Episode 12: The Vulnerable Episode

This vulnerable episode of Problematic (Episode 12), the host, Archie, provides a raw and honest update on the challenges he is currently facing in his personal life and with his podcast.

Key highlights from the episode:

•Podcast Frustrations: Archie expresses deep frustration with his co-host, Sam, regarding her lack of consistency, poor communication, and refusal to record in-person (2:09 - 8:44). He emphasizes how much work he is putting into the setup for their upcoming live show on August 3rd.
•Personal Struggles: Archie opens up about his financial stress, including the burden of a mortgage and family dynamics (15:27 - 21:08). He also discusses his declining health, weight gain, and his struggle with aging as he approaches 40 (9:04 - 12:02).
•The "Cancelation" Context: Archie reflects on the controversy surrounding his social media posts during the Super Bowl (12:23 - 15:07). He addresses being "canceled" for supporting Kid Rock and Gabby Barrett instead of Bad Bunny, and explains why he plans to attend the Sueños Festival regardless of the potential backlash.
•Accountability: He takes a moment to apologize to Claire for disparaging comments he made about her in a previous episode to satisfy Bobby (26:04 - 28:58). He admits he was chasing a dramatic story and regrets his actions.
•Gratitude: Despite the "chaotic" year, Archie expresses heartfelt gratitude to his listeners for hitting 250 downloads and for the continued support on his various platforms (29:10 - 30:23).

I open up about where I’m at in life right now—mentally, emotionally, and financially. I talk about the pressure of carrying the weight of a mortgage while family dynamics feel one-sided, and what it’s like to show up every day when others don’t have to.

I get into being “canceled” and why I’m still pulling up to the same festival in a few weeks, knowing the energy might not be welcoming. Because avoiding it isn’t my style.

I also address the tension behind the scenes—having a co-host who isn’t showing up, not putting in the effort, and leaving me to carry something we built together. All I’m asking for is time and consistency… and I’m not getting it.

There’s accountability in this episode too. I take a moment to apologize for something I said previously—owning what’s mine, while still standing on what I believe.

This is about growth, frustration, honesty, and figuring out where I’m headed next—even when things feel uneven.

No filters. Just the truth.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:23

What is going on, guys? Welcome back to Problematic. Pissed off right now because I, once again, 30 minutes in, not even looking at the thing, it wasn't recording. And I was saying so much stuff. Some stuff that I don't even know I can even like go back and remember what the fuck I said because I said it right there. And it was so fucking witty too. And this is what happens when I'm like going back and forth. Stop texting me. Whoever the fuck is texting me, stop texting me. Honestly, this is why my shit did not fucking record because I'm going back and forth. Okay, anyways. Hey guys, welcome back to problematic. Pistol off. Let's go. Sorry, guys. Yeah, guys. It's May. It's May 3rd. May is upon us. May is here. I am here. Finally, I'm in my garage. For anyone who has been following me, which I don't think a lot have, but I have my I've been buying stuff for the garage or my setup for the visual pod because we're going live August 3rd. That's a set day. We are going live August 3rd. I'm excited. Not too excited because, you know, I, you know, my body's not where it's supposed to be. I started this podcast in January. It's actually one of like the only New Year's resolutions that I've uh I told myself that you know I wanted to do and boom, episode 12 here. But, you know, I bought the, you know, but the about the stuff, about the lighting, about like some of the, you know, the manners, and you know, we're going live, August starts. So I'm excited. I do have a co-host, if you guys don't know, because sometimes I don't even know. Spam. Spam is not here today. Spam is at home with her kids. But I I do want to say this though. When it comes to Sam, Sam, I'm not sure if you're gonna listen to this part or this episode at all. I do want to say is that like I am passionate about this podcast. I'm very passionate, I'm very vocal about it, I'm very, I'm very into it. This is this is my podcast. And the thing is though, like, you're not giving me your you're not even giving me 50% of you. You're only giving me like maybe like 13 or 15%, 15% if that. When it comes, like I get it. You're a mother of three, you have kids, you know, you have a job. I get it. You and I started this together. We wanted to do a podcast together for years, but the thing is