"Thank You For Saying My Name Correctly": Season One Farewell

Don't call it a comeback. Sam and LT look back on a year of school visits, book chats, and pop-up events that turned a memoir into a community project, where first-gen stories, fandoms, and everyday art met in classrooms, clinics, and even a 24 Hour Fitness.

We also get tactical about what worked, i.e., adding visuals—childhood photos, book inspirations, family snapshots—pulled people in. Shifting the live reading to the Len Bias chapter created a bridge for sports fans and non-fans alike, blending grief, research, and the campus library into a single thread. Along the way, teen boys connected with Smart Girl through sports and comics, proving that identity and joy can share the same seat. We kept hearing the same worries about majors and careers, especially from first-gen and working-class students, and we broke down how humanities paths can lead to writing, leadership, and meaningful work.

Support came from surprising corners: a Body Pump class that built a book table out of gym gear, oncologists who opened appointments by asking about the tour, and a barbershop wall that turned our book cover into neighborhood iconography. We push back on higher ed taboos—talking openly about money, branding, and writing books people actually read—because visibility matters. 

We’re turning the page toward season two with a wider guest list, fresh topics, and the same commitment to saying names right, meeting people where they are, and keeping the conversation brave and warm.

If this resonated, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review. Tell us what film, show, or fandom you want us to explore next. Your ideas shape what comes next.

Go here for the Smart Girl experience:

https://www.smartgirlbook.com/

Chapters

• 0:00 A Barber’s Call And A Year
• 1:39 Season One Context And First-Gen Lens
• 4:38 Audience Moments That Stuck
• 7:52 The Note From Mel And Cancer Kinship
• 9:55 Themes: Teen Boys, Majors, Being Seen
• 15:20 Event Design Shifts And Visuals
• 19:36 The Len Bias Reading And Engagement
• 22:30 Community Support From Gym To Clinic
• 26:30 Money, Branding, And Higher Ed Taboos
• 29:30 Season Two Tease And Listener Input
• 40:00 Outro: LL Cool J Energy And Thanks

Transcript

LT: 0:01

Okay, so Sam, I was in the coffee shop the other day. I was working. I get a phone call from Norm, my barber. Mind you, Norm never calls me. Okay. So I pick up and he was like, You okay? You doing all right? I know you've been traveling. And I'm like, Yeah, Norm, I'm good. Like, what's going on? He's like, Okay, I just want to check in on you because I know you're selling those books out there. So I just want to make sure you're doing okay. Okay, bye. Can I just tell you that made my whole day? Because Norm, again, Norm, who never calls me, knows that. I like how you have to preface that.

Sam: 0:43

You're like my barber, who doesn't usually call me. Ever. Yes.

LT: 0:48

Yeah. Ever. Um, but he knew that I had been traveling, I was in Chicago for um a couple days and visiting different schools, and he was he was a little worried because of um, you know, one of my one of my uh events had been crashed before earlier in the year, and you knew that. But just the fact that he would reach out to me and that I was on his mind just lifted my heart and soul. So I just wanted to share that with you because I know that Norm feels like he's part of the smart girl road show. And yes, absolutely.

Sam: 1:28

And this is this is our end of the road show. Yes, you the boys to men. Not really the end, y'all. Not really the end, it's not really the end, but it's the end of season one of Smart Girl, the podcast. Yes, and it's the end of your year since this book. You know, I know it's a little bit later when the book actually came out. I know, but can you believe it? The book is February of this of 2025, and that you've been on tour for almost the whole year, um, for a brief break for radiation for breast cancer. Like, I'm just like, what is this year you had? Yeah. Um, but at this season um of Smart Girl has been all about the memoir, all about the book, uh, the process of writing it, publishing it, talking about it, of being on the book tour, um, and the of course to be on brand, right? The first gen experience is that shaped you, right? Um, and that shaped your your whole professional life. Um, yeah, and so many other important issues around first gen identity and education and all kinds of other things too, as you know.

LT: 2:54

Well, we're trying to push it, we're trying to shift the discourse.

Sam: 2:57

Shoes, pop culture, that's right, 90s kids, figuring out that we're two gen X, and so when we interview the young'ins and they tell us songs that are for the youth, we don't know those.

LT: 3:12

We don't know them, but that's okay.

