The Bootstrap

We’ve been waiting with baited breath for this episode. Visual artist and historian (and future marine biologist) Lydia Marie Hicks joins the Bootstrap to share some history about Idlewild, its people and its future. Sit back and enjoy. You might learn a thing or two.

I just want to know if black women can be excellent, not risk their lives and just exist. We dig into some of the news out of the Tokyo Olympics. We had some technical difficulties, so please excuse the poor sound quality.

We discuss the celebration of a new holiday that nobody needed as well as the fact that most in the majority won’t know why they are getting a day off work. Capitalism is a mutha…and Rachel’s dog sitting gig gets in the way!

Well, thanks to my anti-vax bro’s, COVID numbers are going in the wrong direction…plus new varients

“What to the Negro is the 4th of July”. It seemed appropriate to repost my reading of the famous Frederick Douglas speach from a year ago. Happy belated Juneteenth!

Once again we are ranting about policing in America. From slave patrols to the Rodney King to George Floyd and all of the killings and brutality of the past year, cops continue to be a menace to society.

This week it’s just the two of us. So we took some time to examine the beef between AOC and MTG. Also, we explore our travel options for them America finishes falling.

Examining the newly minted COVID worker shortage. Why won’t these lazy people get up and get a job?!?

Welcome back! This week we are taking a look at the verdict of the Derek Chauvin trial as well as a brief discussion of our television viewing habits.

A lot going on. We touch on the trial of Derek Chauvin, the corporate response to Georgia’s restrictive voter laws and much much more!

Well, America feels like America again. As COVID-19 case numbers begin to drop, we have had our first mass shooting incident of the year and a white man in Oklahoma chose to attach black children at a basketball game. This is America..

A little bit of discussion about the “bombshell” revelation that the Brittish royal family might carry a hint of racism or white supremacy…shocking. Plus, Biden’s stimulus passes, so maybe I’ll get my money. We shall see. Also, does representation really equal progress?

Joe Biden is messing with my money. I want my $2000 stimulus and now it’s $1400…and now there are new income restrictions that will mean that many won’t get anything for the next round of stimulus. Very disappointing. Also, racists are mad that Dr. Seuss’s estate has decided to be less racist. YOLO!

Not much happened this week…Seriously, aside from the usual injustices and everyday annoyances of American life, nothing radical or out of the ordinary happened. So we just passed the time.

Tonight we are joined by a very special guest. Sean Thomas has spent the last two decades in media in almost every role from radio DJ to news anchor. He is currently working as news anchor for Russia Today, Russia’s state run, 24 hour english language news outlet (Russian CNN?). We dig into the situation […]

Surprise, surprise. The white people didn’t learn much about Black history while they were in school. Actually, neither did the Black guy. The gang shares what they remember learning about Black history as kids and we ponder why we learned so little in school. Happy Black History Month!

What is a racist and why does the term bother white people so much? Me and my white crew dig into this discussion and try to understand some of the ways that this term impedes progress.

Soooo, last week we witnessed a failed coup. I had to bring the crew back form their haiaitus so we could talk about this. 45’s reign is over but he’s not going quietly…

This one goes left pretty quick. We started out talking about BIPOC representation in animated movies and ended up spending our evening debating the efficacy of porn. I love this job…(wish I got paid)

Fresh off of Thanksgiving and ready to finish our leftovers, an election result still eludes us. Happy Holidays everyone and get ready for the Georgia runoff!

It’s a family affair! Anna joins us as well as Dr. Amy to discuss more post election attrocities.

Well, the election happened and we won’t have a clear winner until…Also, Dr. Amy joins us to talk about the movie Cuties and all that needless controversy. Enjoy.

The election is only a few days away. Who will win? Who will cheat? Who knows?

Bill Burr riffs on white women (correctly). The vice presidential debates and a look at the upcoming covid vaccine through the lense of America’s history of experimentation on black people.

In this episode, we talk about the controversy surrounding the movie “Cuties.” Also Biden and trump’s debate performances and it looks like trump and many in his camp have tested positive…

The title says it all. More bad news in an unjust world.

The crew comes together to discuss more current events during the covid apocolypse, plus the explosion in Lebanon.

