All About The Joy
All About The Joy is a weekly hang-out with friends in the neighborhood! We share insight, advice, funny-isms and we choose to always try and find the positive, the silver lining, the "light" in all of it. AATJ comes from the simple concept that at the end of the day we all want to have more JOY than not. So, this is a cool place to unwind, have a laugh and share some time with friends!
All About The Joy
Woke or Not: Finding Decency in Divisive Times and Sharing All Our Election Emotions
Ever wondered how kindness can act as a balm in politically charged times? Our latest episode explores this very question, offering a heartening blend of perspectives on maintaining decency amidst political tensions. With humor and candidness, we navigate the emotional landscape following a tight election, championing the need for empathy and the importance of creating a community grounded in respect. Our conversation delves into the challenges of online political discourse, advocating for a 'bless and block' approach to foster positivity and manage negativity.
Social media etiquette takes center stage as we unravel its role in societal polarization and the often hostile climate it breeds. Sharing personal anecdotes, we emphasize the necessity of kindness in digital interactions, urging listeners to curate their online spaces to promote mental well-being. From unsolicited criticisms to intense workplace environments post-election, this episode serves as a gentle reminder of the power of positive communication. We also give tribute to the legacy of Quincy Jones, reflecting on his monumental impact on the music world, Michael Jackson and the joy of artistic collaboration.
Rounding it all off with a blend of cultural reflections and personal stories, we touch on everything from regional fast food chains to childhood choir experiences. We engage in lively even more fun banter when Chris Gales visits and we discuss adaptability, cultural sensitivity, encouraging a shift away from dismissive labels like being "woke." As we close, we express heartfelt gratitude to our listeners and guests, inviting you to join us in spreading joy on social media and lifting up content that unites rather than divides. Tune in for an episode filled with warmth, wisdom, and a celebration of the human spirit.
Thank you for stopping by. Please visit our website: All About The Joy and add, like and share. You can also support us by shopping at our STORE - We'd appreciate that greatly. Also, if you want to find us anywhere on social media, please check out the link in bio page.
Music By Geovane Bruno, Moments, 3481
Editing by Team A-J
Host, Carmen Lezeth
DISCLAIMER: As always, please do your own research and understand that the opinions in this podcast and livestream are meant for entertainment purposes only. States and other areas may have different rules and regulations governing certain aspects discussed in this podcast. Nothing in our podcast or livestream is meant to be medical or legal advice. Please use common sense, and when in doubt, ask a professional for advice, assistance, help and guidance.
Hey, can you?
Carmen Lezeth:see me over there dancing in the background.
Rick Costa:Nah, I can't see when you're.
Carmen Lezeth:Hi everyone, welcome to All About the Joy. Hi Ricosta, hi Sophia, hey, how you doing, what's up? Oh, my god, there's a bug on my mic. I can't.
Rick Costa:Listen. I didn't sign up for no special guest called Bug.
Carmen Lezeth:I know I'm like did you guys see the fly? It was like, no, wait, a sign up for no special guest called bug. I know I'm like, did you guys see the fly? It was like, wait a minute, that's not cool, that's not cool. Oh my god, all right, so it's been a week. We know it's been a week and there's no denying that we need to talk a little bit about politics. So we're gonna talk, we're gonna open up a little bit to discuss. I'm sorry I'm struggling with my mic because I'm having a day, I'm having having a week. It is what it is. My mic is falling, my lighting is off.
Cynthia Ruiz :It's just wild.
Carmen Lezeth:I just wanted to just have an honest conversation about how you're feeling. I know you're both not big political people and I think that's fine, but in some way, shape or form, we're all political people because it affects us all. So I just want to see how you guys are feeling and if you wanted to just chime in kindly or however you feel, and then I'll yell at you if you're not kind about it, go ahead, cynthia, let's let you go first.
Cynthia Ruiz :Oh, definitely disappointed. It was a close race. At this point, it is what it is, and now we just have to deal with it and see where we can go from here. That's all what's done is done honestly, and we just have to try to make the best of it.
Rick Costa:Yeah, agreed, rick I think we're gonna be okay. I think there's a lot of fear going on. Um, I think we need to just take a breath, calm down. A lot of things people are saying right now is like okay, come on, we're not trying to make people slaves again. What are you talking about? Okay, I understand you're upset, but we already been through him once and that didn't happen then. I don't think it's gonna happen again now. If I'm wrong, correct me, but I'm just saying calm down, we're gonna get through this, it's gonna be okay I can tell me and Cynthia are both like we just hold them back.
Carmen Lezeth:We're going to let Rick share. So the first thing I'm going to say Rick, just to push back a little bit. You never want to tell a woman to calm down, right? I'm just going to throw that out there as an idea. I think it's been a day. This is the one thing I'm going to say. I'm going to say this it's been a day, is like. This is the one thing I'm gonna say. I'm gonna say this it's been one day or two days.
Carmen Lezeth:Let people grieve, let people shout and scream or cry or be upset, like if the roles were reversed, the last thing I would be doing is being even more cruel to the other side. You know what, what I mean To to Trump supporters who won. So I feel like, again, it goes back to all about the joy, about being good and decent people. And, Rick, I called you out yesterday on your Facebook posts that you wrote in such a way that made it sound like you were being cruel to people who were grieving or whatever. I guess there's something and I'm not even going to. I don't even want to mention what it is, because I know you said that on your show, but you actually mentioned it. There are people making fun of other people, grieving, which is just the cruelty in who we have become. And please don't do the whataboutisms. Well, you guys do. You know what I don't? I have not said a cruel, motherfucking thing to one goddamn motherfucking person. I have not About who you vote for, about what you believe in. I ask you to be respectful. You can swear as much as I just did in that last seconds, but the cruelty is where I'm just I'm cutting people out, I'm cutting you out. And here's the thing If somebody else is being cruel or saying things that you don't believe are true, rick, okay, great, I agree with you.
Carmen Lezeth:There are some people who are expressing themselves in the way in which they need to, and you know I have a good friend. I'm not going to say his name. He wrote a blog post and he's definitely a Harris supporter and you know. I know what he's talking about, but he's exaggerating and it's a whole other conspiracy theory. I say you just we just sat and yelled at other people for doing conspiracy theories and now, because we lost, you're going to do the stop. He got mad at me. I'm like be mad. I'm done. I'm done with cruelty. I'm done. I know it's about to get really bad, but I'm telling you right now if you're going to be in my circle, you're going to be on my show. You're going to be anywhere near anything I have anything to do with. I'm done with the cruelty. I don't care what you believe in, I don't care what religion you preach or listen to or whatever. If I think you're being cruel or you're doing something against my wellbeing and my spirit and my heart, you're done. You're out. I'm over it.
