January 28, 2025 • 9 mins
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
A couple of stories I want to get to Shannon
(00:03):
broke this story, the story about the uh Detroit woman,
a rapper who was calling for a lift, and when
she had the lift pull up in front of her house,
uh and to give her a ride, the driver told
(00:24):
her that she was too big to get into his
car because he felt like she was too heavy to
get into his car. By the way, the attorney for her,
what was her name? By the way, you know, I
hope I'm not saying it wrong. It's Dank Demos, I believe.
Is how you pronounce her name, Dank Demos. How are
we not playing any of her music? You should we
play all the localt's lift her up? Maybe maybe this
(00:47):
could be Actually, you know, not only is she going
to make a bajillion dollars from from Lyft for discriminatory
case like this, but which by the way, Michigan has
a law that we were one of the few states
that has a law that talks about out discriminatory behavior
towards overweight people. Really, so yeah, it's actually, hold hold on,
let me play this audio. Actually, let me get her
(01:09):
attorney on and say hello, and then I'll play the
audio for everybody. While he's on the phone with us.
John Marco is the attorney. What's what's up, John? How
you doing?
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Good morning? What's up guys?
Speaker 1 (01:20):
Good morning, Good morning from the Marco Law Firm. By
the way, what a case, man, I gotta tell you.
I see I see dollar signs like crazy on this one.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
John, Well, it's illegal. I mean, it's the only way
we can enforce these laws is through money damage lawsuits.
Whether you like it or not, I mean, it's a
legal and the goal is so you make an example
and it doesn't happen to anybody else.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
John, Are we saying your client's name right? Are we
getting everything else?
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Well, that's the artist's name. Her, her god given name
is Deja Blandy okay.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Deja okay. So let me play for the listeners that
haven't heard this audio yet or seen this viral video, which,
by the way, posts up on on our Instagram and Facebook.
She calls for a lift to go to a family party.
From what I'm understanding, right, and the lift is a
Mercedes that comes and picks her up. It's a guide
driving a Mercedes. So obviously you know guy's got himself.
(02:23):
It wasn't an suv. It was one of their sedans.
And he pulls up and when he sees her walk
out of the home, he sees that, Uh, and I
don't want to call her, you know, overweight, because I'm
an over I'm an overweight guy, but people would describe
me as being a bigger guy. She's a bigger woman. Okay,
And he says this to her, basic, my car is small.
(02:47):
In this car, we'll believe me.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
This believe me. So you salling me I can't lift
because I can't sit in your car?
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Yeah, you called her a big make it wait, saying
you need to order a bigger car, which, by the way,
bigger cars ordered when you have multiple passengers or lots
of passengers. You don't order bigger cars for a person's side.
Do you think I can't fit in a car?
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Yeah? What makes you think I can't hit in this car?
The my best friend has it is, that's no word
in this that I.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Can fit you.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
That's the same time you do more and more specifically
you I got very tire tires. Why did he say
he said that his tires and tired. Yeah, he said
something about his tires. What I got to do with
your tires?
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (03:38):
And you have no space.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
How you I don't have those spas?
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Yeah, I got no space in the fact.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
How do you not I don't have no space.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Because I know what I don't never have to order.
Speaker 5 (03:51):
Uber exod I'm crazy, bro.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
No, so so John. Obviously you guys have done the
whole US conference thing. Have you heard from Lyft at all?
Have their representatives contacted your client to apologize for this.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
No, we haven't heard anything from Lift. They haven't contacted us.
They did send some type of Instagram message to my
client and asked her to contact them. Obviously we told
her not to do that. We'll talk to them. We're
waiting to hear from them and would love to hear
their explanation.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
The drivers did this. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Nothing, We haven't heard any apology from the driver. We
have his first name because you know, on these lift
asks it doesn't show the whole person's name, but we
have the driver's first name, so we're going to be
able to identify him once we get the records from.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
I'd love to know what this driver's record is with Lyft,
Like how long has this man been a lift driver
to do something like he did? Because the and obviously
lift has to be responsible for who represents them, no doubt.
