January 2, 2026 • 20 mins
Pod Crashing episode 430 with Paola Ramos from the podcast The Moment. iHeartMedia, the No. 1 podcast publisher globally according to Podtrac, and Radio Ambulante Studios today announced "The Moment with Jorge Ramos and Paola Ramos," a new interview podcast coming to My Cultura, iHeartMedia's podcast network dedicated to elevating Latino voices and stories, on September 17, 2025. The series will bring together two of the most influential Latino journalists in the U.S. for their first-ever podcast and co-hosted video series."The Moment" is a multigenerational conversation between legendary journalist Jorge Ramos and acclaimed author and MSNBC contributor Paola Ramos. Together, this Emmy-award winning father-daughter duo will sit down with politicians, artists, activists, journalists and other top thinkers to tackle the issues of today with raw, unfiltered conversations and a distinctly Latino point of view.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
It was one of the greatest love stories of my life.
My nearly thirty four years with Ernie the Blue Crown Conyre.
We were both called to learn life by way of studying.
A collection of trees the lyrics from Ernie's Forest. You
can find them all on Ero dot net, A r
r oe dot net. You can find them on the
podcast four Stories, The Choice and View from the Writing Instrument.
(00:24):
Get to know Ernie while you're enjoying your exploration Aro
dot net, A r r Oe dot net. Hey, thanks
for coming back to the conversation. Let's do some pod crashing.
Episode number four thirty is with Paola Ramos from the
podcast The Moment. How are you doing today?
Speaker 2 (00:44):
I'm doing well. Thank you so much for doing this
and for having me. I really appreciate it. Well.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
I love your energy, first of all, and when people
speak with the energy that you've got, that means that
you have utilized the strength of your inner core and
you know what you're going to do with that voice,
because it has to be strong out here for those
that are sitting around going I don't know, I guess
so do you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Of course? No, no, no, no is with intention, no
matter what you do, but I'll take the feedback.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
I got to tell you something that probably about maybe
six to seven months ago, Chris Cuomo had enough courage
to say that podcasting has changed in America. It's no
longer about Joe Rogan and Mark me and we see
Mark Muir and has now slipped off the path.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
He said.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Now, Chris Cuomo said, it shows like yours that are
going to become the new staple. And so to have
this opportunity to share a conversation with you today is
like Chris Cuomo is spot on to what is going
on and what's growing forward.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
That I'm flattered. I'm flattered. I will say the same
about you truly.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Well, now is it that you're able to find this
inner strength to continue to do this because you know
how they are. There's a lot of people out there
going na.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Na na nay. I mean I think look and I
mean this sincere it is. It is such a privilege
right to have a voice, to have a platform, to
get to were than anything, to to get to do
what I love, which is to ask questions and interview people.
And I think at at a time where at least
I feel this a lot when I'm out there reporting, like,
(02:15):
there's a lot of mistrust. There's a lot of people
that don't want to talk, and there's a lot of
people that are kind of, you know, reverting backs into
the shadows. And so for anyone that's out there listening, like,
I never take any of that for granted, and so
that's kind of you know that that's what keeps me going.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
What is your go to when people don't want to talk?
I always go to my Grandmodobrians, who used to do
this when when we wouldn't give her an answer, she
would go hmm, and then there would be silence just
because there were just oh my god, what do you
think if you got out hmmm from somebody, wouldn't you
want to fill up that dead air?
Speaker 2 (02:49):
You know? I I I think I just I write
it out because I think I think people. I think
initially I can understand, right, you know, I get this
a lot right there, there's hesitation, people feel comfortable at
the beginning, but you kind of just have to give
people some space, right And I think when when they
understand know that that that you're there with a with
a good intention, and look, I get it. I think
(03:11):
a lot of people sometimes like see my name, or
they're like, oh you're with an SNBC, or oh you
do this. I think there's you know, I think that
comes with a lot of baggage. So I think part
of my job is to, you know, to get people
to understand that I don't have an agenda, right, I'm
not a radical sort of like lefty like like, I
think so much of it has been characterized because of
course there's a lot of miss and disinformation, and I
(03:33):
understand that. I think it's important to recognize where people
are at. And so I think I think usually I'm
able to to break to break past that. But I
to your point, I think it takes. It takes patience.
You kind of just have to You have to meet
people where they're at.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Yeah, but don't you feel like sometimes that when you're
associated with a network that feels like you're type cast
and and and a podcast gives you the opportunity and
they say, back it down, I am not what you
think I am. Do not judge this book by its cover.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Oh my god, it's been you know what that's been.
