To Be Clear: Dawn Montgomery & Freddie B Talk New Podcast & Diddy Trial

Hey everyone, I'm Selena Hill and this is The New Norm on Black Enterprise

On today's episode, I'm joined by Dawn Montgomery, an award-winning journalist, culture critic

and writer at Black Press USA, a mental health advocate and a mother

I'm also here with host, actor and event emcee Freddie B. Together, they are the hosts of the To Be Clear podcast on OK Player and OK Africa

Thank y'all so much for joining me. Thank you for having us. Happy to be here

That was a nice intro. You got me nervous. What are you going to say

Okay. Right, right, right. So, I mean, I just let's just start with To Be Clear

Tell us about this new podcast. well I think the show itself is just going to be refreshing considering some of the other podcasts

that are out there we're not in we're not in competition honestly we just came into this

um just wanting to show how two people can agree or disagree and show a lot of respect and bring

you know clarity and some thoughtful um opinions about certain things that are happening in news

politics in our culture yeah for sure you know and definitely from that millennial standpoint you

You know, because the millennials, you know, we kind of we kind of set the trend

You know, we pretty much set the trends and those 80 babies. You know, that's the best decade. I say it all the time. Music, video games, all that

So we bring in that knowledge. And then, you know, then just being in the industry like, you know

Don has done so much in the industry, even more than what you just named

Right. And, you know, I've done I've done a little something, you know, so just bring it just bringing that that perspective

It'll be super dope. So how did it even come about? Like how did y'all two become the host and develop the concept and all that

Oh, so it was OK Player that reached out to me after I had left

It was maybe a month or two after I had left Revolt. And they were saying that they were looking to start a slate of new shows for their podcast network or arm of what they were wanting to do with OK Player and OK Africa

And we just kind of like played around with a couple of things and just threw out some topics

And I just kind of told him some things that I had already drew up because I have I've always wanted to host something or have my own thing, but never really had the opportunity to really kind of find somebody that wants to work with me

And then one of the things that I always love talking about is just how he came about to be a part of the show

And it's just real quickly after we did come up with a name and we kind of ironed out how many episodes we want to do for a season and all of the things

the discussion came about where it was like, well, Dawn, you know, your following is like almost 75

men, right? On all platforms, honestly. I mean, I'm fine. I get it. So to be clear

that's not a bad thing, in my opinion. So Aisha, our CEO of OK Player, she just kind of mentioned

well, I would like to have a male voice that kind of counters you and how you see things or how your

perspective and how you talk. And we went through a couple of auditions. Like we had like seven or

eight auditions set up and by the time we got to freddie he was like number three the first two

flatline like i was just like no i hope they not do not care anyway so but for freddie to come in

the door and he just received you know some of the information that we were giving him and then we

kind of bounced off of different topics of talking about things and literally he was just i loved his

approach I love how quick and witty he was and then immediately like he just showed me respect

and so that was what won me I was like I don't need to go through you know five or six more people

to kind of find out if this is the guy that I want to work with so that's how it came about

that's super dope and Freddie so what do you like about working with Dawn

Dawn Dawn is uh is wild like like me you know what I mean like I think I think I think we both

nuts but then but then we both are thoughtful you know and when i say thoughtful not like

nice like oh you thought like thoughtful as in like up here can explore different topics

she knows sports she knows a lot of different not a lot of different topics can speak on a lot of

different things i've done like other podcasts in the past and that's that's always something

that i have trouble with um being with somebody like you can just throw something at me and i can

figure out and do the research and and get up to speed and just talk about it so whatever we want

talk about we can talk about it right but the other people i've been with it's kind of like okay

we can't go here or is this i just totally dominate the conversation and they're not really there with

with dawn it's like we can we can we can i can i got somebody to spar with right stimulate my mind

yeah exactly we can we can go to work so you know i think i think that's the key thing with this to

be clear like you don see us go to work it like it a mutual respect but it a it a respect also holding accountable Like if I say something she don like it like Fred like hold on man Like this is what I think

and vice versa. I think you're going to see that. What are some of the topics

that y'all may disagree about? How much you should pay on a date

Okay. That was something that we brought up. Like what you're supposed to wear

when you're at the airport, like things like that, like flight or airport

etiquette like things like that like we've had like the thing about it is is i know how sometimes

when it comes about to be shows in general television or even like podcasts sometimes the

people don't really actually know each other like we ended up finding out that we have mutuals and

some of our mutuals are some of our best friends so anytime something came up in discussion it kind

of made sense that we would disagree based on like our mutuals and our associates and things like that

