Saucy but Sweet with Ali McPherson

 Saucy but Sweet fam we are back with our season finale and Part II of our conversation about all things Pride, whether it be, some of our favorite moments at Pride and what makes this month one of the most significant months of the year. For Part I, the host spoke to Terrence Fraser about businesses taking a hit for supporting pride, and this week the host continues the convo with Sage Anderson (he/they), who is a Rolling Stone editor and friend to the podcast. Sage and the host get into it with laughs, jokes, and honest conversation that will make you want to run straight to a pride event and have a night on the town. Afterwards the host features an up-and-coming R&B artist for this week’s Saucy but Sweet Tune of the Week. 

This episode is brought to you by Odette Coronel Coaching. Visit www.odettecoronel.com for more information and to book your first life/relationship coaching session.  

We are back, and just in time for one of the most significant and important months of the year. This is the month that marks the beginning of summer, where we celebrate Juneteenth and of course the month where we celebrate and applaud the LGBTQ+ community for standing up for what is right. This month all over the world Pride parades take place, not just filled with those in the LGBTQ+ community but with allies who feel a deep tie to the community. The best thing about this month is that no matter where you come from, or what language you speak, we are all uniting for a group that is constantly under attack and choosing to stand beside them rather than judging or simply turning away when the conversations get a bit too close for comfort. This week, for part 1 of Joy is Still Resistance, the host will be chatting with the fabulous Terrence Fraser (he/him) who is a journalist who alongside the host attended the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and is currently an associate producer for Zero Point Zero. Later on, the host will feature an up-and-coming R&B soul artist for this week’s Saucy but Sweet Tune of the Week. 

This episode is brought to you by Odette Coronel Coaching. Visit www.odettecoronel.com for more information and to book your first life/relationship coaching session.  

Welcome back to Saucy but Sweet with Ali McPherson.  Here is something I’m sure every listener will be able to relate to: being a fan. Now there are various ways of being a fan; it could be simply keeping tabs on when you’re favorite artist drops a new album and immediately downloading every song, and going to every concert that artist performs, or ou could be a more extreme fam, who sets up a page dedicated to that artist and keeps tabs on what every single person says about that person online, taking matters into their own hands if they feel said artist is being disrespected. Does that sound like you? If not, what kind of fan are you? As a society we tend to put a lot of pressure on artists to be the type of artists that we want to emulate, and to switch it up, but also be the same person we fell in love with. That’s a lot to ask from people we know intimately, let alone people we never met. This week we are joined by multimedia journalist Bianca Rosemburt to discuss society’s pressure on celebs and how some take fandom too far. 

Welcome back to Saucy but Sweet with Ali McPherson. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard about the Will Smith/Chris Rock fiasco. Over a year ago after a poorly made joke by comedian Chris Rock, Will Smith slapped him across the face for the world to see at the Oscars in 2022. The host spoke with Saucy but Sweet with Ali McPherson podcast regular Sheneca Sharpe in an episode titled, “The Other Side of a Slap,” last year to discuss what went down and what this meant moving forward for the two Hollywood stars. This time around the host will be chatting with our recent guests and friends of the podcast Fiifi Frimpong and Kirk Cohall about Chris Rock’s new comedy special, aka the first time he is publicly speaking on the fiasco and what this means for comedy in the bigger sense. Are we becoming too woke and unable to truly handle a joke? Or do comedians need to get with the program and produce comedy that never offends others?

Welcome back to Saucy but Sweet with Ali McPherson. Happy Valentine's or Galentine's to those who celebrate. This week is quite a treat. Typically the show dives into sex, love, and relationships from the perspective of a 20-something in search of a relationship and possibly marriage and wanting children etc. We talk about the lessons we learn on this messy  journey we call out love lives. But what if we shifted the conversation a bit? This time we will be discussing the type of woman that society prefers to push into the corner where the word “selfish'' is used to describe them; these women do not subscribe to the same standards in their dating lives and in this patriarchal society and are shunned for it. These women do not want to necessarily be married, or have children and while some may be in search of a life partner, they refer to themselves as their own primary partners first and foremost.  The host will be joined by Keturah Kendrick, a freelance writer and author of the book, “No Thanks, Black Female, and Living in the Martyr-Free Zone.” 

