Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 0:00

I'm, Reggie Pond is the real critic and this is the Real Critics Network. I'm here with Katya Woods and we took a week off. Not because of her, just because of me. I had a lot of stuff going on and I can't even, I don't want to tell everybody what I got going on because then they be trying to come to my house.'cause we do, we trying to do some renovations and I don't need, no, I don't need any guests. But anyway, Katya, how are you? How are you doing?

Kathia Woods: 0:25

I'm very well. How are you?

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 0:27

Good, good. So we're gonna move into our first segment, which is what's on my mind. And I have a couple of things that's on my mind. The first one is, I don't, where's Jasper? Everybody

Kathia Woods: 0:42

is f. Where's Jasper? Where? Where's Jasper? Jasper's upstairs with his best day Catina Woods. He is, he's living his best life. He is very happy as, as he likes to think of it, the original four back together and no new, new new friends. He has his whole family to himself.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 1:03

And who would be his bestie?

Kathia Woods: 1:06

My daughter Catina. So she came what day was it, child? It was Wednesday. Yes, it was

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 1:13

So the dog Jasper is very, very happy.'cause your daughter is at home.

Kathia Woods: 1:18

Yes. He likes his family. Sharpe are very much they like family and they like their people. So he don't like new people too much. He doesn't like his routine. He is, yes. But so this morning he woke up and he was like. That's what I'm talking about. The all the peeps, the original four.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 1:38

That was the first thing on my mind. The second thing on my mind is that NABJ had a phenomenal conference. And it was in Detroit? No, Cleveland. It was in Cleveland, right? Another city that nobody wants to go to. No. Ooh, I didn't say that. But you know, Chicago and Cleveland, we got a we battling each other at all times. So that's why I say that. But I've been to Cleveland several times, but anyway. How was that?

Kathia Woods: 2:06

It was really, really good. You know what? It was my first time in Cleveland, we walked off the plane and we were welcome there. One of the receptions, obviously being in Cleveland, you would be foolish because again, I don't know the way life is life and I don't know if I will ever get a chance to go to Cleveland again. So I went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. That was a reception. A party held at the the welcome party and went to the party and that was, got a chance to see the exhibits and everything had a really good, I mean, Cleveland shout out to the NABJ Cleveland chapter. They were welcoming. They showed out also. The convention center is like across the way from where the Cleveland Browns play. So it was a little not as loud as Eagles fans. It was a little quiet, but I got a chance to see where the Browns play, and shut out to the food trucks and the vendors and, I went out there and I supported, I bought a shirt, I bought food. So, I love how they brought in black businesses into the fold to, and the whole, like everywhere we went, again, the airport is only about yay big. Announcing that, NABJ was there. And as a bonus, if you know that I have a two me suitcase that my husband gave to me for Christmas and I've been trying to get it stamped.'cause I was like, I'm not emptying the bag going to the mall to get it stamped. Guess who had a stamp out of all the team U stores in the different airports, including LAX International terminal? It was in Cleveland that I got my bank bag finally stamped and my bonus tag. So shout out to the Tomi store in Cleveland.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 3:51

I don't know what stamped is but I'm gonna go off camera for half a second because I think I told you that my wife bought me this Tomi bag. I carry it everywhere I go.

Kathia Woods: 4:09

So look on, is there a place where you can get your thing engraved? So on the suitcases on the top, there's a label that comes off, right? And, excuse me, there's link that comes off and there's another one.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 4:25

Not this tag, not this.

Kathia Woods: 4:26

No, no, no. There's another one that you can, that they, that comes in the zip up thing and that's what you hand in at the store for them to to stamp it. To stamp it. And that goes on top of your suitcase. So you know how it be, because if we, that's my suitcase is green, people be trying to play reindeer games and sometimes you gotta push back and be like, no ma'am, not today for sure. Remember how everybody had a black bag and you would absolutely try to put something like that. That's mine.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 4:55

That's mine. That happened

Kathia Woods: 4:56

to me before when somebody reached for the bag and I had a red band like to just differentiate mine. And when I tell you this man reached for my bag and I was on him like white on rice, I said, excuse me sir, this is not your bag. He is it's my bag. And I'm like, sir. And then we pulled back the flap and sure enough there was my name in there and he was like, I'm sorry. So I'm really glad that the husband. Bought me this bag in a beautiful Christmas green because now I don't really have to be out here fighting for my life with people.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 5:26

I I'm feeling that. All right, so I'm gonna move on to the next thing, talking about N-N-A-B-J. My question is, what was the climate like as it relates to media and the opportunities for media? Because what I've been seeing a lot of is a number of black journalists outta work just outta work and looking for work. It's happening here in Chicago. My, my niece was part of the CBS downgrade, if you will, and it seems like it's hard out here for a pimp. I mean, for a newscaster,

Kathia Woods: 6:04

well, first of all, I wanna say that first of all, she's in great hands in Chicago, right? She is in a great new city. We know, okay, so let's talk specifics. They had one third less sponsors, and it's always a little bit harder. We all know if they've ever been to an NA beach convention, when it's a smaller city, it's easier to get money to come in. When it's New York, it's Chicago next year will be here in Atlanta and people are very, very excited because Atlanta has entertainment, sports teams, has a lot of things going on. There's a lot of excitement out around Chicago. And again, that's not a knock on Birmingham or. Cleveland, the reason why NABJ does go out of its way to make sure that on one year it's a city like New York Chicago, whatever you have there. And then in another year it is some of these smaller cities in order to give equity dollar and business to some of these smaller cities where there are predominantly black. I love that.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 7:06

I love that.

