August 27, 2025 • 30 mins
Who will create a post-racial America? To find the answer, we tell the story of how an underdog team won the biggest dance competition of its kind - only to be attacked because of the color of their skin.
Support the show: https://redpilledamerica.com/support/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
This is Red Pilled America. Hey, everybody, don't forget to
leave a comment on Apple Podcasts. It really helps us
beat the big tech algorithm and the trolls. If you
want to become a backstage subscriber, you can get ad
free access to our entire back catalog of audio documentaries
as well as famboogie. Just visit Redpilled America dot com
(00:24):
and click join in the topmenu. That's Redpilled America dot
com and click join in the top menu. Now on
with the show. This episode was originally broadcast on February seventh,
twenty twenty. We were all sold to Barack Obama represented
(00:46):
an end to America's racial divide.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
There is not a Black America and a White America
and Latino America and Asian America.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
There's the United States of America.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
But ever since his historic collection, racial tensions have seemed
to only escalate.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
Nowadays, if you are racist, you're probably a Republican. The
President of the United States is racist, You're gonna put.
Speaker 5 (01:12):
Y'all back in change.
Speaker 6 (01:13):
Our generation saw this country elect its first black president
and then turn around and elect a racist to.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
The White House. If Barack Obama couldn't end our racial tensions?
Who can who will create a post racial America? I'm
Patrick Carrelci.
Speaker 7 (01:32):
And I'm Adrianna Cortez.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
And this is Red Pilled America, a storytelling show.
Speaker 7 (01:39):
This is not another talk show covering the day's news.
We are all about telling stories.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Stories. Hollywood doesn't want you to hear stories.
Speaker 7 (01:47):
The media marks stories about everyday Americans if the globalist ignore.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
You could think of Red Pilled America as audio documentaries.
And we promise only one thing, the truth. Welcome to
Red Pilled America. We were told that Barack Obama represented
(02:17):
a watershed moment for race relations. His meteoric rise was
propelled by the promise of a colorblind nation and was
supposed to have been an unequivocal sign that Martin Luther
King Junior's dream had been realized.
Speaker 8 (02:30):
I have a dream my four little children.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
Will one day live in a nation where they will
not be.
Speaker 5 (02:41):
Judged by the color of their skin, but by the
content of that character.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
I have a dream today.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Yet with all the hope that Obama promised, few would
say that America is color blind today. In fact, it
can be argued, and the data shows this that race
relations have even deteriorated since he took the oath of office.
If the election of the first black president could not
create a post racial America, is there anyone that can
deliver that dream. To find the answer, We're going to
(03:10):
tell the story of an underdog team that was attacked
purely because of the color of their skin, and through
their journey we'll learn who will really bring an end
to America's racial divide. It happened on February twentieth, twenty ten,
(03:34):
barely a year after Obama's inauguration. After a hard fought
six month national battle, funded by one of the biggest
advertisers in the world, the Sprite Step Off Competition entered
its finale. A step tournament, which is a dance art
form practiced almost entirely by African Americans, was billed as
the largest ever contest of its kind. Out of almost
(03:57):
fifty female teams from all over the country, only six
girl squads remained. One crew was the undeniable underdog entering
the finals, the Zadas, and almost no one wanted them
to win. On paper, the Zadas didn't stand the chance.
Their sorority had been practicing the art form for roughly
sixteen years, the other squads had over four decades of
(04:19):
legacy under their belt. When the Zaidas stepped on the
finale stage, you'd be hard pressed to find a single
person in the nearly five thousand strong audience that wanted
them to win. But as the underdogs began their final dance,
astonishingly the crowd erupted. Throughout their nearly nine minute routine.
(04:51):
The spectators could hardly contain themselves, jumping out of their seats, screaming, laughing,
high fiving. The excitement was unmistakable. By the end of
(05:28):
their performance, little could be heard through the elated pandemonium
that filled the theater, a fact highlighted by the competition moderator.
The crowd's ecstatic excitement seemed to extend for minutes after
(05:49):
the Zetas left the stage, making what happened next all
the more puzzling. The festive crowd eventually quieted when the
judge's results came in. As the third place team was
announced the delta's the air of excitement was quickly erased
by the sound of an ease. Could the long shots
really win this thing? The theater became near silent as
(06:11):
the competition host announced the runner up the Akas of
Indiana University, and when he did, it became a parent
who was going to take the first place prize the Zadas.
The room that was just a short while ago filled
with screams of adoration for the underdog was now saturated
(06:33):
with booze. Audience members began making their way to the
exits before the first place team was even announced. The
host of the event, Rapper Ludacris, assured the crowd that
the judges double checked the scores.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Times three thousand, Thomas and scottar Shits.
Speaker 8 (06:52):
Goes for two. Oh yeah, back, that's right.
Speaker 9 (07:01):
As the Zada's.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Say Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority from the University of Arkansas,
the only white team in the entire tournament, had just
won the biggest step competition ever, and some on the
team were disoriented by the swift turn against them. They
gave us a standing ovation and then turned around and
buddh us So I didn't really understand, said one team
(07:22):
member to a reporter. The winners were understandably confused, but
what was supposed to be the end of their journey
turned out to be just the beginning. With their win,
the Zetas ignited a furious debate within the black community,
with many questioning whether the white girls should have even
been in the competition. Some complain of cultural theft. How
(07:49):
are you going to take something that's ours and give
it away, said one critic.
Speaker 4 (07:53):
Some said it was cultural thefts quote, I wish you
white people would stop stealing everything from us. Can we
just have one thing for ourselves? Stepping is for as
not them.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Others claimed that the novelty of the color of their
skin won them the top prize.
Speaker 10 (08:09):
Just a few of the comments. I saw these girls
were good for white girls, but this was mediocre at best.
Another one said, way to steal another culture's style.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
The tournament that was to be aired on MTV two
was accused of being rigged to boost the ratings of
the broadcast. When someone from the crowd posted the zeta's
winning performance on YouTube, it went viral. The remarks posted
on the video were so overwhelmingly negative that the poster
of the video momentarily questioned whether or not to turn
off the comment function, ultimately deciding to leave it.