So it's just we it could be anything. It could be anything

And literally, he's probably going to find something to disagree about or we meet in the middle

But then at the same time, he's going to be like playing devil's advocate or or it's going to be me

You know, I mean, so far, like we've had conversations and everything she says, I can see where she coming from

But it's just like, OK, but this other thing that I'm thinking that, you know, I'm I'm more passionate about it, whatever I get where you coming from

And I think that's the key thing. You can watch the show. And what I want to show and what I think we both want to show is like how you can disagree with somebody

But also you can see where they're coming from. I see where you're coming from, but I don't I don't subscribe to that

And this is why. And then you explain it. OK, so in a world where everybody got a podcast, what makes To Be Clear unique

What makes this stand out? The both of us, literally. Like, I would say, I think one of the things that we've noticed in dealing with our team, our producers, is how they're learning so much about us because they might not have been familiar with us and our backgrounds

And I think there's beauty in that because what they're going to realize is that the audience is going to be learning new things

I know for me being in the media industry since I was 12, I started out as a copy editor at a local newspaper

Like, coming from that to being here, like, that's a huge jump

And it's like, literally, I'm 41. so everybody can do the math. But I just think it's us

It's literally us and us bringing our sauce and our magic to it. And literally how we approach it

and the respect that we're going to have. I just feel like a lot of shows, you don't see people having respect for each other

and their thoughts and their opinions. And at this time, we're not doing this for clicks

We're doing it for clarity. And it's more so like, okay, meet someone in the middle

and understand that you can disagree and just keep the conversation moving or just shut it down

Yeah, yeah. and I think I think the the craziness with it you know what I mean like like I said we both are

like I said before we both got our nutty side and so um you know like me doing I've done comedy and

different things like that so you know it's gonna have that comedic element as well along with the serious element because we got the whole mental health aspect that that's uh looped in with the

show to kind of help people with that you know what I mean so um that's the key thing I think

so what do y'all want viewers to take away from it uh new information like literally I think when

if we are talking about hot topics and things like that or if we're talking about sports and

politics and news um a lot of people have to realize i'm a seasoned journalist like i'm a

like you said war-winning journalist i this is my this is my stuff right this isn't just pulling

stuff from the timeline and just having a conversation or just throwing out opinions um

so we really want to educate our audience while at the same time give them a good time like

i think a lot of these shows tend to be they want to be they want to be comedy or innocence or like

entertainment in a sense but they're not really like grabbing the audience i know when we just

recently you know shared a clip of us talking about the sinners movie people were going in

because of how i shared my background and my connection to the movie and he was literally

in the comments like oh no hold on not too much oh my girl you know like but again it's like you

you're learning like you don't even know someone's personal connection to something

like a movie like that to where you might need to like ask more questions or just wait for the show

when it comes out because I've actually finally seen the movie. So we're going to talk about that

So it's going to be great. I think it's going to be great. Yeah, yeah. I think a lot of podcasts

go to clicks. Like people just be saying wild stuff, but just clicks. People just say all types of

goofy stuff. And it's to engage the algorithm. But I think with our

podcast, I mean, it's definitely going to be that entertainment part that'll pop, but

it's also meaty. You get some meat. You know what I mean? Like when you go to eat. Bring me the meat

That was kind of crazy. That was me. Your DMs going to blow up

They post this. Your DMs going to be crazy. I got the meat for you, baby. You're here, baby