Kathia Woods: 7:06

So I will say that that is something that always goes into play. Birmingham was before they rolled back DEI was a little bit lighter than Chicago, but nevertheless, 1000 registered and a BJ members came to Cleveland, 800 voted, and this year's NABJ election, which is up, that's 300 member more members than voted at the last one. We have about 2000 members that are eligible to vote. There still needs to be more people voting, but the point is people voted that participated. So again, there was one third less of people supporting the, with money. There were less employers and it was more scaled back because again, the jobs have been cut and there's been a lot of media swap, right? For those that don't know for instance, if you look at a market like Philadelphia, New York those CBS stations. Those are NBC stations are owned by Universal, right? Whereas Chicago, even Atlanta you look at a place like some, a place like Austin, Texas, you'll have CBS, but it won't be owned by Universal. It'd either be like nexstar or Scripps or Gray, right? And what has happened in some of these smaller markets, some of these stations, they have swapped stations, so there'll still be NBC, whereas Gray took four of Nexstar station and then Nexstar took five of theirs, right? Just to make the market a little bit more congruent. In terms of ownership, there are still jobs, but again we're moving away from like you just being an anchor or you just being a consumer reporter or whatever. You now are more in these small markets, a multimedia journalist. So if you're not comfortable. Going from the desk to the couch for these morning shows. Transition. Yeah, it's gonna be a little bit harder. But there were people hiring. ESPN just bought NFL network. So ESPN was there. So what's happening is a lot of people that make bigger salaries are being asked to do more. And the people that are there's more opportunity for people that are in the entry level in the mi and not middle, middle, but in the upper middle, if but your daughter, but your niece, she's gonna land on her feet, especially if you're producing credit. And does it mean she's probably gonna have, she may have to leave Chicago probably. But that's just the nature of the business.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 9:38

I think she's doing what most people are doing these days. I don't even know if she'll ever go back. She started her own production company. She's doing some things regarding already shot. A pilot for one of the things she's looking to sell out into the market. She's being a mover and shaker as opposed to shaking about what's happening with the industry. So it looks like that that's gonna be the trend. You see that with some of the big heavyweights you hear about what Rachel Maddow and joy are doing and trying to put some things together. So it looks like that a number and particularly minority talent are figuring out that they might have to go out there and produce some of their own stuff and not necessarily wait for the industry. We'll see how that shakes out. But it looks like my from my niece's perspective she seems all good and happy and excited about the things that she's doing, so thanks for that update On that. I'm also

Kathia Woods: 10:35

gonna say, as a mentor, I'm very happy I ran into a young lady who I'm gonna brag on myself. I was on two panels. Ha ha ha your girl was booked and busy and while I was out there running to get food, because when you go to these conventions, you have breakfast, you are living a, you have a coffee cup in your hand and you're trying to make panels, you're trying to get to your own panel. You just, out here, I always walk like a easily 10,000 steps at convention. Like my watch is always going are you working out? Very disrespectful. And don't you hate that? Like you sit in the house all day, are you working out?'cause it seems like you're taking more steps than normally. It's like you doing

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 11:11

something right.

Kathia Woods: 11:12

Okay. And so one of my mentees that I, that interned at NBC Universal in New York, is now a producer at NBC in Boston. And she was like, I really took your advice and it really helped me. And listen, that does my heart good because, what do we tell young people in this current American climate? How do we keep them going? So I'm always here for young people and I got a chance to sit down with some of my mentors who gave me some, NAPJ is family. And yes, it's a little dysfunctional, but it's still family. And we, at our big old age, we still need to talk to our mentors. We still need people pouring love into us and telling us that, it's good to see our friends and just be like, Hey friend, how are you? And we need as black people, we need those pockets of joy, of support, of encouragement right now, more than ever. So I, even if you don't have to be a member of NABJ, I encourage all of our listeners out there to build community, whether it's a women's group or, rejoining your grad chapter of your fraternity, sorority, whatever it is, your critics group, like lean into your community during these times.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 12:24

I I love that. And we probably should have a little session to talk about that at some point. One one point that I would like to make as it relates to joining your organizations is that I'm in a number of organizations, maybe four, and that might actually be too many because I am not present for all of those organizations. And I would say don't join organizations just to be in them. Because if you're not present in those organizations, you're probably not getting the best from those organizations. So that's what I'll say to that. My friend, I think I had a friend who lives in Atlanta. They used to live in Philly and used to say, gold eagles. Gold eagles. And would admonish me about not being a active member of NABJ and. You join because you should be a part of that organization. But then when you're not a part of that organization, you really can't complain if you're not getting what you need from that organization. So that's what I was, and you're

Kathia Woods: 13:27

really lucky you have a great chapter in Chicago. Brandon Pope I don't know if he's outgoing in his term as president is a great president who really cares and he has his foot in some of what we do. And again I think we need advocacy. We need community number. But I agree, some of y'all just be joining stuff just to have it on resume and then be mad that you're not getting anything else. I'll be darn. And especially in these economic times where I'm paying a membership fee just for me to be a background dancer. Absolutely not. Yeah. We need to feel supported and we need to be seen. And it's also okay to come to that space and say, Hey, I've been a member for a minute, and. I don't feel like my coinage is going anywhere. Like where is, why are we not doing the things that live up to the creed of the organization? So I agree with you. Don't just join stuff just to be joining, thinking people are gonna knock on your door. That's not how it works. You gotta do a little bit of work.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 14:21

Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely. My last thing that I wanna just speak to on what's on my mind is I really like to hear you talk a little bit about Danielle Spencer. She passed away the What's happening, actress. And I already know you have something to say on that.

Kathia Woods: 14:37

We were kids when that show was on tv. What I loved about her, she was unapologetically smart and she was herself, and, a lot of people would say that she's sassy, but she kept, she kept Roger on his feet. But at the same time, there were some great episodes where she, a lot of people thought that she didn't like him. No, she was just being a younger sister and she loved her brother and because he was such a good big brother, she would, she didn't wanna let him, have a easy path. But there were several episodes where, you know, where she was like, when the episode with their father, when he didn't show up for them, I think it was like one of the holidays where he was supposed to do something and she was like, heartbroken and he was like, feeling really some type of way as you should. And in moments like this where, she was like, I'm so glad I have you. And then when you saw that they really did love each other and because they were all they had the other thing too is, was important because again, we didn't have a lot of little black girls on TV around that time. I think it was her. Kim Fields, Janet Jackson on, on, on good times, so just to see a brown skinned black girl with pigtails, like we had, the little outfits and, those types of things meant everything, it's just like I said, and even when they did the, a follow-up show, what's happening now again,

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 15:59

yeah, they did after three and she

Kathia Woods: 16:00

was the scholar. A lot of people, she had a life post acting. And again I hope this pushes reruns to be shown for people, a whole new generation to get, discover this wonderful work that this young woman did who built a life for herself post show business.'cause she was a doctor.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 16:20

The things that I want to add is that. She actually had some really rough patches while she was on what's happening. She had an, she was in a car accident with her stepfather who died, and she was in a coma for three weeks. Then she suffered some setbacks years later based on that accident, was in a wheelchair, had to learn how to walk again. Then she just passed away from cancer. So you could tell that she was a fighter, a absolute fighter. In fact, she was looking to start to study medicine and she was looking to study medicine and I think she left school for two years and then she went back. Absolutely a fighter was I wanna say one of the, at least pioneers for our generation as it relates to young girls on TV and, rest in peace. That's what I'll say with that.