Speaker 9 (08:39):
On.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
A radio show in Atlanta, where the finals were held,
heated up with angry phone calls, prompting one of the
competition judges Chile, a famed female rap group TLC to
call in and actually side with the callers. The Akas
from Indiana, hands down, in my opinion, should have won.
She stated on air. The uproar was rising to a
point that revealed the ugly state of race relations in America.
(09:20):
Life is short. It's important to surround yourself with people
you love, do the things that make you feel happy,
and if you're me, eat delicious licorice. I've got the
latter covered thanks to fresh and delicious licorice from the
Licorice Guy. If you're an avid listener of RPA, then
you know that licorice is my jam and that it
does not get any better than the gourmet licorice made
(09:42):
by the Licorice Guy. They have a great selection of
flavors to choose from, like red, blue, raspberry, black, and
green apple, just to name a few. The freshness of
their licorice is unlike anything you've ever tasted in licorice before.
If you haven't tried the Licorice Guy yet, then you're
living a life unfulfilled. Trust me, you will not regret it.
What I also love about the Licorice Guy is that
(10:03):
it's an American family owned business. We are big proponents
of buying American and supporting American workers. Right now, Red
Pilled America listeners get fifteen percent off when you enter
RPA fifteen at checkout. Visit licoriceguide dot com and enter
RPA fifteen at checkout. That's licoriceguide dot com. Welcome back
(10:27):
to Red Pilled America. So the underdog Zeta Girls pulled
off the seemingly impossible. They made it to the finals
of the country's biggest step competition, and they were the
only white team. All the other squads were black. At
the end of the Zeta's performance, the all black crowd
went wild, giving them a standing ovation. However, when the
(10:47):
Zadas were announced the winners, the cheers quickly turned to booze,
and their victory set off a public firestorm, with the
black community accusing the white girls of cultural appropriation.
Speaker 7 (11:04):
For the uninitiated. Step is a blend of cheerleading, military marching,
spoken word, and dance choreography with signature handslaps, and footstomps
that's typically performed by a group of men or women
rather than a single person. Stepping is unequivocally a visually
exciting art form and without a doubt, a black rooted tradition.
(11:27):
It traces its origin to Africa and was first embraced
stateside in the late nineteen sixties by the National Pan
Hellenic Council Greek Community, a collection of nine historically black
sororities and fraternities, and they're affectionately referred to as the
Divine Nine. The first official step show was said to
(11:50):
have been held in nineteen seventy six at Howard University,
a historically black college. The art form is thought to
be a display of unity and strength, and when witnessed,
it's about as fun as it gets in watching someone
else dance. To spread the tradition of the step dance
form to the wider Greek community, many black sororities and
fraternities organize what's widely referred to as Unity Nights on
(12:12):
college campuses all across the country. This is how the
Zetas were first turned onto stepping. One of the team members,
Alexandra Cosmiitis, recalled how her sorority learned the black art form.
Speaker 11 (12:23):
Well on our campus. The Alpha Kappa Alpha chapter holds
an annual Unity Step show, and this started about sixteen
years ago, and we began stepping then, so it's been
a tradition that we've been doing for a while.
Speaker 7 (12:36):
Around nineteen ninety four, the University of Arkansas chapter of
the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority or akas started their own
Unity Night event to help foster diversity on campus. The
all Black sorority would teach non black sororities how to step,
and those groups would compete against one another at the event,
(12:56):
with the Akas judging the contestants. The affair was noteworthy
enough for college media to or the tournament.
Speaker 9 (13:04):
The Unity Step Show brings over a thousand students in
Greeks the Born Hill Arena to watch one of the
biggest competitions on campus. But what is this Unity Step
Show really about?
Speaker 4 (13:19):
What unity means to me is that Greek brothers and
sisters coming together.
Speaker 9 (13:24):
As one he had interacting and having gone eight sororities
and seven fraternities are supported by their families, other Greeks
and friends by screaming and cheering. The Aka's, which is
an African American sorority, hosts this event every year and
teaches the white Greeks how to step. Although many students
(13:45):
do not realize that this event brings together all races.
Some actually see the unity.
Speaker 5 (13:50):
I mean, just to have something like this, I think
it's just awesome, just using between sororities, fraternities by sororities,
blacks atternity's justself whole words. I mean, I just think
it's good for the year day.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
I think this is amazing.
Speaker 7 (14:03):
Throughout the years, the White Zeta Girls embraced the black
art form, placing first or second over the history of
the campus wide competition. At the start of each school year,
they'd hold step tryouts within their sorority, and the girls
who made the cut trained every day for two months
leading up to the performance on Unity Night. In two
thousand and eight, the Zetas entered the competition using a
(14:26):
theme based on the movie The Matrix, with the girls
dressing in an all other looking outfit modeled after the
character Trinity from the blockbuster film, and they rocked the
crowd in the end they won the event.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
The Love of the.
Speaker 10 (14:59):
Jargon story the Vision got down and run, y'all gonna
be priticip in the NBAC Step show on Saturday.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
I'll one Here we Go, Parks Last The Sword anivission.
Speaker 7 (15:10):
The later of xatatime, stepping really became a part of
the Zeta Sororities identity. So in October two thousand and nine,
when the Sprite Step Off competition organized a qualifying round
in the Zeta's own backyard of Fayetteville, Arkansas, they decided
to enter, and just like on Unity Night, the White
(15:30):
Girls won, taking home the first place prize money of
five five hundred dollars in scholarships. By winning the qualifying round,
they also secured a spot on the documentary series to
be broadcast on MTV two.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Sprite and MTV two decided to follow three fraternities and
three sororities on their journey. The road stops in Atlanta, Georgia,
where only one fraternity and one sorority will take home
the grand prize of one hundred thousand dollars in scholarships
each and the title of champion. In the first of
(16:05):
a Sprite Step Off competition.