though, like you're hardly even here. I do hear, like, okay, I do have people who message me and people who I talk to who come up to me and tell me, like, hey, you know, we love the pod, but thing is though, like your co-host, like we can hardly hear her half the time. She sounds like a robot. But yeah, um, the reason why is because Sam is recording from her car or from her house. She's never in my house, you know, because in my house, I have the equipment, I have the soundboard, I have everything to be recorded, you know, quality, you know, you know, nice quality to it. With her, she doesn't, like she just does it like it's like a phone call. It's kind of like a zoom, but for like phone calls is pretty much that's how I send her the things to record. So, and I told her a couple of times too, you know, hey, you know, I need you to go somewhere, uh, you know, because it sounds very static-y, you're you know, I can't hardly hear you, and it sucks, you know. You know, some of her some of her pods, you know, episodes sound very, very uh not good. And the thing is that like I am, you know, I'm trying my best with her. I, you know, like I said, I get it, you're a mother of three, but this is my podcast. You know, I know in February, like we got into a little thing because she had a cancel, she keeps canceling, you know, times to record. And not only that, like she she tells me when, you know, like, oh, can we record here and this and that? And like this is this is the thing though, and I want everyone to any future guests or anyone, anyone who wants to get like in the business or anything like that with each other. The thing is that like if you start something, I started this, right? This is my podcast. What I say goes. So if I say Monday at 7 o'clock, I need like I need you from like seven to nine, I you know, I need you because this is something that we wanted to do together. And now that we have it, you're not fulfilling anything, you know. Like the thing is that like I am investing in this, I'm investing in uh all the equipment, all the stuff. I have everything here at the house, you know. I had to go to YouTube, I had to go through Buzz Sprout, everything to, you know, to keep the episodes align. I'm investing money in this, and all I need from you is like at least one or two hours of your time, but you can't even give me that. And that's pretty much what it is. And I'm being real here. This is me being real when it comes to like something that you know you're passionate about or having a business, you know. I know it's not a business, it's just something like a hobby we do together. But the thing is, though, like I do want to expand this podcast, and I have faith that one day this podcast can be something, you know, big, or it can be something that we can actually like, you know, make money off of or whatever. But the thing is though, like my co-host is not there, and it it just it sucks. You know, do I want to get another co-host? I I I don't think so because the thing is like we work, me and Sam work good together. We work, you know, with our banter back and forth, we're actually good. I don't think I can have that same relationship with somebody else with her. It's always been her, that's why like I'm so excited sometimes, you know, always to record with her. But lately it's just been like it's just been all over the place. She can't record, she can't do this, or if she needs to cancel, she never she never communicates that I have to actually tell her, like, hey, okay, so we're recording today. Oh no, not today, because blah blah blah blah blah blah blah. It's just like if you just communicate with me, I would have been fine, but there's no communication, there's no anything, and that's when I get pissed off. This is why I get pissed off with things in certain people, and then this is where people always say, Oh, well, Archie, you're fucking mean, you're you're this, and you're you know, you're being the villain. It has nothing to do with me being mean. This has nothing to do with me being the villain. The thing is, though, like you're fucking up something that I created, you're fucking up something that I'm passionate about, and okay, cool. You're not passionate about it, you think it's whatever. But the thing is, this for me, this is another job for me. This is something that I one, it gives me satisfaction, it gives me something to do. I'm excited about something I've always wanted you to do. And you're telling me that you can't do anything because, you know, like, you know, I just need time. I just need your time. But like I said, I understand. I understand that you have kids, I understand you have a husband, I understand. Me single, I have no kids, I have time, I get it. But if you knew this already, then I just you know, communication. Communication and