Sam: 3:14

We don't know them, but we're just open to that. That's right, right? Uh I I just want to do a plug too before we get started. We've also discussed, as I phrased it, our our biggest difference, which is our relationship to try-hardism and tryhards we has been briefly touched on. And I think you know, we'll have to continue that conversation, obviously. Yes, the important one.

LT: 3:41

It will return.

Sam: 3:43

Yes, we talk about the important things. So today we're closing it out with the conversation that the Norm story is such a perfect um just constellation crystallization of your experience, I think, being on this book tour in so many ways, in terms of the community that supported you, that's right. The audience members, and also um Norm as a fellow business person, right? Like as someone who is, you know, like looking out for you and says, That's right, I know you're out there selling this book, right? Like I know this is what you need to do, which I love. Um, so we're just talking about the book tour stuff, right? Today, um, talk closing it out. Um, so can you start us off with a couple of audience stories that really stuck with you from the tour?

LT: 4:38

Yes. Let me start with one from back in the spring, actually, um, when I was at my old middle school, talk about a crazy moment. Um, and there was, I was speaking to an avid class, right? So I did not have avid. There were no such uh courses or curricula specifically for first gen students to help them prepare for college. So I didn't have that. So how crazy was that for me to be in that space um that again I didn't have access access to. So a young man of color was was there as I was talking in the classroom. The students were amazing. They asked a really great question. They were prepped very well by their instructor. And this young man who's Sam, so let me set this the stage for you, sitting at a table with other young men of color, right? And he raised his hand and he asked me, who supported you while you were writing this book? He did not mean did I have a a sugar daddy. He did not mean that.

Sam: 5:47

I'm imagining like Rob is a sugar daddy now. I just want to be clear that we have to get him a sugar daddy costume.

LT: 5:55

Absolutely, absolutely. But what he meant was emotionally support, like who supported me through that. I was so struck by that. I told him I never forget it. So again, let's remind ourselves once again, you've got this young man asking a very vulnerable type of question, also showing high EQ to ask. Like, who no one has since asked me that question, right? Um, the other thing he did ask too was I think I asked a class were they excited about college, right? These are first-hand students. He raised his hand, he's like, I'm not excited. He's like, I don't know, am I gonna like the people? Where am I gonna go? And I just again had to praise him for putting himself out there, knowing good and well that his boys could make fun of him for asking that type of question. But it was a really important moment there when I'm talking to this young person, and you know, he's seeing me as someone from you know from the city who went to the same school. And it it is it was really meaningful for me that he put himself out there. So that the I just won't forget that one.

Sam: 7:11

That's amazing. Um, and then did you did you have a a note you were gonna read?

LT: 7:17

I do have another another story. I'm actually, yes, I actually am gonna read this. So I had the opportunity. That was a so Sam, that was an in-person class um that I visited, but as you know, I also um visited several classrooms online. I zoomed in. Um raising my hand. You're raising your hand, yeah, exactly. Yeah. Um, so this year I had the opportunity to speak to folks in K through 12 spaces and as undergraduates and in this case graduate students. So I was visiting um a graduate seminar um uh taught by my good friend uh Dr. Demple Jan and her one of her students, Mel, shout out to you, Mel, um, sent me this note after, and I'm just gonna go ahead and read it. She says, LT, I just wanted to reach out and thank you for speaking to Dr. Jan's class last week. Dr. Jan mentioned that you're going through radiation, and I just had to take a moment to tell you how much of a badass you are. I was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer when I was in community college in September 2021. Your book has been such a great read. I was out of town visiting Seattle and I could not put the book down. I am so thankful that you decided to tell your story. I am wishing you a speedy recovery. If you need anyone to talk to about post-radiation weirdness, I got you. I am so thankful our paths crossed and you left me filled with so much hope for what I can do as a future student affairs professional. Shout out to you, Mel. Thank you for sending that message. Um, and I appreciate all the the notes that people have sent me or positive comments or or reactions from that. So those, so Sam, those are two that stand out to me for sure that really had an impact on me.