Speaker 7 (16:10):
The Zetas were chosen as one of three sororities that
would be filmed throughout the rest of the competition. This
was a big deal. The competition was hosted by Fast
and Furious star and hip hop artist Ludacrous and was
by far the biggest step event ever created, with one
point five million in scholarships dispersed to winners all along
the way. By taking the qualifying round, the Zetas were
(16:32):
also set to compete in the regional semi finals in Houston.
The event was nerve racking for the college students, not
only because it would be their first step performance outside
of their campus environment, but also because they'd be the
only white team in a competition dominated by black Greek sororities.
(16:53):
We were obviously a bit nervous about the competition, recalled
Zeta co captain Alexander Cosmidis going into Houston, but that
nervousness would be short lived.
Speaker 10 (17:30):
Oh my girl.
Speaker 7 (17:32):
The Zetas again took first place in Houston, this time
banking twenty one thousand, five hundred dollars in scholarships and
advancing to the national finals to be held in Atlanta, Georgia.
MTV two couldn't help it set up the racial drama
and its promotions for the TV series depicting the Zeta
Girls as the underdogs that weren't wanted at all by
the black crowd in Atlanta next week. On sprite Step,
(17:56):
a lot.
Speaker 11 (17:57):
Of people don't want us to be there, and they
definitely don't want us to succeed.
Speaker 7 (18:01):
When Zeta took the first first placed title of the
entire competition, really no one should have been surprised. They'd
already been besting the Blackreek squads for months, but their
win onlesia debate that the black community wasn't ready to broach.
It wasn't long after they walked off the stage that
an ugly twist to the story hit the news, a
(18:23):
twist proving that even with a black man in the
White House, America was still not ready to be post racial.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
Coca Cola said in a statement, quote, we discovered a
scoring discrepancy. There is no conclusive interpretation nor definitive resolution
for the discrepancy.
Speaker 7 (18:42):
Do you want to hear Red Pilled America stories ad free?
Then become a backstage subscriber.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
Go to Redpilled America dot com right now and click
join in the top menu.
Speaker 7 (18:51):
Join today and help us save America one story at
a time. Welcome back to Red Pilled America. So in
the days it followed the Zeta's first place when in
the Sprite step off competition, a controversy was swirling within
the Black community about whether the white girls should have
won and whether or not they should have even been
(19:12):
allowed into the tournament. The outrage mob got so loud
that an ugly twist to the story hit the news
just five days after the finale.
Speaker 10 (19:23):
That's Zeta Tau Alpha from the University of Arkansas. They're
white and when they won the competition. Many Black Greeks
were shocked. Outraged online message boards lit up. Then yesterday
the sponsor Sprite, which is owned by Coke, announced there
had been a scoring discrepancy. The company said the black
team from Indiana University that had finished second, the Alpha
(19:44):
Kappa Alphas, would instead share first prize.
Speaker 7 (19:50):
Sprite made the stunning announcement on their Facebook event page, stating, quote,
after the national Finals competition this past weekend in Atlanta wrapped,
we got together to do our post competition review and
found a scoring discrepancy in the sorority results, claimed the
carbonated beverage Giant, they continued, stating, quote, after looking at
it and looking at it again, we determined there isn't
(20:12):
a definitive resolution end quote. Sprite decided to name the
white Zetas of the University of Arkansas and the black
Akas of Indiana University as co first place winners of
the Step competition, each receiving one hundred thousand dollars towards
their education. It appeared the sponsor had caged the black
(20:34):
community's outrage, but the company likely received an assist by
someone else to organize the competition. Sprite turned to the
National Pan Hellenic Council, again, the community of nine historically
black sororities and fraternities that had originally popularized STEP in America.
The Council appeared to play a role in the co
first place decision. In an interview with The Washington Post
(20:56):
at the time, Warren Lee, chairman of the National Pan
Hellenic Council, was asked about the initial results of the
com petition. Lee responded saying, quote, we were not so
much unhappy as we were confused. We were not sure
if the rules had been applied as we understood them.
So there was some review, and it's my understanding that
one person made an honest mistake in the scoring end quote.
(21:19):
Juxtaposed that with Ludicrous's admission when announcing the winners that
the judges double checked the scores. In other words, it
sure didn't sound like a scoring discrepancy. It appeared more
like someone wanted to calm the outrage within the black community.
(21:39):
It's understandable that Sprite would want to end the controversy
and pacify their loudest critics. The entire reason for sponsoring
an event of this nature was to connect with the
African American community so that their product would be viewed
in a positive light. In the noble effort of sponsoring
a worthy art form, Sprite found itself in an impossible position.
But the act of naming two first place winners after
(22:02):
one seemly one fairly did much to increase the feeling
of a double standard in the matters of race, and
a few prominent writers from the black community spoke up
in reaction to their decision.
Speaker 6 (22:13):
The women who Zeta Tal Alpha, who participated in the nationals.
We can have an argument about whether or not you
think that they won compared to another organization, but you
shouldn't use the fact that they're white as the basis
for eliminating them. Doesn't make any sense.
Speaker 7 (22:27):
Wis right now naming co winners. The national media turned
to the Zeta Girls for their response.
Speaker 11 (22:33):
We're just trying to stay positive about the co championship.
Speaker 3 (22:37):
They were a really good team and so we're happy
to share the title with them.
Speaker 8 (22:41):
Well, how do you feel now that first you one
and then there was this whole business about the scoring discrepancies?
Do you buy that?
Speaker 3 (22:49):
Coca Cola has told us several times that they're a
company of integrity and that's one of their values. So
if they instill that in their company, I think that
they would practice that throughout. So I think that there
probably really was foreign discrepancy and they did what they
feel is right, and all we can do is respect
their decision and be happy. But another chapter has some
(23:10):
scholarship money as well.
Speaker 8 (23:12):
But I mean, I'm wondering what you make of the
whole thing because there is a little racial overtone to this.