just tell me, hey, or if you don't want to do the pod with me, it's fine. You don't have to do the pod with me. Trust me, I can make it a solo pod and just, you know, I'll learn how to, you know, talk to myself and just be here just ranting. Like, it's hey, it's no, I'm not, I won't miss anything out. Other than that, Sam, I love you, and you're my girl, and we've been writing since those party city days. But yeah, it's coming to a point where I'm just like, I'm getting kind of exhausted already. But yeah, like I said, I get it. So, anyways, guys, it is May. What's coming up in May? Swanels Festival. Let me just say something, guys. I am not ready. My body is not ready. My mind is not ready. I I am not ready. I don't know because it's like I'm getting older. Alright, I'm 39, right? I I don't know what it is either. I think because, you know, like next year I'll be 40. Think I don't look it. But I don't know because I don't know if it's this year, you know, like the year before you actually turn, you know, 40, because your body already knows it. Like I I don't know what the fuck. Noticing different things with me, like peeing more than I have to. I'm getting headaches. Oh, like I can't even drink because like I'll feel bad for like a whole week and I'll feel like it's I don't is this old age? It's is it over for me? Is my fun time over? Is Archie's fun time over? Is it over? Because that's how I feel. Like sometimes it's just like oh fuck, like I can't. Like I get it too, because you know, for the last few months, not a few months, for the last three years, let's just say I haven't been taking care of my body. So I get it. Like I so what I mean by that, it's just like I I don't go to the gym, I don't work out, I don't watch what I eat. This is why I look like this. Y'all know it, I know it. And so that's what it is. So maybe all this shit is catching up with me. Like maybe, damn, I should go to the doctor, but I'm scared, what they're gonna tell me. You know, like they're gonna tell me, like, oh, you have one week to live. I'm like, oh, all right, work. It's it's not funny, but it's funny. But yeah, lately I've been feeling like shit, and you know, I don't understand, you know, the science of things. And my body, sometimes it it hurts, you know. That's what I'm thinking about. Like, shit, like, you know, the festival, like, am I going to survive? Like, I remember two years ago, the first year I went, like, my body, like, I needed like a full week to recover. And right now, since I already feel weak and I'm going, it's gonna take me what two weeks to recover. I only have that Monday off, and I go back to work on that Tuesday. Ugh my god, the ghetto. But like I said, this is my fault. Like, I instead of like me, you know, going on walks and eating clean, eating salients, I chose to eat McDonald's, mechas, Burger King, Panda, 7-Eleven Selects. I chose all that stuff. So now all that stuff is catching up to me. I've been killing myself, actually. I've been the killer. I'm the killer killing my stuff, so but yeah, Swing Hills is gonna be I have nothing to wear, bro. I have nothing to wear. I have not I nothing fits me, number one. But I have nothing to wear, and damn, I'm already fucking and it's 20 days away, and I'm over here like fucking sweating, like what the fuck? Like shit. But anyways, uh yeah, spinyels is in 20 days, guys. I'm hoping I don't get I'm hoping I don't get jumped, you know, because of the whole bad bunny situation. You know, so a little a little backstory of of what I'm talking about is that back in February, Super Bowl Sunday, Bad Bunny performed in the Super Bowl and I didn't watch it. Why? Because I watched the real all-American halftime show with Kid Rock, Gabby Barrett, and everybody else there. So I I watched that one. Why? I don't listen to Bad Bunny. The only song I know from Bad Bunny was I Like It with Cardi Bean. That's the only song I know of him. Now, yeah, I know more, but whatever. Sorry, I'm trying to hold this shit together. But Gabby Barry, Kid Rock, Bentley Gilbert, I don't think his name, fucked, something grand. But anyways, I know all of their songs. And I was singing along when they performed, and I posted it online, and I said, This is America. Because it is. This is America. You know, facts. But people looked at it that I posted that just to get like a reaction, which, you know, I don't I mean, give or take. But not only that, but I just posted because, you know, because I I fucks with it. I fucks with Gary Barrett. You know, I I hope. Come on, that's like a classic ass song. So yeah, so I posted that, and that's how I got canceled. I lost over 200 uh followers on Instagram. People were calling me a racist, people were calling me all this thing, a Trump supporter, blah, blah, blah. I'm mega, all that stuff, right? All