Kathia Woods: 17:17

Absolutely. And again let's, you know how I feel about giving people their flowers once they're longer. Let's start giving people their flowers while they're still above ground. Let's go through the list, right? We don't have to wait for Kennedy Center Honors or, lifetime Achievement. Let's start going through the list now and letting people know we see you before they're in the ground,

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 17:38

absolutely. All right, let's head into talking about movies. The first movie I want to talk about, not in depth because you didn't see it. I wanna know what's the story. Gimme the story. Gimme the scoop. It's the Spike Lee, it's the Spike Lee joint. And that movie is called Highest to Lois. And my friend who sees everything before me, gets every interview before me. Did not see it. So I don't understand. And this I'm not even upset Every time she gets something over me, before me. I'm so excited. I'm like, at least I'm close to somebody who's close to somebody. So what happened? Katya Woods.

Kathia Woods: 18:19

Okay, so as some of me know, I could have seen this at Khan and I said, no, I wanna see it in America with my peoples. And as I was at convention, so, I said that to the studio, right? And I said, Hey, I am going to be at NABJ. Is there a virtual option? I had been mentioning that I wanted to do the junket and the Denzel Washington was on my list of people I had interviewed. Spike, I'd, interviewed Jeffrey, and the list goes on and on and reindeer games are played. So I said, okay, I'm gonna go to convention. I'm gonna lean in. I am not gonna be. Better Betty, and I was planning to see it on Wednesday. However, as I'm scrolling to the TikTok, the Instagram, I'm seeing a virtual, I'm seeing people interviewing them virtually, and I'm like, Hmm. I did ask if there was a virtual option. Then when the people interviewing, I'm like, hold up a minute. So you are telling me that I couldn't have gone to a screening in Cleveland, Ohio, where I was at a convention with buku journalists who probably would've joined me. I could have easily, and I'm being polite conservatively, we could have had 20 people at the screening, but No, but you had the screening in Virginia Beach, Virginia. What are we doing? So I was like, then they're like, oh, you can see it on Wednesday and we'll set up an interview with you to speak with the young woman that played his wife. And I was like, you know what? No thank you. I was like, I really said, this has been an ongoing thing with the studio A 24. I said, it's not the Apple component because I interview people on Apple all the time. I said, I kept up, I kept saying here let's work something out. You didn't never mention that there was a virtual option. You made it seem either I'm in New York or whatever and I said, I'm really come to the conclusion it has nothing to do with numbers and whatever. I said, we've been having this conversation back and forth for three years and every time I think we're having progress. And I was very clear. I wanna be very clear, no one owes you access, right? However. I don't owe you coverage. This idea of where I have continued to written reviews, continuously done stuff for 8 24 projects where they have literally played in my face. I just was at point I'm like, I'm not arguing with you. I'm fed up. Like I'm done. Like clearly I just said in an email, I said, you know what? And I was, I went to bed on Tuesday night with the plans of going to see it on Wednesday. But when I tell you, and I talked to my husband about this ad nauseum, and I'm even gonna get just emotional everything within my being said, I don't want to do this. I don't want to continue giving people grace and constantly being like, I'm going to do something. In order for me to get half the effort, I'm gonna cont, I'm always gonna bend the knee. I'm always gonna be the person to say, okay, let me be the bigger person and I'm not. And it's not even one of those things where I was like arguing with people and I really was like. I couldn't even sleep. I was like, everything within me was like, I don't wanna do this because for what if interview. So I go see it and there's no guarantee or there was no time confirmation, nothing was given on their end that me going outta my way to see this. And mind you, my daughter flew in so I would've had to go pick her up, come back home, then come all the way back into Atlanta for what if, or kind of. And I very politely woke up and said, and I sent an email and I said, listen, I, first of all, I appreciate the conversation. I made sure I read the email back to my husband.'cause I wanted to make sure that my tone was professional and not perceived as me being petty or spiteful. And I'd sit very politely. I said, I am going to have to decline. That I said I just feel like the conversation there was no meeting me in the middle. You went outta your way to facilitate virtual interviews for others to set up screenings in cities that were much smaller than the one that I'm in. And this seems to be a continuous experience that I'm having with the studio. And I said at this particular point, I am just under the impression that you don't want to do business, which is within your right. So I'm withdrawing my request and I will not be attending the screening as much as it pays me because I'm a huge fan of both. And I'll just catch it when it comes to Apple TV plus, which I happen to have. And I said, I wish you much success with the film. Well, baby that's spawn into a phone call. And I really, and I wanna hear your thoughts on this because we do this work. Why is it that it takes us making a stand or somebody having to do a Twitter post or a video, or you have to go full-fledged revolutionary in order for there to be respect or for us to be heard?'cause I'm really, I'm not arguing with people anymore. I'm not fighting, I'm not yelling with you. This is just how I'm gonna handle it. If you don't wanna give me something that I want to do right, and I'm being professional about it, I'm gonna ex I'm gonna come under the assumption you don't want to do business. And that's okay. Because again, no one owes anybody anything. So I'm just gonna put my efforts into the people that do want to do business. So it's a phone

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 24:04

call. So it's sponsor to a phone call and the gist.