Cynthia Ruiz :And I'm not messing with you.
Carmen Lezeth:Hi, Tony, and Tony said good evening. Heavy topic across the country and very triggering to many. Emotions are high. You know what? I think that triggering might not be the best word. It's probably the right word, but I think using the word triggering nowadays triggers people. It's such a weird thing, but I absolutely agree with you.
Carmen Lezeth:I think we need to be kind to each other, and Tonya just said I've said it before disrespect has taken over society worse than politics. Okay, I'm not going to argue that point. I think you're. You are making a statement that I can't refute, but I think sometimes truth is being confused with lies and being confused with disrespect and be. You know what I mean. Like, I think what we really need to do is stop talking and start listening more.
Carmen Lezeth:And if you're going to talk and apologies for what I'm going to say, Rick, because I don't mean this towards you, but I am really sick and tired of people preaching that they're Christian and then acting unchristian-like. I am sick of it. I cannot tell you how many people in my DMs on my Facebook page are the most unchristian people on the planet and then you go to their site and they got Jesus written all over their Facebook page. It got crosses everywhere. Stop with the hypocrisy, Stop it and stop blaming everything on mental health. That's the other thing. People do something wrong. They're like, oh, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I just I'm a little bit sick and I don't feel good. Stop. Your bad behavior is bad behavior because you're not taking a breath. You're not taking a breath before you speak and thinking.
Rick Costa:Coincidentally so I posted a one-minute little scripture thought thingy and today's was basically just because you say you have faith, your life basically can disprove it.
Carmen Lezeth:Absolutely. I saw that.
Rick Costa:And that's. I didn't post it on purpose, that's just the next one that was on the list.
Carmen Lezeth:No, no, but it's a truth. But it's a truth and I'll give you credit. You tend to preach that through your sermons on a daily basis. You are saying that. There's the thread that you always say that people can't just say that they believe in Jesus and then turn around and behave differently. Now, this is not going to be a religious broadcast or a political one, but we're talking about this stuff today because it matters. You know what I?
Rick Costa:mean Opposite day, like on Seinfeld matters you know what I mean opposite day, like on seinfeld, so uh, so yeah I was just um.
Carmen Lezeth:Oh, can I say one cool thing? It's joyful, yeah, but we're not the subject yet.
Rick Costa:But go ahead no, it's still politics. I absolutely loved biden's speech today.
Carmen Lezeth:I thought it was really good I didn't even see it today because I was unable to but it. It was really good, it's on.
Rick Costa:YouTube. It's on YouTube. It was very good, it was encouraging. I felt better, I was like oh okay, oh good. Good yeah, it was really good.
Carmen Lezeth:Yeah, look it. I'll say this. Everyone here knows I am not a Trump supporter. I hate Trump. There's no doubt about it. But here's, he is the president elect. He is the former president of the United States, and I want that man to prove me wrong. I do. I want to be here in three months, in six months and eight months and be like damn, I was wrong. I love my country. I love my country. Prove me wrong. I am excited to see that happen. I am.
Carmen Lezeth:I don't know why people think I'd be betting against my own country. If this is the will of the people and I'm doing quotes because I'm doing it will of the people, because I'm questioning it, not the votes I'm just like is this really the will of the people, Did he? You know what I mean? Then I want him to. I want to be. You know what I mean? Then I want him to. I want to be. I will be happy to say I was motherfucking wrong. I love this. I'm excited. I want this country to unite, so I'm ready for it.
Carmen Lezeth:Go ahead, Cynthia. You're going to say something before I went on no, no, no, no, no, no. But that's all I'm saying is. I'm excited for that. So I wish we would start thinking about the best in people instead of the worst. We're always going to have political sides. I think this idea that I can be friends with you and we have really incredible differences in our belief systems and we keep being bullied into these corners and sides and we keep being anti. I can't handle that, so I don't want to talk to you right now. I don't. I need a minute, and that minute may be seven months. I don't handle that, so I don't want to talk to you right now. I don't. I need a minute, and that minute may be seven months. I don't know how long it's going to be, but I need to not be involved with the nastiness. I just I don't care who's doing it. Stop doing it. Do you know, Chris Gales?
Rick Costa:Cynthia, you mean.
Carmen Lezeth:Yeah, you do right, rick, of course I do. You do, okay, I don't think. Oh, cynthia doesn't? I already asked her the green room, but she didn't react because she doesn't understand what we're talking about. The green, where I say we have to act like fresh, like it's new. I didn't ask him before I'm gonna play something he posted on tiktok. Let's see if I can do it. I don't know if he's gonna come. I didn't ask him to come on. Anyways, he sent this to me and anyway, here it goes, let's see if I can do it.
Chris Gales :Look, I'm at a point in my life where, if you say something negative about a group of people or about an individual, I'm going to call you on it and I'm going to tell you that's bullshit. If you look at me and you say, don't overreact, or I'm being too sensitive, or you know, I'm just joking, I'm just kidding I'm going to look at you again and I'm going to say that's bullshit too. I'm going to look at you again and I'm going to say that's bullshit too. It's time to take all the negativity out of your vocabulary, all the negative phrases, negative, negative sayings that you've been OK with or people have pretended to be OK with over time. It's time to throw that stuff away. It's time. It's time.
Carmen Lezeth:I love him, right, but anyways I okay. So the whole gist of it is I have always believed a few things. Number one I think people need to stop talking about who they're voting for all the time. I don't know when. I remember growing up and there was a time when that was a sacred and secret thing. Like you didn't talk about your salary Although I'm against that, I think everyone, especially women, should talk about their salaries all the time, because that's why we don't get equal pay. But that's a whole other conversation. But and I'm not saying things have to be secret and in the corner or whatever but I think that's also part of the polarization of who we've become. Is this constant like I'm red and I'm blue and I'm this and I'm that right? Thank you, carol. Yes, exactly, and then just being unkind. That's the whole point of this show. All about the joy. You know what I mean. It's just this kind of it's not a joke. I don't know if you guys have anything to chime in on that. I'm curious. Your thoughts?