I would think, do you think it's like this is
a white group and so this white group can't you
know this feeling that, oh, perhaps this tradition has somehow
been I don't know, what's the word diluted, hijacked? I
don't know.
Speaker 3 (23:29):
I think with Chame's you're gonna have people that don't
like it, and then you're gonna have people that embrace it.
And I think we've just seen both sides of that,
and our Step seems just trying to focus on the positive.
Speaker 7 (23:41):
But no one was stating the obvious that the outrage
over the Zeta Girls win conveyed a widespread racism within
the Black community. The truly ironic thing about the entire
ordeal was it everyone seemed to forget how the Zeta
Step team even came into existence. Their squad was literally
forged as a part of Unity Night, where Greek communities
of different ethnic backgrounds came together to share their cultural traditions.
(24:05):
The Zeta's even devised a routine with the help of
the local AKA chapter, an African American sorority, a fact
that stung many when the Zeida's outlasted their teachers. The
following year, Sprite decided to continue the competition, with the
finals going to Washington, d C. But for that installment,
the Zetas did not enter the contest.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
When we talked to a spokesperson of the Zetas a
year after the controversy, it was easy to tell that
the sting of the twenty ten decision was still present.
I was fascinated by the story of the Zeta's winning,
I mean co winning. I started the interview, but was
quickly interrupted. No, you were right the first time, said
Christy Barber, director of communications for the National Zeta Tau
Alpha organization. When asked if the Zeta Girls entered the
(24:52):
competition the following year, Barbara responded saying, quote, most of
that team was seniors. They performed their last time in
front of eight hundred of their sorority sisters. End quote.
Think that Sprite would have extended invitation to their sorority
for the competition's second outing. So we asked if Sprite did,
and Barbara responded stating, quote, I don't believe Sprite reached
(25:13):
out to our girls. I don't think they reached outside
of the Divine nine sororities or fraternities. They are trying
to reach a specific audience, and it's their right to
do that end quote. Sprite claimed in a statement to
us at the time that they did, in fact invite
all of the organizations that participated in the twenty ten competition.
We asked Christy Barber if Zada's decision not to enter
(25:34):
had anything to do with the co first place controversy.
Her reply was simply no. But we received a markedly
different response from a twenty ten Zeta Team co captain
Mary Catherine Bentley, when she stated to us, quote, it
had everything to do with the controversy. We decided it
wasn't worth the scrutiny end quote. It seems that regardless
(25:57):
of the gains for Black Americans, this racial tension continues unabated.
A lot of it it is stoked by the far
left mainstream media, but the media doesn't carry all the
blame for this divide. Even while conditions are improving within
the black community as a group, Blacks continue to have
negative outlooks on race relations. In Obama's final year in office,
(26:18):
sixty three percent of those polled said race relations were
generally bad, with a whopping seventy two percent of Blacks
agreeing with that sentiment, even with a black man in
the White House. In April twenty nineteen, under President Trump,
that perception improved by five points for all Americans, but
remained stubbornly unchanged amongst blacks, with seventy one percent feeling
(26:40):
race relations were generally bad, and that in a year
where black unemployment reached an all time low of five
point five per cent, even after historic gains, our black
brothers and sisters continue their negative perceptions on race relations
and at times behave outright races, as they did towards
the Zeta's winning the competition. When the contest outcome was altered,
(27:01):
it only underscored that fact. I mean, think about this
for a minute. If the tables returned, and let's say
African American gymnast Simone Biles was forced to share the
world all around title with a white competitor after an
outcry by fans of the sport, it would be an
international scandal. Any attempt at changing the outcome of her
gold medal wind would be met with a ferocious, perhaps
(27:23):
even violent response. What could have been a unique opportunity
for racial unity, a theme that was literally embedded in
the Zeta Step team's existence, was instead turned into an
ugly moment of division where hypocrites, said an insightful black
student to Howard University's The Hilltop newspaper. The student elaborated,
adding quote, the crowd gave them a standing ovation when
(27:45):
they stepped and booed when they won. And the sad
thing is this racial animosity all occurred as the first
black President's message of hope was still fresh in every
one's minds, and that negative perception on race relations has
remained largely unchanged within the Black community to this day,
(28:24):
which leads us back to the question who can create
a post racial America. The answer is clear. The ball
is in the court of Black America. They are the
only ones that can help us realize Doctor King's dream
because every time we appear to reach the promised land,
Black America moves the goal post. Immediately after the Zada
(28:47):
Girls finish their show stopping performance, the event moderator said
something to the shocked audience, but clearly he was wrong
when the Zada's won the entire competition just a few
minutes later, the Black community decided to judge the sorority
not by the content of their performance, but instead by
(29:09):
the color of their skin, and the African American outrage
that ensued revealed what can only be described as one
of the few forms of racism that is still acceptable
in America. After years of suggesting that his presidency would
signal the dawn of a colorblind America, Obama himself downplayed
the concept near the end of his second term.
Speaker 4 (29:28):
No, my election did not create a post racial society.
Speaker 8 (29:33):
I don't know who was propagating that notion that was
not mine.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
Obama missed his opportunity at creating a lasting unity night
throughout our country. And there isn't a white man or
white woman that can with a media so hell bent
on stoking racial division. At this point, only Black Americans
can help us achieve Doctor King's dream of a colorblind nation.
But at some point you have to wonder if our
(29:57):
black brothers and sisters are selfishly moving the goalpost just
to score a few more points.
Speaker 7 (30:04):
Red Pilled America is an iHeartRadio original podcast. It's owned
and produced by Patrick Carrelci and me Adriana Cortez for
Informed Ventures.
Speaker 5 (30:11):
Now.
Speaker 7 (30:12):
You can get ad free access to our entire catalog
of episodes by becoming a backstage subscriber. To subscribe, just
visit Redpilled America dot com and click join in the topmenu.
That's Red Pilled America dot com and click join in
the topmenu. Thanks for listening.