Just the crew riffing on progressives, primaries, racism and more of Mango Musselini’s shenanigans…

We have a full house tonight with some incredible women. Dr. Amy joins us once again, as well as Dr. Nelia, and Tonya to talk about womens issues in the context of the struggle. So grateful for the conversation this evening.

Ed is flying solo tonight and we all know that can be dangerous. He shares some wise words from the great abolitionist, Frederick Douglas. Happy 4th, everyone…

Matt Gaetz goes off, SCOTUS makes some key decisions, Aunt Jemima is retired and white people are exhausted…

This week, we are joined by Dr. Amy Bonomi who helps us examine why women have been largely ignored during the movement for Black lives and the wider implications of patriarchy and violence toward women as a public health crisis. We are also fortunate to welcome Cedric back to the show. Pretty soon, we won’t […]

So, we decide to take one week off to collect ourselves and the cops kill ANOTHER black man and then the world collectively decides to rise up…Who am I to argue? Black Lives Matter!

We continue to revisit updates in the tragedy that is the Ahmaud Arbury case.We also give a brief salute to Breonna Taylor. Then we take a minute to dream like Jeff Bezos.

We talk about updates in the Ahmaud Arbery case and examine the next tragedy that is the murder of Breonna Taylor. My friend Dionardo graced us with his presence, once again, and brought some much needed wisdom and truth. Enjoy.

Unfortunately, I saw the video of Ahmaud Arbery losing his life and I am not in a good place. Two dear and trusted friends join the show this evening and we talk through this tragic injustice. Enjoy the uncomfortable silences…

We have a brief discussion about the sexual assault allegations against Joe Biden, examine the continued protests at the Michigan Capitol building and how white privilege plays into being allowed to yell in a cops face with no consequences.

We disect the shear caucasity of the ongoing protests happening in Michigan and other states with Democratic governors. Also, white women are trying to move in and appropriate oppression…go figure…

Wisconsin holds an election. Bernie and his supporters are NOT helping and people in Michigan are protesting the governors restrictions put in place for everyone’s safety…

Bernie is off the trail. Governor Whitmer gets ’bout it and Karen is Karen. Also, vote or die…literally.

We took some time to talk through our lists of 10 things we secretly hate that other people love and also, school’s cancelled for the rest of the year and Michigan has been declared a disaster zone.

Well, it’s here. It’s real and we are confined to quarters…unless we decide to leave. In this episode, we are reporting live from the apocalypse. Orders have been issued to stay indoors, but most are not following. Meanwhile, our president seeks validation…We hope Scotty is ok.

Welcome back to the Bootstrap. We are reporting live from the apocalypse. Since we are essentially off work, we all had time to join in this week and give our take on the virus and the president's terrible response to it.

In this episode we talk about other more interesting stuff as we occasionally check the super Tuesday primary results. We also take a look at the looming pandemic. It’s looking very much like a Biden candidacy is in our future…

We are back from our hiatus with all of the manly men. Rachel had to sit this one out so all of the fellas decided to talk about the halftime show, trump and some other stuff along the way.

This week we have our first ever 5 star review and as promised, I asked them to join us on the show. Our special guest joins us for a discussion about the movie Harriet, Michael Vick, white privilege and other fun topics. Enjoy!

In this episode Rachel and I discuss the sorry state of our Detroit Lions as well as Colin Kaepernick’s NFL Workout. We also discover the racist “nextdoor” and top it all off with a little Jim Crow. Cheers, everyone!

This week we discuss the Popeye’s phenomenon and the pathologizing of black behavior. We also visit the gynecologist with our teenager…oh wait, that was T.I. plus a couple of other topics. It was a slow news week and we were tired. Bonus: Scotty was able to join us.

Ed is left alone to his own devices tonight and decides to revisit an old article from one of his favorite authors. James Baldwin’s “Report from Occupied Territory” brings incredible clarity and insite to the tragic state of police brutality and unequal justice in America. All of this has happened before and all of it […]

Our friend Cedric returns to the show and we are left all by ourselves. We get into the Atatiana Jefferson case, Ibram Kendi, religion and more!

In this episode, we are back after 2 weeks and we talk about the Amber Guyger trial, forgiveness and the hug heard ’round the world. We also delve into the impeachment and my darker predictions about the future of Trump’s America. …Plus blackface again…