Tracy Clayton
Staff writer at BuzzFeed & Co-host of Another Round
Discussion
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Tracy Clayton
@brokeymcpoverty · Staff Writer/Podcaster, BuzzFeed
I'm a writer who is kind of obsessed with pop culture, black people, race, class and gender. I talk about all these things at BuzzFeed.com both as a writer, and as co-host of the podcast "Another Round with Heben and Tracy." I also love penguins and bourbon.
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Erik Torenberg
@eriktorenberg · Former Product Hunt
Hey Tracy!
What are your favorite interview questions?
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Tracy Clayton
@brokeymcpoverty · Staff Writer/Podcaster, BuzzFeed
@eriktorenberg favorite questions to ask, or be asked? i like asking very weird, random questions that don't make sense. a great one i asked is 'if someone had fingers on their elbows and they asked you for a high-five, would give them one?'
pumkash
@blkmartian
@brokeymcpoverty Hey Tracy! I actually want to keep it light, and discuss racism in the squirrel community. I'm no fan of squirrels or racism, but the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Where I live, in Maryland we have black squirrels, and I noticed they were never up in the trees, only on the ground. When they would try to climb the trees, the light-skinned squirrels would fight them down. I'm starting a go fund me to kick start the black squirrel civil rights movement.
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Tracy Clayton
@brokeymcpoverty · Staff Writer/Podcaster, BuzzFeed
@blkmartian you know, i always feel a way whenever someone talks about how black squirrels are the worst in particular. i get so torn bc im like yeah, to hell with squirrels but.. why you gotta single out the black ones, you know? i lose sleep over it. wait, what was the question?
pumkash
@blkmartian
@brokeymcpoverty @blkmartian I didn't really have a question, I guess I wanted to start the dialogue about the disparities black squirrels experience. I'm not saying its a thing, but its a thing.
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Tracy Clayton
@brokeymcpoverty · Staff Writer/Podcaster, BuzzFeed
@blkmartian it's totally a thing. i'm going to find a way to express the injustice without looking like a squirrel apologist.
Arjun Adamson
@arjunadamson · Designer
@brokeymcpoverty I only heard about you a week ago after seeing you live at PopUp Mag, but after an intensive session listening to your podcast, I've come to the conclusion that you and Heben are amazing. I'm wondering what your perspective is on Ta-Nehisi Coate's book "Between the World and Me".
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Tracy Clayton
@brokeymcpoverty · Staff Writer/Podcaster, BuzzFeed
@arjunadamson oh man, i am particularly ashamed to say that i am a terrible reader and i dont read often and i bought ta-nehisi's book to prep for interviewing him but *whispers* i never made the time to read it with everything else going on :( DON'T TELL ANYONE PLEASE. but i mean everything that TNC writers is great and genius so i'm certain it's an instant classic.
Arjun Adamson
@arjunadamson · Designer
@brokeymcpoverty @arjunadamson Its Ok! I just started too, it's been on my list for ages. I suggest listening to the audiobook read by him, its like a 3.5 hr podcast, but I keep having to go back and listen sentence by sentence because he writes with so many interesting points that I want to make sure I follow.
Melissa Joy Kong
@melissajoykong · Content, Product Hunt
Yesterday during the democratic presidential debate, the following question came up: "Do black lives matter, or do all lives matter?" What do you think is meant by that question, and how would you answer it?
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Tracy Clayton
@brokeymcpoverty · Staff Writer/Podcaster, BuzzFeed
@melissajoykong i think it was a way to gage each candidate's feelings on the #BlackLivesMatter movement. i would answer it by saying yes, all lives definitely matter, but not everyone knows that, and until they do, we'll keep reminding people of the specific lives that everyone seems to disregard. you dont have to say white lives matter; that is plainly reflected in our society.
Alex Carter
@alexcartaz · Operations @ 60dB. Ex-PH Podcasts 😻
Thanks for joining us Tracy! I really enjoyed your interview with Hillary Clinton (https://www.producthunt.com/podc...).
The demographics of the average podcast listener map to white males in their 30s. Why do you think this is and what do you think needs to be done to help make podcast audiences more diverse? Also, why do you think younger people don't listen, and what can be done to change that?
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Tracy Clayton
@brokeymcpoverty · Staff Writer/Podcaster, BuzzFeed
@alexcartaz money! fund diverse voices! hire and invest in diverse hosts and writers and producers and promote the things they make, heavily! i didn't get into podcasts until i started this one, to be honest, and i just didn't know that there was a space for someone like me there. as far as young people, i don't know? youngsters like fancy shiny flashy things and sitting still and listening to people speak with no visuals isn't as sexy as a lot of other options out there, i guess.
Maurice Cherry
@mauricecherry · Principal, Lunch
What other types of podcasts would you like to do?
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Tracy Clayton
@brokeymcpoverty · Staff Writer/Podcaster, BuzzFeed
@mauricecherry i think that this form of podcast fits me best--varied, ever changing, and kind of random, just like my brain/attention span. i dont think that i would dig a specialized show because my brain just doesn't work that way, you know?
Yolanda Enoch
@yolandaenoch · Yolanda Enoch
Hi Tracy, love the podcast and really enjoyed your piece at Pop Up Magazine’s event in LA.
You and Heben really stress the importance of self-care. With the success of your podcast and now the Hilary Clinton interview, I imagine your life is crazier than ever. What support are you getting/seeking to make sure that you don’t forget to take care of yourself?
Sidenote: up until that article was published, I assumed your middle name was LaFway too! *hides head in embarrassment*
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Tracy Clayton
@brokeymcpoverty · Staff Writer/Podcaster, BuzzFeed
@yolandaenoch i love this question! i've actually been struggling with self-care recently.. im exhausted and the tour is taking a lot out of me. with the energy i do have, though, i try to do things i like--laying down (i love laying down, omg), watching mindless drivel on tv/the internet, crocheting (ESPECIALLY crocheting--i love to just sit and crochet and zone out), and spend time with the great people i'm so so soooo blessed to have in my circle, both in the city and out of it, people that i can be my gloomy self with and be treated softly and kindly. im also trying to do better at taking my anti-anxiety medicine, which is haarrrd for me. just taking a break when i know i need it is a big part. and LOL! it's okay! the reference is to an obscure video that not many people have seen but its so good! go to youtube and search 'lafway!'
Yolanda Enoch
@yolandaenoch · Yolanda Enoch
@brokeymcpoverty @yolandaenoch Yeah, after your tweet clowing the author who wrote the article, I youtube'd the video...and then wondered how I had never seen the video. :)
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Tracy Clayton
@brokeymcpoverty · Staff Writer/Podcaster, BuzzFeed
@yolandaenoch "i've got lafwaaaaaaay!"
The Avatar
@fleur_de_lis89 · Asst Producer, Cornerstone Church
Hi Tracy! First off, let me start by saying I absolutely love you & have started the campaign for Tracy/Heben 2016 (it's not too late is it?) I know this may sound simple, but I really want to know; what do you do and why?
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Tracy Clayton
@brokeymcpoverty · Staff Writer/Podcaster, BuzzFeed
@fleur_de_lis89 LOL i see what you did there! i am a writer and podcaster, and i do them because i genuinely don't think i'm good at anything else, and i'm still learning to be good at podcasting. you'll notice that these are things that require the use of my voice, and i do that because i want to amplify the voices of people like me, even if only a little bit, because i know what it's like to feel unheard.