[Un]phased Unedited Podcast

Michael, Money, and Mayhem

Before your listen, take your SAT... Spoiler Alert: If you plan to see Michael, the movie, this podcast has several spoilers. Alert: This episode mentions a high-profile legal case. All acts are alleged while the case is pending.  contenT Warning: We also discuss various forms of abuse.  Although several movies and mini-series have come before, we were excited to reflect on the latest movie, Michael. It features Jaafar Jackson, nephew of the icon himself as well as many high profile African American stars. We take a sonic time-travel from Jackson 5 in the 1960s to the Bad tour of the 1980s. We also pose some serious questions about what constitutes abuse. Then, we turn to a jaw-dropping legal settlement between the government and the…government. The president of these DIVIDED States of America has created an anti-weaponization fund of 1.8 Billion (with a B) dollars to address alleged "lawfare" by the Biden Administration -- making us revisit the definition of gaslighting as part of the optics and mechanics of political theater. If you liked this episode, subscribe, leave a rating, and tell a friend who loves movies and messy headlines.  Mentioned in the show Nia Long, Colman Domingo and Jaafar Jackson On ‘Michael’ Biopic and Jackson Legacy [https://www.forbes.com/sites/dominiquefluker/2026/04/22/nia-long-colman-domingo-and-jaafar-jackson-on-michael-biopic-and-jackson-legacy/] - Forbes Making Michael [https://www.essence.com/of-the-essence/making-michael-the-movie/] – Essence They Don’t Make Celebrities Like Michael Jackson Anymore [https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026/05/michael-movie-box-office-success/687186/] – Jemele Hill, The Atlantic Justice Dept. Sets Up $1.8 Billion Fund That Could Funnel Money to Trump Allies [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/18/us/trump-irs-lawsuit.html] - NYT DOJ rolls out nearly $1.8B ‘anti-weaponization fund’ as part of Trump’s IRS settlement [https://www.politico.com/news/2026/05/18/trump-irs-lawsuit-settlement-00925801] - Politico Judge questions legal basis for Trump's $10 billion case against IRS [https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/federal-judge-questions-basis-trumps-10-billion-irs-lawsuit-rcna341984] – NBC News

The Obamalisk

In this week's episode, the hosts touch on the notion of jawboning as a means of political coercion and the Obama Presidential Center - the 8-story, 225-foot-tall museum tower designed for community in ways that the other presidential centers have not accomplished. Lastly, the Drs deep dive into the theory of colorblindness using the Voting Rights Act as a backdrop. It can make intuitive sense to people, but the Drs argue it actually perpetuates inequality. Mentioned in the show The ‘Obamalisk’ Rises on Chicago’s South Side [https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/18/arts/design/obama-presidential-center-chicago.html] - NYT Welcome to the Obama Foundation [https://www.obama.org/] Racial Color Blindness: Emergence, Practice, and Implications [https://www.hbs.edu/ris/Publication%20Files/Racial%20Color%20Blindness_16f0f9c6-9a67-4125-ae30-5eb1ae1eff59.pdf] – The Association of Psychological Science Voters Can Be Disenfranchised Now [https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/04/vra-supreme-court-callais-decision/686997/] – Adam Serwer, The Atlantic John Roberts Believes in an America That Doesn’t Exist [https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/06/opinion/callais-voting-rights-act-discrimination.html] – Jamelle Bouie, NYT Opinion

RIP VRA

In yet another week of U.S. damage reporting, Dr. Lisa and Dr. Shaunna discuss the recent gutting of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. First, we talk about the appropriately timed colloquialism, "86". Then Justice Kagan gives a scathing dissent to the 6-3 SCOTUS decision in Louisiana v. Callais that effectively signs off on the disenfranchisement of Black citizens through recent nationwide battles around gerrymandering. On a final lighthearted note, there are new Oscars rules regarding AI performances and AI-authored screenplays as the industry tries to keep up with technology as it speeds ahead. Mentioned in the Show Ask George: Where Does the Term “86’d” Come From? [https://www.stlmag.com/dining/Ask-George-Where-Does-the-Term-86d-Come-From/] – St Louis Magazine How the Supreme Court Demolished the Voting Rights Act [https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/how-the-supreme-court-demolished-the-voting-rights-act] – The New Yorker Voters Can Be Disenfranchised Now [https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/04/vra-supreme-court-callais-decision/686997/] – The Atlantic Breaking: SCOTUS Deals Another Blow to Multi Racial Democracy [https://crooked.com/podcast/breaking-scotus-deals-another-blow-to-multiracial-democracy/] – Strict Scrutiny podcast Louisiana v. Callais Opinion [https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/24-109_21o3.pdf] - SCOTUS

Who Loses?

In this episode, we explore the concept of "collective effervescence" -- the shared emotional release people feel during major moments -- using the splashdown of Artemis II, religious worship, and sports as examples. Then we turn to youth sports and the growing cost barriers. Despite the collective cheers, dads have holes in their shoes and moms are wearing the same bras they wore during the first Obama administration to give kids access. Senator Cory Booker sounds the alarm regarding equitable access to play. Our second phase is on political strategy and the role of centrism. We question what will happen if we appeal to the political "middle" at the expense of marginalized voices and what it looks like to be fluent in nuance, curiosity, and dialogue rather than ideology alone. Together, we wrestle with questions of compromise, consensus, and community—asking how societies can pursue shared wins without continually placing the heaviest losses on those with the least power. Mentioned in show How Youth Sports Became a Magnet for Private Equity [https://www.stout.com/en/insights/article/youth-sports-became-magnet-private-equity] - Stout The Focus Group Podcast [https://www.thebulwark.com/s/thefocusgroup] - The Bulwark America's Divisions: Getting on Our Nerves (with Jessica Tarlov) [https://www.thebulwark.com/p/americas-divisions-getting-on-our] – The Focus Group Podcast

Solopreneurship

As a prelude to National Small Business Week, Dr. Lisa puts Dr. Shaunna in the hot seat. We know that U.S. entrepreneurs and small business owners make major contributions to local economy and beyond, yet we rarely take stock of the additional challenges for women and people of color as entrepreneurs. In this unique episode, we take the time to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Gold Enterprises with an impromptu interview on the highs and lows of solopreneurship. Also, read more about Gold Enterprises the Golden Years: 10 Business Lessons in 10 Years bundle [https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/why-now-story-behind-10-business-lessons-years-dr-shaunna-payne-gold-4f63e]! Purchase today at: Gold Enterprises, LLC [https://buy.stripe.com/aFa5kD7L934r68s0UycV202]