But this this guy sounds like this guy's you know,
got a you know, not a very smart not a
(05:06):
very smart man.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
Like there's not a very good representative. Yeah of the company. Yeah,
how much money we suing for? I hope it's like
twenty eight billion dollars? What kind of money? What are
we doing?
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Shut up to me, it's up to a jury of
Wayne County, you know. But what we need to lift
is a multi billion dollar company. It needs to be
enough money that it'll deter them and maybe make some
policy changes. You know. Wait, discrimination actually is legal in
most states Michigan and New York or I think the
two states where it is illegal. But in a lot
(05:39):
of states it's perfectly legal to discriminate against people and
fast shamer.
Speaker 5 (05:44):
And hopefully that's something that comes out of this case.
Every state is should be illegal to body shame individuals.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
It shouldn't be legal anywhere. Yeah, that's legal to me.
It's to me, it's amazing John. When I don't know
if there was any kind of relation that you had
with your client, but when you had a chance for
the very first time to talk to her about this,
How is she doing? How is she holding up with
this whole thing, because she handled herself great in that audio.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Yeah, I mean she's upset. I mean, but and she's
just feel sad about it, you know. And and I
mean we're lucky in this situation that she was just
going to another friend's party. I mean, imagine if if
it was cold outside and she was stranded, or Harborough brown,
or you know, she was outside of a bar at
three in the morning, or she was in a bad area.
(06:35):
I mean, it could have endangered her life. And the
real sad thing is this stuff happens more than you think.
You know, we had a lot of cases where we'll
have people with this ability to are blind and have
seeing eye dogs and the list will not allow them
in with the dog and we'll drive away and leaving
a blind person on the side of the road. So
(06:56):
I mean that's why we have these laws. And you know,
in a way, she's lucky that, you know, she didn't
get hurt, but but something's got to change, and it's
illegal what they did.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
Which, by the way, we talk about listen and ubers
all the time and you'll see like six people pile
into an uber and nobody ever goes, oh wow, that's
a weight limit, But as soon as you see a
big person, you're like, well, I think it's fine that
she didn't get a lot into the car. It's so
crazy how we treat people who are overweight in such
a discriminatory, discriminatory way on a regular basis that my
(07:32):
heart breaks for her.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
And listen, this also, I'm sure happens for people's skin color.
And I'm sure this happens for people's uh. You know,
we've always heard discrimination in many, many different cases where
people are discriminatory towards a person, maybe even honestly how
they smell. I mean, for God's sake, But this is
this is something if you are the person that is
(07:54):
offering up the services, you've got to be willing to
supply the services. But you just brought up is something
I didn't even think about when this was going on.
What if this was middle of the night, She's coming
out of a club or wherever, and it's a safety issue.
You know, Thank God that she wasn't in one of
those situations. You know, John Marco, we're going to keep
(08:18):
on top of this case, and will you do as
a favor I know that Lydia's you know, got some
information from you. Will you let us know when as
soon as you hear that Lift has actually given any
kind of a comment on this.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Absolutely, absolutely, and I will keep you guys in your
listeners informed and hopefully we'll make some good changes here
and make sure that everybody has equal rights to transportation
here in Michigan.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Thanks buddy, I appreciate you so much. Take care of yourself.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Thank you. Guys.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
Wow, what a what a crazy story. Let's just say,
I mean, that's just insane. That's the thing.
Speaker 5 (08:50):
Like it It sucks, but it takes something as egregious
as this man's actions to create change. And often that's
what creates change, is something horrific that has to take place,
but somebody sacrifice hopefully will provide everybody else the ability
to live a happier life.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
Yeah, and she needs to get paid. I want to
hear her music. Tell John by the way, let's get
some Instagram. I want to know what you know, what
are her aspirations? Is that going to be her like
full time thing?
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Like?
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Now do you take this because sometimes you take this
to the next level. It's like you know what I mean,
Like you're obviously probably going to make a little bit
of money off of this, saying, but then this also
could spotlight her her talents that she has
A couple of stories I want to get to Shannon
(00:03):
broke this story, the story about the uh Detroit woman,
a rapper who was calling for a lift, and when
she had the lift pull up in front of her house,
uh and to give her a ride, the driver told
(00:24):
her that she was too big to get into his
car because he felt like she was too heavy to
get into his car. By the way, the attorney for her,
what was her name? By the way, you know, I
hope I'm not saying it wrong. It's Dank Demos, I believe.