You asked for the meat. I'm here. But, you know, yeah, you will get the comedy

You will get some meat, too, like some real stuff. You hear like, oh, you know, some thought provoking

stuff that going to satiate your appetite Okay Okay but we super excited about it And once it drops Dawn I want to throw it back over to you because as you mentioned you are an award journalist

And you made so many hot headlines back in 2023 when you resigned from your role at Revolt TV, which was founded by Diddy after Cassie filed a lawsuit alleging sexual assault by the mogul

How do you feel about that decision today as you know, we're watching the Diddy trial and really understanding just the grueling details and extent of the physical, psychological, mental, emotional and sexual abuse that Cassie suffered

Right. First of all, let me say thank you for even asking me the question the way that you did, because some people have asked me in ways that I'm like, oh, I don't want to talk to you about that

But for me, I think it was one of the best decisions that I could have made for myself at that time

I think a lot of people made some assumptions as to like my relationship or my connection to Diddy specifically

And it was not that, you know, a lot of people don't really realize in the podcast world

A lot of us are contractors that are working with, you know, a company and or a network and we are doing business that way

So necessarily my day to day wasn't involving him, but mentally knowing that he was over the board of directors and was in, you know, included on some of like the strategy around content and things like that

It's like, OK, I don't want to have to be under that type of supervision or direction, you know, from someone that I can see in my own life as a survivor

I'm like I don't want that you know and so to be able to make that decision and stand on that

that's another thing that you're going to realize on this show if I feel a way about something I'm

going to stand in that and I mean I'll hear opinions I'll hear other things but you know

when you know who you are you don't have to worry about anything else so making that decision was

probably the easiest thing and the timing of okay player reaching out was perfect and how they have

created a safe space for me to be very vocal on these things and we're not shying away from these

subjects either people can are going to be able to watch the show and see how we have conversations

around what's happening around these type of things where most people would want wouldn't

want to even talk about you know and we're gonna name some names because i'm not scared of nobody

like we can we can do this so yeah i'm really not scared don't want all the smoke okay um well

Well, Freddie, I want to get your take on it too, because the trial, the details are just been explosive, horrifying

Do you think that people may, men especially, will maybe held more accountable in the industry because of this

I hope so. I mean, I really hope so, because the thing is, a lot of people don't talk about it

You got the other side too, which I've experienced like different, like not what Cassie has, but the beginning of that

just as a man with other men. You know what I mean? You got that side too, that, you know, powerful men, they just

like because you think about it it's this movie called surviving a game with ice tea i always talk

about all the time like that movie was about a homeless man who got picked up by a bunch of rich

dudes who would hunt bears but then they got tired of hunting bears so they wanted to hunt the optimal

apex animal in the world a human so they picked up this homeless guy they knew he was off the grid

picked him up took him out showed him love and then was hunting him people got so much money

you've done everything then you just want to do some wild stuff so i mean i'm pretty sure what did

he doing this a bunch of other guys like okay they they just chilling out right now like let's

let's take a little minute before you think about jeffrey epstein he had a whole island

right he had an island he was shipping mugs overseas to his island so i mean i i would hope

this is the case but i mean i think i think just the natural nature of human uh humans is just it's

got to be a continuous thing we can't stop we're here you got to be on top of it and people see this

and hopefully people will just stop allowing things on their on on both sides you know like

really stand strong in your conviction. Like, no, I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to be with that

I don't want the fame that much. And you said you were a victim too

I mean, I've encountered that energy. Like, not being like, I don't want

to compare myself to Cassie or other women in that play, but I've encountered that

energy of men, like, you know, starting to like, hey, you know

hey, can you come over? And, you know, there's like that energy where it's like

yeah, nah, nah. It's a real thing. Well, they have that power and that influence. And it's more so like, hey, if you come over, we come talk or we go have dinner, like that type of thing where they're trying to coach you over to see what you're willing to do for said thing. Right. And I think that's that's a great point that he brings up is that this just doesn't happen heterosexually. This could be same gender, all genders, all things like it includes everyone