This is Red Pilled America. Hey, everybody, don't forget to
leave a comment on Apple Podcasts. It really helps us
beat the big tech algorithm and the trolls. If you
want to become a backstage subscriber, you can get ad
free access to our entire back catalog of audio documentaries
as well as famboogie. Just visit Redpilled America dot com
(00:24):
and click join in the topmenu. That's Redpilled America dot
com and click join in the top menu. Now on
with the show. This episode was originally broadcast on February seventh,
twenty twenty. We were all sold to Barack Obama represented
(00:46):
an end to America's racial divide.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
There is not a Black America and a White America
and Latino America and Asian America.
Speaker 3 (00:57):
There's the United States of America.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
But ever since his historic collection, racial tensions have seemed
to only escalate.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
Nowadays, if you are racist, you're probably a Republican. The
President of the United States is racist, You're gonna put.
Speaker 5 (01:12):
Y'all back in change.
Speaker 6 (01:13):
Our generation saw this country elect its first black president
and then turn around and elect a racist to.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
The White House. If Barack Obama couldn't end our racial tensions?
Who can who will create a post racial America? I'm
Patrick Carrelci.
Speaker 7 (01:32):
And I'm Adrianna Cortez.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
And this is Red Pilled America, a storytelling show.
Speaker 7 (01:39):
This is not another talk show covering the day's news.
We are all about telling stories.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
Stories. Hollywood doesn't want you to hear stories.
Speaker 7 (01:47):
The media marks stories about everyday Americans if the globalist ignore.
Speaker 1 (01:53):
You could think of Red Pilled America as audio documentaries.
And we promise only one thing, the truth. Welcome to
Red Pilled America. We were told that Barack Obama represented
(02:17):
a watershed moment for race relations. His meteoric rise was
propelled by the promise of a colorblind nation and was
supposed to have been an unequivocal sign that Martin Luther
King Junior's dream had been realized.
Speaker 8 (02:30):
I have a dream my four little children.
Speaker 4 (02:38):
Will one day live in a nation where they will
not be.
Speaker 5 (02:41):
Judged by the color of their skin, but by the
content of that character.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
I have a dream today.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Yet with all the hope that Obama promised, few would
say that America is color blind today. In fact, it
can be argued, and the data shows this that race
relations have even deteriorated since he took the oath of office.
If the election of the first black president could not
create a post racial America, is there anyone that can
deliver that dream. To find the answer, We're going to
(03:10):
tell the story of an underdog team that was attacked
purely because of the color of their skin, and through
their journey we'll learn who will really bring an end
to America's racial divide. It happened on February twentieth, twenty ten,
(03:34):
barely a year after Obama's inauguration. After a hard fought
six month national battle, funded by one of the biggest
advertisers in the world, the Sprite Step Off Competition entered
its finale. A step tournament, which is a dance art
form practiced almost entirely by African Americans, was billed as
the largest ever contest of its kind. Out of almost
(03:57):
fifty female teams from all over the country, only six
girl squads remained. One crew was the undeniable underdog entering
the finals, the Zadas, and almost no one wanted them
to win. On paper, the Zadas didn't stand the chance.
Their sorority had been practicing the art form for roughly
sixteen years, the other squads had over four decades of
(04:19):
legacy under their belt. When the Zaidas stepped on the
finale stage, you'd be hard pressed to find a single
person in the nearly five thousand strong audience that wanted
them to win. But as the underdogs began their final dance,
astonishingly the crowd erupted. Throughout their nearly nine minute routine.
(04:51):
The spectators could hardly contain themselves, jumping out of their seats, screaming, laughing,
high fiving. The excitement was unmistakable. By the end of
(05:28):
their performance, little could be heard through the elated pandemonium
that filled the theater, a fact highlighted by the competition moderator.
The crowd's ecstatic excitement seemed to extend for minutes after
(05:49):
the Zetas left the stage, making what happened next all
the more puzzling. The festive crowd eventually quieted when the
judge's results came in. As the third place team was
announced the delta's the air of excitement was quickly erased
by the sound of an ease. Could the long shots
really win this thing? The theater became near silent as
(06:11):
the competition host announced the runner up the Akas of
Indiana University, and when he did, it became a parent
who was going to take the first place prize the Zadas.
The room that was just a short while ago filled
with screams of adoration for the underdog was now saturated
(06:33):
with booze. Audience members began making their way to the
exits before the first place team was even announced. The
host of the event, Rapper Ludacris, assured the crowd that
the judges double checked the scores.
Speaker 2 (06:49):
Times three thousand, Thomas and scottar Shits.
Speaker 8 (06:52):
Goes for two. Oh yeah, back, that's right.
Speaker 9 (07:01):
As the Zada's.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
Say Zeta Tau Alpha Sorority from the University of Arkansas,
the only white team in the entire tournament, had just
won the biggest step competition ever, and some on the
team were disoriented by the swift turn against them. They
gave us a standing ovation and then turned around and
buddh us So I didn't really understand, said one team
(07:22):
member to a reporter. The winners were understandably confused, but
what was supposed to be the end of their journey
turned out to be just the beginning. With their win,
the Zetas ignited a furious debate within the black community,
with many questioning whether the white girls should have even
been in the competition. Some complain of cultural theft. How
(07:49):
are you going to take something that's ours and give
it away, said one critic.
Speaker 4 (07:53):
Some said it was cultural thefts quote, I wish you
white people would stop stealing everything from us. Can we
just have one thing for ourselves? Stepping is for as
not them.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Others claimed that the novelty of the color of their
skin won them the top prize.
Speaker 10 (08:09):
Just a few of the comments. I saw these girls
were good for white girls, but this was mediocre at best.
Another one said, way to steal another culture's style.
Speaker 1 (08:18):
The tournament that was to be aired on MTV two
was accused of being rigged to boost the ratings of
the broadcast. When someone from the crowd posted the zeta's
winning performance on YouTube, it went viral. The remarks posted
on the video were so overwhelmingly negative that the poster
of the video momentarily questioned whether or not to turn
off the comment function, ultimately deciding to leave it.