Is how you pronounce her name, Dank Demos. How are
we not playing any of her music? You should we
play all the localt's lift her up? Maybe maybe this
(00:47):
could be Actually, you know, not only is she going
to make a bajillion dollars from from Lyft for discriminatory
case like this, but which by the way, Michigan has
a law that we were one of the few states
that has a law that talks about out discriminatory behavior
towards overweight people. Really, so yeah, it's actually, hold hold on,
let me play this audio. Actually, let me get her
(01:09):
attorney on and say hello, and then I'll play the
audio for everybody. While he's on the phone with us.
John Marco is the attorney. What's what's up, John? How
you doing?
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Good morning? What's up guys?
Speaker 1 (01:20):
Good morning, Good morning from the Marco Law Firm. By
the way, what a case, man, I gotta tell you.
I see I see dollar signs like crazy on this one.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
John, Well, it's illegal. I mean, it's the only way
we can enforce these laws is through money damage lawsuits.
Whether you like it or not, I mean, it's a
legal and the goal is so you make an example
and it doesn't happen to anybody else.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
John, Are we saying your client's name right? Are we
getting everything else?
Speaker 2 (01:52):
Well, that's the artist's name. Her, her god given name
is Deja Blandy okay.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Deja okay. So let me play for the listeners that
haven't heard this audio yet or seen this viral video, which,
by the way, posts up on on our Instagram and Facebook.
She calls for a lift to go to a family party.
From what I'm understanding, right, and the lift is a
Mercedes that comes and picks her up. It's a guide
driving a Mercedes. So obviously you know guy's got himself.
(02:23):
It wasn't an suv. It was one of their sedans.
And he pulls up and when he sees her walk
out of the home, he sees that, Uh, and I
don't want to call her, you know, overweight, because I'm
an over I'm an overweight guy, but people would describe
me as being a bigger guy. She's a bigger woman. Okay,
And he says this to her, basic, my car is small.
(02:47):
In this car, we'll believe me.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
This believe me. So you salling me I can't lift
because I can't sit in your car?
Speaker 1 (02:58):
Yeah, you called her a big make it wait, saying
you need to order a bigger car, which, by the way,
bigger cars ordered when you have multiple passengers or lots
of passengers. You don't order bigger cars for a person's side.
Do you think I can't fit in a car?
Speaker 3 (03:11):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (03:12):
Yeah? What makes you think I can't hit in this car?
The my best friend has it is, that's no word
in this that I.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Can fit you.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
That's the same time you do more and more specifically
you I got very tire tires. Why did he say
he said that his tires and tired. Yeah, he said
something about his tires. What I got to do with
your tires?
Speaker 2 (03:37):
Yeah?
Speaker 1 (03:38):
And you have no space.
Speaker 4 (03:39):
How you I don't have those spas?
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Yeah, I got no space in the fact.
Speaker 1 (03:43):
How do you not I don't have no space.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Because I know what I don't never have to order.
Speaker 5 (03:51):
Uber exod I'm crazy, bro.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
No, so so John. Obviously you guys have done the
whole US conference thing. Have you heard from Lyft at all?
Have their representatives contacted your client to apologize for this.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
No, we haven't heard anything from Lift. They haven't contacted us.
They did send some type of Instagram message to my
client and asked her to contact them. Obviously we told
her not to do that. We'll talk to them. We're
waiting to hear from them and would love to hear
their explanation.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
The drivers did this. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Nothing, We haven't heard any apology from the driver. We
have his first name because you know, on these lift
asks it doesn't show the whole person's name, but we
have the driver's first name, so we're going to be
able to identify him once we get the records from.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
I'd love to know what this driver's record is with Lyft,
Like how long has this man been a lift driver
to do something like he did? Because the and obviously
lift has to be responsible for who represents them, no doubt.