And I know you've you know, you've been at this
for for a long time. But I'm so used to
the cable news base, which means that we get three
to five minutes to put a story out there, right,
Like we're lucky if you have five minutes three minutes
in a segment. So to now have forty five minutes
(04:22):
now or to just talk and break things down, like,
I don't even know what to do with that, honestly,
it's incredible. And it's almost like, and you know, my
father and I co host, and he's used to the
same thing, right, Like he's used to these like like
five minute insane interviews, and I think he's so used
to that that I have to almost like slow him
(04:43):
down where I'm like, Dad, we have forty five minutes,
like relax, you know. And it's it's been beautiful, honestly,
to to let time unfold and to just honestly just
be be led by like genuine curiosity, and I think
the conversation takes you somewhere completely different. So it's it's
been a joy. It really has.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Oh my god, you speak of those time limits, and
right away, I'm taken back to last night. A station
in Chicago reached out to me to do a show
for them, a radio show, and I literally sat there
and thought, do I want to go back to a
fifteen second intro versus having an honest to God conversation
with a human being that is that is so structure
to help other people grow forward?
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Right?
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Right?
Speaker 2 (05:21):
No, I've been, I've been. I've been learning so much.
I mean, what do you what do you enjoy the moss?
Speaker 1 (05:26):
I love talking? I love well, No, here's what. I
love sharing stories because if I don't get you to
share your story, I'm going to write your story for you.
And I'm going to get that wrong, right.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Which I think is so much of the problem that
we're in, right and in this moment in the country
right where I think so so many stories have been
written by others, right, So many narratives are controlled by
other people. And so I think you're You're totally right
that the only way to break that is for people
to have agency.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Please do not move. There's more with Paolo Ramos coming
up next, the name of a podcast the moment we
are back with the host Paola Ramos. You talked about writing,
getting things put together and stuff like that. I am
a show prep pig, in other words, are and I'll
give you an example. Our conversation today was actually prepared
last Monday night, not this past Monday, last Monday night,
(06:19):
because I want to have everything in my system of
breathing by the time I sit down and have a
conversation with you. When does your show prep begin?
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Oh that's a great question. I'm a I'm a big
prepper too, aero I I I always have been. I.
I like to structure my interviews always. I like to
I google all the time, like what's the last thing
they said? I mean? And it also depends right like
it is it am I am I? In attack mode?
Am I am I? In? Am I in? You know?
(06:50):
And and and kind of learning mode? Do you have
to hold someone accountable or not? So it honestly, it
depends so much from from whom I'm intriggering. But I
think the prep is the most important thing. I think
people underestimate how much work goes into these conversations. Right
in any intriview that you're doing, there's a flow to it, right,
there's always like a story arc to all of it.
(07:11):
And so I'm with you. I I I take I
take a long time prepping and I love it.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
So is there something you would back away from? Because
I had a lot of people when when word came
to me that I'm going to talk with Charlie Kirk's mentor,
they said, oh, I would that, I wouldn't do that,
And I'm going, oh, yes, I am going to do
that because I want to see what.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
I would do.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Oh my god, Because to me it's a point of interest.
We all have to learn something.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
I agree, I you know, and I'm I'm look, I don't.
I don't think it's for for everybody, right, Like I
think the type of journalism that I do, like, I
spend a lot of time kind of obsessing with understanding,
for example, like why did so many Latinos shift to
the right now? And I think the only way for
me to understand that was by talking to some people
(07:59):
in the far right and a lot of times talking
to proud boys and moms for liberty and it is
against groomers, like I really had to embed with them,
and I got some pushback, right. There was a lot
of people that were like, why are you giving them
a platform? And I think, to your point, the only
way to understand is is by being there by talking.
And I think I'm curious to get your thoughts. But
(08:20):
I think everything is so hyper politicized, and at least
with some of the conversations that I've had with people
that fundamentally even like disavow of who I am or
like what I stand for my values, I think it's
very disarmony, you know, when you're face to face or
just when you're having a conversation, and it comes from
a genuine spot of like understanding, like what led you there? Now?
(08:42):
What are you seeing that we're not seeing? And oftentimes
I think it has less to do with politics and
more to do at least what I found in kind
of my space, more to do with I think a
lot of people that are just finding belonging in something
else and there's something that leads them there. Now they
feel safe because of something and that's less like I said,
(09:03):
it's more it's something else.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Yeah. I think my game changer was I had a
preacher in my iHeartRadio studio. We were cutting a commercial
and I was getting ready to do an interview with
an atheist. And you know, preachers, they have to come
with their entire congregation basically when they come to a
radio station studio, and so and he picked up that
book and he started going through it and the people
that came with him were so offended by that, and
(09:25):
he goes what he says, I have to figure out
what the other side is up to. That was a
game changer for me because I mean, all of a sudden,
it's like if I don't agree with you, it doesn't matter.
I want to know what you're up to.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Just share what you Yeah, yeah, you're so right, You're
absolutely right. How was what did Charlie Kirks mentors say? Like,
is there anything that really stood with you?
