The Fake Ass Book Club

Welcome back to the Fake Ass Book Club!! This week Moni and Kat take a trip to the Republic of Gilead in Margret Atwood's acclaimed novel "The Handmaid's Tale. What a trip!!! The ladies are grateful to be in studio with @ericdizzy of the Black Widow Podcast; the audio is impeccible this week. Like always the conversation moves around...they discuss the book and make comparisons to the HULU adaptation. They also make their way to topics like theocracy (Religion ran governments, think Saudi Arabi and Iran), ratchet bible stories, patriarchy, the January 6th attempted coup in the US, and the similartittes Atwood's story has to...you guessed it... Slavery!! Bet you didn't see that coming!! Tune in for some thoughtful dialouge and a few laughs. Enjoy the show. *Dedication: *Moni dedicated the episode to the listeners, Planned Parenthood, bodily autonomy, and reproductive freedom.Kat dedicated this episode to Harriet Jacobs aka Linda Brent author of "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IncidentsintheLifeofaSlave_Girl Warning: Adult Content and Language please be advised this show is for adults 18 and up. Please email thefabpodcast@gmail.com with your "Stranger Than Fiction" stories so we can share them on the show or let us know what you agreed or disagreed with us on from the show!! You can follow and find us by clicking our Link tree https://linktr.ee/Fabpod Don't forget to follow us on social media; rate, review, and share our podcast!! Thank you! Notes Jim Baker and Tammy Fey Baker: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Bakker Genesis 30:1-3 (Verse quoted in Handmaid's Tale before the ritual) As Genesis 30:1-3 goes, “And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her” (King James Bible). Bible Story Rachel/Jacob/Leah https://www.britannica.com/topic/Old-Testament Bible Story: Abraham https://www.britannica.com/biography/Abraham Movie: "Not Without My Daughter: Based on a True Story https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102555/ Stranger than fiction: Women Sue Netflix for outing them in new documentary "Our Father" https://www.wthr.com/article/news/local/lawsuit-marion-county-indiana-netflix-blumhouse-productions-our-doctor-donald-cline/531-c41ea649-032c-4d45-8218-1456767e4c81

The F.A.B. ladies are back this week with special guest and fan of the show, Shannon aka @superchefbarbie! She also happens to be Kat's first cousin. Shannon shares why she’s a true fan the show, and the cousins geek out for one of their favorite TV series, Star Trek. Moni and Shannon discuss the problematic musical, “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers", and why they still love it. Their conversation included themes such as the importance of multi-culturalism, the problematic nature of colonialism, gender roles and relationships. On a lighter note, Moni's brother, (known for eating all the mashed potatoes at Sunday dinner that one time), recently roasted Kat on FaceTime in front of Kat's mom. She was NOT pleased!! lol Finally, Kat and Shannon recall a childhood memory in Nashville when Kat's bike “accidentally” veered into a cesspool, (a poop hole in the ground aka country sewer) ruining her brand new jeans from Target. When you have family & friends, who needs enemies?! Sit back and enjoy this fun and colorful conversation between friends and family. Cheers! Warning: Adult language and content Dedication: This week's episode is dedicated to our listeners as always, Moni's kids, and Kat's family & mom!! Please email thefabpodcast@gmail.com with your "Stranger Than Fiction" stories so we can share them on the show or let us know what you agreed or disagreed with us on from the show!! You can follow and find us by clicking our Link tree https://linktr.ee/Fabpod Don't forget to follow us on social media; rate, review, and share our podcast!! Thank you! *Notes: *Stranger Than Fiction" for this week: "An Indiana Pastor attempted to come clean in church about adultery he'd committed 20 years ago, only to have the congregation turn on him when the woman called him out -- revealing she was just 16 at the time of their encounters." https://www.tmz.com/2022/05/24/pastor-confesses-affair-relationship-16-year-old-adultery-church/ Star Trek Next Generation: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/StarTrek:TheNextGeneration Star Trek Deep Space 9: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/StarTrek:DeepSpaceNine Seven Brides for Seven Brothers: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SevenBridesforSevenBrothers Southern Baptist sexual abuse list article: https://www.npr.org/2022/05/27/1101734793/southern-baptist-sexual-abuse-list-released Reading Rainbow: https://www.readingrainbow.org/ Lavar Burton's podcast: https://www.levarburtonpodcast.com/ Dax Shepard's Podcast: Armchair Expert https://armchairexpertpod.com/