Rick Costa:I do remember that.
Cynthia Ruiz :Sorry.
Rick Costa:No go ahead.
Cynthia Ruiz :I think when people start talking about their political views or whatever that, their manners, just they really go down the drain Like they. Just it just brings out the nastiness in them. It brings out they just forget to be kind. You can have your views, you can vote for whoever you want, as long as you do vote. It's just they just forget how to be nice to people and kind and stuff, which really sucks.
TikTik Quincy Jones :Yeah.
Rick Costa:I was going to say when I was young I remember you more or less knew if somebody leaned more Republican or Democrat, and I never even heard of independent when I was a kid like today, but nobody talked about. Oh, I voted for so-and-so, it just wasn't done back then.
Carmen Lezeth:And look, I'm not saying stay in secrecy, because I think part of what's great about this country already is that we do have the ability to speak to each other about it. Like I can argue with you till you know the cows come home. I don't know where that saying comes from and I don't live on a farm, but about pro-choice versus pro-life, right, you and I have had these conversations like we can go back and forth and back and forth and then be like respectful and be like OK, cool, like you know what I mean, like you can have conversations. Like we can go back and forth and back and forth and then be like respectful and be like okay, cool, like you know what I mean, like you can have conversations. I think another thing that people are making excuses on that I'm done with everything is not social media's fault. You are motherfucking social media, you are so. Someone said and it has to do with your link, rick, that you put up yesterday. Here's the thing If you don't want to listen to people grieving, you know what you can do.
Carmen Lezeth:You can actually change what you're watching. You can move along. You can go on your search engine and find dancing videos, please. Or you can go on TikTok. I have on TikTok. I blocked anything that says Trump. I don't get anything that is Trump related because I don't want the toxicity and again he is now president elect I'm talking about. I didn't want the toxicity in the past. I didn't want to listen to. You know what I mean, so I blocked that stuff, so I wasn't listening to it at all. I also block things that I don't want to watch on a regular basis. I don't want to watch recipes and cooking no offense, but I don't cook. I want the food brought to me, but that's what's blocked on my TikTok. But you can do that Well, I don't want to watch. I mean, the only one I watched, though, is Terry, because he's analyzing.
Cynthia Ruiz :He's like police.
Carmen Lezeth:Yeah, I'm not a doer this idea that somehow social media is forcing you to watch things that you can now make fun of and be cruel to.
TikTik Quincy Jones :There is a fly I swear to god, I thought you were just talking with your hand.
Cynthia Ruiz :I'm like get away from me stop.
Carmen Lezeth:I've been going, no, but I mean, that's kind of the thing too. I don't know why people need to comment on shit they don't like. If you read a comment or you see a post that you don't like, you know what you can do. You can choose not to comment. I do it every day. I will watch somebody do a TikTok or I'll see something, especially Facebook. There's like 1 million ads on facebook and then one person I know doing. It's a whole other issue, but like I'll see all these things and I'll be like you know, I'm just gonna pass on, I don't.
Rick Costa:You don't have to comment on everything yeah, I'll be like on a youtube video about a whatever topic and somebody be in there. I don't like this and I don't believe this. I'm like, so why are you here?
Carmen Lezeth:I don't get it. I don't get it. I don't understand why people do this and I think it needs to stop. And it's what Carol is saying about etiquette and manners we need to learn how to use social media. We need to learn how to talk to each other. If you're going to talk about topics of politics and religion, you better learn how to do it with kindness and grace and have an open attitude about it. I'm not saying you have to like everybody or not disagree. I disagree with most of the people watching this show, right?
Cynthia Ruiz :now. You can have a debate, just have a good debate, without all the toxic stuff in it, even the candidates like any candidate, not even this one like past ones. It's like you can have a debate on what your views are for the country without going below the belt you know what I mean and not even they can do that.
Carmen Lezeth:You know what? I don't even know if that's a topic, we should go there, because we can't handle that crap, but we can take care of ourselves, right? Melanie just said learn how to scroll past what you don't want. Girl, exactly, learn how to scroll past. And it's so funny how she wrote that. I think she did that intentionally. Learn how to not automatically react and say I hate people. Why'd you write?
Carmen Lezeth:My favorite is when there's some celebrity I think it was Jennifer Aniston, or so. Jennifer Aniston was on something on Facebook, like I don't know I don't know even if it was an ad or whatever and I went and looked in the comments because she had a beautiful dress just gorgeous dress on. I went and looked in the comments and in the comments she's had so much work done. I don't even know and I'm like what she was talking about. I am naturally born this way. I have nothing done. It was like some scene from a movie. Do you know what I mean? And the people in the comments are just bringing and I don't give a fuck about Jennifer Aniston, it's not about Jennifer Aniston, I'm just Stop it. Change how you use social media, people.
Rick Costa:Yeah, exactly.
Carmen Lezeth:Change your life. Oh my God, be a positive person.
Rick Costa:Life's too short for negativity.
Carmen Lezeth:That's right. You know what People like it. People love it. People love the car accident. We've talked about this before. People like seeing other people fail. People like being cruel and mean, especially and we're not going to go down this thing especially when they can hide behind another name Melanie just said. One person I know on Facebook constantly attacks me on certain posts. I am so over it.
Rick Costa:Block them, block them. I'm sorry, melanie. No, I'm kidding, it's not me, I'm kidding. I'm kidding, it's not me, rick.
Carmen Lezeth:Rick, oh my God, no, Nobody block them. I block people. I block so many people. I block so many people today, yesterday, I block people that actually are supporters of Vice President Harris. I was like you know what it's too much trauma Block. I block so many people because I'm like I just I don't want the nastiness. I don't want the nastiness and again, I'm not going to be picking on horror films. I know weird segue. I know the reason why I don't watch horror films for me and I don't know if I'm overly sensitive or I just really believe it is because it does affect me, so I can't sleep. It takes me weeks to forget about it, Like I know. And here's the thing, that is something that is substantial to me since I was a little kid. But I think we've all heard this before right, the way we talk to ourselves, the people we put around it affects you, Melanie. Block that person. Block that person. Even if it's Rick girl, that's your Bible, you don't need him.
Rick Costa:On Periscope. Periscope was horrible with trolls and people just saying the most insane things and I'd be like I have a high tolerance for weirdos, but if it's too bad or you're attacking somebody else in the broadcast, I'm like we're going to bless and block Bye-bye.