Keturah's book “No Thanks, Black Female, and Living in the Martyr-Free Zone," is available on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles, and Bookshop.org. 

Welcome back to Saucy but Sweet with Ali McPherson. For many Kanye West stans (if there are any left) there were no more excuses or defenses left in the jar titled  “Stupid Things Kanye says.” That jar is empty, and now lives rent free in the host’s mind. Last year, the host spoke about Kanye’s bizarre behavior and how his actions impacted those around him. Before, during and after that episode aired it seemed like everyday there was a new headline concerning Kanye. First it was his abuse toward his ex wife Kim Kardashian and her partner at the time Pete Davidson. Then, it was his anti-semtism and anti-blackness. 2022 marked the year that Kanye would lose $1 billion in business deals, and the respect of his fans and many around him. This week we will be discussing Kanye and what has come of the man that made a name of himself and became a legend in his own right. We will be joined once again by Katie Herchenroeder, a journalist who writes for The New Republic.

Welcome back to Saucy but Sweet with Ali McPherson. So much has happened over the last year, but as usual the host has been in the know about everything and never goes a day without forming an opinion on whatever is going on in the entertainment and culture space. Last time we spoke about Megan the stallion and the incident that left her traumatized for years, we talked about the toll it must have taken on her and how she deserves justice. As many of you might now know, Tory Lanez who violently assaulted her, has been found guilty by the court of law. Although justice was served Meg still has to deal with the trauma of what she went through. This week we are going to focus on her healing, and how one event can truly change your life forever and how the hip-hop industry still remains silent throughout. We will be joined by our incredible friend to the podcast Sheneca Sharpe, a multimedia journalist and CUNY grad school alum.

Welcome back to Saucy but Sweet with Ali McPherson!  To celebrate the start of the new year and all that we have accomplished in the last year, we thought we could bring you more of what you love most about this podcast, a daring and unfiltered conversation on sex & love in 2022 and the kind of love we want and the kind we want no part of in the new year.  All of our experiences shaped who we are, and although we are grateful for the lessons, many of us want a clean slate and to establish clear boundaries for how we want to go about our relationships and dating. And one of the more valuable lessons of this episode is the power of  deep meaningful friendships and how it can get us through the toughest times. We will be joined by the host's incredible friends who have gotten the host through a lot over the past year, and whom she helped get through a lot as well. Tiye Sheppard is a consultant, designer and social media manager, and has a lot to say when it comes to self-love and romantic relationships. Destiny Oglesby is a recreational therapist who also has great gems in love. Later on, the host will give a review for Saucy but Sweet Review of the Week.

Welcome back to Saucy but Sweet with Ali McPherson.  As many of you know June is not just a remarkable month because it marks the beginning of summer and where we celebrate Juneteenth. It is also remarkable in that it celebrates a community that is not only marginalized but treated as second class citizens 365 days a year. And before we close out the happiest month of the year, the host thought it would be a great idea to have fruitful discussions with those in the LGBTQ+ community on the importance of Pride and what it’s like to be a queer individual in a world that deems you as “the other.” The host will be chatting with an old pal, an alum from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism, Valen Iricibar, who is non-binary journalist and uses they/them pronouns. Afterwards the host will share a conversation she recently had with her mother Sharon Rivas who came out as bisexual in 2021 and is celebrating her first Pride. Follow Valen on IG and Twitter: @valeniricibar 

2020, a year that many of us probably want to forget, was a rough year for so many people. But it wasn’t just a rough year for those fighting COVID, or working people being laid off from their jobs, it was also a rough time for the woman who does not need an introduction: Hot Girl Meg. Megan Thee Stallion was shot by rapper Tory Lanez after an argument broke out between her friends in the car. Video footage from that night shows Megan The Stallion injured in her foot, as she looks around for help. The incident may have been two years ago, but for Meg, that very night would determine how she would move forward for the rest of her life.