that good stuff. And like I said, I was just there for the music, and what people kept telling me is like I'm so stupid because, you know, they're, you know, you know, they're doing this and you know, with America, all this stuff that's happening with ICE and all that stuff. And to be honest, guys, to this day, I will say I really don't care. I'm not into politics and I'm not into anything like that. But the thing is, though, like, I don't care. I don't care. I don't care. And that's why people don't like me because of that. So imagine me saying that back then, me still standing to what I said, and me going to swingles and then seeing me. What do you think is gonna happen? I don't know, but I will be there. But yeah, but that's in 20 days, and yeah, that's so crazy. They were in May already, just like a blink of an eye. It was just in January. It's been a crazy 2026 so far, guys, and I wanna say this. It's been chaotic and it's been crazy, and I I'm hoping for the best for the rest of the month. Because if I have to go back to dealing with what I dealt with from January till like April, I'm gonna go crazy. I'm gonna go crazy. Like, honestly, like I feel like since we entered January, it's like bills on top of bills on top of bills on top of mortgage, mortgage, you know, taxes, blah, blah, blah, like all this stuff. I never I didn't want to bring this up, but a lot I have talked to a lot of people about this. You know, for a few months we were backed on on the mortgage because the mortgage went up$700. And the thing is, though, over here, these people that I live with, family, you know, they can't pay that. They they can't, you know, they couldn't, you know, pay the additional like$200. So it's it became a whole thing where they only gave me half and I was paying everything else. Not only that, you know, so this started like the end of February, okay. So, but not only that, like I, you know, not paying the mortgage on time, it doubled. Me not paying my credit cards on time, that shit doubled. My credit score, my if you see my credit score, it's like, what the fuck? I've never had this low of a credit score. I have not. And me looking at it that I busted down in tears because I worked so hard to one, get the house, and I worked so hard to build that credit up to just boom. Like being slashed. It's it was, you know, being an adult and seeing something that you have worked for, like hard for, just you know, being taken away. And that's what you know. I feel like this is why now like I I feel like I gotten sick, low-key. I'm gonna, I'm not gonna, you know, like I feel like like I don't know. It was like I was talking to one of my my managers and she was like telling me like, you know, with all the stress and all that stuff that you know that you were going through, you know, maybe now it's coming, you know, like, and that's why you're getting your headaches and you know all that stuff. And I'm like, ah, you know, it's like whatever. But you know, I think, you know, maybe she's right. But no, for the last few months, I I have been going through it, guys. Like, honestly, like I have been so, you know, I I didn't I I didn't cry, you know. I cried last night because I was singing a song and it just got to me. But yeah, you know, but I've been stressed the fuck out. And I want to know if anyone else, you know, their family has gone through that to the point where, you know, they can't afford to pay the mortgage. You know, we have bills piling up, doubling, and all that. And the thing is though, like I want to get into details and I really want to start blaming. There is no blame, but there is blame. This could have been avoided. This could have been, this could have been, you know, solved if the right communication, the right ethics, the right mindsets, the the the the right finances, the, you know, like the the right budgets, like all of this could have been avoided, all of this could have been, you know, fixed. But now how I feel, like I was talking to my mother earlier, and I was telling her, I'm like, listen, this is why like I feel like some family members just don't hang out or talk to each other anymore. Because it's come to that point where it's just like I've done my best to do everything here and try and try to help and all that stuff. There's no reason for me to be going, broke. And the thing is though, not only that, guys, like I don't drive. Yes, I know I'm 39 and I don't drive. I just got a house, okay? I don't drive. Everybody else here gets rights to work or have a car. I have to wait on Ubers. And for me, it's like at least on a good day, it's a 20 minute a ride to work. On bad days is a 30, to like, yeah, like 30, 35 or whatever. But the lowest to go to work sometimes is 15 or 16. The highest for me that I paid is 40. And sometimes, you know, depending