Carmen Lezeth:Oh, bless and block. I forgot about that. I love that. Carol just said you got to guard your mind.
Rick Costa:Yes.
Carmen Lezeth:It's true. First of all, I think we need to also take a minute. People are really angry and they're blaming everybody and they're like I'm like, dude, it's been a minute. Can we just bring it down a notch? Can I have a minute to just cry in my grief and then put myself back up and be like, okay, I'm on it, Okay, I'm ready. You know what I mean? I'm ready.
Cynthia Ruiz :It was funny in my office yesterday. It was so quiet Usually like everybody in all the offices are just chit-chatting. Everyone was grieving and there are Trump and Harris supporters in the office, but it was just like everyone was just being respectful of each other and just letting everyone take it in. It was very weird.
Carmen Lezeth:Not in the offices I work in. You could cut the tension with a knife. Yeah, because there's one section of the production team that are Trump supporters and then there's another section like the construction workers, the admin people, so there's all like the producers and all the. It's just so funny how it's so segregated. Even in this production house are all Harris supporters. And when I walked in to the office today, I was like, oh my God, cause I go into the warehouse and then I go anyway. I walked in and I was like, oh my God, please help me get through this. Because it was.
Carmen Lezeth:It wasn't respectful, there was a toxicity, there was a you know what. Somebody wanted to blow and say something, because they've all been tiptoeing around each other all this time and now the results are in. But but I, you know, I was like I kind of tried to break the ice. It wasn't good. Actually, my boss came in and he was totally cool. He's looking, we need to just everybody needs to just chill, we need to talk about this. Let's get pizza for lunch, let's. You know, it's fine, we're going to be okay. And that was actually what broke the ice. I was kind of like what's wrong? Everybody, come on, we got work to do. We have things to do. That didn't work so well because I was just so over it. You know what I mean.
Rick Costa:Pizza brought the love and joy back.
Carmen Lezeth:Pizza brought the love and joy. It's so funny because it's been two days, so this is my, because the first day was another client. Usually I'm there by myself, so it wasn't okay. There was tension there too, but I didn't see some of the other people. There was only one group of Harris supporters that were there.
Carmen Lezeth:And then people who don't talk about politics. So yesterday wasn't so bad, but today I was like come on, stop it. I was so frustrated. It's my country, stop it. Come on, people, you know what I mean. So Melanie wrote Rick, did you take that post down? I can't find it. No, he revised it. In all fairness, can I say what I think you did, and then you could say what the truth?
Rick Costa:is yeah sure.
Carmen Lezeth:So he wrote a post and I forgot what it said. But when I read it and I think other people too right Cause I wasn't, was it just me who? You were very kind when you said people have misunderstood. I was like I did not misunderstand. Here's the thing. I will call out everybody and anybody. Okay, that's the one thing, you know. I will call out anybody and everybody. But you wrote the post, because why don't you just tell me what the post was? Do you not want to bring that up?
Rick Costa:No, that's fine.
Carmen Lezeth:I don't even know what it was.
Rick Costa:I don't remember what it was Basically, it said enough with. You want me to quote exactly.
Carmen Lezeth:Yeah, you said enough.
Rick Costa:With the lefty meltdown videos? Do you even pray for them or just laugh at them?
Carmen Lezeth:And that's all you wrote. And so when you read that, I was like why is he making fun of people grieving? And I was like and I did not see, this is how you do things, people. I did not post that on the comment, I sent him a direct message and I said Rick, is this very Jesus like that you're making? You're asking your followers if they should either laugh at people who are grieving or if they should pray for them. And somebody had started writing, somebody wrote something like both and I'm like see, no, I didn't misunderstand it. I know I did it, but that's not what you meant. And I sense I mean I was upset because I could not believe you wrote that, but I don't think I was mean to you about it.
Rick Costa:No, no, no no no, I wish you had still been awake so I could go to bed, not thinking oh, karma's mad at me today. Oh, I'm so sorry, I did go to bed.
Carmen Lezeth:I'm so sorry I was leaving.
Rick Costa:This is a misunderstanding. It's the opposite of what you're saying.
Carmen Lezeth:That's what you said. You know what you should have texted me, baby. It didn't even dawn, baby. I'm so sorry, you know, it didn't even dawn on me. I was just so pissed and then I was like I'm going to bed, I can't believe Rick. He said he's like Jesus, he always bleaches. I was like I really wasn't mad at you because I knew you were going to deal with it.
Cynthia Ruiz :I just didn't know you'd seen it. I'm sorry, that's all right. Okay, this is how you debate people with two different views like.
Carmen Lezeth:In the future, though, you can just text me, be like oh my god, carmen, don't be, you know, because you know I shut down everything, I'm out and nothing's on my phone. I'm so sorry. I am sorry you thought about that, not that I think it's that big of a deal. I'm in your thought, but I hope you didn't think I was mad at you isn't that a quote from a show or movie?
Rick Costa:you think what we?
Carmen Lezeth:have here is a failure to communicate. It is I don't know what movie it is.
Rick Costa:I can't think of it either, but yeah, it's a movie rick.
Carmen Lezeth:I'm sorry, I didn't mean to go to bed without clarifying that.
Carmen Lezeth:I saw what you, yeah, but you revised it because that's not what you meant yeah, no, not at all, yeah opposite yeah, you meant people should stop making fun of people grieving and they should stop laughing and pray for them or embrace them. And you said it again on your show today, which I really appreciated in your prayer part. Yeah, I appreciate that. But yeah, cynthia, you're right, that's how you debate, that's how you talk, that's how you have conversations, and misunderstandings can be unfolded and taken care of. I really was shook, though I could not understand why you wrote that, because I didn't know what you were talking about. You know what I mean? That's all I was reading. I was like damn, that's not Jesus Like. I'm more like Jesus than he is. I remember saying that before I went to bed.
Cynthia Ruiz :I totally did.
Carmen Lezeth:I'm horrible so another thing do you guys have anything else you want? Maybe we can get back to this. I just wanted to maybe get to the next subject.
Rick Costa:But what's also funny is that generally I don't talk about stuff like that, as you well know, and I was like this I need to address because this is just getting annoying, because it keeps coming up on my feed and then people just making fun of them and laugh Like people like losing their mind, whatever, and people like I'm like, come on, this is enough, that's enough. Enough is enough.