Season 2 is in full effect!!🙌🏽 This week the ladies come full circle as they review Kola Boof’s fictional novel, “The Sexy Part of the Bible”. Kola Boof was the first author they featured on Season one. Accordiong to Publisers Weekly Boof’s book spins surrealism, sci-fi, racial politics, medical ethics ,feminism, religious debate, postcolonial theory, into a thought-provoking, suspenseful novel.” Moni had a hard time getting into the book so Kat recapped the details of the story. Kat shared her feedback on some of the online reviews for the book. One thing the ladies and most readers agree on is Kola’s poetic writing style. It was definitely considered a highlight of the book. Tune in to hear the final verdict on this controversial authors’ book. Enjoy!! Dedication:This episode is dedicated to victims of gun violence and their familes in the wake of recent mass shootings in Buffalo and Texas (R.I.P.) and to the Author of this week’s book, Kola Boof. Trigger Warning: Adult language and themes, sexual content, violence, kidnapping, attempted rape, assaults, incest *Notes: * Tila Tequila explains why black women were cursed with baldness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=egoGO5c-isE Fela Kuti | Nigerian musician and activist | Britannica https://www.britannica.com/biography/Fela-Kuti Here are some of the reviews we found on GoodReads and Amazon: Mixed Review: Engaging. Beautiful imagery. Interesting concept. However, I can't help but note that the description of numerous sexual assaults and incest are uncritically idealized with the lead female character repeatedly infantilized. However brutal and spasmodic she is in her personal journey, breaking through manifestations of racial ideology, she remains powerless and childlike in her relationship with men and sexist with other women. PRO: Kola Boof has the widest writing range of any writer I know. Her book The Sexy Part of the Bible roams across a vast universe of human realization and a few things that haven't been realized yet. As it starts, you get a whiff of 21st century colonization, as white scientists seem to be cloning African people at their AIDs project. When everything's been stolen, they can still get your DNA! Eternity comes into this weird world as a clone with an incestuous father and a trans mother (a well drawn character by the way (do you agree). Since she's a copy of somebody else, Eternity wonders if she has a soul. She becomes a supermodel, hooks up with a rapper-politician (not to mention someone 2 billion of the world's people believe in) and tries to get over her fear of dolls. The doll fetish is one of the best parts of this book. Eternity is her mad scientist-father's doll, and as a model she is a doll of her own devising, a mannequin. Just when you're wondering where else this accomplished novel will take you to, Eternity finds her soul, and her destiny-- in motherhood. So this surreal swirl of scenes resolves into the most traditional story in the world-- the young person who goes out into the world to find their destiny. Mark F. Fogarty reviewed on amazon PRO: Kola Boof's Sexy Part of the Bible is a wonderful adventurous love story with meaningful insights into the identity issues of humanity. Captured within a framework that is part science fiction, part romance, this love story is about love and acceptance of the self, whoever you are. Boof provides important food for thought within her narrative that challenges all of us to accept ourselves, just as we are, and then to love ourselves - just as we are. Boof makes it clear that being the sexy part of the bible is to be the most creative part, the most desired part, indeed, the most interesting part of what is sacred in life - ourselves. Without sexy, we're missing the love of our lives - we're missing ourselves. You must be brave to "get" what she's saying here, because she makes it plain, snatched band-aid and all. Worth the read! - Vanessa Irvin Morris, Librarian Educator. Good reads CON: Very challenging read! Mixed Review: As someone who was fascinated early on by Kola Boof's outspoken, brash and unique story. My bookclub selected this and honestly I was going to just remain mum and not read it based solely on personal judgment of the author at this point. Needless to say, I read it FAST but it was HARD! The concept was intriguing but the movement and connection in the story was overshadowed by an almost tourette's rant on a agenda topic. The book has LOADS of potential to empower women on their skin, their magic, their womanhood, their power instead it was a tease on empowerment that left much dangling all the way up to the fairy tale utopia ending. I had a few people ask if I would recommend it and I am truly conflicted to say yes. I found her early works a bit more focused even though it had issues as well. I'm glad I got to see what the deal was about it. LOVED the cover art immensely, that ought to sell a few copies alone. Vicci Divine's review Good Reads PRO: Eternity, the protagonist, has white parents and is a little bit of an outsider to her own heritage. Even though she's the perfect image of the original black woman. I think this speaks of the truth of a lot of us as black people in Western society today. In a way, we all have a set of white parents. We learn the "correct" way to conduct ourselves in white western society in order to succeed. Eternity is an example of this, but I find it interesting that she is no less a black woman or no less self-aware. It's gratifying to see her transform even more. CONS :The story was all over the place. I really could not relate with most of it. White folks wanting to clone Africans. I just couldn't buy this plot even if it was sci-fi. Then when the man she loves beats her to death then she is resurrected by him making love to her it is too much. I was glad I was finished with it and I wished I had borrowed instead of buying it.