on the hours that I work, you know, it varies. So if I had to pay sometimes$25 here and then$25 coming back, that's$50 right there. And and the thing is though, it's just like, you know, not only that, I have credit cards, I have, you know, mortgage, I have this, I have a lot of things to pay. And sometimes, you know, like I I can't because I have to get to work somehow, right? So, and yes, the bus and train, it can be right there. But the thing is though, like with all the stress, I don't I I don't got time to be waking up in the morning like that. I am sorry. I am sorry. Like, yes, like I might be going broke, but a motherfucker is not gonna be on a fucking bus at fucking 4 a.m. to get to work at 7. I am sorry. Maybe that's something that I need to work on, but it's the truth. I'm sorry. But no, it's been it's been chaotic, and I feel like, you know, like I said, like now we're good. Okay, we paid the back, blah, blah, blah, we good, you know, whatever. But the thing is all, like, the feelings that I have with how my family has been handling it made me kind of like resent and be like, you know what, I just can't fuck with you guys right now. Maybe in the future, I will. Maybe, you know, I can apologize for things that I've said, or I can just be cool and cordial. But the thing is, all for right now, just leave me alone. It's pretty much just that. And I will I will just keep it like that. Like, just leave me alone for right now. Let me gather my thoughts. Let me get myself together. You know, like honestly, like, and then, you know, when it comes to like me trying to lose weight with all that stuff too, like, it's been it's been hard. Like, yes, have I been overeating, you know, and all that stuff. Yeah, I need to stop drinking soda. I've been drinking coke like a motherfucker, like crazy. And I need to stop the you know, stuff like that. So that's why like I feel like I'm the one, like, not only, you know, like those money problems, it's health problems too. Like, I like like we need to we need a resolution and we need to stop that. So that's pretty much how it's been for the last few months, and it's been chaotic, but you know, to be honest, like me talking to my mother and being optimistic and being you know, uh just looking at the the the bright side of things and like the good sides and and just praying the guy like, hey, you know, I know we've been going through a lot right now and I and I get it. I feel it, you know, but I know you got me. I know you got me. And just with that, you know, I've been it's been keeping me together. So I know people think I'm an atheist for some reason because I watch a lot of scary movies. What the fuck they gotta do with anything but that's what it is. It's been chaotic. So I don't know. I just and yeah it's been it's been a lot though like honestly like there's a lot of things I want to do like honestly like you know like I said back to the weight thing like like the for me the weight gain for the last two years that that they got me it's keeping me a lot away from a lot like I want to go out there. I want to go out there and have fun. I want to go out there and meet people I want to go out there and see what's up but one I'm too embarrassed for them to see me like this because you know the last time a lot of people saw me I wasn't skinny but I was in this like honestly like I was not like this and it's just like I guess what it what is it too much pride or whatever no it's just I'm embarrassed you know and what's crazy the only I think that why I'm embarrassed because damn this is karma karma exist y'all this is the karma because I used to make fun of fat people and look at me now I'm a fat people and and it's you know it's not that I made fun of fat people it was just like I was just like stop being fat and now that I'm telling myself stop being fat is fucking hard you know because food is just too good but you know I just I'm um I haven't tried actually so but I'm but I need to because I'm you know I really want to do a lot of th a lot of things like I feel like this is like my last year to like show like you know to go out and all that before I turn 40. I turn 40 next January and I only have like half a year left kind of in a way to like live my life because when I'm 40 you're 40 you know life don't end but the thing is I'm like it's a new era and I can't be doing things I did in my 30s. So it's uh something to think about it's something that I need to do I I need to get it together and help me fix my life you know like I need to fix my life it's it's crazy but you know I need to rebrand myself and I need to rebrand myself and actually stick stick to that and you know have a whole thing and try to be happy and you know try to do my best fall in love not fuck that no we talked about love so many times I'm not