Kathia Woods: 24:08

The gist is now they wanna fix the relationship. They are like, please tell us what you wanna do for tip. Apparently that had a whole nother meeting. I had a whole nother email today, but I stood firm. I was like, this phone call is not gonna make me go see this movie because at the end of the day is, it shouldn't have taken me to say the things that you say in order for you to take me serious. Again, I do appreciate the conversation. I'm always willing to have the conversation, but I shouldn't have to be like, I'm not doing this. I'm not supporting this. And I also said, I said I will be watching it because I vote on award shows and I am one person that prides herself in making sure I make informed decisions. I'm not. Going to, pretend like the movie didn't exist, but I stood on business and said, I'm not doing a review and I'm not doing stuff for what if. So that is why yours truly has not seen it. But I do want to hear your thoughts on why is it we have to, and I'm okay with the people that are like, you wanna let it rip, you wanna yell at somebody. I'm not here to judge you because I understand where the frustration comes from, but why is it that we have to be on some Martin Luther King thing when our counterparts don't have to do that? It is, they just get the interview.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 25:26

It, so here's my wow we moving to the ran or rave section. Maybe we're not in the, in, in the movie review section. So we'll put this in the Ran and Rave section. Here's my ran and rave, is that I'm actually really tired. Just extremely tired of fighting the industry. I'm very tired. Me too. So, so tired in, in a way that part of me wants to stop doing what I'm doing. That's how tired I am. I tried to get an interview with Denzel and Spike, and I was told that there were all these requests and that I couldn't get one. I'm gonna respect that and move on. I told the person, thank you very much and hopefully we'll meet again down the road. Tiff didn't receive anything from the people to say, I didn't get accreditation. Don't understand that because that's okay. If you just sent me something and said, no, you were not approved. This type of thing happens so frequently. I sent a message to the people at a 24 because my people in Chicago seem to never be able to get me. Reggie ponder interview. Now because I feel so blessed in my life, I try not to internalize that. I try not to let that get me or whatever, but I have to be honest with you, I'm tired. I am really tired of fighting for access and begging for interviews. When the interviews are going to the benefit for me is that I get paid. But the benefit for you is that all of your readers and all of your fans and audience, all those people get to learn more about your movie, your project, all you might actually get more benefit than me because if I told you what I get paid for that interview, it's nothing, it doesn't sustain my life. So I. I'm tired, but at the same time, there's a part of me that likes what I do. So because I like what I do, I continue to do what I do, and I try to let it just kind of roll off. But then when I have to speak to certain people who might have lived in Philadelphia and then move to Atlanta, and then they be telling me that they got some issues, they make me mad because I was already mad. I ain't need no help. I didn't need no kerosene, no, no lighter fluid to to burn the fire because there is that half of me that says, no, come on. Now, do we have to roll? Do we really have to roll like that? Do I have to try to pull a, some kind of Trump card just to get a interview and to get some coverage? That's my rent and rave. I don't think I'll be quitting'cause I've been doing this for 30 years and I feel blessed to be able to do the things that I do. But I do recognize that it is very, very difficult and that the studios are more difficult than then they really need to be. But the other point that you make, and we won't go into it, is that, that the internet people are their people these days. So I'm not the social media internet person, I am a journalist. So we do seem to, these days, get the end of the shaft. The last thing I'll say to that is that I just got a, I just got a what do you call it? I just got an invite to a movie and it says, please let me know if you want to see this movie for review consideration only. Okay, I've already said this to them, but you are basically saying that the only way I can come see the movie is if I'm going to review it. Then at the end of the year, you're gonna be pushing me to see this movie, to ask me, what did I think about this movie? You're gonna send me gifts about the movie and maybe a album, or I do like albums, by the way. But you're gonna say vinyl. Vinyl. That sounds good. You're gonna send all this stuff to me, but I may not be able to see it. Or you are going to crowd my viewing experience where I can't view the movie in a de at a decent pace. If you understand what I'm saying. When we get to the end of the year, if there are 15, if there are 30 movies that I couldn't see because I didn't do a review for, that's gonna be problematic.'cause I'm not gonna be able to see all the movies.

Kathia Woods: 30:15

So, I mean it's, I think also, see you and I talk like this is, I need people also to understand is, yes, we do this podcast'cause we love films and obviously we have a good time and we're take time out of our lives to do it. If we're not, like we all have responsibilities and stuff, but at the same token, people have to understand is we're not just coworkers, colleagues, whatever you have there in these organizations, we're also friends. So I'm like, okay, so my question then is, so what is the criteria, right? If you, like you said is we're joining an organization, what's the criteria? Because you tell us one criteria, right? Okay, you need whatever, it's, and you have this many followers, you need to have this, you need to write for this, whatever the thing is, right? But then we, again, we are all connected because of social media and the internet and then you go, but hold up Reggie and Ka, were told we need to do X, Y, and z. But this person over here just needs to exist. And again, I'm not saying that white people, I wanna be very clear, shouldn't interview our talent. Absolutely not. Because I also don't believe that black people should only interview black people and black things. But if they're not constricted right, because of the color of their skin, then why are we, and then when it is something that is supposedly for the community and we are of that community, we still have a hard time. Like it's just it's way too, like it don't make no dangone sense. And Reggie, you just get tired at some point and you have to utilize your only weapon that you have. And you have to say, no, you cannot take out my spa, my pages, not with my name attached to it. Like somebody else wants to do it and go on, be great. But sometimes you just gotta be like, you know what? It's like you said it was so you can, I can only come because I'm on Rotten Tomatoes because you need, you want the numbers to go in your favor, which is arrogant to assume that I'm just gonna love your movie. And then if you say no, then it's well look, I invited him to stuff and he's saying, and no. Tell the whole story though. Whole tell the don't say the look just apart. So again, I'm just at the point where also, I don't know if you are the same way, but when something is like every fiber of my being, my instincts are going, don't do something I don't know about you. Every time I go against that, it turns out to be a crap show. It turns out to be. And then I stand there and I go, see, I should have listened to myself. I should have listened to my intuition. I should have just said, you know what, girl, don't do it. I had an opportunity to do a junket this week for a movie. I'm not gonna say who's all involved, but one of the people directing the situation has been accused. Of harming children or being inappropriate with certain members in this business when they were minors. And I'm saying to myself, Hmm, I can't do it. There's some cool people attached to it, but the person who put all of it together, I can't do it. It's just, I can't do it as a mom. I can't do it As a woman, I, there's so many check boxes that I can't do it because I don't want anybody saying, I'm co-signing that behavior. And there's a reason why they're having a hard, and also, as a PR company, you cannot tell me did you did not know about this. And again, I'm not, Hey, get your money, but understand who your client is and why you're gonna have a hard time getting reviews and interviews. Do you understand what I mean? I do like as soon as I like something said, you know what? And then they looked it up and I had to tell them, I said, oh, I'm sorry. This person that's overseeing the whole situation, I said, I can't do it. And I said, even if I wanted to, I'm pretty sure my editor is gonna be like, absolutely not.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 34:03