Welcome back the F.A.B. Podcast!! This is the first episode of Season 2!! Moni and Kat are in the building (Cue the horns): The ladies kick off this episode reflecting back on the first year of their podcasting journey. Full of gratitude, Moni gives the longest dedication ever to some of their listeners and supporters, and Kat shouts out "Love, Death and Robots" for helping her maintain sanity. The ladies get started discussing the ups and downs of creating the show, along with what they are proud of and want to accomplish moving forward. True to form, the ladies take a few pit stops to discuss why people don’t like to read, SuperHead’s rebrand, and in Kat’s words the fact that “Kevin Samuels' heart exploded from gas station dick pills while he was, you know, smashing a chunky Latina”. Wow, that escalated quickly!! Enjoy the show. *Warning: This episode contains explicit language and adult content * Find us online at the link below: linktr.ee/Fabpod Dedication: This episode is dedicated to our family and friends who have shown support; our collaborators and listeners: Special shout out to: @ericdizzy, @buzzviralmarketing, @urbannerdbeats, @trezanayatkins, @varianthex, @stonetreestudios, @caspermerci, Guests: @sylviahubbard1,@apollyonyx, cuzimthattril @hillsofflowers,@brightfame4, @thepatdownpodcast @chrisspangle, @ebonythewriter, @fly.creator, Friend of the show and MUA Jasmine aka @blackmagicwombman, and her cousin Angel owner of @28botique for the sparkly clothes for our new look. TO OUR ALL LISTENERS AND FOLLOWERS: A special thanks to some notable IG followers/listeners for all the love!! @premiumprowash, @dcs1217, @quaminac, melanin_monroe83, @queencalundra aka @hongorygirl, @iamantoinette, @kiaratee, @briamongthepages,@ _rebundled, @phiriart, @tashayleniece, @jbland/@madmanimprov, @therealbalihairbotique, @rose.savoj, @cultivatedreads, @addy.ardi and anyone we missed. If we didn’t mention you we still appreciate you!! Notes:Mentioned in the podcast: Love, Death and Robots https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love,Death%26_Robots Corrine Stephens: aka Super Head https://www.lilibetovesen.com/about Kevin Samuels @seethething Podcast @iambridgetkelly @fullcourtpumps @belliesandbullies @goodmomsbadchoices Here are some articles about why the arts and reading are important: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/02/great-reshuffle-jobs-market-resignation Books & Art – Benefits of Reading - Lots of Lovely Art Arts and Crafts for Adults: Its Benefits and Why You Should be Doing It (newsweek.com) Art Enhances Brain Function and Well-Being (healing-power-of-art.org) PSA: Be involved in things that make you happy and your body belongs to you!

Welcome back to the show! The ladies are so excited this week!! For starters, this is the official last episode of Season 1 of the FAB podcast!! They have survived one year of consistantly putting out content which is no easy feat. Moni and Kat are closing out the season with special guest Keith Baker aka Fly.Creator, a local content creator, videographer, podcaster, and self proclaimed positivity influencer. Keith joined the ladies to disuss his experience recovering from drug addition and untimately changing his life and finding his purpose. What a story!! Tune in to hear all the details. Cheers to One Year!!!!! Find us here👉🏾linktr.ee/Fabpod thefabpodcast@gmail.com: If you have crazy stories that are stranger than fiction please email us so we can share them on the show!! *Warning: *adult content/languge, drug use Dedication:This Episode is dedicated to our listerners as always,to moms, to individuals dealing with additcion and to sepration of church and state along with the right to autonomy. *Show Notes: * Guest:FlyCreator IG BIO:💲〽️🌀🎙@Daflyzone/ 🏡 Real Estate 📸🎥 @bakerestatephoto/🔷Recovering ADDICT🙌🏽 ➕5️⃣ ✌🏽POSITIVITY INFLUENCER🎥#blackcontentcreator #blackownedbusiness