Speaker 1 (09:45):
Yeah? Yeah I did. It's it's about community and when
you start speaking and you started when when you start
dropping the four walls of the church and you get
out there on the street and you sit with the people,
you have my attention, Like you wouldn't.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Believe interesting, Yeah, I believe that.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
I mean, it wasn't about collecting money, It wasn't necessarily
about political views. It was about how can I get
into your life to help you understand that, Yes, there
is confusion right now, but let's talk about it because
your confusion is different from my confusion. Let's let's talk
about it.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Yeah. And like I said, I didn't see like that,
Like I understand. I think it's it is a time
where a lot of people for lonely, a lot of
people feel overwhelmed, and so there is so much power
and finding community somewhere. And so I get that. I
understand that.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
I got to ask you a real question, and God forbid,
I hope I don't offend you, because I know I
did with David. And David is is Latino. He is
from Central America, and and I really want to learn
the Spanish language only because one of my essential jobs,
only because I want to be with people. And it's
like I can either go to church and be with
the same five people over and over again, or I
can go to a grocery store and be with my
(10:53):
real community. And so I had an interpreter on my phone.
He says, don't you ever let me see you do
that again. You are being latinos am I really all
I want to do is connect.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
No, no, no, I think I think you're you. I
think anyone that hears you and knows you understands that
it comes from a gentleman place. So I don't there's
no defended at all.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
I did you that as well, because I mean, look
at all the people that you talk with him and you,
You've got to be able to be Okay. Now, I
know that somebody from probably Portland, Oregon is going to
be listening versus somebody who's in Hong Kong and then
over there in the UK, and somehow, some way they
all have to meet on this page.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
Of course. Yeah, but look, I think you I think
it's so long as things are genuine and it comes.
That's always been kind of my my north star. Now,
if you're led with curiosity and you want to learn,
and that's it, that's the north starting. And I think
most most people can see that. I believe that I do.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
Getting into a conversation with John Legizamo, this this guy
right here has always been a beacon of light to me.
I I look to him in so many different ways
because he's a chance taker. But at the same time,
he really he understands transitions.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
He does. And you know what, my my takeaway from
the conversation with him is he's angry. You know, he's
he's he's angry at the at the state of things,
and I think it's it's it is a time where
it is very easy for people to kind of, you know,
go back to their corners, be silent, be grateful for
what you have, and more than anything, to not really
be too loud in case there's some type of backlash
(12:31):
from institutions or from media companies because we're seeing that,
but he's not doing that, and I think he's he's
he's so committed and you can feel it in his
voice and in his energy. He is so committed to
getting Latinos and immigrants to sort of the forefront and
entertainment because he's seeing the numbers right where millions of
(12:51):
people in this country and yet our representation on our
TV screens and Hollywood is so abysmal, and it has
gotten almost war for kind of going backwards not forward.
And I think you can you can see the pain
know that he that he carries. But I think what's
beautiful about him is that he's not stopping right. He's
out here, I'm talking to you from ne York City,
has a Broadway show, still doing films, and more than anything,
(13:13):
he's louder than ever. I mean, if you go on
his Instagram or his TikTok, there's not a steple day
in which John Lady Samo does not voice his opinion.
And I think today when you're seeing a lot of
people kind of like, you know, take a take a
take a step back. He's he's moving forward. And I
think there's a lot to learn from that.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Wow, you know, you brought up something very interesting there,
and when you talked about those, you know, the TV
screens and stuff. And it was only because I was
watching Eugene Levey show last night where he was in
Korea and and they were standing right there in front
of the biggest K pop band in the world, and
what was everybody doing? Watching their phones? That's they wouldn't
even look up to see that. Really they were watching
(13:50):
their phones. And that to me, that that is sick
all the way to my big toe.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Yeah, why do you what do you What do you
think is at the root of that?
Speaker 1 (13:59):
I think the root of it is I think they're
afraid they're not going to capture it so that they
can have it for a future dating. But then I
have to challenge you in believing that do you ever
really go back and watch those videos or could you
sit down with a writing instrument and a piece of
paper and put it in words for a generation that's
going to follow you, that has no idea who you
are or what you went through because your face was
(14:20):
on that phone.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
Well, I think, Look, I think about this a lot.
I think you're right. I mean, I think and that's
kind of what I was saying about the and I
think people I've written about this right, like there is
a loneliness of pidemic out there. I think a lot
of a lot of gen zers. It's weird, right because
you and I. You know, I'm a I'm a millennial
in that sense. I feel like I got the best
of both worlds, right. I still grew up and then
(14:44):
I still had a childhood without phones then slowly transitioned,
you know, like Facebook was the coolest thing in college.
