Angie Martinez IRL - June Ambrose: Styling Icons, Grief Attacks In Paris & Never Chasing Clout

30:34She was like, you've always liked attention. And, you know, she's like, she's like, we're so different. Right. And I'm like, you don't want the attention. But yet when you get a compliment, you come on yourself. I mean, it's like, you know, it's like, it's like an orgasm. It's orgasmic. You get it. You know, someone tells you you look pretty. No, it's true. I'm sorry. She loves it. Everyone who doesn't love a compliment. No, but I understand her. There is a difference. There is a difference. June, I'm like, you would think I'm not, I'm more like her. I don't enjoy. I believe you, but I don't feel like, but I feel like you have received what that feels like when you walk into a building.

31:16You know what it's like. People recognize you all the time. Yeah. No, I appreciate a moment or I appreciate it. If I'm in something that makes me feel good and I get a compliment. Listen. I appreciate that. I'm modest too. Don't get me wrong. I'm very modest and I can be very shy. I know that's very confusing. You walk around Manhattan with this hat on your head. I know. You are not trying to blend in anywhere. You want to be seen. You are comfortable being seen. I am because I like making friends and I like meeting people. And I feel like it attracts the energy that I want. And even if you don't get it, I'll never forget, I got off a plane from L.A.

31:53And this was recent because I've been wearing these cowboy hats for like three years now. And the person with the wheelchairs that comes to help people with the wheelchairs, I come off the planet, I have my cowboy hat and I'm like, I look like I just came from another planet. And she starts, she laughs in my face. And she was like, you look like a witch. This is what she said to me. And I was like, so it comes at a price, right? It's like. The good and the bad. Well, it could have been bad. It didn't end good for her. But I, you know, I was like, wow, I could be a victim and actually take offense to what she was saying or realize that I can't be everything to everyone so when you when you think about that it's like you know I go back to artists again you know you can't make music you know for the audience you have to make music for yourself that you love that you know that's like what what it's an expression of who you are.

32:54So I thought about it in the same way. You know, my initial reaction was, how dare you? Right. I was like, how dare you speak to me that way? And I said to her, I said, that is not very nice because you don't understand. Does it make it okay for you to speak to me that way? Good for you. And, and it just, and it was quick because we were hustling. We're walking off the plane, but I had to say it in order to recover. So I like to unpack trauma quick. I don't like to hold on to trauma because that could change how I start to see myself or, you know, think about the young me, someone's judging you and you immediately think, okay, this didn't work for that person.

33:35No one's going to like it. Let me conform to what society finds to be acceptable. And I was just like, I'm not, I live in the Juniverse and I don't, I believe in the Juniverse, there are other planets and tons of stars. And there's this empty space that I can exist in and attract and that light and all of those things that happens in space is where I'd rather live. I need my own Juniverse. I need that. Planet Earth can be cruel. We should all have a Juniverse. Like what is your, what is your, like, what is your Angieverse? Yeah, like what is my Angieverse? Everybody should figure out what is the way that you operate through the world that is only yours and that you protect it so that you don't lose yourself in other people's whatever expectations opinions all those things but think about it it's like when artists get on stage you know they are immediately transformed that the energy that you get from the audience that it's almost like it's a high you know it's like when people like you know fame is a drug you know people get really intoxicated by it I I don't subscribe to like fame, I subscribe to like energy, right?

34:54It's a source. It's how it's at the end of my life, at the end of this journey, I would hope that people remembered the way I made them feel. And I think fashion and style is an expression of that. And however provocative and whatever opinion you may have drawn from what I was presenting, I still made you feel a certain way. And I could live with that. Right? I could live with that. And that's how I want to live my life. Constantly reinventing myself. That's pretty good. Constantly, you know. I think that's the unlock. Yes. But you do have to do what you do. There does have to be a certain, like how you said, the difference between you and your sister.

35:42Yeah. Because I don't think everybody, like you said, some people don't want that. No, they don't. I've got to terms with it. I do not wish to walk. Sometimes I walk around the city with a gray hoodie on and whatever. That's it. I like blending. Right. I just like it. And it's a trend, right? It's also like a trend, right? Well, I don't do it to be a trend. Well, quiet luxury right now, they say. Okay, well, lucky me. So you are a timeless, quiet luxury. That's not my point. I'm just acknowledging the difference in types of personalities where fashion is concerned. Yeah, I have to acknowledge it too as well.

36:22To be honest, I have to acknowledge it. When I design a collection, when I'm putting out collaborations and co-branding, I have to think about the customer. It's very interesting. When you start to create consumer goods, you have to think about that person that doesn't want that much attention. But then you also have to create something that's going to push them a little bit. out of their comfort zone, which I've done my entire career. My job is to forecast, is to insist that you feel something in the experience, right, of transforming, evolving. What we're doing is something very transformative.

37:00You know, when you are collaborating with someone and you're in charge of their image and likeness, and sometimes it's not collaborative. Sometimes someone is like, take me, figure it out for me. You know, like I can't articulate what it is that I know I want to be. So just show me and I'll let you know how it, if it, if it, if, if it feels right. Sometimes it's, it's like that. It's not always like someone's telling you, you know. Is that more fun for you? Yeah, honestly. Yeah. I would let you do that. I would let, I would let you, I would, I would submit. I mean, we had this experience before when MTV awards, you were like, oh Lord, you were like, Angie's was like, I don't want to wear this gold, but we got a lot of attention.

37:41We did. She was so mad at me. I was so mad. She was like, you made me the tin woman. Here's why I was mad at you. Was it ladies first? It was ladies night. I think we should talk about it, right? Because it's not always going to be, you know, because I don't blame you though, because this is not your fault. I take responsibility though. Yeah, but this is not your fault. Here's what happened. I'm a young girl who gets thrown into this mix with these experienced artist. I was not an artist. I had no real experience in public, definitely not performance. Getting on stage, MTV Awards was a big deal.

38:20We just, out of nowhere, I just hopped on a song and the song went crazy. It was crazy. And we got a Grammy nomination. We're at the MTV Awards. I don't have a team. I don't have a stylist. I don't have all the things that all the other girls had. You didn't develop that trust yet. So you were not even my stylist. I know, I know. They said to you, You definitely didn't trust me. You didn't know me. Because I didn't know you. You were like, oh, great. I didn't know you. Oh, yeah. It's not that I didn't trust you. It's that they said, here, June, take care of her, too. I know. And I witnessed. Yeah, yeah.

38:49What? What is it? I don't have any. I witnessed. And I was customing everything then. I was literally custom designing everything at that time. And they gave you this girl. I don't think I had a day. We didn't even collaborate on it. No. We didn't have a conversation. We didn't have no conversation. We didn't have time. You didn't take time and say to me, okay, what is. I didn't get to present sketches. Angie Martinez. Who is Angie Martinez? Who is Angie? We didn't have any of that. They threw me to you. I was like, this is the thing. When you were already in the thing, you put me in the theme, which was fine.