Speaker 9 (08:39):
On.
Speaker 1 (08:40):
A radio show in Atlanta, where the finals were held,
heated up with angry phone calls, prompting one of the
competition judges Chile, a famed female rap group TLC to
call in and actually side with the callers. The Akas
from Indiana, hands down, in my opinion, should have won.
She stated on air. The uproar was rising to a
point that revealed the ugly state of race relations in America.
(09:20):
Life is short. It's important to surround yourself with people
you love, do the things that make you feel happy,
and if you're me, eat delicious licorice. I've got the
latter covered thanks to fresh and delicious licorice from the
Licorice Guy. If you're an avid listener of RPA, then
you know that licorice is my jam and that it
does not get any better than the gourmet licorice made
(09:42):
by the Licorice Guy. They have a great selection of
flavors to choose from, like red, blue, raspberry, black, and
green apple, just to name a few. The freshness of
their licorice is unlike anything you've ever tasted in licorice before.
If you haven't tried the Licorice Guy yet, then you're
living a life unfulfilled. Trust me, you will not regret it.
What I also love about the Licorice Guy is that
(10:03):
it's an American family owned business. We are big proponents
of buying American and supporting American workers. Right now, Red
Pilled America listeners get fifteen percent off when you enter
RPA fifteen at checkout. Visit licoriceguide dot com and enter
RPA fifteen at checkout. That's licoriceguide dot com. Welcome back
(10:27):
to Red Pilled America. So the underdog Zeta Girls pulled
off the seemingly impossible. They made it to the finals
of the country's biggest step competition, and they were the
only white team. All the other squads were black. At
the end of the Zeta's performance, the all black crowd
went wild, giving them a standing ovation. However, when the
(10:47):
Zadas were announced the winners, the cheers quickly turned to booze,
and their victory set off a public firestorm, with the
black community accusing the white girls of cultural appropriation.
Speaker 7 (11:04):
For the uninitiated. Step is a blend of cheerleading, military marching,
spoken word, and dance choreography with signature handslaps, and footstomps
that's typically performed by a group of men or women
rather than a single person. Stepping is unequivocally a visually
exciting art form and without a doubt, a black rooted tradition.
(11:27):
It traces its origin to Africa and was first embraced
stateside in the late nineteen sixties by the National Pan
Hellenic Council Greek Community, a collection of nine historically black
sororities and fraternities, and they're affectionately referred to as the
Divine Nine. The first official step show was said to
(11:50):
have been held in nineteen seventy six at Howard University,
a historically black college. The art form is thought to
be a display of unity and strength, and when witnessed,
it's about as fun as it gets in watching someone
else dance. To spread the tradition of the step dance
form to the wider Greek community, many black sororities and
fraternities organize what's widely referred to as Unity Nights on
(12:12):
college campuses all across the country. This is how the
Zetas were first turned onto stepping. One of the team members,
Alexandra Cosmiitis, recalled how her sorority learned the black art form.
Speaker 11 (12:23):
Well on our campus. The Alpha Kappa Alpha chapter holds
an annual Unity Step show, and this started about sixteen
years ago, and we began stepping then, so it's been
a tradition that we've been doing for a while.
Speaker 7 (12:36):
Around nineteen ninety four, the University of Arkansas chapter of
the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority or akas started their own
Unity Night event to help foster diversity on campus. The
all Black sorority would teach non black sororities how to step,
and those groups would compete against one another at the event,
(12:56):
with the Akas judging the contestants. The affair was noteworthy
enough for college media to or the tournament.
Speaker 9 (13:04):
The Unity Step Show brings over a thousand students in
Greeks the Born Hill Arena to watch one of the
biggest competitions on campus. But what is this Unity Step
Show really about?
Speaker 4 (13:19):
What unity means to me is that Greek brothers and
sisters coming together.
Speaker 9 (13:24):
As one he had interacting and having gone eight sororities
and seven fraternities are supported by their families, other Greeks
and friends by screaming and cheering. The Aka's, which is
an African American sorority, hosts this event every year and
teaches the white Greeks how to step. Although many students
(13:45):
do not realize that this event brings together all races.
Some actually see the unity.
Speaker 5 (13:50):
I mean, just to have something like this, I think
it's just awesome, just using between sororities, fraternities by sororities,
blacks atternity's justself whole words. I mean, I just think
it's good for the year day.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
I think this is amazing.
Speaker 7 (14:03):
Throughout the years, the White Zeta Girls embraced the black
art form, placing first or second over the history of
the campus wide competition. At the start of each school year,
they'd hold step tryouts within their sorority, and the girls
who made the cut trained every day for two months
leading up to the performance on Unity Night. In two
thousand and eight, the Zetas entered the competition using a
(14:26):
theme based on the movie The Matrix, with the girls
dressing in an all other looking outfit modeled after the
character Trinity from the blockbuster film, and they rocked the
crowd in the end they won the event.
Speaker 3 (14:56):
The Love of the.
Speaker 10 (14:59):
Jargon story the Vision got down and run, y'all gonna
be priticip in the NBAC Step show on Saturday.
Speaker 1 (15:06):
I'll one Here we Go, Parks Last The Sword anivission.
Speaker 7 (15:10):
The later of xatatime, stepping really became a part of
the Zeta Sororities identity. So in October two thousand and nine,
when the Sprite Step Off competition organized a qualifying round
in the Zeta's own backyard of Fayetteville, Arkansas, they decided
to enter, and just like on Unity Night, the White
(15:30):
Girls won, taking home the first place prize money of
five five hundred dollars in scholarships. By winning the qualifying round,
they also secured a spot on the documentary series to
be broadcast on MTV two.
Speaker 2 (15:43):
Sprite and MTV two decided to follow three fraternities and
three sororities on their journey. The road stops in Atlanta, Georgia,
where only one fraternity and one sorority will take home
the grand prize of one hundred thousand dollars in scholarships
each and the title of champion. In the first of
(16:05):
a Sprite Step Off competition.