Carmen Lezeth:Like I look at again, it's not just all of us in social media. There are people that are in positions of power, that have millions of followers who are doing that, and I think that's what makes me sad. I feel like, with the few followers I have, I feel like as a human being, I have a responsibility to be a decent human being and a good person and I think, taking people's grief I don't care what it is, I don't care what the grief is. I look at Alden's going to hate me. Alden's traveling right now but Alden's a cyclist and he'll get upset about his bike. He has, I guess, like a $10,000 bike and I guess that's like a big. He has many bikes but they're very expensive. I'm like I wouldn't spend no $10,000 on no damn bike.
Carmen Lezeth:You know he's, he's my baby, whatever I'm like okay, inside I say that I'll say oh, I totally get it. You know what I mean like totally.
Rick Costa:He's like jay leno with his cars or my.
Carmen Lezeth:You guys saw the sneakers I bought the other day. I showed you. I was just about to say that, okay, I bought what they're 400, I don't know how much, it was $400 or $500 sneakers and I thought Cynthia was going to jump through the door. But then I reminded her of Disney and her craft with Disney. Yeah, I think you reminded her of Disney, I think you did. Actually, we all have our things, is what I'm saying, and I would grieve if those sneakers somehow got a little. See, if I accidentally walked in dog shit or something, I'd be and you might think good for you. But do you need to mock me? No, we do not mock each other. Maybe on the inside. On the inside we might Private message.
Carmen Lezeth:We're in a private message. We're like girl, they're just sneakers. What's wrong with you? I wanted to acknowledge that Quincy Jones passed away this week. I know I want to put a little video clip about him that I thought was interesting. Might be fun to talk about just part of his influence on music, but I'm not sure you guys are going to be able to hear it if I do it that way. So let me see if I can share it on the screen, right? What am I going to do? How do I do it?
Rick Costa:Does everybody have the echo cancellation on? Just to make sure it doesn't echo.
Carmen Lezeth:How do we do that? Oh, under the settings.
Rick Costa:Yeah, and then go audio.
Carmen Lezeth:Audio. But should it be blue or black? This doesn't help. Blue Mine is blue Cynthia can't look, she can't look, she's on her phone, the 1875 phone.
Rick Costa:No, I'm just kidding.
Carmen Lezeth:Is that a nice thing? No, I'm just kidding.
Rick Costa:I was going to say Jesus, like Rick.
Carmen Lezeth:There will be no laughter. We all nice thing. No, I'm just kidding either way you think about that, whether it was 18 dollars and 75 cents or the year 1875, no matter how you think of it that was good. I was just going to pull it up as let me try it this way. Okay, here it goes.
TikTik Quincy Jones :What on those albums Thriller, for example is you? We take his stuff and take it to another level. Don't stop till you get enough. It's very well known that Michael sent me a note. Could you please take off the violins in the introduction, though it's messed up my groove. You know what that line was Diddle, diddle, diddle, diddle, diddle, diddle Identifying line on the goddamn song. So he said take it off, yeah, and you said no way, he don't tell me what to do. No, who was right? Well, what ended up on the record? That's one of the strongest parts of the introduction.
Carmen Lezeth:But wasn't that kind of cool. You could see just how he. Oh, thank you Melanie, thank you Carol. They could hear. It Isn't that interesting, though, that you can understand the importance of a really good producer and the relationship, like you could see the argument going back and forth. You know what I mean. Like take that out because it's messing with my groove. I would totally be that same person. I would have been saying that. I would have been like you know what it's messing with my groove, can we take that out? And I would have been so wrong, but Michael listened to him or didn't have a choice. So I thought that was an interesting clip, because it's short and it says so much about the relationship.
Rick Costa:And it's 100% right. It is the identifying clip of the song. You just hear that one part. You know exactly what song it is.
Carmen Lezeth:Exactly, I thought that was so good. Shout out to Quincy Jones and his family and Melanie said I like the violins in that song. What was mine, I know right, it does make the whole song. It's fascinating because I remember just as a little kid, especially Cynthia you no, you weren't born, but when I first started dancing was with Doña Felita on Forbes Street. She used to round up the little kids in the neighborhood and we would dance or whatever for, like, the VFW. Now when I think about it, they still do it. Oh, they do. But look at me, I'm like now when I think about how weird it was, like how creepy it was. But we would dance for the VFW and we'd wear these, like and I thought I was Puerto Rican. I'm not Puerto Rican, but I'm very proud to have been confused to be Because we would sing Que bonita la bandera, que bonita la bandera, que bonita la bandera, la bandera.
Carmen Lezeth:Puerto Rican, which is is how beautiful the flag, how beautiful the flag, how beautiful the flag of Puerto Rico. But we would sing that because clearly she was Puerto Rican, but also, I think, because we were in the Puerto Rican parade. We would do all these different things, but I just always remember. You would listen to her and she would tell you what you should and should not do. And we were just little kids, so we would just do it. But some kids would be like they didn't want to do it. You know what I mean. Like they didn't want it, they would mess it up and then she'd be like you're out and I'd be like, oh, I don't want to get out, chris, I just played, you Played you. He's so cool. Let me see if we can get him up here. Chris, I thought I sent you a link to see if you could join us, because I know I didn't think he was playing tonight. Rick, do you have him on Facebook? Okay, wait. Alright, let me hook this up. Let me speak amongst yourselves.
Cynthia Ruiz :I was always bummed because I was never in those and I wanted my mom to put me in and she never did.
Carmen Lezeth:It was when we got older, because you're so much younger than that. Not that much younger, but you're not that much younger.
Rick Costa:Chris, you got played, yes, yes, I played you.
Carmen Lezeth:Did you get my message on TikTok? I took the link you sent me About you Talking about kindness and the way in which we talk to each other and that kind of headed off our whole conversation. Okay, I sent you the link. I sent you the link if you want to come on. I know you're not playing tonight, I think you're not anyways, but yeah, so you didn't do con doña felita, you did not do that. Yeah, that's when I first started performing, but I just remember how important it was that you not only because you didn't want to get kicked out, but yeah, I love that clip and also quincy jones's breath of like his resume is ridiculous, but, as everyone knows, my favorite movie is what color?