39:17And then the day of the awards, I had no shoes. Oh, my God. See, I remember all the details. You know what? I remember that was easy. It's in my book. It's in my book. Oh, my God. I had no shoes. And then I said, well, what am I? I'm standing there. We're about to go out. And I have no shoes on my feet. I had to give you Tim's, I think. Somebody came running down and said, June said, wear these. And they were these. She was like, I really hate you. No, I did. I didn't love you that moment. They were these big, chunky black shoes, which had we had some time together, you would know these are not the shoes for her.

39:48I'm a perfectionist, too. So I don't blame you because they threw me at you. And that was, you know, what I learned in that moment is like, I have to be in control. But I didn't know better at the time. I was fresh and young, whatever. But I learned. Yeah. I learned because what I would never do again, I was not going to show up at an event unprepared, not knowing what I was going to wear, not knowing who was going to help me wear. Like I did all that. And you needed your person. You just happened to be the poor person. It was the story of my life. But I also had to be the person that nurtured that you were unhappy, that you were nervous about everything.

40:28Like I recognize all of those things in the moment. And that's why I said I take responsibility because at the even though we all of these things, of course, I left. If you weren't happy, I knew that I felt I took responsibility for that because it was my job to make sure you were regardless. So when I say to you, like, that will always sit with me. But, you know, I can't make excuses. And I think a good leader doesn't make excuses. You take responsibility. You apologize. And that's how you, again, unpack the trauma, own it, and move on. Because if I sit and give you excuses, oh, blah, blah, blah, you know, I didn't have time to throw it at me.

41:18Well, you don't want to hear that. Only thing I can look at you and say is, you know, Angie, you are 100 % right. I recognize that you're unhappy and I apologize and you shouldn't have to experience that. That's my job. Yeah. That's my role. That's what I take on when I say yes. Yeah. And if I didn't want to take it on, I shouldn't have said yes, but I did. So I have to own it. But you were young too, by the way. Of course. But I'm saying like, I felt it. I got, oh, I owned it. Yeah. You know, I didn't, I wasn't happy that you weren't happy. Oh, Judy. Yeah. We're going to, we're going to, we're going to have a do over.

41:51I'm going to wear the June. An anniversary. Neutralizer. Yeah, naturalizer. You need more than that. Yeah, I'm going to do it all. I'm going to do it all. You know what's so funny? I had this conversation. I'm going to name a shoe after you. Oh, stop. Angie. We had this conversation. I had this conversation a couple months ago with Ferg. You know Ferg. Yeah, of course. Do you not love Ferg? Oh, my God. He's amazing. I just love him. I love how he sees me, too. How does he see you? He probably adores you. Yeah, he, you know, it's like this is a different... I... I recognize our generation is so different from this.

42:26He's the new somewhat. He's in the middle of the new. Yeah, yeah. He's in the middle. Yeah, he's like in high school. But there's a generation of young designers, creative directors that all are like, you know. Inspired by you. And like even recently, you know, ASAP with, you know, and people don't know that I was a costume designer for Belly. And they redid. Belly for Ray Ban. scene for Ray Pan. And I, for me, I sit back and I feel so relevant. Because you designed that first, the original scene. The movie was mine. You look at the film, costume designer, June Ambrose in the opening credits. You know, so for me, that was, it was great.

43:12It immediately said, you know, to Hype, I had texting Hype Williams and I had texting. And I'm like, this is great. Do you need the recognition for that? No. I mean, that was enough for me. I'm just used to not getting it. Are you really? I was wondering about that. What is that? Does that, I don't know. Does it eat at you? I can't give it that much. I can't give them that much power because if I, if I, that's like becoming this victim, you know? Yeah. Oh, people are like, oh, you need your flowers. No, no, I get my flowers. I am very blessed. I am like my, I am still like in it. Yeah. And to me, that is that blessing being able to phone still like that.

43:48People still wanting to collaborate with me, you know, being being able to bring product to the marketplace, to the larger consumer, you know, being able to have that. I spent four years at like, you know, launching women's basketball at a time when women's basketball wasn't even a thing at Puma and in the industry. And now look at women in basketball. I was ahead of it. I said, this is something that we need to really get behind and support. Like they're counting on us. The same way I felt about hip hop culture, it crossing over into high fashion. So again, what my conversations with A$AP Ferg, it's like, you know, he recognized my contribution.

44:23You know, my Busta Rhymes, my Missy Elias, my Jay-Z, all that stuff that I can't continue to like ride on. Because to me, it's like two decades old. Yes, it's a fact. You know, I need to be able to be relevant to something else. I'm like, I'm glad you guys are like, but I, for me, I'm like, okay, like, I don't want to be a has-been. So what do you do? What's your, you know, like for me, I'm always like, what's my next? What's next? What am I, what can I crack and, and break the mold on next? And, you know, when I was, you know, you know, when I partnered with, you know, Puma to work with them and launch that division, that was like, for me, that was like the next, like that was an important task because you're talking about a culture that we needed to build and form and create.

45:05And I was responsible for that. I like responsibility. Yeah. You own it. I like it. You put your arms around it. The thing I want to go back to with Ferg, we had this conversation about, I was telling him about an experience that I had. I'd never really been to a fashion show. And there was somebody, we were having this conversation, and somebody was talking about somebody else. And they said, oh, she reeks of effort. And they weren't talking about me. They were talking about somebody else. But I felt that. I was like, yeah, she does reek. I don't want to ever feel like I am reeking of effort.

45:39Like I don't. Such a fashion snob statement. It is a snobby statement, but also it's a real life statement because it's like, do you, because we were also talking about flow state and like, should you have to be trying so hard to impress people, be part of what's hot, what's part of what's popping? Like, where is the line? Because you're a soulful person too. You're not just a creative or a fashion girl, right? Like, so where is the line between how you present where fashion is concerned and what's inside and what matters on the inside? Like, where do you how do you navigate that? Because I'm sure you've even been in some fashion rooms where you're like, oh, these people are full of shit.

46:24I honestly don't even consider myself to be like a fashion girl. Really? It's like, first of all, everything is so segregated. Like, you know, you go to fashion shows now, you have the editors and the Condé Nast. You know, you have the editorial stylist. You have the, you know, the music culture athlete, you know, stylist. And then you have the influencers. So like everyone's in like these buckets and everyone has an opinion about everyone. And it's like, it's a thing. Yeah. And I just want to be in the universe. I don't want to be part of it because I feel like it's so alienated. That is the best way to explain it.

47:10Yeah. It's like what is true to you is really the answer to the question. It's like, you know what, especially at this age, I'm like, what do you want from me? I'm just trying to enjoy this time. I want to wear what feels like. What to you, what is? What is? I don't have to ask permission. I know, but what is? Like, what do you appreciate about a well, somebody who comes in? It is ownership. It is like looking at someone who I really enjoy watching someone, even when it's quiet luxury and it's like super like effortless or it's, you know, I enjoy people trying. So when someone says like it's so much effort, thank God.