So that's where we're at. We do have to stand on business and I guess you just gave me an opportunity to vent because I'm not happy that I did not get an interview. I don't see why it shouldn't have been. And they

Kathia Woods: 34:14

could have done it because they did it for Nickel Boys, they did it for color Purple. Right? Whereas they were like, oh, we, and we were there. We were in Los Angeles, right? We got to go to the premier. You and I sat next to each other. They were like, Hey, we don't have any slots this way, but you can hop on virtually. You said, say less. Let me go to my room and turn on these cameras and let's make it work. Let's make it shake.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 34:38

Let me make it happen and let me try to be a part. Well, we did a couple of sessions. We are only gonna do one movie today. The movie we're gonna do is we're gonna do the pickup. I'm not even gonna talk about the other movie in support of my friend. So we are gonna do one movie. We're gonna talk about the pickup, and I'm gonna let you, I'm a, I'm gonna allow you to pick it up.

Kathia Woods: 35:02

You know what I'm gonna say this, the movie's perfect for the medium that it's on, which is. On Prime video, right? First of all, Eddie Murphy's, Eddie Murphy, Eddie Murphy's always gonna give you something, right? I also love that Eddie is listen, I'm older. You not about to have me running past cars and doing all of this. Respect the fact that we gotta do old man action for me. I think he did what he needed to do as the older elder statement and let Pete Davidson be the young guy, right? I think this is probably the most, I like Pete Davidson in a movie, which I don't know what it says about him, but it is right. I felt like he actually played a character. Is it like a stretch for him? No, but I felt like he did. I felt like he held his own because it is gotta be intimidating when you look at the sides and you go, Ooh, wait a minute, I'm in this movie and most of my scenes are with Eddie Murphy. When you're like, Ooh, no. Also love that Andrew Deiss Clay popped up in there as the dispatcher. Again, I love that we were reaching back to old comedians and I really do Andrew Dice Clay, and that was perfect for him. At Blast from the past Google him for our Gen Zers. Out of all the people that I was lukewarm on, Hmm. It pains me to say it was Kiki. Don't ta say that I didn't hate it, but I just felt I just didn't all the way by her character, right? I mean, her and Pete, I was like, girl, we now we stretching a little bit, a little bit, right? Oh, man. And I'm like, so on the one hand she's playing this badass, and then when you find out why she's doing what she's doing, I'm like, Ugh, ugh. Eh, you lost me a little bit. But I do think, in my words, I think it's a good Kiki on a Friday where everybody grab, grab your snacks. We have a snack cabinet at my house. We got places on the sofa. We all like to set, go do that. You know what I mean? Okay. If you like if the core niche is a little tight for you to a party of five or six to go to the movie theater, you done paid the prime video, went that payment, went through, go and enjoy. Go grab your favorite spot in the couch or media room or the basement and the hip play you. That is, I think it's a good fun, Kiki, Reggie.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 37:28

All right. I usually don't start with my verdict first, but I will because you talked about it and the first thing you said is you thought that this was great for the platform. It's on. My verdict is the pickup is a solid streaming movie. It's a streaming movie. It's exactly what it is. It's not one of those films, like the film that you did not go see and will not be mentioned on this show anymore. It's not like that where it should be in the theaters longer than two weeks and then it's gonna go to streaming. That doesn't even make any sense, but it is what it is. This movie is absolutely a solid streaming movie. I like the number of things on this one. I liked what you said about Eddie. This wasn't Eddie's movie to be the star. He might get top billing, but he, this wasn't that movie where he was supposed to be the crazy one that he had to initiate all the jokes that he was the focal point of the film. It was a buddy film where Davidson did, in my opinion, a lot of the heavy lifting that the jokes and the stick, if you will, came from Davidson. And I thought he did a really good job of doing that. Eddie did what he needed to do. He didn't have to try to be funny said and the difference in life stage lifestyle and life outlook where Murphy is a older guy looking to retire and Davidson is another, is a younger guy hoping to get on the police force. That juxtaposition it all, it worked for me and. Again, from a streaming perspective, I would sit down on the couch and watch this movie with Donna, and I know we would have a nice laugh and have fun. Where I differ from you, I thought Kiki, I thought this was actually Kiki's movie that she seemed to elevate the film for me. She was funny. I didn't think that she, there's sometimes when I see her in a film and I think that she's stretching and you could tell she's stretching. I didn't feel like that here. I felt like she fit in with the three, she was sexy, she was funny. She was able to provide the types of things that we needed, and I thought it was hilarious. The love connection between her and p Davidson's character. So I liked it. Did I love it? No, I, I didn't, but I thought she was sexy in her criminality. I thought she owned the film as if she was the main attraction. And it didn't seem like she was scared of the fact that she was there doing a film with the iconic Eddie Murphy. So I, I thought the pickup was cute. It's funny and smart and it didn't try too hard and had just the right elements to make this a add fun home popcorn attraction. So that was my thought.