Carmen Lezeth:Purple, purple, and he was the executive producer for that, for the original is the, but also the one afterwards. I think he was involved with the one afterwards as well. Yeah, so god bless him and rashida jones, his daughter, lovely actress, peace. And I don't know, I think it's a tough time when someone passes away, even if you, him and Rashida Jones, his daughter, lovely actress, peace. And I don't know, I think it's a tough time when someone passes away, even if you know they're going to or they're older or whatever he did.
Rick Costa:I guess it's considered like a Christmas album Handles Messiah but like in a Black gospel but not only Black gospel he took it like from different time periods with a Black influence, so it totally transforms the song. That's one of my favorite albums.
Carmen Lezeth:Really Nice. I think Chris Gales is in the house. Hold up one second, hello sir, hello, oh, we can't hear you when you're echoing.
Cynthia Ruiz :Wait a second.
Carmen Lezeth:Better, better, better, better, better. Excellent, mr Joy Holla.
Chris Gales :Hello, how are you?
Carmen Lezeth:doing? How are?
Chris Gales :you, I'm good.
Carmen Lezeth:I loved your video. Thank you for tagging me in it or sending it to me. Were you trying to tell me something? I am the queen of kindness with a little swearing no, but what spurred you? Is it all the political stuff? Is that what it was?
Chris Gales :Yeah, someone had expressed a concern because of their situation and they're living in fear, a type of fear now, but it's a fear that some of us were used to and we've become so acclimated with it that it sits in the back of our head, but it's not right here. It sits in the back of our head, but it's not right here.
Carmen Lezeth:Some of the jokes and stuff that we hear and we let pass because at one point in time, it would do no good to say anything about it. You know what I just did a disservice. Let me just interrupt you for a moment. I never introduced you to Cynthia. Cynthia, this is Chris Gales. Cynthia, my apologies. I always think everybody knows everybody, so I apologize, okay.
Rick Costa:Cynthia's part of Carmen's family bush.
Carmen Lezeth:He's not going to know what the hell that means. The man does not listen to the show because he's busy on thursday night. I'm saying family tree because cynthia is actually my cousin. I always say it's a family bush because there's like weeds, it's a mess. It's a mess, so it's a bush. Uh, it just sounded wrong when Rick just said it. Yeah, but yeah, so people are living in fear and expressing that, and you were concerned and so you made a statement.
Chris Gales :It's just little things. It's hard for me to watch Westerns these days. It's hard for me to watch Bonanza. In fact, bonanza in particular, somebody was mentioning on Facebook. You can learn a lot about your friends by looking at social media. But somebody was upset because they were watching the episode of Bonanza and there was a warning displayed before it saying that the views of this show is not the views of, and they're trying to say what does that mean? Mean, and you do know the cowboys weren't the good guys and cowboy was an indian right. A lot of people don't realize that but why would?
Carmen Lezeth:a show wasn't bonanza like back in the 60s? Why would that have a warning?
Chris Gales :because the cowboys were not always the good guys in the situations did they have the warning back then?
Carmen Lezeth:That's my point. No, they did not. Okay, that's what I'm saying. So they're doing it now, so that you.
Chris Gales :They're doing it now, okay, which back then it should have been done.
Carmen Lezeth:It shouldn't have even been done, it should have never aired.
Chris Gales :It's become such the norm that it's become accepted, and when you call them out on the fact that, yeah, that's wrong, you're being oversensitive about it.
TikTik Quincy Jones :Well, not really.
Carmen Lezeth:Yeah, yeah, I think people like to excuse, Like you know. And again I don't want to get us back into you know politics. I'm sorry. What did you say, chris?
Chris Gales :Excuse, this really isn't politics, this is just no it's just being is just having manners.
Carmen Lezeth:People are like oh, you're so woke. I'm like, see, that is just an excuse to continue having bad behavior and bad language, because it really doesn't hurt me at all to say something correctly or in a preferred manner or to be considerate of other people, so like this whole kind of woke thing or whatever like just because you have to adjust a tiny bit.
Chris Gales :You know is so difficult, so I think that's part of it too you know when, when that, when that phrase comes toward me oh, you're so woke, well, you just go on back to sleep over there you know, it's such a weird.
Carmen Lezeth:It is a weird, it's a weird dish. Like you're so woke, I'm like thank you yeah, thank you very much.
Chris Gales :It's like saying I'm intelligent.
Carmen Lezeth:I don't know what else to say with that. I'm kind, compassionate, intelligent. I can change, I'm able to adapt to my circumstances. Like thank you is the only answer to being you know. Everyone should be woke, Everyone you know.
Chris Gales :Yeah, when you point some of this stuff out, it's not just too sensitive, no, it's just you're a dork.
Cynthia Ruiz :Yeah.
Rick Costa:You're a dork, you put it nicely.
Carmen Lezeth:You used a heavy word there, chris, I don't know X-rated.
Rick Costa:Yeah, La, la, la, la, la la.
Cynthia Ruiz :That's when you just say bless your heart.
Chris Gales :Bless your heart. Hey, that's a good one. They will understand that one very well. You're so woke. Bless your heart, yeah.
TikTik Quincy Jones :Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Chris Gales :That is exactly what I want to say.
Carmen Lezeth:Chris, you've been working so much. You've been working so much. That's a blessing right.
Chris Gales :It is definitely a blessing. It is definitely a blessing. Yeah, it really is.
Carmen Lezeth:But you're working like back to back I think one. Sunday. You did three times. You were three different places on one Sunday, right, do you remember?
Cynthia Ruiz :that.
Carmen Lezeth:It was like a month back or something.
Chris Gales :I don't remember exactly, but yeah, that happens sometimes. It is a blessing.
Carmen Lezeth:Cynthia, you may not know, but Chris Gayles plays, he sings, and he plays the guitar with his tongue as well, which is crazy.
Cynthia Ruiz :I saw the video.
Carmen Lezeth:Oh, you saw that it's scary, but we love Chris and I always wanted to come on the show. But then I also don't like, as always, I don't like to pressure people to come on all the time and I know sometimes when I send the link there's that oh, I can't make it, and I'm like, oh my God, just come if you can. So today I noticed I'm like, oh, I know he home because he just sent me a direct message.
Chris Gales :I'm actually waiting to go pick up my son from a little game that they're having.
Carmen Lezeth:Oh right now you're going yeah.
Cynthia Ruiz :We're almost done.