Welcome back!! Up Next the ladies review HBO comedy special "Rothaniel" featuring American stand-up comedian, actor, and filmmaker, Jerrod Carmichael. The theme is secrets! He kept his birth name and sexual orientation a secret until now. The conversation gets personal as Moni and Kat talk about abortion rights and how Kat used to be a pro-lifer. They also touch on infidelity, childhood trauma, the side effects of shame. Some important questions are asked: Is chronic cheating resulting in a secrect family "morally better" than being gay in our community? Can women learn to love their genitals as much as men seem to love theirs? Whew, find out what the ladies have to say about all this. Tune in and enjoy!! Dedication: Moni : Every episode is dedicated to our listeners, always. Also to the Fake Ass Book Club consistantly publishing epidoses for almost a full year! Kat: Voters in mid-term elections, Roe vs Wade, Abortion Rights, Planned Parenthood and reproductive freedom. Email: thefabpodcast@gmail.com https://thefabpodcast.fireside.fm/subscribe *Fun Quotes from the episode: * -"I wish I felt about my genitals the way men feel about theirs." They are so proud of it, look at what I got, I should share it with the world!" -"They're always trying to serve their dicks." -"I suck dick too, no one's clapping for me!" Notes: Carmichael has released three stand-up comedy specials on HBO: Love at the Store (2014), 8 (2017), and Rothaniel (2022). He also co-created, co-wrote, produced, and starred in the semiautobiographical NBC sitcom The Carmichael Show (2015–2017).https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerrod_Carmichael Netflix documentary: The Principles of Pleasure https://www.netflix.com/title/81137265 ** Kat's reference to Bible verse in Numbers:** Numbers 5:11-31:New International Version The Test for an Unfaithful Wife 11 Then the Lord said to Moses, 12 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘If a man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him 13 so that another man has sexual relations with her, and this is hidden from her husband and her impurity is undetected (since there is no witness against her and she has not been caught in the act), 14 and if feelings of jealousy come over her husband and he suspects his wife and she is impure—or if he is jealous and suspects her even though she is not impure— 15 then he is to take his wife to the priest. He must also take an offering of a tenth of an ephah[a] of barley flour on her behalf. He must not pour olive oil on it or put incense on it, because it is a grain offering for jealousy, a reminder-offering to draw attention to wrongdoing. 16 “‘The priest shall bring her and have her stand before the Lord. 17 Then he shall take some holy water in a clay jar and put some dust from the tabernacle floor into the water. 18 After the priest has had the woman stand before the Lord, he shall loosen her hair and place in her hands the reminder-offering, the grain offering for jealousy, while he himself holds the bitter water that brings a curse. 19 Then the priest shall put the woman under oath and say to her, “If no other man has had sexual relations with you and you have not gone astray and become impure while married to your husband, may this bitter water that brings a curse not harm you. 20 But if you have gone astray while married to your husband and you have made yourself impure by having sexual relations with a man other than your husband”— 21 here the priest is to put the woman under this curse—“may the Lord cause you to become a curse[b] among your people when he makes your womb miscarry and your abdomen swell. 22 May this water that brings a curse enter your body so that your abdomen swells or your womb miscarries.”

Welcome back friends! Moni and Kat kick things off this week with the classic novel "The absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie. Good Reads Summary: 'Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the Rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot." This book tackles complex themes such as racism, poverty, addiction, privilege, individual ambition vs communal obligation and more, all smashed together to tell the heartbreaking and funny coming of age story of Arnold Spirit aka Junior. Moni had to spill the tea on the sexual abuse allegations against the author she found out about right before recording the episode. This leads the ladies to discuss if it's ok to enjoy art made by personally problematic people and a host of other topics. Trust me, this conversation is full of juicy bits you can sink your teeth into. Sit back and enjoy the show!! Cheers! Dedication: This episode is dedicated to the listeners always, to people victimized by physical and sexual violence, Roe vs Wade and the freedom of CHOICE/AUTONOMY, and indigenous artist @eloybida of IG. The FAB podcast would like to go on the record and say we do not knowingly condone or support sexual abuse. *** Content Warning: Adult language, adult themes such as sexuality, homosexuality, violence, rape, abortion, addiction, death ** Announcment: *As the ladies grow closer to wrapping up the first full year of episodes of the Fake Ass Book Club, they are switching up the visuals and adding more video content for Season 2. Video can be found on YouTube (search The Fake Ass Book Club). They will even have a new segment called "Stranger than Fiction". This segment features true stories that are stranger than fiction. They will share stories from either person experience, friends and family, or stories in the news. They will invite listeners to email thefabpodcast@gmail.com with their stories (they have to be TRUE) so we can share them on the show. The first official Episode of Season 2 will be May 25, 2022. STAY TUNED Notes* Native American women face an epidemic of violence. A legal loophole prevents prosecutions. (nbcnews.com) Article about Tribes not being able to prosecute non tribal members because they lack jurisdiction Fact Sheet: Reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) | The White House Helping indigenous tribes gain legal jurisdiction to procecute non-native people. WHITE HOUSE STATEMENTS AND RELEASES:"Expanding special criminal jurisdiction of Tribal courts to cover non-Native perpetrators of sexual assault, child abuse, stalking, sex trafficking, and assaults on tribal law enforcement officers on tribal lands; and supporting the development of a pilot project to enhance access to safety for survivors in Alaska Native villages." Roe v. Wade live updates: Supreme Court decision to overturn leaked (nbcnews.com) How sexual violence leads to unwanted pregnancies and legal access to abortion might be at risk Sherman Alexie's Accusers Go On The Record: 'It Just Felt Very Wrong' : NPR• Sexual allegations from NPR Sherman Alexie Says He's Been 'Indian Du Jour' For A 'Very Long Day' : NPR About his life and being a Native American Writer