47:55Because think about it. You feel the opposite, yeah. Well, think about it as a designer, right? If fashion is mute without style, and what is style? It's a language. It's a conversation. It's how you articulate. So if someone doesn't even at least try to tell a story, even if it's effortless or what they may seem to be like, you know, the row, very quiet luxury, just a simple T-shirt. And, you know, like very Healy Bieber, like very, you know, no hats, no bells and whistles. You know, that is what the new acceptable norm is now, right? So society is saying this is what we find to be sophisticated.

48:33Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy. Not quite. On Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends, me and hilarious guests from Jim Gaffigan to Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guests, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an acapella band with their between songs banter. Who's the worst singer in the group? The worst? Yeah. Me. Is there anything to the idea that because you're from Harvard, you only got in because your parents made a huge donation?

49:07The Yardbirds, right? That's the name. The Harvard Yardbirds. They're open to change. Do you have a name suggestion? We're open. Since you guys are middle-aged. One Erection. Listen to Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Humanity, I need some jokes to make me seem funny. En Nueva York, Lorena Borjas era la protectora de latinas que han aprendido a sobrevivir tres veces. Como mujeres trans, como inmigrantes y como trabajadoras sexuales. Yo voy a llegar a donde tenga que llegar como una perra, pelear con garras y uñas.

49:49Pero cuando ella murió... Nadie va a poder llenar los zapatos de la señora Lorena Borja. Soy Rula Ávila Muñoz y les invito a un mundo feroz y brillante, donde mujeres tres veces marginadas libran una cuarta batalla, no solo para sobrevivir tras la muerte de su madre protectora, sino para prosperar en un mundo lleno de amenazas, armadas de tacones, lentejuelas y, si hace falta, un buen shot de tequila. Escucha Central, Las Reinas de Queens, como parte de My Cultura Podcast Network. En la app de iHeart Radio, Apple Podcasts o donde sea que escuches tus podcasts.

50:51Gotta manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's gonna be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reed. He has to guard Julius Randle. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on a night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers while he got the ball. But like, after you go through a training camp with that Isaiah, you figure it out real quick.

51:26Get your ass up and down the court and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, actress, mother, lover, and a Gen X woman walking through life one hot flash and hormonal crying jag at a time. You ladies know what I mean. I'll bet you a perimenopausal chin here you do. So let's talk about it. Join me on my new podcast, How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva, where I call on my Gen X squads from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate midlife's most fantastic BS. All of a sudden I had hanginess happening on my own.

52:01I was like, what the hell is that? I was married when I had her, so I didn't even consider how empty that nest was going to be. Mood swings, night sweats, fupas, sex drive. Wait, what sex? Dating at 45. How hard can it be getting naked at 50 with a new guy? That one's kind of hard, no? Well, that's lighting. They say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to try. So let's get blunt with laughs, tears, or tears of laughter and dive into it unfiltered and unbothered and ask, how hard can it be? I cannot believe I'm about to say this out loud in public. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva as part of My Cultura Podcast Network, available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

52:44Why is everyone obsessed with romance right now? Like everyone. Your coworker who quote unquote doesn't read is reading romance. Your mom, BookTok, the entire internet. I'm Sanjana Basker. I'm Tyler McCall. And this is Radio 831, a romance podcast. The books, the tropes, the adaptations, the drama, the discourse. and what all of it says about how we actually love, yearn, and obsess. We're going to Wuthering Heights, which, for the record, is not a romance novel. And yet it has haunted the romance genre for 200 years. We're getting into dark romance, age gaps, certain Russian hockey players, and sentient objects in love, which is a thing.

53:32That's the kind of conversation we're having every episode. Listen to the Radio 831 podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

54:08whatever shape I'm doing. And, you know, it's like, I'm a little person. And again, I don't want to fit in. I don't want to fit in. I want to, you know, descend on the scene and explode. Yeah, I'm just, I want to arrive. I wish for everybody to find their own universe, whatever that is. Yeah, just like, and if like simplicity is your thing, I enjoy that too. I just love it. I just love when people actually feel like themselves and effortless. Because the swag, when people talk about they have that thing, that swag is what translates everything. That's the unlock. You know, you could put the same outfit on two different people and the swag is so, because the translation is really.

54:56What is that? What is the definition? It's persona. Definition of swag. It's like, it's the definition of swag is persona. It is confidence. It is attitude. It is articulation at its finest. And that can't be, that's unmatched. So when people are trying to find themselves, just find the thing that really makes you feel like you're speaking your language. What about to somebody who wants to, I'm sure we have a lot of women that watch the pod. What about if somebody's bored where they're at? Or they wear the same things all the time. they do the same things all the time and they want to switch. They want to reimagine.

55:39Yeah, what is the recommendation there? I think that you have to step outside of, you know, those kind of people typically like to just kind of admire and think because I hear this a lot, oh, I couldn't do that. Oh, I can't pull that off. But have you tried? And it could be as simple as changing your lip color, cutting your hair. It doesn't have to be a full overall. Oh, overhaul. It could be adding a color if you never wear color. If you're a person that only wears like khaki black and white or very neutrals and you throw a neon in there or you throw a primary color in there, you've reimagined and reinvented yourself because you've tried something that is not...

56:21Or perfect example, taking something out of context. Like when I'm creating a design and working on something, I'm always taking it out of context. Early in my career, my signature in design was taking athletic silhouettes and merging them with luxurious fabrics, leather, suede, pony. I was taking the silhouettes were very traditional, a denim jacket or a track jacket silhouette. But I was reimagining, you know, these things. And that's really what design is. You're reimagining, you know, something. What works. It's the interpretation of, yeah, you're reimagining a silhouette. You're giving it different shape and form, how the peplum's been around forever.

57:10But are we using horse here to give it shape and give it stiffness? Like, what is that fabric and that, you know, the jigs position of that pattern that's going to disrupt? Am I doing a blouson sleeve on a track jacket opposed to a traditional drop shoulder or raglan inset sleeve? But adding those little details is design reimagined. And, you know, I think about style in the same way. It's how you interpret and take things out of context to make it your own. It's how you create a conversation. So there's no like generic tips. There's no tip across the board that works for everybody. Like, don't do this, do that.

57:51There's none of that. I mean, I wrote a book about it. It was very generic. It had all the like effortless style, how to achieve iconic style, you know, effortless style was the name of my book. And it was very commercial 101 on how to achieve iconic style with ease. Yeah. And it had all of the generic things. We can go back to it. The fundamentals, right? But we're beyond that now, right? We're at the point where we have to make people uncomfortable. it's okay uncomfortable is a good feeling when you first meet someone you're nervous you have butterflies you don't know if you like this person but you're getting to know them you're trying it you're trying them on like when our daughter first started dating we were like you got to try on different shoes different you know try you know not saying go out and be a slut i'm just saying you know date you know date it's okay to date and meet someone and yeah you have get to know different types of personalities it's the same thing with discovering the new you discovering your style.

