Awf The Record

Jeannette and Mona

In a podcast that lives up to its name, Mona Kosar Abdi and Jeannette Reyes go “Awf the Record” with industry disruptors and cultural tastemakers, bringing you candid conversations that reflect the dynamic intersection of media, culture, and society . It’s a show that lives between the news of the day and the group chat. [Awf- Thuh- Rekərd ].

  1. Jun 11

    I turned down $300K | WeezyWTF on Sex, Open Relationships & Building a Media Empire

    How do you build a multimillion-dollar brand without watering yourself down? In this episode of Awf The Record, podcast powerhouse and entrepreneur WeezyWTF joins Mona and Jeannette for one of her most candid conversations yet. From launching Horrible Decisions as a side project while working in tech sales to building podcast studios, fitness brands, and a bestselling career, Weezy explains why authenticity has been both her greatest advantage and her biggest obstacle. She opens up about the hidden cost of being unapologetically yourself, why success doesn't always lead to acceptance, and how staying true to who she is has often excluded her from opportunities others take for granted. The conversation also dives into sexual liberation, growing up queer, the role her mother played in shaping her confidence, and why society still struggles with women who openly discuss sex, relationships, and desire. Weezy shares her thoughts on open relationships, modern dating, marriage, shame, and the double standards that continue to shape how women are judged. Plus, she reveals the surprising business lessons behind her success, the biggest misconceptions people have about nontraditional relationships, and why finding your tribe may be the most important thing you can do. This episode is a must-listen. KEY POINTS - 0:00 Introduction & why Weezy almost changed her outfit - 9:54 Why being completely yourself became Weezy’s biggest advantage - 10:46 The hidden cost of authenticity and being left out of major opportunities - 13:16 How a side-hustle podcast turned into a business empire - 17:12 The drunken conversation that created Horrible Decisions - 18:53 The fan encounter that changed her mission forever - 19:55 Growing up queer, confident, and unapologetic - 24:20 What a decade of talking about sex taught her about society - 26:05 Why society still measures women's worth through relationships - 37:41 How couples can explore sexuality, boundaries, and desire safely - 49:14 Why Weezy believes cheating has nothing to do with sex and everything to do with honesty QUOTES  “Authenticity can really keep you out of a lot of conversations.” – Weezy WTF  “You make money off the things that truly align with what you're already interested in.”  – Weezy WTF “My mom made me feel so beautiful, so safe, so confident that I thought everybody else was the crazy one.”  – Weezy WTF  “The shame can only exist where you don't have your own community.”  – Weezy WTF  “We're all sexual beings, but we're taught to keep it tucked away.”  – Weezy WTF  “Self-respect only seems to matter when a man has dictated it to you.” – Weezy WTF  “Women really don't need this anymore. They're building businesses, traveling, getting educated. Who needs men anymore?”  – Weezy WTF  RESOURCES:  Weezy WTF  Website: wtfmediastudios.com/home  IG: @weezywtf  Keep in touch with Awf The Record: Youtube: @AwfTheRecord Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast TikTok: @AwfTheRecord Mona Kosar Abdi IG |  @monakabdi  Jeannette Reyes IG |  @msnewslady  Keep in touch with Awf The Record: Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecord Follow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast Follow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecord Visit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com  Follow Mona on TikTok and IG Follow Jeannette on TikTok and IG

    1h 33m
  2. Jun 4

    The Death Of Celebrity Mystique: What Bad Bunny, Beyoncé & The Kardashians Reveal About Modern Fame