looking for that but I am looking to to loving myself first damn that sounds so corny to say that's the thing though like I you know love yourself like yeah like I'll I'll I'll do it but damn like alright cool whatever I'll I'll I'll try to love myself for the most part alright guys so nothing I want to talk about I want to talk about forgiveness there's something I do want to talk about and it's something that I said about someone in a previous pod I think it was like the one with friendships and fake and all that stuff about Bobby and Claire I've spoken to Claire I we like so Bobby has been wanting me to talk to her and be you know kind of apologize for things that I've said or whatever. No the thing is that like Bobby wanted me to apologize to her for me telling him the truth about her which makes no sense but whatever I just I I said whatever. So I finally after months you know I I talked to Claire just the other day and I apologized to her about the things that I said about her Claire like I said I said some things you know we apologize we're good now but I am sorry for for making you feel certain way I'm sorry for you know I know like you were telling me that a lot of people came up to you and like they were like saying like oh my god like this and that and I that must have been horrible I'm sorry like I I said some stuff you know and I feel fucked up about it but I do apologize for saying that stuff to you and I'm being real I'm not just saying that just to say it but I know what I said and I apologize. But I you know if I want to be real about it too it just like whenever I when I told Bobby about the whole situation I was looking for a good story. I was it wasn't about looking out for him or anything like that either like I needed like a like a story to tell and I thought that one's actually was a good one and I just want to see the outcome the outcome with you guys breaking up and you guys didn't break up but you know I know I should have never said that I know you were gonna tell him that you know about regard you were gonna tell him like sooner or later but I told him first about you know the lie or whatever but I do apologize for everything I said about you and Bobby fuck you because you honestly like like you were just like there like you you wanted me to to you you even told me like oh call her right now right in front of me. It's like that you wanted you wanted to hear the drama that's what you wanted and Bobby you're you've always been like that you've always been a problem start and shit like that and you know but it's like whatever but I have not even been friends with Bobby and Claire for like a while. Bobby I see him walking around but the thing is though like I haven't been really like cool with him like since the thing that happened. I do want to just say you know everyone here on the pod like hey I do apologize for all the things that I said about you. Alright guys I want to keep this short I know it's a little short podcast I just wanted to just to I want to kind of vent about some things that's been going on recently that's why but I do want to say I want to take the time to say thank you thank you thank you to everyone who has been downloading the episodes thank you so much I just got a notification just the other day that we have made it all the way to 250 250 downloads that's insane that's crazy to me like me making this podcast I I knew some people were going to like listen to but the way you guys are downloading the app the you know on the app and downloading the episodes and the way you guys are going in on YouTube without the video and still kind of like streaming it and I'm getting like a little bit of views like I thank you so much. Like honestly this is what this is like it makes me so happy and this is what makes me want to make more content and more I said content more more podcast episodes and just I'm just trying to you know make something you know something I just I'm just trying to make this pop off and I just I'm I'm trying to you know be happy with this and this is something that I've always wanted to do and I finally have the chance to do it so thank you so much guys I really appreciate like all the support all the love I'm on TikTok I'm Instagram I'm on all the platforms but yeah but then yes guys thank you so much for tuning in to a small episode of problematic and you know right now it's Sunday I'm trying to chillax right now well I said chillax what the fuck you see I'm getting old as fuck it's Sunday I got my couch in the garage I'm gonna go lay down and watch some movies and chill so until next time guys thank you so much for listening to problematic I'll see you in the next one this is the public service announcement if you're hearing this then you're part of the problem this podcast is problematic let's go