58:51I'm always going to metaphorically and draw interpretations from different life experiences for you to find yourself when it comes to style. Maybe that's the second book. I love that as a book. Thank you, Angie. I bought, I'm buying the book. I would buy that book right now. Where is the line between dressing for yourself and dressing for other people? Cause they say like when you walk in a room, how you people will judge you immediately and you know there's there's reasons why people want to look nice when they go to things it's like for other people but what is where is the line between being in your universe and and dressing for outside approval opinion um it's it's for me it's like are you naked or do you have on clothes you know what i mean you know what i mean it's like, I mean, I've broken down into my bra and panties on social media.

59:46People thought I was having a life crisis. But I was basically trying to express that self-awareness, self-confidence, being okay with who and what you are is enough. And when you start to feel like just stripped down, that that's enough, then starting to layer things on top of that starts to feel a little bit more tangible. And it relates back to silhouettes, like finding that silhouette that really makes you feel confident and it's flattering to your body. Both men and women, it comes from a, there's a clinical psychology to that, how you get to that place. You know, why you may see, you know, certain people wearing things that are ill-fitting and they have no idea that it's sabotaging their bodies because in their minds, they have...

1:00:42People come to terms with how they look physically and they're like, I'm going to wear whatever. There is an honesty there that even though we may have an opinion about it, that I have to admire. And that is like... You put that on and you came outside and you felt... You own it. You own it. So I'm not going to... I have to respect that. Now, I may have an opinion about it where I feel like my opinion is to like I could offer you something that could be a lot more flattering. But will it disrupt what you have psychologically that journey that you've been on? I don't want to compromise. So, again, it takes time.

1:01:27And the experience of working with someone like myself, it's an evolution. And it's a psychological understanding of what people need to feel confident and to step out in something that they didn't initially own. And we didn't initially own this, but we owned our skin, our body, our flesh. We owned that. Why I went, why I was like, my body's my temple. I went vegan. And I was like, I'm going to like, to me, that is the first thing you take care of. The temple. The temple. And then the confidence is built off of all of that. You feel good. You know, energy is important. Yeah, for sure. But that's maintenance.

1:02:19So people are like, oh my God, how do you have so much energy? Like I protect it. I protect my energy. I protect my space. I protect who's in, you know, who's in my circle. You take care of your temple. Yes. because, you know. You eat well. I eat well. You exercise. I live well, yeah. Not as much as I should, but I feel like getting out of the bed and walk. You and I see you dancing around your underwear. I do get my steps in, but I would like to start to do a little bit more focused workout. Like strength training is definitely my focus right now. Yeah. Muscle mass, that's very important. But I wouldn't mind taking like a Pilates and a little Bikram to keep my joints loose, you know?

1:03:03Itching is cruel. It can be cruel. Itching can be very cruel. I know. How do you deal with that? Especially in your world where everything is so visual. I mean, you look amazing. Thank you. You should feel good. But it probably becomes a little hard. As you get older, it's harder to maintain the looking and feeling good. I mean, honestly, like I get down a little bit. Like, you know, first of all, comparison is will rob you of all your joy. Yeah. So I try not to like whenever I feel like that feeling of like, oh, my God, like this is happening. And then you're looking around you and like and people are equating like age to relevancy.

1:03:43It's like I hate ageism. It's like so horrible that people like, you know, you get certain age and they're like auntie. That's why I'm like, don't call me auntie. I hate an auntie. if you're gonna mama june me great but you better be in your 20s yeah not in your 40s like it kills me you know it kills me when they when they when they start so i'm not a fan of that because i know what that what that attracts and what that what's the connotation behind it so i'm always like they're like oh just out of respect you can just you want to respect me call me miss ambrose or you know miss june or whatever you want to have respect like a southerner fine but auntie you know it's a little bit very personal yeah i'm not into it either yeah no i'm so glad you're not into it because very hated too um right it's like and it's like it's like all right what are you trying to say you know what i mean because you know they be trying to they be slick talking you gotta catch them quick them little slick talkers and they be trying it like that's slick talk what about can i answer your question yeah it all i can evade there's no right or wrong answers i I know.

1:04:44We just go places. We just go places. I do. I could have made it a question really quickly. I loved the story about On the Run. I wonder about like, because even to go back to that day of me being in that. You know, I always kind of struggled with weight. Like me, I was up and down, right? Me too. And so even back then, even in that moment that we talked about with the MTV Awards, I was probably like, you know, I couldn't really wear what Lil' Kim was wearing. Oh, my God. remember that right i couldn't wear so you know i was i didn't really feel that but i remember like what you did with missy yeah right and we got so much shit for that what i think we were like on the here's the thing about that we were like on the worst dress list we was like yeah wait for that i did the plaid hat with the matching golfer cleats and the little thing right and and that remix the Adidas track jacket and people like this.

1:05:43Next, that season, Dior runway, plaid sportswear, clam diggers, fabric covered plaid cleats. Okay, listen. So sometimes you have to take a risk. We do a golf outfit. Let's do it big. Let's do it huge. Let's do it big. Let's do it very collaborative so people can buy into it. Okay, I'm into it. Not a one-off. I think big, I think enterprising, honey. Okay. It's like, listen, it's another conversation. I love this one. No one-offs. One-offs. We're building, we're building, we're building empires. We'll get to that later. We'll get to that later. But look, Brittany, she loves it. She's like, yes.

1:06:27Yes. Could you imagine? No, but you know, Missy, who was not the sample size either, you found a way to make her fly. and even those adidas suits the inside i was like oh yeah i'm so happy that these are in style because we could you were like studying them out and and do and then i started wearing those and feeling cute and feeling like i was in a you know that you had some creative license right yes we took creative license and that ip we kind of we took so much creative license we were able to i was able to go to Ariras and do the first collaboration artist well not the first because they did run DMC but Missy in terms of in her genre I remember at the time female artist first collaboration respect me I was a creative director with it and her with you know with her on it and that was before so you see all these collaborative like partnerships now and it's like we you know I'm gonna say it out loud we did it in 2000s in the 2000s we did it and that talk your shit yeah and it's not you know it's like we did it because we knew that we we were worthy of it but those seeds I think adjusted the way those big brands saw our culture and the power of our influence and the impact that it was going to have.

1:07:50And not just from you taking and culture vulturing it, but you had to partner. You had to partner. And we made it a thing. So the prerequisite was, if you want to play this game, you have to play it with us. You have to be on the team. And I just, I look at everything now. Yeah, and everyone talks about it like, it's like so new. You like been there, did that. I was like, okay. Okay. Heard you. Gotcha. Hey guys, Boost Mobile is proving that you do not have to overpay for great wireless. Unlock the savings with the$25 a month forever unlimited plan. It's a permanent price with no contracts and no price hikes.

1:08:35So you can keep your phone, your number, and you can save up to$600 a year compared to other major carriers. So stop overpaying and switch to a fair price at BoostMobile.com and do it today. Based on average annual single line payment of AT &T, Verizon, and T-Mobile customers compared to 12 months on the Boost Mobile Unlimited plan as of January, 2026. For full offer details, visit BoostMobile.com. This is our IRL voice note presented by Boost Mobile. It is a little segment that we do where somebody sends you, our guest, John Ambrose, a voice note. So let's have that. I just have to tell you that I absolutely love and adore you.