Carmen Lezeth:It's fine, you're fine, i're doing that, I'm just saying, like when you sent me the DM, I'm like I was all excited because I was going to invite you to the show. But then I was like maybe he was saying this about me. When was I unkind?
Chris Gales :No, but look, it didn't even matter, I just came on and used says, I still say Crystal's is better than White Castle. That was his response.
Carmen Lezeth:I don't know what that is.
Chris Gales :I don't even know what that means he was just trying to be funny, but to me, the way, the mood that I was in and everything that came off, as I don't respect what you just said, I want to make a joke out of it.
Carmen Lezeth:Okay, so I'm sorry, I don't know what crystal. What did you just say? I don't even know what that is. Is that like a wine?
Chris Gales :Crystal burgers.
Rick Costa:Okay, the little small burgers. What?
Chris Gales :In some places they're a White Castle.
Carmen Lezeth:We don't know what White Castle is. I know White Castle. Some people know White Castle.
Chris Gales :Some people know White Castle. Some people know Crystal Some people know Gold, some people don't either, but they're little small square burgers.
Carmen Lezeth:Is it like a fast food joint or something? It's a?
Chris Gales :fast food chain yes, Okay.
Carmen Lezeth:So, he was trying to be me. I'm sorry. I grew up on the East Coast. We didn't have whatever. We do have now. Now I'm in California, we have In-N-Out Burger. We ain't got no White Castle or whatever. So he was trying to be funny but still degrading by competing yeah, that's where it comes off at.
Chris Gales :Yeah, so I just deleted his post. If he asked me why I deleted it, I will tell him, but I'm not going to get into it. It's dismissive. I started to say something. See, you just showed how serious that you are taking me, and you can sense the seriousness of it, but you choose to joke. I figured you would be. One of the problems is what I started to say, that's right.
Carmen Lezeth:Melanie just said I know White Castle, not the other, and Carol now cleared this up. It's a New Jersey thing. Okay, got it. It's a New Jersey thing, because it's not a Boston thing. She knows I'm from Boston. We don't have those things.
Cynthia Ruiz :We don't have White Castle. Where I had White Castle was in Long Island.
Chris Gales :Yeah, they have White Castle in Nashville, but they don't have any in Memphis. They have Crystals in Memphis, which is just four hours apart.
Carmen Lezeth:Yeah, they don't have uncool things in California or Boston.
Cynthia Ruiz :That's what I'm thinking of this.
Carmen Lezeth:We have cool things. No, I'm just kidding. I love that you're here, chris, it's so nice to see your smiley face yeah, but you're doing good. So you're, you're doing. I mean, clearly you're doing well, working wise, but how's everything else? Fam?
Chris Gales :It fams good, fams good. My daughter she's just started her second when she's about to finish her first semester of her sophomore year at Mississippi State, and my son is now a freshman in high school my goodness amen right that's good.
Carmen Lezeth:Is he playing football? Is that why you're saying you're gonna go? No?
TikTik Quincy Jones :no, no, that's.
Carmen Lezeth:Ted is Ted's son has football, right? Yeah, I'm getting confused.
TikTik Quincy Jones :I think Ted's son has football, right?
Carmen Lezeth:Yeah, I think so. I think Ted's son has football. You said you're picking up your son from where.
Chris Gales :From a little football game that they're having.
Carmen Lezeth:Oh, they're at the game.
Chris Gales :Yeah, the band yeah.
Carmen Lezeth:Oh, okay, I'm not crazy, but will you come back again and maybe play some music for us?
Chris Gales :I might be persuaded to do so.
Carmen Lezeth:I mean, I know you're working all the time and I shouldn't be asking you to play, but you can play like one little song. One little song.
Chris Gales :Yeah.
Rick Costa:Your kids into music too. What your kids into music too. They take after daddy.
Chris Gales :What's funny is and I had to have a little discussion with the band director about how they snuff out music. Wait what? The band director here? I had a little conversation with him one day about how they snuff out the creativity in students. Okay, Hmm, when I don't know how it is there. But here, when you're in band and you want to play an instrument, they have you play on the different mouthpieces and they say, oh, you will be better on this instrument.
Chris Gales :And this is the instrument that you have to play. I discovered just last year that my son actually wanted to play saxophone, which is what I played. My son actually wanted to play saxophone, which is what I played. He actually desired to play saxophone, but he didn't feel that he could play saxophone because they told him that he would be better on this horn.
Carmen Lezeth:What horn is he on? Is he on a?
Chris Gales :Euphonium.
Carmen Lezeth:What's a euphonium? Is that like a?
Chris Gales :That's what everybody says Well, I don't know what it is? It is a low brass instrument. When marching, they use one that is similar to a trumpet, but much, much bigger.
Carmen Lezeth:Much bigger Okay.
Chris Gales :But ordinarily the euphonium is an instrument that looks similar to a tuba, To a tuba Right, right, right.
Carmen Lezeth:Hey, I was in color guard and jump corps for I don't know 15 years, so I know bands. I don't know 15 years, so I know bands.
Rick Costa:Now was the truth. You would be better, or I rather you be on that.
Chris Gales :The truth is I would rather you be on that. We need somebody to play this as opposed to. This is music. It's an art. What do you desire to do with it? And I called the band director had no idea who I was. I told him you should. Band director had no idea who I was. I told him you should probably. Google me before you say anything stupid.
Carmen Lezeth:That's right, mr Gales. I don't think you understand about the music. I think this is better in the. He's just better in tone and blah, blah, blah. Can you imagine?
TikTik Quincy Jones :them being like let me Google this.
Carmen Lezeth:Aaron, I was in choir before I started really dancing for real and really being a performer. I was in choir at St Thomas Aquinas Church and they let me have a solo, like just a solo. So I was in the choir and we were in the back of the church, up in the top Right With the organ, the beautiful, beautiful church, with the organ, whatever. So it's not like anybody could see me or anything right, because we in the back. So I was ready and I did the solo. I did and I was horrible.
Carmen Lezeth:I was horrible, but I was only like nine years old and in that moment I still see her face. She was, it was one of the nuns and she was like you know what?
Carmen Lezeth:you're not a singer, you're never gonna be a singer oh something else and let me tell you, I look at, I always get around say I have a horrible voice. I don't, I do not have a horrible voice and I actually can't keep a tune, but it kept me from ever pursuing anything. Yeah, and that's why that time when you told me and I think we're interviewing or we were, you were on the show or something you were like you should sing, I was like I would never because I won't. It was traumatic to me. Now, I'm not saying I had a voice like Whitney Houston, but it did keep me from pursuing that.