Sam: 9:14

It's it's amazing. And we we did a a student episode, I think episode 10, uh, with Liz and Malia joining us. Also, like their reflections on what it felt like to be in the room with someone who got it, right? And who under understood um very very different experiences, right? Uh really matter to them. And also this kind of like this sense that you're you're inspiring future leaders, which I like, right? A lot. Um uh uh and I know you might not want to use the word inspiring, right? But this idea that that's I'm gonna accept it. I'm gonna love it. Um, it's great. And then again, this repeat that we've had with everyone we've talked to around the willingness to be vulnerable, as not just what the book brings, but it's really about what bringing that kind of like first and centered work to any kind of university or other space means. But I'm even thinking about you and Judge George Turner, the honorable Judge George Turner being willing to talk about, right? Like um when he's talking about what it's like for what it was like for him, right, to get to Judge Shift, right? And that was just when we were talking about like shoes, right? Like he could have his fancy shoes, but he could also have his his uh his Jordans. So um what? And I'm so curious about this.

LT: 10:56

Okay.

Sam: 10:57

So if we went from these like standout moments that are nonetheless representative, what are some of the most frequent questions and concerns and reaction you've gotten this year uh during the book tour? So, like what did you hear that was kind of repeated as opposed to the like the high EQ, you know, avid class team, right? Yeah. Like, yeah, I'm willing to say in front of my teacher and my boys, I don't know if I'm gonna like college, right? Yeah.

LT: 11:30

Um, a couple of themes emerge for sure. I think I'm gonna do them in reverse order of like wowness or or something. And in some ways, I should not have been surprised. Um, but let's let's say number three. Um I was surprised by the teen boys who connected with this book. A book that is called Smart Girl, number one, um, that is written by someone older than them. But I noticed as I just just like our young man at George Washington Middle School, that became a theme for um acros um at different types of institutions, but specifically they were it was like the the the the teen group. I think we uh I'd love to get your thoughts on that, but um perhaps it was the comics and the sport part of it.

Sam: 12:24

I I'm so big on that. Like I have to say that I think so, unless it's a story, you joked about this memoir, right? You joked that the only thing out there you felt like you were getting told about these stories was what was it, homeless to heart for Starving to Stanford, right?

LT: 12:45

Yeah, poverty to Princeton.

Sam: 12:46

Poverty to Princeton. We gotta get all the alliterations, right? And I'm wondering too, if even the sports stories that the that the sort of boy community, the masculine community is supposed to adopt is are also those stories or like blindside type, you know, white savior stories and other things, right? I mean, I I'm just saying, right, that to get a story that's about um not just being in sports, right? You do talk about being a cheerleader, right? But being a fan of sports and what that means, I think it's huge, right? Like I think that's a deep connection. And that it that relates to how you looked at colleges because that's also how you knew colleges, right? Like, and I don't, I think like we're so told, especially if you're not from a background of like high-end college stuff or any college stuff, that like that's not the way you pick. Right, right. That's not the way you pick it. It's like picking somewhere because it has a nice dorm and like a lazy river, right? In it, right? Like you're not supposed to say that's why you picked it, right? Or that's how you thought of things. So anyway, I just want to say, like, surprise, not surprise. Surprise, not surprise.

LT: 14:09

Yeah, and so along those lines, the questions then became like, who's the who's your goat? Who's your favorite player? Like, then they want to engage me in that kind of conversation after, right? Um, and so that that was pretty common. Number two, um, questions having to do with major choice and things like that. So students openly raise concerns about uh either picking their major or they're on the cusp of graduation and thinking about jobs and careers. And so there are many, many times um where we would open have open dialogue about that where I would continue to say to them, uh, number one, I didn't pick my major until I absolutely had to, like literally had to. I was a junior. And then I say to them, while I did major in English, I could have majored in women's studies, art history, ethnic studies, all kinds, and still ended up right where I am. And that was a bit mind-blowing for folks. And so having to say that directly was something that I observed over the over the um over the year.

Sam: 15:31

Yeah, yeah. And I just see that constantly, not just in the college classroom, but uh reflected back in the conversations you've had about what's gone on on the tour, right? Which is just like so much about what it might mean to pick, especially to pick something in the humanities or pick something else, right? Um uh or and a lot of demystification around like what it means to become an author, to be a writer. That's yeah, yeah. Um, like that has been so cool to hear you talk about what's repeated, right? Which is folks being like, I've never met an author before, right? That kind of thing, which I think is super significant.