1:09:14everything that you stand for, for black culture, for black women, and also the drops you've been having on styleetics. I love and need every pair and every color. Okay, now that that's out the way, do not have to ask you about black designers because I'm noticing this pattern where black designers who have shaped culture and that we all love get dragged the second they make one mistake. And other major retailers do far worse with zero public consequence. And I think about how one article from The Cut essentially like took down Pierre Moss and how most recently with Hanifa, she's getting dragged left and right on the internet because of delayed orders.

1:09:51But I'm like, Shein has delayed orders all the time. And I don't see any TikToks or think pieces or anything like that about that. Y 'all love to go back to Shein. You know what I mean? And as someone who is a legend and OG in the fashion industry, I wanted to ask you, what does responsible accountability actually look like for black brands, especially knowing that the margin of error is so thin and one bad press cycle or one bad article can be lights out for their business. Wow. Well, it's loaded and so provocative and so honest and so true and so sad and so makes me angry, you know. It makes me angry for so many reasons because we are our worst enemy, you know.

1:10:37So, and I always tell like, you know, young designers and I've had this conversation with Laquan Smith early in his career. I used to tell him, stop chasing retail. It's, and this was before there was a Telfar. I was like, what Telfar built without retail is what I was telling Laquan. Focus on production, manufacturing, all of those things. You're chasing retail that has the ability to destroy your business. And yeah, you'll get there. But you have a community and a culture that has your back and that will show up for you. And that's the thing, right? It's like we will ride a dawn for designers, you know, in the beginning.

1:11:24But like the young lady said, it's like as soon as there's no grace for it. But we've always been held to higher standards where we don't, we have to work harder. As black people, we're not afforded the same opportunities. The discrimination is, and I'm speaking about the discrimination from the access perspective in terms of supply chains, in terms of factors that you would need to fund to get the product made, you know, being able to get that factor to, you know, to give you that money so that you can produce the collections. It's always a challenge for Black designers. Sometimes they have to take off seasons.

1:12:09Sometimes they go away. They just lose steam. They just can't. It's just so heartbreaking. They sacrifice so much when others, and it's all financing. It's all about money. So if something's late, it's because they couldn't, you know, it's access and financing. And it's so frustrating. So it's like with all of these companies that really want to support merging designers, that's kind of like the thing that needs to take priority is making sure that they have sustainable partners in manufacturing and production. That back end of the business is so key, you know. And for me, like why I've done partnerships more so than put out my own product is because that financial exposure is heavy.

1:12:54And I wasn't willing to take that risk. for that very reason. I still have my June Ambrose glasses. I still have them in my closet, and I still wear them all the time. They're still selling, too. They're so good. I bust them out now. Yay! I don't know. A month ago, I bust out the brown pair. Amazing. The square ones. And I saw Joe. I saw Fat Joe, and he was like, those glasses are fire. Oh, I love it. Classic June Ambrose. Thanks, Joe, because Joe said it best. It's today's price. It's not today's price. I still have my... He's an icon. He's an icon. For sure. Wow. That was a great question, by the way.

1:13:29It was a really great question. Did I answer it? I think so. You know what I would like to know? I love the story you tell about going to On The Run and how J and B were the perfect people for you to be around in that time. Because this is in real life, and we hear the stories of how you dressed Missy in that iconic video or Buster in that iconic video. I wonder if you could share some of your real-life connection or real life moments that come to you from some of these people? Like, I don't know, we can pick. We can pick. Will you have something? Wait, wait, go. What are you going to say? No, no, no.

1:14:04I was going to tell you artists that you've worked with. Okay, go, go, go. And it's like a real life experience. It's always real life experiences because, yeah. All right, let's see what you have. Mariah Carey. Oh, yeah, yeah. So, Mariah hates like wearing bags. She doesn't carry a bag. So I came in on the emancipation of Mimi. And, you know, she also hates trying on clothes. So I literally. Even after my own heart. I literally, the way I would get her to wear something is to put it on and walk into the room. And she'd be like, take it off. That's good. You know, or like, and like the caftan, like the Tory Burch caftan, what people thought was a dress was a caftan.

1:14:52we made it into a dress like I understood her right so it's like because that's what it would take it would take you because yeah some people could be uh taken back by that or oh I would be like intimidated I'd be like because no because having female experiences is so different from your experience with a male client some girls can handle me and some girls can just feel like I just go away right just like go away so you know but you know like true like girls that are like super like confident and just think I'm the funniest thing. They get it. You know, they're not bothered by me. I can name a number of those women.

1:15:30But another like thing with Mariah, we would always like, you know, I would always role play with her. We would literally just do movie quotes all day. Mommy Dearest or Clueless. Like literally that's how we would speak to each other. It was not even like a real conversation, moving quotes. That's pretty good. So that's a great one. All right. Another podcast from some SNL late night comedy guy. Not quite. On Humor Me with Robert Smigel and friends, me and hilarious guests from Jim Gaffigan to Bob Odenkirk to David Letterman help make you funnier. This week, my guests, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an acapella band with their between songs banter.

1:16:13Who's the worst singer in the group? The worst? Yeah. Me. Is there anything to the idea that because you're from Harvard you only got in because your parents made a huge donation the yard birds right that's the name the Harvard yard but they're open do you have a name suggestion we're open since you guys are middle-aged one erection listen to humor me with Robert Smigel and friends on the iHeartRadio app Apple podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts Humanity, I need some jokes to make me seem funny. En Nueva York, Lorena Borjas era la protectora de latinas que han aprendido a sobrevivir tres veces.

1:16:57Como mujeres trans, como inmigrantes y como trabajadoras sexuales. Yo voy a llegar a donde tenga que llegar como una perra, pelear con garras y uñas. Pero cuando ella murió... Nadie va a poder llenar los zapatos de la señora Lorena Borja. Soy Rula Ávila Muñoz y les invito a un mundo feroz y brillante, donde mujeres tres veces marginadas libran una cuarta batalla, no solo para sobrevivir tras la muerte de su madre protectora, sino para prosperar en un mundo lleno de amenazas, armadas de tacones, lentejuelas y, si hace falta, un buen shot de tequila. Escucha Central, Las Reinas de Queens, como parte de My Cultura Podcast Network.

1:17:46En la app de iHeart Radio, Apple Podcasts o donde sea que escuches tus podcasts.

1:18:11Gotta manipulate the game. We get a player's perspective on the challenges of the playoffs. I think Joker's gonna be exhausted this series because when they don't have Rudy in the lineup, he has to really guard guys like Nas Reed. He has to guard Julius Randle. And then he has to give us everything he gives us on a night-to-night basis on offense. And when IT's friends stop by, like Quentin Richardson, we dive into some playoff history too. Steve Nash would get that thing. That man, hell get the flying. He running up the court, licking his fingers why he got the ball. Like, after you go through a training camp with that Isaiah, you figure it out real quick.

