby, Don'tknow you missed a spot.
And she still serves.
She still serves bitch.
Speaker 2 (48:19):
She still serves.
Okay, it's not a game.
It's not a game, it's official.
Speaker 1 (48:25):
I did this for you.
Speaker 2 (48:27):
I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (48:29):
You look beautiful.
Speaker 2 (48:30):
Anybody else I?
Speaker 1 (48:33):
am Me, you.
You are beautiful, anybody.
You play too much.
You play too much, oh my God.
Okay, let me get back to myprofessional the man very the
man Very mindful.
(48:55):
What is your definition?
And, guys, what is yourdefinition of the perfect first
date?
Speaker 2 (49:07):
the perfect first date involves you pulling up
little cuddle, little weed smoke, little little calmization.
Then I make sure you're safe,then we can go outside and do
(49:32):
something and then, hopefully,come back inside and do
something, laughing, laughing,laughing laughing.
Speaker 1 (49:43):
Yes, and do something .
Speaker 2 (49:48):
Yes, but like honestly, I like to even go into
a park.
I want something honestly morerelaxed, chill.
I don't like giving people theimpression that they gotta drop
$120 on a first date like foodor drinks or whatever.
(50:09):
You know what I mean.
Like the whole works, like justpull up, meet somebody, shake
their hand, see if there's avibe, then you can decide to
spend money on it and we'regoing gonna go to Chili's and we
gonna get a two for twenty.
I don't like Chili's.
People be hating on Chili's.
(50:29):
I don't like Chili's.
I don't know if the menu haschanged.
I ain't been in a bit.
I don't know if the ingredients, but I do remember that shit
was fire.
I used to get the fajitas.
You can't fuck the fajitas.
Speaker 1 (50:42):
You can't fuck up fajitas.
It's just shrimp chicken.
You can't fuck it up.
I hope not Well depends on whodoing the chicken.
You stuck on the chicken.
I'm dying Teriyaki chicken.
Speaker 2 (51:04):
Sesame chicken.
Speaker 1 (51:07):
Let me tell you something.
Right now you have an openinvitation to be in the
passenger seat anytime you wantit.
Hear me, thank you.
Anytime you want an invitationto come and sit your little sexy
ass next to me, come on and sitdown and be in the passenger
(51:29):
seat and pull up with a bottleof champagne.
And some Southwest egg rollsfrom Chili's.
Speaker 2 (51:39):
Not bad Not bad, I a bad answer.
Speaker 1 (51:42):
I am simple.
That is all I need.
That's all I need.
That's all I need.
What To get back?
Come on, come on, yes, what togive back come on, come on.
Speaker 2 (52:05):
Yes, I sleep on a noob.
I sleep on a noob, come on stopit, stop it.
Speaker 1 (52:14):
We are getting off topic.
I fucking love you, I love, Ilove, I love, I love you so I
always end with some type ofmotivation that we can pass on.
So if you had one positivething that you can pass on to
(52:37):
somebody else, what would it be?
Speaker 2 (52:43):
The positive thing that I would pass on to somebody
else, right?
Speaker 1 (52:46):
now Motivation In this moment.
Motivate us yes.
I want you to look at yourselfin the mirror and say I am, I am
Somebody, somebody, I am black,I am black, I am Somebody,
somebody, I am black, I am blackand I love me, and I love me
(53:07):
Cause I am, cause I am Somebody,somebody.
Speaker 2 (53:12):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (53:13):
Listen, listen, listen.
Oh, my goodness See, thank youso much.
My goodness Zeke, thank you somuch for being like.
You have made my day.
Can you tell everybody who islistening, watching, where can
we find more of?
Speaker 2 (53:32):
Zeke Thomas.
You can find more of ZekeThomas Z-E-K-E underscore Thomas
.
I'm on Instagram Blue Sky,although I don on Instagram Blue
Sky, although I don't really beBlue Sky, but I don't even know
where to go.
Dm Miss Grimmins and she'llforward it to me.
Speaker 1 (53:52):
No way, y'all stop telling people to go on my devs.
Now you see what you'restarting.
Wait, with my broken nails Becareful with them pictures.
Speaker 2 (54:05):
now, be careful with them pictures.
They wild.
Y'all don't need to be leadingwith that.
Nobody wants that.
Like really you know what Imean.
Like nobody wants to just opena thing and see a pecker or a
hole.
Speaker 1 (54:21):
Nobody wants that.
Nobody, nobody wants that.
Speaker 2 (54:23):
Nobody is asking for that.
At most I want to see like yourpectorals, at most, at most.
But I definitely want to seeyour face.
Nobody wants to see your face.
I'm into anonymous.
Speaker 1 (54:39):
He's into anonymous.
And wait they be into anonymous.
But have seen me, bro.
What Like this.
This just went left.
Wait, zeke, zeke, yes, I feellike.
(55:01):
I feel like I feel like we weremeant to be friends in real
life, like I feel like I'm goingto have to get your phone
number, absolutely so, because,zeke, listen, because listen,
because, man, I have found myspirit person.
(55:28):
His name is Z-Cob, his name isZ-Cob.
Oh my God.
The game is something the gameis something People don't, is
something we are.
People don't understand that weare the truth, we are the way,
the truth and the life.
No, let me stop.
(55:48):
Ah, oh, shit, okay, I don'teven know how to end this.
Wait, let me see you donemessed me up, okay, baby, listen
(56:09):
, I have enjoyed having Zeke inthe passenger seat.
If you like this baby, you likeit.
Comment, subscribe, share,because it is only going to get
better.
Let me tell you something thebest thing in this world that
you can be is you, because thereis only one, you.
(56:29):
So look at yourself right nowand tell yourself I am somebody,
I am everything and everythingis me.
I am the shit, the whole shit,and nothing but the what?
The shit, baby.
Yes, so as you go out there andbe great in your own face, then
(56:53):
turn around and be great inthey face and, as always,
continue to be fabulous, like Iknow you can be, and you have a
good day on purpose.
Yes,
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Football’s funniest family duo — Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles and Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs — team up to provide next-level access to life in the league as it unfolds. The two brothers and Super Bowl champions drop weekly insights about the weekly slate of games and share their INSIDE perspectives on trending NFL news and sports headlines. They also endlessly rag on each other as brothers do, chat the latest in pop culture and welcome some very popular and well-known friends to chat with them. Check out new episodes every Wednesday. Follow New Heights on the Wondery App, YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen to new episodes early and ad-free, and get exclusive content on Wondery+. Join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. And join our new membership for a unique fan experience by going to the New Heights YouTube channel now!
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!
Fudd Around And Find Out
UConn basketball star Azzi Fudd brings her championship swag to iHeart Women’s Sports with Fudd Around and Find Out, a weekly podcast that takes fans along for the ride as Azzi spends her final year of college trying to reclaim the National Championship and prepare to be a first round WNBA draft pick. Ever wonder what it’s like to be a world-class athlete in the public spotlight while still managing schoolwork, friendships and family time? It’s time to Fudd Around and Find Out!