LT: 16:17

Yeah, and you know, it reminds me of what Liz said when we talked to her from UC San Francisco, that for many folks, um, whether they're first gen, working class, or people of color, feeling like I have to make school worth it, right? So what I pick is gonna impact everyone, and how we can kind of ease some of those burdens is is what's on my mind. All right, so the last one actually inspired the title of this episode. Um, and it was actually pointed out to me pretty early on when I was back at my middle school, and Megan, my friend Megan, um she um she came and sat in and she said to me, Did you notice that the black girls in the class were on the edge of their seats? And I didn't notice that. But because once she said that to me, again, this was one of my very, very first classroom visits, I did start to pay attention, and Megan was absolutely right. That um many, and they've told me, um, and you know, I read the the note from Mel today, black young black women, well not just young, but black women definitely um feel seen and heard and validated. And so Sam, there were many times it wasn't just one time, there were many times where I would be in person and I'm you know, you know how you do the book signing, and I ask people to spell out their name on a post-it note so that I could spell it correctly when I sign their book, and I would say their name out loud, and many times I people would gasp and say, I can't believe you said my name correctly. It is that base, right? Just that alone was huge. And I people would cry, I would hug them, and this happened consistently throughout the year.

Sam: 18:12

I think this is just huge, right? And then you also see how how small it is, right? To like that these tiny gestures can make you feel seen, like like the recognition of what we were talking about before that like the pressure to be to make the right choice of your major or the like whatever, like even just acknowledging that that's part of it can feel like a weight dropped. Um, yeah. Uh so the other thing about your tour has been you did so many different formats. I know you, right? You rolled with it. You were just like, I've got my book talked. That's it. That's what we do. Of course. Bad water start. Right, exactly. You were there were conversation style, there were workshops, there were things that relied on people having read the book, there were things that assumed nobody had read the book, that's right, uh, etc. So um I love that. And you even did I love this a visual art. You went to go visit um Save, right? S A I C and you did a visual art of Smart Girl, which I know got you really excited, right? Um, and we just had uh we we have an episode uh episode 11 uh um with Lexi Paneda, where we're talking about, you know, all event design and things like that. But um I was wondering if you could tell us a little bit more about the different event designs and how you approached it uh from the author, like going for this visit, right? What what um tell us more about the designs, what you thought of, what went into it.

LT: 19:54

So I definitely learned a lot and it shifted over the course of the year, right? So at first they were more like, I think Oprah's is not a good reference. Whatever the reference is right now, we're like sit-down style and someone is interviewing me, right?

Sam: 20:13

But I noticed I want to say it's like red table talk when that was also like gossip. Yeah.

LT: 20:20

What are people watching these days? Whatever that is.

Sam: 20:23

Whatever.

LT: 20:24

That talk show Jennifer Hudson style, where someone said, but I noticed that there was very little engagement. Like the audience was very quiet, right? So I I talked to um I talked to one of our uh our social media coordinator for my tribe media, um, Valerie, and I said, Valerie, you know, what would what would you want to hear? Like you've got an author coming, what what would make it work for you? And she's like, You gotta have the visuals, LT, right? And that was a big shift. And so I started adding slides just as a preview, right? Just as a prep. Like as I'm saying the same stuff, but having like a photo of me when I was young, showing images of books that inspired me, the little house um series, for example, uh pictures of me and the kids, that definitely they leaned in. And we also heard that when Malia talked to us from Santa Monica College, that I I only got to slide two, but like that kind of exactly, right? Um, them being able to see something that sparked an interest, or even a a slide just showing the cover really made a big difference. So that was one thing that that shifted. I also shifted I I it was pretty common for me to do a reading, right, and have questions. Um, but I shifted what I was reading to something else. So there was one chapter, which was really good, it's a little long, but I shifted to the one where I talk about how um how I became a Celtic fan and the Lyn bias story. And it's a c it's emotional, right? I shifted to that and it's a cliffhanger, and it just draws you in. And at first I was resistant to it. I was like, oh, but what if you know people aren't into basketball? And someone, a very smart girl, um uh Dr. Dr. Julie Nash said, no, that's the one. That's the one. She's like, anyone can relate to that, right? So that that was that was just a a shift for me. And then as you mentioned, by the time I got to Chicago, which was my last leg, I did something that was all focused on art. So starting with the slide with the with the cover. With the cover, yeah, but then going on to um talk about music, not just visual arts, but other kind of art. Um, also the art that uh Smart Girl inspired in others, people creating earrings and things like that for me. And then and the shirts, absolutely, right? And the custom things, but then ending with the fact that the poster, the the cover of Smart Girl is a poster on the wall of the barber shop where Norm cuts my hair. That's Sam that is huge. That is that honestly, honestly, that that just made the year for me. And people know if you are on the wall of a barber shop, especially in the black community, that means everybody I'm a Kobe's up there. LeBron.