1:18:46Get your ass up and down the court, and you're going to get the ball. So listen to Point Game on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, I'm Deanna Maria Riva, actress, mother, lover, and a Gen X woman walking through life one hot flash and hormonal crying jag at a time. You ladies know what I mean. I'll bet you a perimenopausal chin here you do. So let's talk about it. Join me on my new podcast, How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva, where I call on my Gen X squads from Ohio to Hollywood as we navigate midlife's most fantastic BS. All of a sudden, I'd had hanginess happening on my own.

1:19:21I was like, what the hell is that? I was married when I had her, so I didn't even consider how empty that mess was going to be. Mood swings, night sweats, fupas, sex drive. Wait, what sex? Dating at 45. How Hard Can It Be Getting Naked at 50 with a new guy. That one's kind of hard, you know? Well, that's lighting. They say we can't polish a turd, but we're sure going to try. So let's get blunt with laughs, tears, or tears of laughter and dive into it unfiltered and unbothered and ask, how hard can it be? I cannot believe I'm about to say this out loud in public. Listen to How Hard Can It Be with Diana Maria Riva as part of My Cultura Podcast Network, available on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

1:20:05Why is everyone obsessed with romance right now? Like everyone. Your coworker who quote unquote doesn't read is reading romance. Your mom. Book talk. The entire internet. I'm Sanjana Basker. I'm Tyler McCall. And this is Radio 831, a romance podcast. The books, the tropes, the adaptations, the drama, the discourse. And what all of it says about how we actually love, yearn, and obsess. We're going to Wuthering Heights. which for the record is not a romance novel. And yet it has haunted the romance genre for 200 years. We're getting into dark romance, age gaps, certain Russian hockey players, and sentient objects in love, which is a thing.

1:20:52That's the kind of conversation we're having every episode. Listen to the Radio 831 podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Bless the rhymes. Oh my God, so many. Too many. Oh, okay. First of all, like kudos to like, you think about, you're looking at Harry Styles now and you're like, oh, this cross-dressing is so like he does it. But Buster was, I had put Buster in, he was wearing halters and shit back then. The most feminine cuts ever. You know, he's so masculine. Wrapping his head up in turbans and, you know, and covering Timbaland boots. I was custom designing Timberlands, like literally covering them with fabulous, expensive fabrics, Indian fabrics and stuff like that.

1:21:39Made him the royal sultan of hip hop. You know what I mean? And he was always like, he was the best. Like he's still the best. Like he's just. He was down for it. He was down for it. Like every set that we ever did, the Buster on Janet Jackson music video, like, you know, he was down for us putting multiple pieces on it, sitting in prosthetics. I made him a muscle suit. before. I mean, like I can name the amount of outrageousness that I've done with Busta that he literally, still to this day, I mean, no regrets. Oh, I love that. No regrets. I don't think that he feels like he has the license to be as, we're like a halter now.

1:22:21I don't think his body's changed. But no. Do you still work with him? No, I don't. No, I don't. But we're friends and we stay in She's great. And I consult him. He calls me. He needs something. He's like, what do you think about this? I'm like, perfect. Oh, that's cute. Yeah, I'm on a speed dial. Missy Elliott. Yeah. I know. It's my sister, my heart. Yeah. She, I mean, we just did that tour together. So, you know, Missy, people don't realize Missy's never been on tour in her career. Headlined her own tour. Oh, that's right. This was the first. That's crazy. This was the first. Out of this world was this first.

1:23:01And she came to me. And I don't take that lightly because she could have very well collaborated with a big fashion house. But she entrusted that in me. And that to me was such a testament of her character, her understanding and respect for the collaboration early. She trusts you. Yeah. It's just like, you know, it just makes me emotional that after all these years and there's so many distractions and people that she could, like I said, have worked with, that she allowed the universe to work with her on that. You did well by her. Thank you. We had a good time on that tour. We had some fun. My girl, Mary J.

1:23:50Blige. Oh, I love Mary. Mary thinks I'm batshit crazy. What do you mean? Every time Mary sees me, she goes, girl.

1:24:00when she gets me though she'd be like you you know you're like you know Mary like like I like I said I think the best interview I've seen on Mary in forever was the one where she sat and talked to you thank you because for Mary energy and authenticity and real talk and real like is paramount to her. It's everything. And she can smell when you're being a fake bitch. And I love her for that. You know, she'll come in and she'll read the room quick. Mary will come in with attitude. She'll see me. She'll hate you. Like, you know, because she knows. You know what I mean? Like, I'm only going to show up as who I am.

1:24:38And I love and respect her so much. And every time I've worked with Mary, we have giggled and had a good time. She thinks that she thinks I'm nuts. But you know what is interesting? When you say, sometimes when you're in a service business and you've kind of, you know, you said I've managed to kind of be able to live in those two worlds, right? Like artists like Mary respect and sees and recognizes that to where she like, come in my video. Like we could be girlfriends and I'm like in the music video with her, starring in the video with her. Whereas like another artist would be like, you're the help.

1:25:15You're not going to be in my music video as a girlfriend. We're walking down the hallway together. that like she has that like Rios and Dea kind of relationship with her, you know, with her stylist kind of energy. And I thought that was like, it said a lot about like who she was and her confidence as a, as a, as a woman. I love that. She's the best, right? The best. You did like, I know you worked with Puff for many years. Yeah. Bad boy. Yeah. What about the guys? Like, yeah. What about them? Completely like, you know, that, the dynamic between like male artists is like that safe place that trusted you know place it's like getting a prostate exam you know it's like that was a good scenario and I was like no but it's like you know it's intimidating it can be to work with like I'm a very I'm a very strong communicator when it comes to like style with men I present differently from the girls you do Yeah, yeah.

1:26:15It's a different character. But it's always a place of, you don't have to pretend with me. You know, we could just. And also, it's important that with men that you really, they have to be in the driver's seat in a way. It's such a vulnerable place. You know, it's like, you know, it's just a different dynamic. Yeah. Different dynamic. But Jay too, I would imagine, right? Oh yeah, but he's great. I mean, he's like, you know, like he is the epitome of effortless, like the sweat, like we're at the point, it's like 30 years later. It's not even, he styles himself. He does? Yes. It's like, we just hang out.

1:26:56You know what I mean? Like, yeah, he just, he's, he's an icon. Yeah. Yeah. The work, the work is, he's an icon. Like he, he, it doesn't matter. We could be a T, it could be a t-shirt. We have fun. It's like not, it's not work. It's not pressure. Just, you know, like, if I want it, like, what is he like or not like? And he's had to grow into that, too. I would imagine he wasn't like that. I still challenge and push him certain things. You do? Yeah, it's important. Yeah. Because, you know, we're evolving. Yeah. You know, we have to try. Have you ever pissed him off? Have you ever made him wear something and then he did not appreciate it after?