But I still have the best of both worlds, right,
So I understand like the beauty and friendships and I
value that so much and there's nothing more important than
like be present. But I also wouldn't you know, I'd
be lying if I told you that. I don't, you know,
(15:05):
spend a lot of time on Instagram and TikTok like
all day long. Like yes, right, But I think I
do see this generation and they're they're it's almost like
these like the social interactions and are lacking something, you know,
because I don't know. It's it's hard. It's hard for
me to describe it. I don't I don't really know
what's going on.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
Well, it's because things like this really scared the Gebi's
at me. Like over the weekend, one of the high
people in in the in the Russian church said, well,
of course we're thinking about the bomb. Christians want to
die anyway, And I'm going, what the hell is this
all about? And and and you sit there and you go, well,
you know, people are just gonna be watching their phone
anyway when those things go off.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
Sure, I mean yeah, but then think of right, and
that's the other side of it, And then think of
of everything all the content that we're absorbing all day
long and normalizing, right, I think that's the part. We're
normalizing so much violence, this like crazy violent lane language,
and we're normalizing these like insane beauty standards. So like
it's just some the world is distorted in so many ways,
(16:09):
and then it's hard to understand, like what is what
is reality? Now? When you kind of step out of
your apartment, you're walking in the street, it's like, is
this the real world or is it what's on my screen?
And I think I can only can I can see
how that's I don't know where like these walking dichotomy
is on. It's it's tough.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
You bring up a good point there with normalizing, because
I mean, are you a journaler in the way of
doing a daily journal?
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Am? I do? I journal? I know?
Speaker 1 (16:34):
And the only reason why I bring that up is
because I've been a daily writer since July of nineteen
ninety four. I wrote through the entire nine to eleven
thing and Wow. So as I went back to doing
one of my other published books, I had to go
through that whole entire process of before the buildings went
down and afterwards and the anger that that guy was
going through personally. I had no clue until I had
(16:57):
to go back there and do that research that mentally,
and I was going through that moment. And I swear
to God, if you just take the time to write,
we would have a better foundation of who we are.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
You know, I've never I've always strived to be that
person and I never I never have been, And I
can see why. So you do it every day.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Before I even came into this studio, the air that
I breathe starts with the smell of ink.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Huh, I know it's sick.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
No, no, no, no, I mean I can see. I
mean what a cool thing is to kind of see
the evolution of a person and to like help that
make sense of of I don't know, like your growth
and where you stand. Like that's that's really cool.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
Well, my writing today was based on one subject. Is
Alexa smarter than chat GPT? Because Alexa will not answer
my questions anymore? And I am so upset with Alexa
and so. And the thing is is that it's so
funny that Alexa Research would not give me any answers.
But I went to chat GPT and all of a sudden,
this said we're one and the same. You can use
this both. I'm going that's not the answer I wanted.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
That's just not what I Okay, So there's all sorts
of things going on in your mind. It's from cha JPT.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
Yeah, oh yeah, I am the typical person. Oh my god,
and you've got to be too. Now let me ask
you this question only from one broadcaster to another. I
will never give myself credit for the voice that I
have in radio. I will always credit those that shape me,
the program directors, the consultants who did get who gave
you your voice, who sat behind you every day saying no,
do it this way, no, no, no, do it this way.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
Huh. And I think there's true people. One. I think
my father in this sense that I remember, you know,
I grew up. I grew up watching my dad going
to the TV studio my whole life. My mom's also
a journalist. But I think my dad was someone that
even through my twenties, I was like, my voice, here's
my voice side, like look at this article, look at
this thing I'm doing. And he was like no, He's like,
not yet, not yet, not yet. And then I think
(18:54):
maybe when I when I turned twenty, and he's like,
there you go, right, He's like, there's there's only something
that He's like in journalism, we're all trying to say
the same thing. We're all trying to cover the same thing.
When you have something different to say, you'll feel that.
And so I remember, I remember exactly when that was.
And then when I started doing kind of TV. It
(19:16):
was this woman called Laura Conaway. She's she worked with
Rachel Matto. She's been with Rachrol Matto for for many years,
and she she became one of my mentors, like maybe
eight years ago, and she was always behind the camera
kind of training me and training me and training me
and training me, and it helped me in tremendously. So
I have to say my dad and Laura, you.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
See people don't buy it. Wow, my god. Well, of
course the early inspirations have to be Casey Casey because
he was a storyteller, wolfman Jack was the showman. Gene
Simmons says, you have to think to be number one.
If you don't live number one, you will never be
number one. So you've got it.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
So that's good.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
And it's one of those things where it's like, I mean,
there are so many inspirations in life. So when they say, so,
what is it like, Oh, let me tell you about
day number one. Let's go back to the nineteen seventies.
So I can't take credit for any of this, but
it's everybody else around me.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
Huh. That is that's so good. I'm gonna use that.
You gotta be number one. I do hide myself up
before I have to do something I do. I do
tell myself you're gonna be the best. You know, you
kind of have to know. You gotta have to have
that mindset. But that's that's good.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Yeah, because the post production blues on the opposite side,
they don't get to see that at all, but we do.
We're satisfying muckety muck.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
Yeah. Yeah, that's great advice.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
Oh, got ten minutes or twenty minutes with you is
just not enough. You're gonna have to get your buns
back on this show again.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
Please invite me. I will, I will, absolutely, It's it's
such an honor honesty to talk to you truly.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
And well, please do come back and you have a
brilliant day today. Okay, thank you you too, Thank you
for having me.