Sam: 23:46

Yeah, I was gonna say you're you're an icon.

LT: 23:48

I am an icon. I am an icon if I made it on the wall. So it was gr I would love to do that more for sure, to talk more about the art. So I'll be reaching out to more art and design programs. Um and I the and the students will have the same, had the same kinds of questions, right? About work and you know, those that wasn't necessarily major choice, but what happens after I graduate? How can I make this worth it to my parents who don't know what the hell I'm doing? So it was pretty much the same, but it was a nice, a nice way to kind of like like focus, right?

Sam: 24:26

Yeah, well, I mean, I joke whenever I'm prepping grad students for job talks, and like people are only gonna ask you about the slides. It's not that they don't listen to you talk, it's like that's what stays. It's also like a teaching thing, which you well know, which is like this the the younger generation, uh like their their um natural environment, right? Their lingua franca is visual, right? And so their ability to read the visual and to to to parse everything out of it, I think is so native, right, to to them in the lexicon that it's not surprising to me that that has grabbed people, right?

LT: 25:04

Um thank you, thank you, Valerie, for making that suggestion. Um, and it it I I could feel the shift, you know, it's just more engagement. Not that people weren't engaged before, but definitely more engagement.

Sam: 25:17

And you know, the Len Bias chapter, I just want to say too, like I I think about that weirdly as the library chapter, because it's also about the fact that you had you went to the library when you went on campus. It's not the library chapter, but that's part of like that's part of that bit, like that that's where you knew to go to when you went on campus, etc. Um, so I just I don't know. I love it for many reasons, but I think that's Sam.

LT: 25:48

I'm gonna put it out there. I think people are sleeping on that chapter.

Sam: 25:50

Yeah, I think you're like, I think people need to do it well.

LT: 25:53

I think people need to revisit that chapter.

Sam: 25:55

I think we might be able to revisit that chapter.

LT: 25:59

But but let's hang, hang, hang on, hang, hang on for that.

Sam: 26:03

Okay, yes. So um, so speaking of norm and making it to the barbershop wall, um, let alone to get a phone call from Norm. That is like you hold them up okay.

LT: 26:17

Sim, Norm never calls me. Okay, go ahead.

Sam: 26:21

Again, like mind blown, just checking in. Yeah, love it. So we we touched, we've been talking a lot about audience reactions. Um, but tell me more about these reactions from your community. Um, you mentioned uh your friend Megan coming with you to the class. Uh, I know that you had a book party in Alexandria, right, with family and friends. Um tell me more uh about who's proud of you, right? Uh tell me more about the reactions of family friends and that network, uh, shouting back to the wonderful student who asked you these questions of people who supported you both while you wrote the book, uh, but also while you were in this in this part of the book journey.

LT: 27:16

Sure. So let me start with the family part because this was a question that actually started to also was asked of me. Like, oh my god, how does your family feel? Right? Are they super excited for you? Yes. Yes, you're like my blood relatives are excited for me. But this is what I tell people. I did not just meet my family, and my relationship to them is what it is, and it's what it's always been, right? They're super, they're they're proud, but did they throw a book party for me? No. In fact, I think my family would say, Oh, yeah, we always knew you would write a book because you're smart, T, right? Like, yeah, of course. Of course, of course, right? Um, so I understand that. And I I am grown enough now and have been to some therapy to kind of accept things for what for what it is, right? If I had these these notions that, oh my gosh, my family was gonna be telling their friends about it and all that, I would have been disappointed. My family um is um very excited for me. Um, and you know, coup some of them definitely bought the book, right? Mind you, my I got family members mention off chapters, you know, written about uh family members and whatnot. So I I just I I I just again modify my expectations, and it also kind of depends on what family we're talking about, right? My mom obviously played a huge part in this. My mom just takes out the book, right? Right, she's my biggest cheerleader and fan and and design the book, so that's not who I'm talking about, right? But it's all okay for me. It is all okay. Um, so for me, we start to think about like chosen family and other folks in my circle. Um I just even want to point out that my very, very first book event was at 24 hour fitness in Redwood City. Uh completely unplanned. That was literally the first one. That was the first one that was back in the world.