    In this episode of Awf the Record, culture critic and Pop Syllabus creator Christiana Mbakwe Medina joins Mona Kosar Abdi and Jeannette Reyes for a sharp, layered conversation on modern fame, celebrity mystique, pop culture, and the systems hiding underneath our favorite headlines. Using Bad Bunny, Beyoncé, The Kardashians, Tyra Banks, Diddy, Taylor Swift, Zendaya, Rihanna, Chappell Roan, Timothée Chalamet, and reality TV as cultural case studies, Christiana breaks down why pop culture is never “just entertainment.” It shapes how we see beauty, aging, success, race, body image, work, motherhood, privacy, and power. Their conversation explores the death of celebrity mystique, why privacy has become the ultimate luxury, how the Kardashians signal beauty and body trends before the culture catches up, why Beyoncé may be one of the last pre-internet superstars, and why the difference between a “star,” a “celebrity,” and a “famous person” matters more than ever. Christiana also gets into the darker side of 2000s hustle culture, the rollback of DEI, the limits of cultural accountability, and why progress means very little if it is not backed by policy. From Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl symbolism to Beyoncé’s use of Black radical imagery, this episode is a nuanced look at what our obsession with celebrity really reveals about us and the culture we are living in now. KEY POINTS 00:00 Introduction 02:39 Pop culture is layered, fun, and traumatizing 03:45 Pop culture is a “darkened mirror” of society 05:17 Our role in toxic reality TV 07:38 The 2000s rewarded suffering for success 10:05 We speak up more, but conditions have not fully changed 11:26 Progress does not stick without policy 13:46 Body positivity, Ozempic, and the new beauty era 16:12 The Kardashians as cultural weather vanes 21:31 Aging, beauty, and the myth of “Black don’t crack” 29:03 Fame is becoming more niche and digital 32:43 Privacy is the new luxury 34:14 Beyoncé may be the last pre-internet superstar 35:26 Star vs. celebrity vs. famous person 40:07 The Bad Bunny Super Bowl debate 52:12 Beyoncé, Black radical imagery, and capitalism 54:37 Trad wife culture, burnout, and motherhood 58:17 You cannot have it all at once 01:01:22  Accountability has become performance 01:02:23 Ozempic is not just about status 01:04:38 The next wave of celebrity beauty and wellness trends QUOTES  “The thing about pop culture that is so powerful is it shapes how people feel.” – Christiana Mbakwe Medina “The only luxury is privacy, and most people can’t afford to be private.”  Christiana Mbakwe Medina “Celebrity is just like the active cultivation and monetization of that fame.”  Christiana Mbakwe Medina “You want to have it all, and the truth is, you can’t have it all at once.”  Christiana Mbakwe Medina RESOURCES:  Christiana Mbakwe Medina IG | @christianaama Website | https://popsyllabus.substack.com/  Keep in touch with Awf The Record: Youtube: @AwfTheRecord Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast TikTok: @AwfTheRecord Mona Kosar Abdi IG |  @monakabdi  Jeannette Reyes IG |  @msnewslady  Keep in touch with Awf The Record: Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecord Follow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast Follow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecord Visit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com  Follow Mona on TikTok and IG Follow Jeannette on TikTok and IG

    1h 9m
  3. May 28

    Why Hard Work Isn’t Enough Anymore | CNN Anchor Laura Coates

    On today’s Awf The Record, CNN anchor, attorney, and legal analyst Laura Coates joins the group chat for a powerful conversation about purpose, pivots, and what it really takes to build a life that feels true to you. Laura opens up about leaving the Department of Justice (DOJ), the moment her husband’s fear during a police stop became a wake-up call, and why “informational activism” became her way of speaking truth to power. She reflects on her time as a federal prosecutor, the ethical dilemmas that shook her, and why Black and brown communities deserve champions who understand their lived experience. From posting up in Panera Bread with a baby in her arms to becoming one of the most recognizable voices on CNN, Laura gets honest about ambition, motherhood, marriage, imposter syndrome, and the hard truth that few things are true meritocracies. This episode is a reminder that sometimes the attempt is the success, the grind does not end when you “make it,” and leaving the dream on the pillow is harder than doing it scared. KEY POINTS  - 0:00 Introduction - 2:17 From CNN legal analyst and federal prosecutor to hosting her own show - 3:56 Motherhood & her husband’s fear leading to the “camera in the car” wake‑up call - 5:51 Leaving DOJ: choosing “informational activism” and being laughed at for pursuing TV - 8:32 Financial sacrifice, family support, and redefining success on her own terms - 9:28 Why Black and brown communities need prosecutors who look like them - 12:43 The deportation warrant witness story and the ethical crisis  - 16:36 First steps into media: Panera Bread, radio hits while nursing, and writing op‑eds - 19:17 Grit, ambition, and surviving a cutthroat, non‑meritocratic TV industry - 29:42 “Doing it all”: kids, 4–5 hours of sleep, and a truly supportive partner - 31:06 “Pick your hard”: knowing her “why,” scheduling downtime, and protecting her health - 38:24 The Alex Trebek’s Jeopardy! experience and what it taught her QUOTES  "I wholeheartedly reject the idea that black and brown communities should not get champions who look like them, and I am very proud of the opportunity to have stood up on behalf of people, embed a voice for them.” – Laura Coates  "I needed my children to know that I was who I said I was, and that I wanted them to be." – Laura Coates  "I decided that removing a muzzle that I had to put on as a prosecutor was going to be my form of informational activism, I thought people want to speak truth to power. Let me tell them what the truth is." – Laura Coates  "I cannot fail if I'm trying on my own terms." – Laura Coates  RESOURCES Laura Coates  Website: lauracoates.com Instagram: @thelauracoates  Keep in touch with Awf The Record: Youtube: @AwfTheRecord Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast TikTok: @AwfTheRecord Mona Kosar Abdi IG |  @monakabdi  Jeannette Reyes IG |  @msnewslady  Keep in touch with Awf The Record: Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecord Follow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast Follow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecord Visit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com  Follow Mona on TikTok and IG Follow Jeannette on TikTok and IG

