The New York Times's Cesar Chavez Investigation, the Afroman Trial, and the Taylor Frankie Paul Controversy

Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay

The Ringer

Society & Culture

4.7 • 11.5K Ratings

🗓️ 20 March 2026

⏱️ 129 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Van and Rachel remember the life of Kiki Shepard before discussing the negotiations between the WNBA and WNPBA that led to a verbal agreement for a new CBA. Then they discuss the recent New York Times investigation into Cesar Chavez. After that, the two get into the big controversy revolving around reality star Taylor Frankie Paul, Afroman’s lawsuit, and Ray J’s most recent viral moment: defending his sister Brandy. Lastly, the two are joined by former Ringer colleague, poet, and author Jonathan Kermah to talk about his new book of poetry. (0:00) Intro (1:04) Midnight Boys recast (7:48) The life of Kiki Shepard (13:21) WNBA and WNPBA align on key elements of a new CBA (26:58) Cesar Chavez accused of sexual abuse (51:52) Taylor Frankie Paul under fire (1:16:34) Afroman lawsuit (1:32:00) Ray J defends Brandy (1:44:59) Jonathan Kermah Hosts: Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay Producers: Donnie Beacham Jr. and Jade Whaley Social Producer: Bernard Moore Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Yo, yo, yo, thought warriors.
0:11.3	What is up?
0:12.2	How I'm learning is on, is Ivan Lathin, Jr.
0:14.7	And it's me, Rachel and Lindsay.
0:16.7	Okay, before we get into anything to run in the podcast today,
0:20.4	we have Jonathan Kermah on the podcast today. Jonathan Little Spidey Kerma is going to be on here a little bit later. You can hear him laughing in the background. He has a new book out. And we're going to be talking about his new book of poetry, his career, everything that Kerm's got going on. It's very important what Kermen is doing. He is
0:38.6	immensely talented. He has self-published his own book of poetry, betting on himself and
0:44.4	continuing to be able to his career. And as he builds that career, higher learning will be in
0:48.9	full support of our brother, Jonathan Kermen every single time. We cast him as Yoda. Did you see this?
0:56.5	The Midnight Boys recast?
0:57.9	This is a Midnight Boys thing?
0:59.4	Yeah.
1:00.0	You didn't hear about...
1:00.7	What were you casting for?
1:01.9	What we were recasting Star Wars.
1:04.3	Did you hear about what happened with the Midnight Boys, by the way?
1:08.0	Are y'all okay?
1:09.5	So this is what happened.
1:11.8	So this is the funniest thing in the world.
1:15.7	The Midnight Boys do an exercise.
1:17.9	I don't know if you've seen this before.
1:20.3	Where we will take a traditionally white property, predominantly white, and then we'll recast it with all black people.
	...

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