Welcome back F.A.B. FAM!! This week Moni and Kat were interviewed on the podcast “What’s Good?” with Ebony Chappel. The host, Ebony Chappel, is an award-winning multimedia journalist, certified community health worker and works as Director of Programs & Communication for a civic leadership nonprofit in Indianapolis. On top of that she is beautiful, smart, and an overall badass!! Ebony wanted to interview the ladies and find out...What’s Good? She also wanted to know more about what inspired the idea for the show. Tune in as the ladies talk about the pros and cons of a traditional book club, how to know when to put a book down, and what makes a book club truly GREAT. Moni also gives advice no asks for!! Tune in and enjoy the show. Cheers! This episode is dedicated to diverse black voices in media and Master Hokusai. https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/ap-art-history/south-east-se-asia/japan-art/a/hokusai-under-the-wave-off-kanagawa-the-great-wave You can find Ebony and anything she has going on on her website or instagram page below: EBONY CHAPPEL https://www.ebonychappel.com ebonychappel@gmail.com @ebonythewriter on IG Kat's other favorite artist: https://www.biography.com/news/caravaggio-italian-painter-criminal-murderer

The ladies return this week with a tragic love story. This episode was dedicated to Black Love and Gary, the boy next door. (*Side note: Moni couldn't hear Kat’s dedication while recording so for the record she doesn't think it’s fantastic that Gary was falsely imprisoned.) Moving on!! James Baldwin’s “If Beale Street Could Talk” “is told through the eyes of Tish, a nineteen-year-old girl, in love with Fonny, a young sculptor who is the father of her child. Baldwin’s story mixes the sweet and the sad. Tish and Fonny have pledged to get married, but Fonny is falsely accused of rape and imprisoned.”(Amazon summary) Although topics in this book triggered Kat, especially the discussion around the mass incarceration of black men, it wasn’t all sad. Moni and Kat got nostalgic about their childhood and managed to have some laughs. Sit back and enjoy the show! *Warning: *This episode contains adult language and topics such as colorism, rape & violence. Find, follow, like, subscribe and SHARE our podcast by clicking the link below (thank you!): https://linktr.ee/Fabpod To our local listeners check out Kat painting LIVE this weekend. Link below. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/art-of-self-love-live-art-show-and-dinner-fundraiser-tickets-273341851837 YouTube video of Nikki Giovanni and James Baldwin Conversation https://youtu.be/4Jc54RvDUZU ** A few favorite James Baldwin Quotes from the book:** “Neither love nor terror makes one blind: indifference makes one blind.” ― James Baldwin, If Beale Street Could Talk “Those kids aren't dumb. But the people who run these schools want to make sure they don't get smart: they are really teaching the kids to be slaves.” ― James Baldwin, If Beale Street Could Talk “I hope that nobody has ever had to look at anybody they love through glass.” ― James Baldwin, If Beale Street Could Talk “It's a miracle to realize that somebody loves you.” ― James Baldwin, If Beale Street Could Talk “For, you see, he had found his center, his own center, inside him: and it showed. He wasn’t anybody’s nigger. And that’s a crime, in this fucking free country. You’re suppose to be somebody’s nigger. And if you’re nobody’s nigger, you’re a bad nigger: and that’s what the cops decided when Fonny moved downtown.” ― James Baldwin, If Beale Street Could Talk

Welcome back! This week Moni and Kat can't wait to dig into Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking by Samin Nosrat. This is defintely a switch from the books the ladies normally review but the conversation is no leas delicious!! Grab a drink and enjoy the show. Apologies for the audio this week. We are workimg hard to get new recording equipment and a studio. If you want to help us create better sounding content or just want to support the show, consider being a sponser! Hit us up at thefabpodcast@gmail.com for details. Linktr.ee/Fabpod