It was one of the greatest love stories of my life.
My nearly thirty four years with Ernie the Blue Crown Conyre.
We were both called to learn life by way of studying.
A collection of trees the lyrics from Ernie's Forest. You
can find them all on Ero dot net, A r
r oe dot net. You can find them on the
podcast four Stories, The Choice and View from the Writing Instrument.
(00:24):
Get to know Ernie while you're enjoying your exploration Aro
dot net, A r r Oe dot net. Hey, thanks
for coming back to the conversation. Let's do some pod crashing.
Episode number four thirty is with Paola Ramos from the
podcast The Moment. How are you doing today?
Speaker 2 (00:44):
I'm doing well. Thank you so much for doing this
and for having me. I really appreciate it. Well.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
I love your energy, first of all, and when people
speak with the energy that you've got, that means that
you have utilized the strength of your inner core and
you know what you're going to do with that voice,
because it has to be strong out here for those
that are sitting around going I don't know, I guess
so do you know what I mean?
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Of course? No, no, no, no is with intention, no
matter what you do, but I'll take the feedback.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
I got to tell you something that probably about maybe
six to seven months ago, Chris Cuomo had enough courage
to say that podcasting has changed in America. It's no
longer about Joe Rogan and Mark me and we see
Mark Muir and has now slipped off the path.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
He said.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Now, Chris Cuomo said, it shows like yours that are
going to become the new staple. And so to have
this opportunity to share a conversation with you today is
like Chris Cuomo is spot on to what is going
on and what's growing forward.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
That I'm flattered. I'm flattered. I will say the same
about you truly.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Well, now is it that you're able to find this
inner strength to continue to do this because you know
how they are. There's a lot of people out there
going na.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Na na nay. I mean I think look and I
mean this sincere it is. It is such a privilege
right to have a voice, to have a platform, to
get to were than anything, to to get to do
what I love, which is to ask questions and interview people.
And I think at at a time where at least
I feel this a lot when I'm out there reporting, like,
(02:15):
there's a lot of mistrust. There's a lot of people
that don't want to talk, and there's a lot of
people that are kind of, you know, reverting backs into
the shadows. And so for anyone that's out there listening, like,
I never take any of that for granted, and so
that's kind of you know that that's what keeps me going.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
What is your go to when people don't want to talk?
I always go to my Grandmodobrians, who used to do
this when when we wouldn't give her an answer, she
would go hmm, and then there would be silence just
because there were just oh my god, what do you
think if you got out hmmm from somebody, wouldn't you
want to fill up that dead air?
Speaker 2 (02:49):
You know? I I I think I just I write
it out because I think I think people. I think
initially I can understand, right, you know, I get this
a lot right there, there's hesitation, people feel comfortable at
the beginning, but you kind of just have to give
people some space, right And I think when when they
understand know that that that you're there with a with
a good intention, and look, I get it. I think
(03:11):
a lot of people sometimes like see my name, or
they're like, oh you're with an SNBC, or oh you
do this. I think there's you know, I think that
comes with a lot of baggage. So I think part
of my job is to, you know, to get people
to understand that I don't have an agenda, right, I'm
not a radical sort of like lefty like like, I
think so much of it has been characterized because of
course there's a lot of miss and disinformation, and I
(03:33):
understand that. I think it's important to recognize where people
are at. And so I think I think usually I'm
able to to break to break past that. But I
to your point, I think it takes. It takes patience.
You kind of just have to You have to meet
people where they're at.
Speaker 1 (03:46):
Yeah, but don't you feel like sometimes that when you're
associated with a network that feels like you're type cast
and and and a podcast gives you the opportunity and
they say, back it down, I am not what you
think I am. Do not judge this book by its cover.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Oh my god, it's been you know what that's been.
And I know you've you know, you've been at this
for for a long time. But I'm so used to
the cable news base, which means that we get three
to five minutes to put a story out there, right,
Like we're lucky if you have five minutes three minutes
in a segment. So to now have forty five minutes
(04:22):
now or to just talk and break things down, like,
I don't even know what to do with that, honestly,
it's incredible. And it's almost like, and you know, my
father and I co host, and he's used to the
same thing, right, Like he's used to these like like
five minute insane interviews, and I think he's so used
to that that I have to almost like slow him
(04:43):
down where I'm like, Dad, we have forty five minutes,
like relax, you know. And it's it's been beautiful, honestly,
to to let time unfold and to just honestly just
be be led by like genuine curiosity, and I think
the conversation takes you somewhere completely different. So it's it's
been a joy. It really has.
Speaker 1 (05:00):
Oh my god, you speak of those time limits, and
right away, I'm taken back to last night. A station
in Chicago reached out to me to do a show
for them, a radio show, and I literally sat there
and thought, do I want to go back to a
fifteen second intro versus having an honest to God conversation
with a human being that is that is so structure
to help other people grow forward?