Rick Costa:Too bad he didn't exist back then, or not famous. We'd have been like listen, simon Cowell.
Chris Gales :I don't need your opinion. Okay, when people can't sing, I say you need to listen to bob dylan, and if you really listen, real close.
Carmen Lezeth:James brown too, you know hey right, I know everybody's got their own, but I look at, because I really believe that. I believe that you should encourage children and maybe someone does that, but you don't tell a nine-year-old, basically, that they suck yeah, it's their first time and you don't tell a nine-year-old basically that they suck and it's their first time and you didn't give them no coaching, you didn't give them nothing yeah, yes, you know yeah, so that's too bad about your son, but is he happy, like he can move on?
Chris Gales :he's fine, he's fine, it's. It's like, let's say, there are different degrees of musicians. There are those that I play my horn and just I play my horn, or whatever and just whatever. Then there are those who, man, I really love music. I really do love music.
Rick Costa:Let me play this.
Chris Gales :Let me go join a band, Let me play in this band. Yeah, let me do everything. Then there are those who are like hey, I just got finished with my 13th show in two days.
Carmen Lezeth:I need to go home and practice right, that's you, that's me that's you and this guy and this guy exactly oh, I had somebody the other day. The other day, somebody at work came up to me and was like what are you wearing? What is that? What is that symbol? Is that a gang symbol? This is the second time.
Cynthia Ruiz :I've been asked.
Carmen Lezeth:I'm like yes, the business manager of this company has chosen to go down deep in Compton and buy a gang outfit to wear. What is wrong with?
Chris Gales :you yeah.
Carmen Lezeth:The symbol's on the back. It doesn't say Prince anywhere. But can you even that question wrong with you? Yeah, the symbols on the back. It doesn't say Prince anywhere. But can you even that question was so unwoke. Can you imagine thinking I mean, forget that they don't know who Prince is? I was flabbergasted by the idea that they think I because I'm the only Black person.
Chris Gales :Well, you think about it. It was what 20-some years ago? Oh.
Carmen Lezeth:I don't mind that people don't know because they're young or whatever, but a gang yeah, it says here love one another, like you know what I mean?
Cynthia Ruiz :Yeah, no, it's witchcraft.
Rick Costa:Or maybe astrology that would have been yeah, it's just shocking to me.
Carmen Lezeth:I'm like, oh my god. I just said yes. Yes, I'm from compton, this is the new thing we're wearing.
Chris Gales :This is what we do. It's a minnesota gang sign that's going to be better.
Carmen Lezeth:It's a gang out of Minnesota. I say Compton because people think Compton is like a great place, it's such community, whatever it's like. People have these weird ideas right because of movies or whatever, and share racism and whatever. It's just a poor area, but it's a cool area. So I always use Compton but I'm going to say that is a Minnesota gang. It's a Minnesota gang. It's just a poor area but it's a cool area. I always use Compton but I'm going to say that is a Minnesota gang.
Chris Gales :It's a Minnesota gang. Based out of Penn Hassan Minnesota.
Carmen Lezeth:That's right, we usually wear purple bitch.
Cynthia Ruiz :I love that.
Carmen Lezeth:We usually wear purple bitch, we usually wear purple babe.
Chris Gales :We usually wear that. Our slogan is you're sexy mama, I know.
Carmen Lezeth:Oh God, that's our slogan, right.
Cynthia Ruiz :That's so funny.
Carmen Lezeth:Oh my God. Yeah, we could go on that for a while. That's hilarious. I'm so glad you stopped by. This was so much fun. We're past the hour mark. I know you got to go pick up your son.
Chris Gales :I haven't gotten a call yet.
Carmen Lezeth:Oh okay, Talk some more. What else you got?
Chris Gales :Now you put me on the spot. I have no idea.
Carmen Lezeth:What's JDI again in Connecticut?
Rick Costa:That's my Jesus did it thing, oh yeah, in Connecticut.
Carmen Lezeth:That's my Jesus Did it thing. Oh yeah, in Connecticut it's even worse. It's online bitch. It's online jesusdiditorg, okay.
Rick Costa:We did have masks one year, Did you?
Carmen Lezeth:I knew yeah we all dressed up and looked all crazy, so crazy, do it too.
TikTik Quincy Jones :Okay, Do it too.
Carmen Lezeth:Listen, I'm going to shut this down because, as much as I'm having fun in my head, what do we all know I'm thinking about Editing Right Like that? Let me just say a few things. First of all, please go to allaboutthejoycom, check out the store. We have some shirts, some cups. What were you going to say, chris?
Chris Gales :You were going to say something. I could have said the actual you're sexy and you just edited it out.
Carmen Lezeth:I'm waiting for you to say it. I'm waiting for you to say it. You want me to say it. You're a sexy mother.
Chris Gales :I'm waiting for you to say it.
Carmen Lezeth:Huh, quote Prince, quote him in full.
Chris Gales :I'm not going to do it. This is going to be in the highlight reel, isn't it? You're saying it in your heart.
Carmen Lezeth:Same thing, saying it in your heart, saying it in your brain we love Prince, we love Prince. You, sexy motherfucker. Okay, I'm okay saying it. You think this is the first time. I think I swore 97 times on this episode. I swear all the time, but I swear with love and joy in my heart. I don't swear at people, I swear as a expression of I don't know, like an exclamation point. You know what I mean. I have no issues with that. Did I offend your ears, baby? You okay.
Chris Gales :Okay, my ears are not offended.
Carmen Lezeth:All right, everyone. I want to thank Chris Gales for stopping by. Thank you so much. We'll have you back on. Cynthia. Love you so much. Always appreciative Rick, my heart. Thank you All about the joycom Please can share on YouTube. I appreciate everyone going on Facebook and liking it. That's not helping me. It does, but it really doesn't. Youtube go in every video on YouTube. If you can do me that favor, that would be such a nice Christmas gift for me. Just go in as many videos as you can for us, just to give us a little boost in the algorithm and just so that I feel better. Thank you so much. Everyone Remember. At the end of the day, it really is what all about. Hi everyone, good night, bye, thank you. Thanks for stopping by. All about the joy. Be better and stay beautiful folks. Have a sweet day.