Speaker 7 (16:10):
The Zetas were chosen as one of three sororities that
would be filmed throughout the rest of the competition. This
was a big deal. The competition was hosted by Fast
and Furious star and hip hop artist Ludacrous and was
by far the biggest step event ever created, with one
point five million in scholarships dispersed to winners all along
the way. By taking the qualifying round, the Zetas were
(16:32):
also set to compete in the regional semi finals in Houston.
The event was nerve racking for the college students, not
only because it would be their first step performance outside
of their campus environment, but also because they'd be the
only white team in a competition dominated by black Greek sororities.
(16:53):
We were obviously a bit nervous about the competition, recalled
Zeta co captain Alexander Cosmidis going into Houston, but that
nervousness would be short lived.
Speaker 10 (17:30):
Oh my girl.
Speaker 7 (17:32):
The Zetas again took first place in Houston, this time
banking twenty one thousand, five hundred dollars in scholarships and
advancing to the national finals to be held in Atlanta, Georgia.
MTV two couldn't help it set up the racial drama
and its promotions for the TV series depicting the Zeta
Girls as the underdogs that weren't wanted at all by
the black crowd in Atlanta next week. On sprite Step,
(17:56):
a lot.
Speaker 11 (17:57):
Of people don't want us to be there, and they
definitely don't want us to succeed.
Speaker 7 (18:01):
When Zeta took the first first placed title of the
entire competition, really no one should have been surprised. They'd
already been besting the Blackreek squads for months, but their
win onlesia debate that the black community wasn't ready to broach.
It wasn't long after they walked off the stage that
an ugly twist to the story hit the news, a
(18:23):
twist proving that even with a black man in the
White House, America was still not ready to be post racial.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
Coca Cola said in a statement, quote, we discovered a
scoring discrepancy. There is no conclusive interpretation nor definitive resolution
for the discrepancy.
Speaker 7 (18:42):
Do you want to hear Red Pilled America stories ad free?
Then become a backstage subscriber.
Speaker 1 (18:47):
Go to Redpilled America dot com right now and click
join in the top menu.
Speaker 7 (18:51):
Join today and help us save America one story at
a time. Welcome back to Red Pilled America. So in
the days it followed the Zeta's first place when in
the Sprite step off competition, a controversy was swirling within
the Black community about whether the white girls should have
won and whether or not they should have even been
(19:12):
allowed into the tournament. The outrage mob got so loud
that an ugly twist to the story hit the news
just five days after the finale.
Speaker 10 (19:23):
That's Zeta Tau Alpha from the University of Arkansas. They're
white and when they won the competition. Many Black Greeks
were shocked. Outraged online message boards lit up. Then yesterday
the sponsor Sprite, which is owned by Coke, announced there
had been a scoring discrepancy. The company said the black
team from Indiana University that had finished second, the Alpha
(19:44):
Kappa Alphas, would instead share first prize.
Speaker 7 (19:50):
Sprite made the stunning announcement on their Facebook event page, stating, quote,
after the national Finals competition this past weekend in Atlanta wrapped,
we got together to do our post competition review and
found a scoring discrepancy in the sorority results, claimed the
carbonated beverage Giant, they continued, stating, quote, after looking at
it and looking at it again, we determined there isn't
(20:12):
a definitive resolution end quote. Sprite decided to name the
white Zetas of the University of Arkansas and the black
Akas of Indiana University as co first place winners of
the Step competition, each receiving one hundred thousand dollars towards
their education. It appeared the sponsor had caged the black
(20:34):
community's outrage, but the company likely received an assist by
someone else to organize the competition. Sprite turned to the
National Pan Hellenic Council, again, the community of nine historically
black sororities and fraternities that had originally popularized STEP in America.
The Council appeared to play a role in the co
first place decision. In an interview with The Washington Post
(20:56):
at the time, Warren Lee, chairman of the National Pan
Hellenic Council, was asked about the initial results of the
com petition. Lee responded saying, quote, we were not so
much unhappy as we were confused. We were not sure
if the rules had been applied as we understood them.
So there was some review, and it's my understanding that
one person made an honest mistake in the scoring end quote.
(21:19):
Juxtaposed that with Ludicrous's admission when announcing the winners that
the judges double checked the scores. In other words, it
sure didn't sound like a scoring discrepancy. It appeared more
like someone wanted to calm the outrage within the black community.
(21:39):
It's understandable that Sprite would want to end the controversy
and pacify their loudest critics. The entire reason for sponsoring
an event of this nature was to connect with the
African American community so that their product would be viewed
in a positive light. In the noble effort of sponsoring
a worthy art form, Sprite found itself in an impossible position.
But the act of naming two first place winners after
(22:02):
one seemly one fairly did much to increase the feeling
of a double standard in the matters of race, and
a few prominent writers from the black community spoke up
in reaction to their decision.
Speaker 6 (22:13):
The women who Zeta Tal Alpha, who participated in the nationals.
We can have an argument about whether or not you
think that they won compared to another organization, but you
shouldn't use the fact that they're white as the basis
for eliminating them. Doesn't make any sense.
Speaker 7 (22:27):
Wis right now naming co winners. The national media turned
to the Zeta Girls for their response.
Speaker 11 (22:33):
We're just trying to stay positive about the co championship.
Speaker 3 (22:37):
They were a really good team and so we're happy
to share the title with them.
Speaker 8 (22:41):
Well, how do you feel now that first you one
and then there was this whole business about the scoring discrepancies?
Do you buy that?
Speaker 3 (22:49):
Coca Cola has told us several times that they're a
company of integrity and that's one of their values. So
if they instill that in their company, I think that
they would practice that throughout. So I think that there
probably really was foreign discrepancy and they did what they
feel is right, and all we can do is respect
their decision and be happy. But another chapter has some
(23:10):
scholarship money as well.
Speaker 8 (23:12):
But I mean, I'm wondering what you make of the
whole thing because there is a little racial overtone to this.