And so these conversations have to be had to where we have a safe space to kind of talk about these things

And I think also the beauty of what OK Player wants to do with us is actually having experts come in here and talk actually having guests come in here and have a conversation with us on certain things So that going to be an amazing just well show to where it like it not just two black folks just sitting up here just talking their right no we gonna give you

some information and we're gonna hopefully help you learn how to use your voice in those moments

you know to your point this has been happening in the industry for decades it's just now that

people are actually going to trial getting arrested and being convicted you know you mentioned jeffrey

Epstein, you got Diddy, Bill Cosby, R. Kelly, Harvey Weinstein, the list goes on and on

What is your hope that this will, this type of predatory behavior will stop? Like, what will it

really take so that powerful men, powerful people understand that you can't take advantage

you can't abuse other people in any capacity? Right. Well, one of the things it starts with

is at home like let's start talking to our boys and our girls and start having those conversations

around consent um agency and understanding like how you can tell someone no and you can be real

in that and understand that that someone's going to be you know harmed or they're going to be

disciplined because they didn't listen to your note right um also another thing is just really

listening to people like not just trying to pick and choose who you want to see where who is worthy

for you to listen to because they're calling out somebody and all of the things like i.e. the issue

with Halle Bailey and DDG and Ruby Rose right it's just listen to people understand it yeah sometimes

your experience may not be the same experience but just know that when someone says something

believe them so I just think a lot of times it's how you're being raised or how someone's dealing

with it at home and having those conversations and also just listening to people and really

paying attention to that I think it starts there yeah I mean it definitely starts in the home

man you know like building up familial units family family units mom and dad is there dad

providing that structure mom providing that nurture to properly build people up and build

people up in a in a correct way you know what i mean you could build people up but if there's no structure they built up to somewhere somewhere that they don't need to be built up in there's

their structure no nurture then they just they just empty souls empty vessels and so then i think

that's what you find a combination of those two and then i mean then overall like just the economy

me man i mean because you think about in these in these realms you talk about we're talking about money we talk about like as as as the good book says the bible says the love of money is the root

of all evil the love of money and so people love money so much that they're willing to do anything

to get it so some people open themselves up to get down with something that you shouldn't be doing

and once you open yourself up to it then it's a slippery slope then you go way down this path

and you got people who on the flip side who are willing to manipulate and extort people

in that manner. So when you combine the two, you have all this wild and crazy stuff that

eventually comes to the light, but really understand what's done in the dark will come to the light

and really pressing that to people. You do it in the dark. It's going to come out

You can't hide it forever. To his point about the structure and the family unit, sometimes

we might not have that. We might not have both parents in the house, but just make sure you have some

type of healthy environment where there's support a village as well as learning

how to co-parent healthily. I think we're going to have those moments where we're going to talk about that because I am, I'm a healthy co-parent

Like I love, I love my, my two, my two baby daddy. Like they ain't going to like that

I called them that, especially not my ex-husband, but to be clear, that's what they are

So, but shouts out to them. Like I just, I think it's, yeah

Hello. But I think it's, I think that's one of the beauties of us having a conversation where we can kind of like help emphasize the other aspects of you might not have that, but here's another way you can deal with it

It takes a village to raise a child. It sure does. All right. Well, tell us

where, how we can listen to the podcast and support the podcast. Right now, we're going to be on

OK Players platforms everywhere. YouTube, Instagram, their website, as far as I'm concerned

And just every Tuesday, right? Yeah. Every Tuesday. May 20th. That's when it all goes down

I'm so excited. Make sure you get ready to get your popcorn. okay well we are ready we already thank y'all so much for joining us today and everything that

you're doing just to keep the culture pushing forward you know taking a stand speaking up

speaking out and even talking about the real issues and you know making it funny making it

relatable we need that yes yes we do especially during this administration come on i know that's

right thank you so much If you want more exclusive interviews and content, be sure to subscribe to the Black

Enterprise YouTube channel. And don't forget to like and share this video