Speaker 2 (05:20):
Right?
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Right?
Speaker 2 (05:21):
No, I've been, I've been. I've been learning so much.
I mean, what do you what do you enjoy the moss?
Speaker 1 (05:26):
I love talking? I love well, No, here's what. I
love sharing stories because if I don't get you to
share your story, I'm going to write your story for you.
And I'm going to get that wrong, right.
Speaker 2 (05:38):
Which I think is so much of the problem that
we're in, right and in this moment in the country
right where I think so so many stories have been
written by others, right, So many narratives are controlled by
other people. And so I think you're You're totally right
that the only way to break that is for people
to have agency.
Speaker 1 (05:56):
Please do not move. There's more with Paolo Ramos coming
up next, the name of a podcast the moment we
are back with the host Paola Ramos. You talked about writing,
getting things put together and stuff like that. I am
a show prep pig, in other words, are and I'll
give you an example. Our conversation today was actually prepared
last Monday night, not this past Monday, last Monday night,
(06:19):
because I want to have everything in my system of
breathing by the time I sit down and have a
conversation with you. When does your show prep begin?
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Oh that's a great question. I'm a I'm a big
prepper too, aero I I I always have been. I.
I like to structure my interviews always. I like to
I google all the time, like what's the last thing
they said? I mean? And it also depends right like
it is it am I am I? In attack mode?
Am I am I? In? Am I in? You know?
(06:50):
And and and kind of learning mode? Do you have
to hold someone accountable or not? So it honestly, it
depends so much from from whom I'm intriggering. But I
think the prep is the most important thing. I think
people underestimate how much work goes into these conversations. Right
in any intriview that you're doing, there's a flow to it, right,
there's always like a story arc to all of it.
(07:11):
And so I'm with you. I I I take I
take a long time prepping and I love it.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
So is there something you would back away from? Because
I had a lot of people when when word came
to me that I'm going to talk with Charlie Kirk's mentor,
they said, oh, I would that, I wouldn't do that,
And I'm going, oh, yes, I am going to do
that because I want to see what.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
I would do.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
Oh my god, Because to me it's a point of interest.
We all have to learn something.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
I agree, I you know, and I'm I'm look, I don't.
I don't think it's for for everybody, right, Like I
think the type of journalism that I do, like, I
spend a lot of time kind of obsessing with understanding,
for example, like why did so many Latinos shift to
the right now? And I think the only way for
me to understand that was by talking to some people
(07:59):
in the far right and a lot of times talking
to proud boys and moms for liberty and it is
against groomers, like I really had to embed with them,
and I got some pushback, right. There was a lot
of people that were like, why are you giving them
a platform? And I think, to your point, the only
way to understand is is by being there by talking.
And I think I'm curious to get your thoughts. But
(08:20):
I think everything is so hyper politicized, and at least
with some of the conversations that I've had with people
that fundamentally even like disavow of who I am or
like what I stand for my values, I think it's
very disarmony, you know, when you're face to face or
just when you're having a conversation, and it comes from
a genuine spot of like understanding, like what led you there? Now?
(08:42):
What are you seeing that we're not seeing? And oftentimes
I think it has less to do with politics and
more to do at least what I found in kind
of my space, more to do with I think a
lot of people that are just finding belonging in something
else and there's something that leads them there. Now they
feel safe because of something and that's less like I said,
(09:03):
it's more it's something else.
Speaker 1 (09:05):
Yeah. I think my game changer was I had a
preacher in my iHeartRadio studio. We were cutting a commercial
and I was getting ready to do an interview with
an atheist. And you know, preachers, they have to come
with their entire congregation basically when they come to a
radio station studio, and so and he picked up that
book and he started going through it and the people
that came with him were so offended by that, and
(09:25):
he goes what he says, I have to figure out
what the other side is up to. That was a
game changer for me because I mean, all of a sudden,
it's like if I don't agree with you, it doesn't matter.
I want to know what you're up to.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Just share what you Yeah, yeah, you're so right, You're
absolutely right. How was what did Charlie Kirks mentors say? Like,
is there anything that really stood with you?
Speaker 1 (09:45):
Yeah? Yeah I did. It's it's about community and when
you start speaking and you started when when you start
dropping the four walls of the church and you get
out there on the street and you sit with the people,
you have my attention, Like you wouldn't.
Speaker 2 (09:56):
Believe interesting, Yeah, I believe that.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
I mean, it wasn't about collecting money, It wasn't necessarily
about political views. It was about how can I get
into your life to help you understand that, Yes, there
is confusion right now, but let's talk about it because
your confusion is different from my confusion. Let's let's talk
about it.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Yeah. And like I said, I didn't see like that,
Like I understand. I think it's it is a time
where a lot of people for lonely, a lot of
people feel overwhelmed, and so there is so much power
and finding community somewhere. And so I get that. I
understand that.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
I got to ask you a real question, and God forbid,
I hope I don't offend you, because I know I
did with David. And David is is Latino. He is
from Central America, and and I really want to learn
the Spanish language only because one of my essential jobs,
only because I want to be with people. And it's
like I can either go to church and be with
the same five people over and over again, or I
can go to a grocery store and be with my
(10:53):
real community. And so I had an interpreter on my phone.