1:27:31It was like, that didn't work. Has that ever happened? Hmm. Maybe on my end, I might have noticed it and was like, hmm. But, um, no, I don't think, yeah, pissed off now. It's like, you know, we don't even go there if it doesn't feel good. You're just on to the next. Yeah, I don't, it's not worth it. Yeah. You know, it's like he's, he's too seasoned. Yeah. You know, it's like, it's different than working with a new artist versus like, you know. Is he the only one that you've been with from the beginning? Yeah, he's my, yeah, he's like, I think he's my only, only guy right now. He's my only, I don't, I'm like retired in a sense.

1:28:05It's like I focus more on design, creative direction. Yes. Not to say that I wouldn't do like, I love, I still love music video. I still love creative like projects, like, you know, like campaigns and all that kind of stuff. I love that stuff. Yeah. But you keep him as a client still. Yeah. He's, yeah. Forever. I don't, where are we going to go? Like, it's like, I think it's, I mean, nothing's forever, but it's forever in my head. I love that. Yeah. And why, June, have you not been invited to the Met Gala? No, we had this conversation on the cut and everyone got very upset. Not the cut. Why are they going to set?

1:28:42On Complex. Why are they going to set? When my husband was like, you sound like you were complaining. He was like, it's embarrassing. All right. Because he felt like people. They don't really care. Here's the question. The truth, right? Here's the question. Do you think you should be invited to the Met Gala? Am I spending? What?

1:29:02my mother always said invited guests get you did the best I've been I've been I've I've been I don't know if I was invited though but you've been I've been years and years and years ago um do I care yeah do you care that you aren't oh no because it's a fundraiser right um um No, I don't actually. You're thinking about your husband's voice. No, I know. Aren't you? Yeah, I think I'm so past it. I think I'm so past it. I recognize what it is. They raise a lot of money for the Institute. But how many people have you gotten ready for the Met Gala? Oh, not a lot. Really? Not my thing. Yeah, not a lot.

1:29:45No, no. Have you done it? I mean, I did. Oh, yeah, but, you know, if you bring that up, then we have something about the last time he was seen. Oh. was that that was the look uh-huh the dark vader that was i did puff for the yes and the all black oh yeah i designed that look how does that make you feel looking back at that look um it was appropriate yeah it was it was appropriate um wow and you think about it those black roses and the darkness um wow yeah and that was the picture that ran everywhere um There's so much heartbreak. It's heartbreaking that I know. Disappointment and disappointment.

1:30:29I don't want to have to not talk about the great things that I worked on and did. It's really annoying. That is annoying. Because there's so many iconic moments and you ruin it for everyone that was involved. It's so funny. I'm just disappointed. When something happens like that, even listening with Puff, it's like the artists that, you know, I had 112 and Total. They were on tour and they came on the show. and I couldn't talk to them about it. They spoke about it very lightly and carefully as they should. Right, yeah. Because it's not their burden to carry. That's right. It's not your burden to carry.

1:31:02But part of your history, you've done it. It is. It's like, so what? You're supposed to act like you didn't do great things with that? It's like when the Cosby Show gets canceled. So we don't get to see the Cosby Show because the one guy. I mean, if people really go back and look at my resume, my discography, I've done some, yeah, There's a lot of things that I don't talk about. Big music videos, groundbreaking. And because the muse is, you know, has been exiled into life and imprisonment and stuff. It's just. How do you feel about this? Does it make you sad? Yeah, it makes me, culturally, it's, it doesn't do, it's not good for the culture.

1:31:43It's not good for, how does it serve any of us to not? And to celebrate what, you know, the downfall of it, to not all just be disappointed and disgusted. It's like, how do we not, how are we not sad behind that? Oh, no, I was sure of sad. Yeah, like you're outraged by like the acts, right? But like, we know, we've seen this chaos before. But to be so close to it is really heartbreaking. because some of it you didn't see that side you know you didn't and it's like the fact that you were held to different regards then you start to feel like yeah because you never experienced that of course not no right probably been a hospitalization I mean no I mean it's just yeah no I get it you know Angie we've grown up around these guys I mean but we were held different we were held we were dealt with differently and it's I don't know what it is about us because I'm not we're not doing that we're not that's not yeah and it's like you raise your voice I I like my mom didn't yell at me I didn't grow up in that kind of home so and I know that hurt people hurt people so my the way I dealt with people that were acting out it was in a in a in a very and because you like you said you recognize I'm empathic in that way and I'm able to really shift energy and make people feel safe that they don't have to perform when they're within our in our sacred space you don't have to perform for me this is just this is just us and I see you I see how I see you I see yeah we're how vulnerable we manage personalities we manage all types of characters and yeah for sure but they're constant like i said early in my life i knew there were consequences to actions and and to every action there's a consequence good or bad yeah it affects you though too your history and all yeah yeah so it's like that part that part's that part's a drag yeah but you know the met gala is going to be really exciting this year because beyonce is yeah so how does that shift I mean, it doesn't affect me.

1:34:05I don't style Beyonce. I know, but like just her being part of that, I don't know. It's exciting. I mean, she hasn't been in a while, so she always brings excitement. She's like, it's like, you know, when Rihanna started going to the Met, we were like, we will wait to see what, you know, Rihanna would come with at the end. Like the carpet would be closed and Rihanna would show up. Me too. Yeah, that's what I'm saying. That's what I'm saying. So, you know, she's the mirror. But her cheering it, does that mean anything? I don't really know what that means. I know that recently they just, I don't know what that means, what that responsibility is.

1:34:35Maybe you'll get an invite this year. Oh, well, Anna still controls it. Oh, yes. Okay. Let us not. Now, Anna, come on now, Anna.

1:34:48My daughter's name is Summer. So we love the summer. We're going to leave it right there. Hey, guys. Support for this podcast is brought to you by Walden University. Have you ever thought to yourself, what if I could go after what I actually want and I could really make a difference? Well, you are not alone. And this is exactly why I want to tell you about Walden University. For over 50 years, Walden has helped working adults like you get the W with the knowledge, the skills and everything you need to build the future that you want. And you can make a difference where it matters most. If you've been waiting for the right moment, this is it.

1:35:24head to waldenu.edu and take that first step. Walden University set a course for change. Certified to operate by Shiv. All right, so this is our IRL bowl of questions, of real-life questions. Oh, my God, it's so intimidating. No. You're in the mood. Oh, I pick? Yeah, you pick whatever you like. God. If you could instantly master any skill, what would it be? Ooh. It's in your hat. The thing is in your hat. The paper is in your hat. when your hat's too big um if you can instantly master any skill what would it be yeah that no no no no yeah no um any skill um uh um sketching i'm not a good sketcher i sketch very loose it's like kindergarten but like real so getting the idea out of your brain onto the paper is sometimes hard i would imagine if you're not a great i've i've thank god for technology because i can now sketch through you know do digital sketching but yeah okay go for another one give me three let's do three instant reason um

1:36:45oh, oh, a prayer or affirmation you say often. Oh, God. It's almost a serenity prayer, you know? I always ask for God to give me grace, you know, for the things that I cannot do. I mean, I'm a sober drunk, so I don't even understand how to say it. But yeah, I always, I literally constantly say, you know what, I don't get done today. I put off the tomorrow and give myself grace constantly. It's okay. I always affirm that it's okay. I'm enough and it's okay. Yeah. This didn't work out. That's how you hold on to that joy. Yeah. I'm like, it's okay. I'm like, I... Take another one. And then I have a couple here and then we're...