Meg recently sat down in an interview with Gayle King to discuss what transpired that fateful night. But many on social media still criticize her and blame her for either not telling the truth, or withholding the truth of what really happened. Since when did we start to view victims of abuse and violence with such venom? And Black men, where are you when we need you? To all my loud and proud Black male supporters of Black women, I salute you, but for the majority that are silent, come out, come out wherever you are. This week we will be joined by Bronx based journalist Fiifi Frimpong, to discuss from a Black man’s perspective what is really being left unsaid. Follow Fiifi on IG and Twitter: @fiififrimong 

Welcome back to Saucy but Sweet with Ali McPherson. We are back with another episode of your favorite society & culture podcast. If you’re anything like me, you are sick of talking about it, but still on the edge of your seat, wondering what is going to happen next. If you watched the Oscars, you know what I’m talking about. The slap heard around the world. The Will Smith and Chris Rock debacle still has everybody talking and will continue to have people talking for years to come. Most of us have never seen the Fresh Prince of Bel Air behave with such rage. But if it wasn’t obvious enough before, Chris Rock’s joke was the straw that broke the camel’s back, and Will Smith’s rage has been building up for years. This week we will be talking about how the media has decided to spin Will Smith’s slap as being less his fault, and more Jada's fault. As usual, women are attacked and blamed for the behavior of their men. And we are not here for any of it. We will be joined by the fabulous Sheneca Sharpe making her second debut on the podcast. Follow her on IG @callmeshen and Twitter @Shenecawrites

Welcome back to Saucy but Sweet with Ali McPherson. Apparently, judging by the titles of our recent episode and this upcoming one, we are on a “F*ckin” roll, haha see what we did there? Anyway, Last week we talked about Kanye West and the complexities surrounding both loving and hating an artist, someone who may be a creative genius but has asshole tendencies. This week we are talking about another well-known celebrity who has become a household name. Despite being a successful  business woman alongside the Kardashian clan, she recently gave some pretty shitty and arrogant business advice to working women a few weeks ago. There are so many misconceptions surrounding working women, especially working women of color who grow up without privilege and financial guidance. Where do wealthy privileged women get off on claiming to understand the average working woman? We are joined by our friend on the podcast Sarai Ashari, a Social coordinator at CNN Underscored aka one of the MANY hardworking women who got off their ass and worked. Follow Sarai on IG: thesaraiashari and Twitter @TheSaraiAshari 

Later the host introduces a new segment, Saucy but Sweet Tune of the Week, where she reviews the film Deep Water which has been released on HULU.

Welcome back to Saucy but Sweet with Ali McPherson. We hope you missed us as much as we missed you. This week we are talking about someone who has been making headlines for over a decade and who has shown the media his genius, his scars, and his darkness. Has anybody else been thinking what we’re thinking? What the fuck are we gonna do about Kanye? Many of us grew up listening and looking up to Kanye West, not only for his extraordinary genius as a hip-hop artist but his charismatic persona and his “pick yourself up by the bootstraps” mentality. But where did it all go wrong? When did the lines get blurry between respecting his craft and being triggered by many of his missteps over the years. We are joined by the remarkable Katie Herchenroeder who is a reporter and researcher at The New Republic and also a fellow graduate (like your host) of Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism. Follow Katie on IG @katieemyladyy and Twitter @Katie_Jea 

Later in the episode we will be spotlighting an independent up-and-coming artist in a segment we conduct every so often titled, Saucy but Sweet Tune of the Week. This week we will be spotlighting musician Nick Marino from the band Monkeybite and their latest song "Glow."

Music Credits from the segment:

"Glow" by Monkeybite

Welcome back to Saucy but Sweet with Ali McPherson. This week we are bringing back a guest who has made quite an impact on the show during our first season, Yasmine Jameelah. As you may remember, Yasmine is an entrepreneur, journalist and runs the well-known wellness collective Transparent & Black and its wellness brands Transparent Black Girl and Transparent Black Guy. Over a year ago, we discussed the importance of providing wellness tools for Black folks, and therapy being crucial for generational health & wellness in the Black community. The last couple of years have taken so much away from us, our sense of certainty, sense of belonging, and our health status. But we have also learned how strong we are, and will be focusing on how to set intentions for 2022. Follow Yasmine on IG and Twitter @yasminejameelah and Follow Transparent & Black on IG @transparentandblack and Twitter @transparentnblk 