Kathia Woods: 40:26

Again, I didn't hate her in it, but it just, it was just, it was okay for me. Okay. It was okay for me. But again, like a lot of things I feel like I think,

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 40:35

hold on, hold up, hold up. You don't like a lot of things from Chicago and so whenever somebody from Chicago is doing something, it always seems to be a problem. You, it's Kiki, you don't like her. It is common. You don't like him. It's chance you don't like him. It is Dwayne Wade. You don't like him. I mean, it's always seems to be something about the Chicago people and I think I can't. I came with you. I can we just end our segment and just go home?

Kathia Woods: 41:04

First of all, Reggie, why are you getting on somebody's internet line like this? I like you. And you're from Chicago.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 41:11

I think you just think that I'm from Mississippi by way of my mother. No, you're

Kathia Woods: 41:15

from Chica. Oh, trust me. I know you from Chicago. Absolutely. You're the type of person who, if somebody, if you are abroad and somebody said, where are you from? You don't say America, you just go straight to Chicago. You don't, you want'em to know, don't get it confused. I am specifically from Chicago and from the south side. You would even break it down some more. I was having this conversation with my daughter when Americans abroad and people go, where are you? Or why are you, they're not talking about your complain. Reggie's the type of person to be like, let me be specifically clear. I'm not just American but I am Chicagoan. Don't get me messed up with some of the craziness, but I don't know why Reggie gets on this app and tells these tall hills. Anyhow. Also, Vic Mensa is from Chicago and I like Vic Mensa a lot as a artist and I like what he, the evolution of where, how he's growing as a young man, 100%. So I don't know why Reggie comes on here. And I had just got done talking about how amazing of a time I had in Chicago for NABJ convention and was mad at myself because I wish I would've stayed an extra day or came in a day early because I had such a good time. But we would've fun, usual.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 42:31

We would've fun for

Kathia Woods: 42:32

usual, right? When you are in a place where you are like, man, see, next time I'm in Chicago, anything is popping in Chicago, I'm gonna add a couple days so I can really hang out with my friend Reggie and I again we won't take in a ball game.'cause I know that's not a hard thing to tell Reggie to go. It has to specifically be basketball. I don't know if we can get him to a football game. He might go

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 42:57

under the

Kathia Woods: 42:58

rest.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 42:58

You can get me to a football game. You just, I dunno. I was

Kathia Woods: 43:01

like, we wa I said, well, we're a soldier field. And Reggie was like, it's over there. It's over not.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 43:08

The reason it was not

Kathia Woods: 43:08

as enthusiastic as where the Bulls play.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 43:11

The reason is he was pointed

Kathia Woods: 43:12

and he said, it's over there. I'm like, Reggie,

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 43:16

there's a couple of reasons. One, you can't remember when we've won a championship. It is been in my lifetime though. Every team in Chicago has won a championship in my lifetime. So I am a very happy camper. The Cubs won, the White Sox won. The black haw won multiple times. Bears won. That's the only one though. In eight 85 the, you were alive

Kathia Woods: 43:38

to see it though. You were alive and you didn't need hearing aid and some binoculars.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 43:43

I saw it. The Chicago Sky one the man won the tops

Kathia Woods: 43:46

one within your lifetime. The

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 43:48

fire, the fire one. Every team here in Chicago has won a championship in my lifetime, but the last time we won a championship in football has been a really long time. That's number one. Number two, I wanted to get you out to the Obama Center. That's why I had to just wave at the social group. It was a

Kathia Woods: 44:11

very weak wave. But also, not to mention though, one of the films, I don't know. You and I are close in age. One of the reasons I know so much about football and baseball, first of all, we only had a couple channels and the parents used to control the remote. So you either watch what they wanted to watch or you had to figure out something else to do. Or if there was a secondary tv, you had then had to mess around with the antenna and pray that was something on, this was pre cable. One of the things that my dad used to like to watch is NFL Films. The classic, the Rotunda and one of the teams that was always on NFL films were the Chicago fairs because of their legendary defenses before the 85 team for my Gen Zers. And you saw like the old Green Bay Packers. That's right. All of that. Chicago has a tremendous history. Why they may not have won a lot of championships. They produced some grade a defenses Hall of Famers. And again, so the stadium in itself is a legendary stadium. So you have a lot of great football history. Now Virginia could be worse. You could have been raised and grew up in Cleveland. You really would've been crying. Them folks would give anything to have your type of football team.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 45:30

Yeah. So that's, those are the two reasons. But the third reason is that I would not be caught dead in soldier field. After November the third, you're not, you're, there's no way I'm going to a football game in the cold. I did it once and it was the worst experience ever, I think in my life. Sitting on those benches, doing shivering, trying to watch a game. And you're in

Kathia Woods: 46:01

Chicagoan, I imagine everybody else and there's people out there with the shirts off. Of course they are. But Reggie, they have been, they've been having partaking'cause no person that is saying that has not been partaking is taking their shirt off.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 46:16

They are, they come and spell with it is four of'em together, I mean five of'em together, B-E-A-R-S and having a very great time playing. So I, I do kid about you not liking Chicago, but back to the movie. I will say this, I, it really works for me as a streaming film and that's okay. Okays. If this were a movie that was in the theaters, I don't know that this would've been one that I would run out to go see. I would probably say, let's wait for it to come on streaming. And I think the people are gonna watch it at home to what you just said. It's at, it's on the perfect platform. So this one works for me. I'm recommending people check it out again, the only way you can check it out is at home. So I'm recommending that.