He says, don't you ever let me see you do
that again. You are being latinos am I really all
I want to do is connect.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
No, no, no, I think I think you're you. I
think anyone that hears you and knows you understands that
it comes from a gentleman place. So I don't there's
no defended at all.
Speaker 1 (11:14):
I did you that as well, because I mean, look
at all the people that you talk with him and you,
You've got to be able to be Okay. Now, I
know that somebody from probably Portland, Oregon is going to
be listening versus somebody who's in Hong Kong and then
over there in the UK, and somehow, some way they
all have to meet on this page.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
Of course. Yeah, but look, I think you I think
it's so long as things are genuine and it comes.
That's always been kind of my my north star. Now,
if you're led with curiosity and you want to learn,
and that's it, that's the north starting. And I think
most most people can see that. I believe that I do.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
Getting into a conversation with John Legizamo, this this guy
right here has always been a beacon of light to me.
I I look to him in so many different ways
because he's a chance taker. But at the same time,
he really he understands transitions.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
He does. And you know what, my my takeaway from
the conversation with him is he's angry. You know, he's
he's he's angry at the at the state of things,
and I think it's it's it is a time where
it is very easy for people to kind of, you know,
go back to their corners, be silent, be grateful for
what you have, and more than anything, to not really
be too loud in case there's some type of backlash
(12:31):
from institutions or from media companies because we're seeing that,
but he's not doing that, and I think he's he's
he's so committed and you can feel it in his
voice and in his energy. He is so committed to
getting Latinos and immigrants to sort of the forefront and
entertainment because he's seeing the numbers right where millions of
(12:51):
people in this country and yet our representation on our
TV screens and Hollywood is so abysmal, and it has
gotten almost war for kind of going backwards not forward.
And I think you can you can see the pain
know that he that he carries. But I think what's
beautiful about him is that he's not stopping right. He's
out here, I'm talking to you from ne York City,
has a Broadway show, still doing films, and more than anything,
(13:13):
he's louder than ever. I mean, if you go on
his Instagram or his TikTok, there's not a steple day
in which John Lady Samo does not voice his opinion.
And I think today when you're seeing a lot of
people kind of like, you know, take a take a
take a step back. He's he's moving forward. And I
think there's a lot to learn from that.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Wow, you know, you brought up something very interesting there,
and when you talked about those, you know, the TV
screens and stuff. And it was only because I was
watching Eugene Levey show last night where he was in
Korea and and they were standing right there in front
of the biggest K pop band in the world, and
what was everybody doing? Watching their phones? That's they wouldn't
even look up to see that. Really they were watching
(13:50):
their phones. And that to me, that that is sick
all the way to my big toe.
Speaker 2 (13:56):
Yeah, why do you what do you What do you
think is at the root of that?
Speaker 1 (13:59):
I think the root of it is I think they're
afraid they're not going to capture it so that they
can have it for a future dating. But then I
have to challenge you in believing that do you ever
really go back and watch those videos or could you
sit down with a writing instrument and a piece of
paper and put it in words for a generation that's
going to follow you, that has no idea who you
are or what you went through because your face was
(14:20):
on that phone.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
Well, I think, Look, I think about this a lot.
I think you're right. I mean, I think and that's
kind of what I was saying about the and I
think people I've written about this right, like there is
a loneliness of pidemic out there. I think a lot
of a lot of gen zers. It's weird, right because
you and I. You know, I'm a I'm a millennial
in that sense. I feel like I got the best
of both worlds, right. I still grew up and then
(14:44):
I still had a childhood without phones then slowly transitioned,
you know, like Facebook was the coolest thing in college.
But I still have the best of both worlds, right,
So I understand like the beauty and friendships and I
value that so much and there's nothing more important than
like be present. But I also wouldn't you know, I'd
be lying if I told you that. I don't, you know,
(15:05):
spend a lot of time on Instagram and TikTok like
all day long. Like yes, right, But I think I
do see this generation and they're they're it's almost like
these like the social interactions and are lacking something, you know,
because I don't know. It's it's hard. It's hard for
me to describe it. I don't I don't really know
what's going on.
Speaker 1 (15:26):
Well, it's because things like this really scared the Gebi's
at me. Like over the weekend, one of the high
people in in the in the Russian church said, well,
of course we're thinking about the bomb. Christians want to
die anyway, And I'm going, what the hell is this
all about? And and and you sit there and you go, well,
you know, people are just gonna be watching their phone
anyway when those things go off.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
Sure, I mean yeah, but then think of right, and
that's the other side of it, And then think of
of everything all the content that we're absorbing all day
long and normalizing, right, I think that's the part. We're
normalizing so much violence, this like crazy violent lane language,
and we're normalizing these like insane beauty standards. So like
it's just some the world is distorted in so many ways,
(16:09):
and then it's hard to understand, like what is what
is reality? Now? When you kind of step out of
your apartment, you're walking in the street, it's like, is
this the real world or is it what's on my screen?