Welcome back to Saucy but Sweet with Ali McPherson. This is our last episode of the year, and to celebrate the start of the upcoming year we will discuss what this year has meant to us. For some of us this year may not be what we expected and for others it may have been one of the best years of our lives. No judgement here. We talk about the major highlights and major downfalls of the year (one being that we are still living in a pandemic, getting us almost to the two year anniversary of this fiasco.) Joining us for a conversation of laughs, excitement, music and maybe some tears, is the fabulous Sheneca Sharpe, who is a multimedia journalist and freelance writer and has a lot to say on the year 2021. Follow Sheneca at IG: @callhershen and Twitter @shenecawrites. 

Welcome back to Saucy but Sweet with Ali McPherson. This week we will be talking about the realities of toxic relationships and what the media typically does not show when discussing these relationships bounded by trauma and anxiety. Every so often we’ll hear about celebs like rapper DaBaby and DaniLeigh’s relationship fiasco and instead of portraying the truth about manipulation and psychological abuse oftentimes what we hear is that partners who are abused or involved in toxic relationships should have left, or should have known better. Rarely do we hear about the psychological abuse and manipulation that have led someone to stay longer than they should have. We will be joined by a recurrent guest to the podcast, Noëlle Lilley, a News12 reporter and great friend of mine who has been very vocal about relationship abuse on social media. Follow Noëlle on IG: @noelledilley and Twitter @@NoelleDLilley

Welcome back to Saucy but Sweet with Ali McPherson. This week we will be discussing the end of an era, a part of culture that has in many ways established how we talk about blackness, and transformed the ways we discuss black stories, particularly Black women’s stories. If y’all have been paying attention, you know my love for Issa Rae runs deep. Her ability to create a show that has transformed my life (and so many others) is remarkable.) and it’s about time we gave her her flowers. That’s right, today we’re talking about the powerhouse that is Issa and her show, “Insecure.” It’s the final season, and I thought it would be a shame if we didn’t dedicate an episode to a show that goes above and beyond highlighting the wide variety and beauty of Black womanhood. We’ll be joined by the amazing Sarai Ashari, who is a social coordinator of CNN’s Underscored. Follow Sarai on IG: @thesaraiashari 

Welcome back to Saucy but Sweet with Ali McPherson.  This week we will be discussing our complicated, and sometimes straight out toxic relationships with social media. Some days we feel we are able to live our lives without it, and others we rely on it consistently. Social media is how we connect, promote ourselves and our businesses and oftentimes, seek validation. It can do a lot of good in the world, and harm. How do we stay connected without losing ourselves in the midst of the online chaos and how can we disconnect without feeling like we are the odds one out? We are joined by the fabulous Zee Ngema who has worked as a staff writer at OkayAfrica. Follow Zee on IG: @zeebeezeezoo and on Twitter @Zincalare. 

Later in the episode we will be spotlighting an independent up-and-coming artist in a segment we conduct every so often titled, Saucy but Sweet Tune of the Week. This week we will be spotlighting R&B artist Con Killion and his lead single, “Prada U" from his upcoming debut album Detroit's Way. 

Music Credits from the segment:

 "Prada U" by Con Killion 

Producers: Marcus Mims, Glenwoodonly

Songwriters: Con Killion, Marcus Mims, Gairyd Fuller

Welcome back to Saucy but Sweet with Ali McPherson. This week we will be talking about one of my favorite topics and something that remains to be bittersweet for so many people: exes. We haven’t really spoken about exes since Love is a Gamble. Whether you’re best friends with your ex, or view your ex as the enemy, you have to admit, we can find out a lot about ourselves and each other from the people we chose to have intimate relationships with. In our society, it’s taboo to be friends with an ex, and god forbid your friends find out dating your ex again, but here, we have no judgments and believe it's worth reflecting on: what is wrong with keeping our exes in our lives? And what if the one you’ve been looking for all this time is the man or woman of your past? Sophia Ebanks, a digital producer for ACLU and creator of Sacred Essentials will be joining us to help unpack this. Follow Sophia on IG @supasoph_