Sam: 29:34

But it's amazing! Oh my god, but it's where you go. That's right. That's right.

LT: 29:41

What had happened was I casually mentioned to like people around me at the body pump class that I had a book coming out, and again, it was that initial reaction, like, oh my god, you wrote a book, a whole book, stop the music. Someone, Jeanette, went to our went to our instructor and said, Sue, we gotta do something for a Latania. Let's a did you know Latanya has a book coming out? And I think it was the very next weekend. I like brought in a bunch of books, and they literally set it up, set up, they made a makeshift table for me, made out of body pump equipment. And I said, it's okay to laugh. But that that was a good indication like right from the start. Like gave an indication of like the impact and the reach of this book and people like level of support. This is not a book that is meant to just be discussed um in a library, although you know I love libraries, but this this was the the reach of it was much more sort of organic. And you know, thinking back to our conversation with Professor Harley about the folk and the ordinary people, that's that's what will keep it going, right? And then of course, we cannot forget about the healthcare professionals. Amazing. My two oncologists, my surgeon, radiation therapists, who were all cheering for me. I had oh Sam Sam, as an update for you, I had my post my post um radiation check, end of the year check up with my oncologist. Um just like last week. First thing she said to me, how was the book how was the book tour? First question. So that that um that yeah, exactly. That that um that has been pretty consistent. Um and like you pointed out, this is really about like challenging stereotypes, about the healthcare profession. Um in fact, in fact, someone um heard our episode about the breast cancer, a journalist, um, reached out to me and interviewed me for an article about imposter syndrome, and that is coming out any day now.

Sam: 32:09

I can't wait for that because also because it was just such a classic line that you said, which is like you had you had cancer imposter syndrome. I made that shit up. I know, on the fly. On the fly. Look at it now.

LT: 32:24

It's a whole article.

Sam: 32:25

It was it's a whole article, but also um it's just so great talking to you because of course that was a episode. That's what it was. Yeah, yeah. Um, it was it, it it was, it is a great episode.

LT: 32:37

It is a great check it out.

Sam: 32:39

Yeah, yeah. Um, and yes, I was just thinking about um uh my family who are constantly like, are you gonna write a book that people read? Like about stuff. So thinking about sort of family support. Like touche, touche. There you go. Including my children, like when Jabari said to you about your doctoring uh or lack thereof. My children are like, but that's not no, right? Yeah, no, there we go. Um, okay, yeah. Go out every time. Last question. We've talked about the walkout song a lot. Challenged in the student episode about the walkout songs. I know you have to be upbeat. Because sometimes I'm I'm in my my email mood and I need to do something else. It was great. I was just like, you have challenged me, and you're right. Like, if I'm in a bad mood, if I'm in not a bad mood, but if I'm in a in a different mood, I should get a different kind of walkout song. We learned that day.

LT: 33:43

We definitely learned that.

Sam: 33:43

And then, but you also talked about um right in the beginning, sort of like um uh uh, or in fact, it might have been our breast cancer episode where you talked about uh well, you cited Drake, uh, which I will never forget. Did you say I cited Drake Drake got a citation? I would footnote him if this were a paper. Your conclusion was Drake. Um, what's your drop the mic track for the book tour and for the season of the podcast? Like, what are you what's what's our outro? Our outro, I like that.

LT: 34:25

I think um we're gonna say don't call it a comeback. I've been here for years. So I'm gonna shout out my boy LL Cool J. I love that and say, Mama said knock you out, right? Um and just it was a good reminder for myself, right? Because this this really is about self-reflection, especially a memoir. You're can you're continually putting yourself out there over and over and over again. And then like you said, number one, it's a brand, but you're also inviting people to to consume in in some ways, and then that consumption could also turn into production as well, too. Um, but it was a good reminder for someone who has uh for all intents and purposes kind of left higher ahead, right? But not really. So it's that that that level of tension of like people presuming that I was gone, but here I am, right? And um, and it's just turning the page and going into another era or another chapter. Um, so that's that's gonna be my outro for for this for this season, I should say, anyway.