I would think, do you think it's like this is
a white group and so this white group can't you
know this feeling that, oh, perhaps this tradition has somehow
been I don't know, what's the word diluted, hijacked? I
don't know.
Speaker 3 (23:29):
I think with Chame's you're gonna have people that don't
like it, and then you're gonna have people that embrace it.
And I think we've just seen both sides of that,
and our Step seems just trying to focus on the positive.
Speaker 7 (23:41):
But no one was stating the obvious that the outrage
over the Zeta Girls win conveyed a widespread racism within
the Black community. The truly ironic thing about the entire
ordeal was it everyone seemed to forget how the Zeta
Step team even came into existence. Their squad was literally
forged as a part of Unity Night, where Greek communities
of different ethnic backgrounds came together to share their cultural traditions.
(24:05):
The Zeta's even devised a routine with the help of
the local AKA chapter, an African American sorority, a fact
that stung many when the Zeida's outlasted their teachers. The
following year, Sprite decided to continue the competition, with the
finals going to Washington, d C. But for that installment,
the Zetas did not enter the contest.
Speaker 1 (24:29):
When we talked to a spokesperson of the Zetas a
year after the controversy, it was easy to tell that
the sting of the twenty ten decision was still present.
I was fascinated by the story of the Zeta's winning,
I mean co winning. I started the interview, but was
quickly interrupted. No, you were right the first time, said
Christy Barber, director of communications for the National Zeta Tau
Alpha organization. When asked if the Zeta Girls entered the
(24:52):
competition the following year, Barbara responded saying, quote, most of
that team was seniors. They performed their last time in
front of eight hundred of their sorority sisters. End quote.
Think that Sprite would have extended invitation to their sorority
for the competition's second outing. So we asked if Sprite did,
and Barbara responded stating, quote, I don't believe Sprite reached
(25:13):
out to our girls. I don't think they reached outside
of the Divine nine sororities or fraternities. They are trying
to reach a specific audience, and it's their right to
do that end quote. Sprite claimed in a statement to
us at the time that they did, in fact invite
all of the organizations that participated in the twenty ten competition.
We asked Christy Barber if Zada's decision not to enter
(25:34):
had anything to do with the co first place controversy.
Her reply was simply no. But we received a markedly
different response from a twenty ten Zeta Team co captain
Mary Catherine Bentley, when she stated to us, quote, it
had everything to do with the controversy. We decided it
wasn't worth the scrutiny end quote. It seems that regardless
(25:57):
of the gains for Black Americans, this racial tension continues unabated.
A lot of it it is stoked by the far
left mainstream media, but the media doesn't carry all the
blame for this divide. Even while conditions are improving within
the black community as a group, Blacks continue to have
negative outlooks on race relations. In Obama's final year in office,
(26:18):
sixty three percent of those polled said race relations were
generally bad, with a whopping seventy two percent of Blacks
agreeing with that sentiment, even with a black man in
the White House. In April twenty nineteen, under President Trump,
that perception improved by five points for all Americans, but
remained stubbornly unchanged amongst blacks, with seventy one percent feeling
(26:40):
race relations were generally bad, and that in a year
where black unemployment reached an all time low of five
point five per cent, even after historic gains, our black
brothers and sisters continue their negative perceptions on race relations
and at times behave outright races, as they did towards
the Zeta's winning the competition. When the contest outcome was altered,
(27:01):
it only underscored that fact. I mean, think about this
for a minute. If the tables returned, and let's say
African American gymnast Simone Biles was forced to share the
world all around title with a white competitor after an
outcry by fans of the sport, it would be an
international scandal. Any attempt at changing the outcome of her
gold medal wind would be met with a ferocious, perhaps
(27:23):
even violent response. What could have been a unique opportunity
for racial unity, a theme that was literally embedded in
the Zeta Step team's existence, was instead turned into an
ugly moment of division where hypocrites, said an insightful black
student to Howard University's The Hilltop newspaper. The student elaborated,
adding quote, the crowd gave them a standing ovation when
(27:45):
they stepped and booed when they won. And the sad
thing is this racial animosity all occurred as the first
black President's message of hope was still fresh in every
one's minds, and that negative perception on race relations has
remained largely unchanged within the Black community to this day,
(28:24):
which leads us back to the question who can create
a post racial America. The answer is clear. The ball
is in the court of Black America. They are the
only ones that can help us realize Doctor King's dream
because every time we appear to reach the promised land,
Black America moves the goal post. Immediately after the Zada
(28:47):
Girls finish their show stopping performance, the event moderator said
something to the shocked audience, but clearly he was wrong
when the Zada's won the entire competition just a few
minutes later, the Black community decided to judge the sorority
not by the content of their performance, but instead by
(29:09):
the color of their skin, and the African American outrage
that ensued revealed what can only be described as one
of the few forms of racism that is still acceptable
in America. After years of suggesting that his presidency would
signal the dawn of a colorblind America, Obama himself downplayed
the concept near the end of his second term.
Speaker 4 (29:28):
No, my election did not create a post racial society.
Speaker 8 (29:33):
I don't know who was propagating that notion that was
not mine.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
Obama missed his opportunity at creating a lasting unity night
throughout our country. And there isn't a white man or
white woman that can with a media so hell bent
on stoking racial division. At this point, only Black Americans
can help us achieve Doctor King's dream of a colorblind nation.
But at some point you have to wonder if our
(29:57):
black brothers and sisters are selfishly moving the goalpost just
to score a few more points.
Speaker 7 (30:04):
Red Pilled America is an iHeartRadio original podcast. It's owned
and produced by Patrick Carrelci and me Adriana Cortez for
Informed Ventures.
Speaker 5 (30:11):
Now.
Speaker 7 (30:12):
You can get ad free access to our entire catalog
of episodes by becoming a backstage subscriber. To subscribe, just
visit Redpilled America dot com and click join in the topmenu.
That's Red Pilled America dot com and click join in
the topmenu. Thanks for listening.
Hosts And Creators
Adryana Cortez
Patrick Courrielche
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce
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!
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.