1:37:26Oh, you got more. What have you always wanted to do but haven't? Oh, oh, this is loaded. There's so many things because I'm like, I feel like Oh my God. I want to go to, I want to go to India. Yes. I want to eat, love, and pray. Oh my God. Your outfits in India are going to be fire. India's on my bucket list and I've traveled the world. Yeah. India is on my bucket list. Yeah. I know you're probably like, what? India? Yeah. India. No, I would totally love to go to India also. Yeah. Oh, and I want to see the Northern Lights. Yeah. That's good too. Yeah. Okay. Junie June, I am no longer available for.

1:38:08Come on, you got it. I am no longer available for brain picks. It's like, I want to pick your brain. Okay, but how does that serve me if you're just picking and not giving anything? I love that. Yeah, it's like. What are you giving me? Yeah, I want something. You just pick, pick, pick. I've given. I'm giving. I'm always giving. We are giving. For sure. Sure, and it takes a lot to have a brain worth picking. It takes a lot of effort and work you have to put into yourself to have a brain worth picking. So it's like, if I'm putting so much effort into doing this, what effort are you bringing by picking it?

1:38:52I know it sounds like, is that rude when you say, like, how does it serve me? I mean. No, it's not. It should. I mean, it doesn't mean that I don't give. I'm just saying, like, you can't just keep picking my brain. No, I think it's important to give when you have something to give. Yeah, I'm no longer available for people who don't see what I see in myself. And I only want to be able to. Value you. Yeah, that's right. Yeah. Heard you. I felt that deep in my soul. When I walk into a room, I want people to feel. Like they want to dance. Like they want to dance. No, I want them to feel, yeah, I want them to feel joy.

1:39:33I want them to feel like it's going to be okay. Yeah. Like whatever is going on in their world, like I can just escape with this moment with June. What do you like most about yourself, June? Oh, I think my ability to see the best in people before I see the worst. I will always see the goodness first. I don't look for them. what could be wrong with you. I look for what is right about you from inception. That's, I think, one of my best attributes. And people always say, oh, you'll always see the good in everybody. And yeah, people like that get taken advantage of, but I don't think it's being taken advantage of.

1:40:17I think it's, you know, my mother always gave people grace. When they wronged her, when they did things that made her cry, she was always really able to forgive and and give them grace and always found a reason why they did what they did and that is who I am that's what I am too that's why I understand that completely yeah it's like I do understand though that that personality does get taken advantage of for sure yeah so how do you protect yourself from that um you know there is a grace of God. You know, there is some a higher power, thank God. Most things, I don't feel like I have to carry a lot of what this world has put on our backs to carry.

1:41:04Sometimes I just give it to God. Speaking of God, it's my favorite question in the bowl and we will end with that one. If God were to text you right now, what would it say?

1:41:21I've prepared you so sorry. That's okay. I have picked you for everything that's coming your way. And be still. June and Rosa. Thank you. In real life.

1:41:41How did that make you so emotional? It does. That's so good. No, that's so good. That question does it. I don't know what it is about that because it's like the realest thing ever. Yeah, because it's like, sometimes you don't think you're being seen, but everyone's paying attention. And when I called you and I said, I need to come sit and talk, you said, so thank you. Thank you for trusting me. Thank you for coming. June Ambrose in real life, everybody. you can't leave crying we gotta leave in joy give me some joy what is this joy yes it is oh this is i'm so happy yeah so this is joy yeah i i joy is when you feel safe when you feel seen seen that is joy and and people like oh you know i was like i want to be seen and people like some people don't want to be seen I want to be seen it's like if I'm not seen well what am I doing like at the end of our lives am I not supposed to have existed like I think that's what I think about the most with my mom being gone I constantly say her name because her legacy is the fact that she was here that she created me that she gave me this life and if I don't continue to celebrate that then it was if she didn't, like she wasn't here.

1:43:11So you're being seen for her? Yeah, people move on. And we leave this earth, we move on. We leave, we have to all leave. And what is your legacy? I mean, my kids, like the way I changed culture, the way I made people think, the way I made people feel. That's my legacy. Yeah. Yeah, I think that's probably why you're so emotional. That's why I'm so emotional. Because you carry the weight of honoring your mother by being seen. Yeah. It's like a little girl growing up an immigrant. I came here. I came to this country. I wasn't born in this country. I'm an immigrant. So when I see immigrants, the way they're being tortured now, when I see, I know the sacrifices that immigrants have, you know, leaving their country to come to this country for a better life.

1:44:05and this is not a better life. And like, wait, hold on. Where I came from, as in always, every time some immigrant comes here, it's not because they're running from something. They're running towards something. And when that is being misinterpreted, that part, I take real personal, and that part hurts because I know what it's like to come to this country as an immigrant and to have gotten my citizenship and to, you know, I pay my part. I do my part. Shifted culture. I shifted culture. We've built empires, billionaires, billionaires and millionaires, and we share that, you know what I mean? The adjacentness of success is super important to me.

1:44:54So if I'm successful, anyone that's in the universe should be successful too. And you are your mother's legacy. I am my mother's legacy. Yeah. I owe it to her. June Ambrose. Thank you. Now I smile. You made me cry.

1:45:12This is June Ambrose in real life. Hey, guys. Thanks for watching. Make sure you subscribe, like, comment, and check out all of the other episodes we have on Angie Martinez IRL podcast.

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1:46:11This week, my guests, SNL's Mikey Day and head writer Streeter Seidel help an acapella band with their between songs banter. Who's the worst singer in the group? The worst? Yeah. Me. Is there anything to the idea that because you're from Harvard, you only got in because your parents made a huge donation?

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1:47:18Escucha Central, Las Reinas de Queens, en la app de iHeart Radio, Apple Podcasts o donde sea que escuches tus podcasts. Hey, I'm Dr. Maya Shunker, a cognitive scientist and host of the podcast, A Slight Change of Plans, a show about who we are and who we become when life makes other plans. I wish that I hadn't resisted for so long the need to change. We have to be willing to live with a kind of uncertainty that none of us likes. You can have opinions. You can have like a strong stance. and then there's your body having its own program. Listen to A Slight Change of Plans on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

1:48:04The story I've told myself can then shape my behavior and that can lead me to sabotage the possibility of connection. This Mental Health Awareness Month, tune into the podcast Deeply Well with Debbie Brown if you've been searching for a soft place to land while doing the work to become whole. This podcast is for you. To hear more, listen to Deeply Well with Debbie Brown from the Black Effect Podcast Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. This is an iHeart Podcast. Guaranteed human.