But this this guy sounds like this guy's you know,
got a you know, not a very smart not a
(05:06):
very smart man.
Speaker 3 (05:06):
Like there's not a very good representative. Yeah of the company. Yeah,
how much money we suing for? I hope it's like
twenty eight billion dollars? What kind of money? What are
we doing?
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Shut up to me, it's up to a jury of
Wayne County, you know. But what we need to lift
is a multi billion dollar company. It needs to be
enough money that it'll deter them and maybe make some
policy changes. You know. Wait, discrimination actually is legal in
most states Michigan and New York or I think the
two states where it is illegal. But in a lot
(05:39):
of states it's perfectly legal to discriminate against people and
fast shamer.
Speaker 5 (05:44):
And hopefully that's something that comes out of this case.
Every state is should be illegal to body shame individuals.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
It shouldn't be legal anywhere. Yeah, that's legal to me.
It's to me, it's amazing John. When I don't know
if there was any kind of relation that you had
with your client, but when you had a chance for
the very first time to talk to her about this,
How is she doing? How is she holding up with
this whole thing, because she handled herself great in that audio.
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Yeah, I mean she's upset. I mean, but and she's
just feel sad about it, you know. And and I
mean we're lucky in this situation that she was just
going to another friend's party. I mean, imagine if if
it was cold outside and she was stranded, or Harborough brown,
or you know, she was outside of a bar at
three in the morning, or she was in a bad area.
(06:35):
I mean, it could have endangered her life. And the
real sad thing is this stuff happens more than you think.
You know, we had a lot of cases where we'll
have people with this ability to are blind and have
seeing eye dogs and the list will not allow them
in with the dog and we'll drive away and leaving
a blind person on the side of the road. So
(06:56):
I mean that's why we have these laws. And you know,
in a way, she's lucky that, you know, she didn't
get hurt, but but something's got to change, and it's
illegal what they did.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
Which, by the way, we talk about listen and ubers
all the time and you'll see like six people pile
into an uber and nobody ever goes, oh wow, that's
a weight limit, But as soon as you see a
big person, you're like, well, I think it's fine that
she didn't get a lot into the car. It's so
crazy how we treat people who are overweight in such
a discriminatory, discriminatory way on a regular basis that my
(07:32):
heart breaks for her.
Speaker 1 (07:34):
And listen, this also, I'm sure happens for people's skin color.
And I'm sure this happens for people's uh. You know,
we've always heard discrimination in many, many different cases where
people are discriminatory towards a person, maybe even honestly how
they smell. I mean, for God's sake, But this is
this is something if you are the person that is
(07:54):
offering up the services, you've got to be willing to
supply the services. But you just brought up is something
I didn't even think about when this was going on.
What if this was middle of the night, She's coming
out of a club or wherever, and it's a safety issue.
You know, Thank God that she wasn't in one of
those situations. You know, John Marco, we're going to keep
(08:18):
on top of this case, and will you do as
a favor I know that Lydia's you know, got some
information from you. Will you let us know when as
soon as you hear that Lift has actually given any
kind of a comment on this.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Absolutely, absolutely, and I will keep you guys in your
listeners informed and hopefully we'll make some good changes here
and make sure that everybody has equal rights to transportation
here in Michigan.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
Thanks buddy, I appreciate you so much. Take care of yourself.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Thank you. Guys.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
Wow, what a what a crazy story. Let's just say,
I mean, that's just insane. That's the thing.
Speaker 5 (08:50):
Like it It sucks, but it takes something as egregious
as this man's actions to create change. And often that's
what creates change, is something horrific that has to take place,
but somebody sacrifice hopefully will provide everybody else the ability
to live a happier life.
Speaker 1 (09:07):
Yeah, and she needs to get paid. I want to
hear her music. Tell John by the way, let's get
some Instagram. I want to know what you know, what
are her aspirations? Is that going to be her like
full time thing?
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Like?
Speaker 1 (09:19):
Now do you take this because sometimes you take this
to the next level. It's like you know what I mean,
Like you're obviously probably going to make a little bit
of money off of this, saying, but then this also
could spotlight her her talents that she has
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