Kathia Woods: 47:03

I will also say this right when we see these things as this is great for streaming. We gotta recognize that streaming is here. It's not going away. It is again, it's a gr I don't have a problem with stream movies that are on the platform because it is a way for people that economic ma, it makes movie going more, I will die on this hill. I'm so tired of people, our generation, talking about these movies. I fell in love with movies by only going to the movie theater, stop it. The Great Western, the John Ford Westerns. Let's just take that. The ones where, you know John Wayne is walking around while everybody's riding and he's walking up the hill, being the hero of the day. Those were not seen in a movie theater by our generation. Those were our Sunday movies of the evening. Remember when we used to have those classic movies before you had the miniseries becoming something, right? We used to have Saturday night, you used to have classic movies and those were the type of movies you saw and you gathered around as a family to watch them on your color tv. I'm also of the generation, we went from black and white TVs. It was a big deal when you were one of the families on your block that got the color TV and you were really flourishing when you had a beta. We had a beta video according before we switched to VHS later. But we have beta first. So I really need people to stop with this nonsense. Like our introduction Wizard of Oz, the 1939, we did not see that in the movie theater. We used to see that a special time of year of where I used to go. It used to be a whole commercial leading up to it, telling us to watch it. So I don't understand when I hear people that are in our age group talking about, we saw it. Yes. Star Wars Jaws, et those were our movie experiences. But we're talking classic movies, things we grew up on, like The Wizard of Oz, the 10 Commandments, those were movies that came on a special time of the year. So I don't understand, and again, I do, I do. We watched it on the whatever the size. I understand though, you bought the console tv. Did, who was there to tell you that you were wrong for enjoying the Wizard of Oz in your living room? Nobody. Let

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 49:34

me just say this. I do understand it though. I understand it really in a very major way. Going to the movies was a treat. And you remember going to the movies more than you remember staying at home. You just do, because what happens there, when my father took me to see Stir crazy, I'll never forget that he made us Skip Church to go see Stir crazy. Him and I. That is a cherished memory that you can't replicate with the nine of us or the 10 of us sitting around the little small tv. So I'm not this agreeing with you about these classic movies. You're absolutely right. But the indelible imprint in your mind and in your head is, I went to the movies to see that and people can't get away from that. I always say that a great movie is not only. What was on the screen, but it's also when you saw it and who you saw it with.

Kathia Woods: 50:39

And I agree with you on that. I just need people to understand, and I think what I'm trying to say, maybe I'm not doing a clear enough job with that. No, you're, I understand. I need us to understand is that there are different points of entry for people. And if it wasn't for this medium of television, a lot of us would not have been introduced to classic movies and we wouldn't have been able to understand why. And I'm not, we are not getting into the politics of people, why Bob Stanrich was a big deal. Why Betty Davis was such a big movie theater, a movie star Jimmy Stewart. Why? Jimmy Stewart, I can't even believe Judy Garland. Like for Meet me in St. Louis. And A Star is born to, of course The Wizard of Oz. You know why this Will Fred as Steer and Ginger Rogers, we would not have experienced those movies if it wasn't for television. Absolutely. I fell in love with American cinema because of the musicals and the lot of musicals that I love were made before 1950 on the town. I can sing all the songs. I can tell you That's okay. All the different things, right? An American in Paris who does not love an American in Paris. So I'm just saying. Why like you, I absolutely have memories. I always talk about how I, star Wars was the first movie where I was really leaned in as a little kid and that was my choice. Whereas like family and stuff like that, my mom chose for me and where I was like, this is something I want to see and I begged my mom to take me. So I think you can have both. Yes. And I feel like streaming is the opportunity, it's also giving an opportunity for this generation of kids who think of an old movie. And I get it and I wanna give Grace'cause I was young once too. They think of an old movie of 1980. They don't quite, they haven't made the connection that there are great movies. Prior to 19 70, 19 60, 19 50, right? You just have to allow yourself to go on that journey. So I do think for kids whose families can't afford for places that are very remote, and let's not act like there are movie theaters and everybody's town, and even if they are, there might be two or three screens and they may not be getting the movie the first weekend it comes out because of their location, right?'cause they're not an EMC. They too deserve to see new movies. They deserve to have the conversation. Absolutely. They deserve to be transported. So while you can make the choice, if you prefer to only go to theater only movies, which is your right, it's your money. Do what you want. Stop making it seem that the people who are enjoying this content at home. Don't love movies, that they don't deserve to be a part of the conversation. That's what I'm trying to say.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 53:26

And you're saying that, well, I just think the two things can exist. I really did understand why peop there are some people who put the movies at the theater on a pedestal because there is nothing like a movie going experience. It doesn't matter whether you watch it at home, because when you see it in the big screen, there's just something that overwhelms you to see it in the big screen. However, on the flip side, our screens are bigger these days and the little small screen that we looked at, I don't even know how I watched the baseball game on that because I. Could follow the ball and now I'm looking on this big screen that I have and I still can't follow the ball. I'm like, where did it go? Who? Who hit it where? So I think that both of those things can exist and I think what the streaming companies are doing, so we might be actually paying a disservice by saying what we said, that it's good. It's a good streaming movie because what these streaming services are doing, they're winning Oscars. They're winning best films. They're doing the same kind of quality films. I'm just saying that when I say they saved us

Kathia Woods: 54:35

during the pandemic, they gave us community. We were able to have that. Right?

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 54:39

Absolutely. And I'm saying that when I say that it is a good streaming movie, what I really mean is this, is that if you have already paid for that subscription, it just makes sense to maximize that subscription and watch that film.

Kathia Woods: 54:57

And maybe we need to do as a segment on the podcast, because I feel like, and it I do it too, you know how you have a subscription service, and I think one of the ones that is that a lot of people don't enjoy the content, even though you get a year free when you have an iPhone, right? They don't really, obviously the Ted Lassos of this world, that's a easy layup, right? And that obviously we're all tuning in for that. But there are other shows on there and they don't remove the content from Apple TV plus, like HBO Max, whatever they're calling themselves these days, or Prime video, right? They keep it on there so you have time. There's some really great shows and great films on there. So I do think if you are going to pay something, don't just stay, like for instance, if you're paying for HBO Max, don't just pay for, to see, gilded Age or to see just like that or Games of Thrones, right? That, that's easy thing. But there are great documentaries on there. There are other movies that, that you might have missed in the Phoenician scheme is on HBO Max. I can't huh Ian scheme. What did you say, Ian Scheme De Paul, was it the Anderson movie? So you may have missed that in a movie theater, or maybe that might be a movie where you go, I don't know about this. This is seeming very weird. The whole situation, right? You're like, I don't know if I wanna dedicate like$20 to go see that, but it pops up on your HBO Max. You might be like, you know what? Lemme go check that out. So it gives life also to some movies that you may be on the fence about, because you're like. Do I go see Superman and give my$20 to that? Or do I go see this and you rightfully so. You probably are like, oh. And now you're sitting at the house, Saturday, Friday night, you not going out, you going, oh, all right, I'll hit play. So it does give life to some things. And I agree with you and I think maybe there's a better way to say it. I feel like this is a great movie for everybody in the family to be able to tune in.'cause that's the other difficult thing, right? There are a lot of movies that are very, I feel like niche, right? And I had somebody who watched Superman with me and they came out and they go, I was really, really lost. Because we all assume that everybody knows Superman's origin when they came out and they go. I gotta do the interview, but I am so confused. I don't know why, and why are these people beefing and why is this, is the dog always been a part of it? So we do have to give people a little bit of grace to understand that not everybody, everything is for everybody. So the streaming allows some movies that may have gotten lost in, in a lot of what's going on right now to revisit people.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 57:53