And I think I can only can I can see
how that's I don't know where like these walking dichotomy
is on. It's it's tough.
Speaker 1 (16:25):
You bring up a good point there with normalizing, because
I mean, are you a journaler in the way of
doing a daily journal?
Speaker 2 (16:32):
Am? I do? I journal? I know?
Speaker 1 (16:34):
And the only reason why I bring that up is
because I've been a daily writer since July of nineteen
ninety four. I wrote through the entire nine to eleven
thing and Wow. So as I went back to doing
one of my other published books, I had to go
through that whole entire process of before the buildings went
down and afterwards and the anger that that guy was
going through personally. I had no clue until I had
(16:57):
to go back there and do that research that mentally,
and I was going through that moment. And I swear
to God, if you just take the time to write,
we would have a better foundation of who we are.
Speaker 2 (17:08):
You know, I've never I've always strived to be that
person and I never I never have been, And I
can see why. So you do it every day.
Speaker 1 (17:17):
Before I even came into this studio, the air that
I breathe starts with the smell of ink.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (17:24):
Huh, I know it's sick.
Speaker 2 (17:27):
No, no, no, no, I mean I can see. I
mean what a cool thing is to kind of see
the evolution of a person and to like help that
make sense of of I don't know, like your growth
and where you stand. Like that's that's really cool.
Speaker 1 (17:40):
Well, my writing today was based on one subject. Is
Alexa smarter than chat GPT? Because Alexa will not answer
my questions anymore? And I am so upset with Alexa
and so. And the thing is is that it's so
funny that Alexa Research would not give me any answers.
But I went to chat GPT and all of a sudden,
this said we're one and the same. You can use
this both. I'm going that's not the answer I wanted.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
That's just not what I Okay, So there's all sorts
of things going on in your mind. It's from cha JPT.
Speaker 1 (18:09):
Yeah, oh yeah, I am the typical person. Oh my god,
and you've got to be too. Now let me ask
you this question only from one broadcaster to another. I
will never give myself credit for the voice that I
have in radio. I will always credit those that shape me,
the program directors, the consultants who did get who gave
you your voice, who sat behind you every day saying no,
do it this way, no, no, no, do it this way.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
Huh. And I think there's true people. One. I think
my father in this sense that I remember, you know,
I grew up. I grew up watching my dad going
to the TV studio my whole life. My mom's also
a journalist. But I think my dad was someone that
even through my twenties, I was like, my voice, here's
my voice side, like look at this article, look at
this thing I'm doing. And he was like no, He's like,
not yet, not yet, not yet. And then I think
(18:54):
maybe when I when I turned twenty, and he's like,
there you go, right, He's like, there's there's only something
that He's like in journalism, we're all trying to say
the same thing. We're all trying to cover the same thing.
When you have something different to say, you'll feel that.
And so I remember, I remember exactly when that was.
And then when I started doing kind of TV. It
(19:16):
was this woman called Laura Conaway. She's she worked with
Rachel Matto. She's been with Rachrol Matto for for many years,
and she she became one of my mentors, like maybe
eight years ago, and she was always behind the camera
kind of training me and training me and training me
and training me, and it helped me in tremendously. So
I have to say my dad and Laura, you.
Speaker 1 (19:36):
See people don't buy it. Wow, my god. Well, of
course the early inspirations have to be Casey Casey because
he was a storyteller, wolfman Jack was the showman. Gene
Simmons says, you have to think to be number one.
If you don't live number one, you will never be
number one. So you've got it.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
So that's good.
Speaker 1 (19:50):
And it's one of those things where it's like, I mean,
there are so many inspirations in life. So when they say, so,
what is it like, Oh, let me tell you about
day number one. Let's go back to the nineteen seventies.
So I can't take credit for any of this, but
it's everybody else around me.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
Huh. That is that's so good. I'm gonna use that.
You gotta be number one. I do hide myself up
before I have to do something I do. I do
tell myself you're gonna be the best. You know, you
kind of have to know. You gotta have to have
that mindset. But that's that's good.
Speaker 1 (20:18):
Yeah, because the post production blues on the opposite side,
they don't get to see that at all, but we do.
We're satisfying muckety muck.
Speaker 2 (20:25):
Yeah. Yeah, that's great advice.
Speaker 1 (20:27):
Oh, got ten minutes or twenty minutes with you is
just not enough. You're gonna have to get your buns
back on this show again.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
Please invite me. I will, I will, absolutely, It's it's
such an honor honesty to talk to you truly.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
And well, please do come back and you have a
brilliant day today. Okay, thank you you too, Thank you
for having me.
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