    45 min
  4. May 21

    Glow Up Coach: A Step-By-Step Guide To Reinventing Yourself In 30 Days

    What does a real glow up actually look like? In this episode of Awf The Record, Mona Kosar Abdi and Jeannette Reyes sit down with lifestyle entrepreneur and digital creator Jaz Turner, whose thoughtful approach to self-investment, wellness, and intentional living has built a global audience of more than one million followers. But Jaz’s story didn’t begin with morning routines and glow-up advice. Before becoming a creator, she was on track to become a lawyer. After earning a full ride to law school and landing a prestigious position in sports and entertainment law, she found herself deeply unhappy, battling anxiety, burnout, and an identity crisis. What followed was the messy middle: leaving law school, rebuilding her life from the ground up, and discovering that growth isn’t glamorous. It’s lonely, uncomfortable, and deeply transformative. In this conversation, Jaz opens up about the truth behind personal growth, the power of journaling and self-reflection, navigating friendship breakups, setting boundaries, and why the glow up actually starts where it hurts. They also dive into routines, relationships, and the mindset shifts that helped Jaz rebuild her life, and why the most powerful transformation happens internally first. Felt stuck in a career that looks perfect on paper, or ever wonder what it really takes to reinvent yourself? This episode is for you. KEY POINTS Jaz Turner’s journey from law school student to lifestyle creator Why chasing the “perfect career” left her burned out and unhappyThe identity crisis that comes when your job no longer defines youWhy the glow up actually starts with anger, pain, and honestyThe messy middle of reinvention and rebuilding your lifeThe morning routines and mindset shifts that changed everythingFriendship breakups, boundaries, and protecting your growthHow reframing failure helped Jaz transform her lifeWhy internal growth always comes before the external glow up QUOTES  “It’s a loss of identity when your whole life has been built around your career.”  – Jaz Turner   “The messy middle is where you learn the tools to handle the life you deserve.” – Jaz Turner “Don’t be a loser in your own story.” – Jaz Turner “Nobody is coming to save you, and that’s actually the most empowering thing in the world.” – Jaz Turner RESOURCES:  Jaz Turner  Youtube: @jazturner16  Instagram: @jazturner16/  TikTok: @jazturner16  Keep in touch with Awf The Record: Youtube: @AwfTheRecord Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast TikTok: @AwfTheRecord Mona Kosar Abdi IG |  @monakabdi  Jeannette Reyes IG |  @msnewslady  Keep in touch with Awf The Record: Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecord Follow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast Follow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecord Visit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com  Follow Mona on TikTok and IG Follow Jeannette on TikTok and IG

    1h 4m
4.9
out of 5
459 Ratings

About

In a podcast that lives up to its name, Mona Kosar Abdi and Jeannette Reyes go “Awf the Record” with industry disruptors and cultural tastemakers, bringing you candid conversations that reflect the dynamic intersection of media, culture, and society . It’s a show that lives between the news of the day and the group chat. [Awf- Thuh- Rekərd ].

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