And it also allows for us to have more content so that there's movies that might not have gotten made in the past, but because each streaming service needs to have content, all of a sudden they're trying to figure out what are we gonna put there? So now we're seeing Nigerian soap operas and things from other countries. Which is really, really good. So I want to say that last thing. Go ahead. You made me think of when you mentioned Ted Lasso, because we haven't talked about this and this will be the last thing we talk about. We're not even doing Rat and Rave because we did Rat and rave earlier, is Sarah Nows is having a year.

Kathia Woods: 58:40

Yes, she's Sarah. Yes. She's talk about it.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 58:44

Sarah Nows is having a year, she's the mother in F1. She's in the movie Heads Estate. She's also in the Fantastic Four as a head of state. She is having a moment and I am so freaking excited

Kathia Woods: 59:06

when I saw her in that little flip off Bob and Fantastic Four. I said, I know that's right. I said, I know that's right and I'm happy for her. Because like you said it, she's doing all these different things and it's no role is like the same. And we see her as soon as I saw her, I said, come on, miss Mamas love that for

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 59:31

her and no role is the same because when you look at the role she plays in Ted lasso, you wouldn't think that was the same person in the F1 movie.

Kathia Woods: 59:45

100%. And I think first of all, again, like we talk about this all the time, sometimes it is better to have a smaller part in a good movie than to be the lead and some mess.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 59:58

And now she is in the Marvel universe, so you know, she's gonna pop up again. She has to pop up again. So I just wanna say hats off to Sarah now. I think that's our show. What do you have out yet? What? Where can we read something? What's out?

Kathia Woods: 1:00:15

I have I have an interview with the cast of Butterfly, with my guy Daniel Day Kim, who I absolutely adore. That's on Cap of Soul Show and also you can see it on a YouTube channel. I have interviews coming out with the people behind the documentary for Magic City and yeah, including Jermaine Dupree, who looks like he's live from the closet, and he didn't turn his phone. Don't you hate that? You just like what's happening here, friend? So I have that coming up and and I'm working on some stuff for Tiff. What do you got going on, Reggie?

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 1:00:48

I am, I'm not working on anything for Tiff.

Kathia Woods: 1:00:52

But you have Chicago Film Festival coming up, but he's gonna be out there. Listen, Reggie says that, and then we gonna see him pop up, which I love for him all over,'cause he is Chicago. He's gonna be all over the Chicago Film Festival. You see Reggie got a whole setup. Don't let him lights, camera. Action.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 1:01:12

I am, I have an interview out with Troy Pryor on indigo.com. It's N-D-I-G-O'cause people always spell it wrong@indigo.com. And Troy Pryor is the founder of XL Fest in Chicago, which brings together industry professionals providing an immer, a immersive experience. And this festival has I don't wanna say everybody, but it has so many people. They're partnering with the Tate brothers, so that's Lorenz and his two brothers. This weekend. You got Vivic Fox, Michael Beach, George Tillman, Bob Tidal Vanessa e Williams, Melinda Williams, Tari Nalton, Malcolm d Lee. All these people are here. Chuck D is here. And I don't want to be disrespectful to Lorenzo's brothers. You got Lamar Tate and Lauren Tate. You got Kevin on stage. All these folks are here for that festival and it starts today and it runs through the 23rd. I will be trying to peek my head in on some of the seminars, some of the movies they have. I love the shorts when I go to festivals, by the way, I love going, seeing the shorts. Maybe it's because you can see five movies in a short period of time, and you really can see the difference in short movie making as it relates to feature film, movie making. I know everybody wants to do a feature, but those short. Filmmakers have to do a lot in a little bit of time, and this particular festival has a number of short films, so I hope to get out there to see that as well. But my interview with Troy again can be seen on indigo.com. You can also check out my review of the movie that I will not mention because my friend did not participate. But it's if you were up, up, up and down, down, down. So it's up to down is what I'm gonna say. And that movie review, now it's highest to law and that movie review can be found. Right now it's up on Indigo, so you can see what I thought about that. And that's it. That's our show.

Kathia Woods: 1:03:22

Oh, I'm gonna correct myself. The Ian scheme. You can see on Peacock, I knew I was on one. One of them things. I'm one of those people, well, I gotta at least tap in, but if I'm paying for this stuff, so yes. So if you miss that in the movie theater, and Reggie obviously loved it, he's gonna sit down right tonight on just to see it.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 1:03:39

Actually, I must say this because I said it before and I don't want to give the wrong impression. It was curiously entertaining. It was not my cup of tea, but it was curiously entertaining that when you leave you're kind of laughing and you're like, Hmm, what did I just see? It's not a bad job, it's just not my kind of film. I think that they did a good job with that film. So it might be your cup of tea and go check it out. I'm gonna go check out some tennis because Coco golf is playing in a little bit, so I'm outta here, Kati. I hope you have fun with number one. And yes

Kathia Woods: 1:04:20

I do. Yes, we will. And listen again, don't let Reggie Reggie be out there at the US open all these different places, but I'm not mad at him. So if you, if there's a tennis tournament right, and you see a familiar face, there's a pretty good chance that Reggie's out there living his best life.

Reggie Ponder, The Reel Critic: 1:04:37

I am definitely trying to do that. Part of living that best life is being able to have these discussions with you. So I thank you my friend, and we are out. We will see you guys next time.