Sam: 35:48

I love it. And you have a Taylor Swift citation because now every time you say era, it's Taylor Swift.

LT: 35:54

So I'm gonna I'm sure she gets paid every time someone says era.

Sam: 35:58

Every time an angel gets its wing, and by that I made more money, right? Happens, uh, which I love, but I also think you just I just want to say you just brought up something that I think is the shadow of higher ed, which is actually you're not supposed to talk about money or branding, and you're not supposed to write a book that everybody wants to read, and you're not supposed to do those things, and like you've done them, right? And you've done them from um always done them, I would say, from a sphere that's outside of the normative, right? Of what was expected from a PhD in English from UCLA, for instance, right? Which I think is fairly amazing. And I love that you want went with LL. Yeah. And you should just like go out on around the way girl and it'll be. That's right, we'll be right there, right? Um and so that being said, right, we keep we've we've obviously hinted we have not been sly with our cliffhangers.

LT: 36:59

Nah, we gotta do that.

Sam: 37:00

I'm gonna say we're out for season one, which implies, which implies that we have been picked up by ourselves for another season. Yes, but it's so exciting because we've actually already recorded, we've already set some stuff up, we're it's growing, but we're gonna come back. It's not gonna be about the book tour anymore, even though you'll still be smart girling.

LT: 37:34

Yeah, yeah, I'll still be smart girling, I'll be back on the road, but I am excited for season two, so this is my my opportunity to give flowers to you, Sam, for bringing this up and me to say, no, no, no, okay, fine, fine. What'd I say? Seven episodes, no more than seven episodes.

Sam: 37:53

I had to I had to force her into this because I wanted to hang out.

LT: 37:56

She did. Um, but then um, you know, we just it just there were so many conversations to be had, so we extended it. Um, and then we want to, as you mentioned, move beyond the um the direct universe of the book, but our conversations will be inspired by the book. And we it's gonna be like Prince and Batman.

Sam: 38:22

It's gonna be great.

LT: 38:27

But we have some amazing people lined up, which I'm super excited about. You know, we focused a lot this season on like people that I knew that had some kind of direct, you know, relationship with, and that is not true for season two so far. We anticipate that there we will be talking to the people we will we will be getting to know some folks, right?

Sam: 38:52

So we will, we will. We'll be we'll be getting out of some of our wheelhouses, right? Though it is all, as you said, inspired by uh but the but the the the product line is is extending. I don't know what to say. Yeah, I gotta get my lingo with the we'll work on this more to come.

LT: 39:13

More to come, um yeah, and if you have some suggestions for us, we're sticking, we're we will always be talking about pop culture, um, and and fandoms and and passions. So that's not fans in first gen. That's not gonna change. But and if you have some suggestions for us, maybe there's a TV show or film or something you want us to to focus on, let us know. Or a movie.

Sam: 39:39

I know exactly something you want to hear more about. Yeah, um, you know that I'm voting that we talk about the creek. So Oh hell yes. It's gonna be great. And then we have to like, you know, uh talk about the fact that LL Cool J then like caught an actual like Robber in his house or burglar in his house and like beat the shit out of him. And you're just like, oh, okay, LL. There you go. Uncle L. Uncle L. Who broken to LL cool, Jason. Why? Anyway, so much more to say. I can't wait because this has just been um so much fun to be able to hang out with my friend. And then also um to just dig into this fantastic book and to be able to talk about all the stuff we talk about, but yeah, you know, with with friends and now with uh new friends, we will call them.

LT: 40:40

One more PSA before you close us out, Sam. We just have to say to people that's because Sam and I just learned this, there aren't that many female led podcasts, you guys, right? So please continue to support. Most podcasts don't go beyond 10 episodes, much less into another season of them. So if you like Smart Girl, please tell other people about it so we could continue to do this work. So just wanted to make sure I said that as well.

Sam: 41:11

And thank you all for listening. Um, for those of you who have listened to any of the episodes, let alone the season, and for our guests who have come on, because it's been amazing, and folks have been super generous with their time and their input. And we always love suggestions, which we've taken for this season as well. Um, so we we love it. We take requests, we do take requests. We're we're moving from the soundtrack to the to the like DJ era, right? That's what we will say. Um I love it. All right, we will see you for season two of Smart Girl. Bye, folks. Bye.