Archives

Behind the Confident Smile
October 14, 2025
In this episode of Behind the Confident Smile, host Bianca Cotton sits in conversation—and in community—with three phenomenal women: Star August Ali, Mary Kay Devine, and Moniqueca Long. Together, they open up about the realities of motherhood, support, and self-preservation—tackling the often-unspoken question: Who supports the mother while she supports everyone else? The discussion blends honesty, vulnerability, and empowerment in equal measure.
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Petty & Profound
October 2, 2025
In this episode of Petty & Profound, Gregory Smith and Darrious Hilmon take on the breakdowns dominating headlines—and what they reveal about America’s collapsing mental health system. From Lil Nas X’s public crisis to the harsh reality that even privilege can’t guarantee care, the hosts expose how policies are dismantling treatment options and criminalizing mental illness, sparking a conversation that’s as sharp as it is necessary.
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Behind the Confident Smile
September 30, 2025
In this episode of Behind the Confident Smile, host Bianca Cotton sits down with Judy Weathers to explore the inner world of a military wife married to a combat soldier. Judy opens up about the love, loneliness, uncertainty, and strength that define her journey—beyond the patriotic salutes are moments of deep fear, emotional labor, missed milestones, and unwavering support.
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Petty & Profound
September 25, 2025
In this episode of Petty & Profound, Gregory Smith and Darrious Hilmon break down the rise of “junk fees,” which have quietly doubled since 2022 and now cost Americans more than $90 billion a year. From iPad tip prompts to hotel “amenity fees,” the hosts reveal how hidden charges turned deception into a business model—and why this issue is more than financial frustration, it’s a moral crisis. With sharp humor and deep insight, they explore how consumers are finally pushing back.
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Behind the Confident Smile
September 23, 2025
In this episode of Behind the Confident Smile, host Bianca Cotton sits down with Rosie Drumgoole, CEO of Chicago Cares, for a candid conversation on leadership, service, and motherhood. Rosie shares how she balances the demands of running an impactful nonprofit with the realities of raising a family, offering insight into resilience, purpose, and the power of community.
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Petty & Profound
September 18, 2025
In this episode of Petty & Profound, Gregory Smith and Darrious Hilmon examine how reality TV’s theatrics have seeped into politics, media, and everyday life. From Michelle Obama’s playful “Real Housewives” admission to the rise of “energy vampires” draining our focus, the hosts reveal how guilty pleasures became blueprints for influence and manipulation in modern culture.
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Behind the Confident Smile
September 16, 2025
In this episode of Behind the Confident Smile, host Bianca Cotton sits down with Javiel Anderson to share her powerful journey of resilience when motherhood collided with a medical crisis. Javiel opens up about discovering her youngest son, Kairo, was living with Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM), the difficult decisions that followed, and the balance of being a working parent caring for a child with complex medical needs.
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Petty & Profound
September 11, 2025
In the season premiere of Petty & Profound, hosts Gregory Smith and Darrious Hilmon dive into California Governor Gavin Newsom’s headline-grabbing, MAGA-style trolling campaign—and the conservative media’s collective meltdown. From billion-view posts to AI-generated memes, the episode explores how Newsom turned Trump’s playbook against him while still playing by democratic rules. What starts as petty trolling becomes a profound case study in modern political strategy, accountability, and the fine line between fighting fire with fire… and burning it all down.
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Sisters Talking
September 10, 2025
In the powerful premiere of Sisters Talking, moderator Juatise Gathings leads a deeply honest conversation with seven dynamic Black women leaders—Dee Atkins, Victoria Rudd, Mary Morten, Nedra Sims Fears, Arielle Johnson, D’Andrea Anderson, and Suzet Mckinney—about the cultural phenomenon of “BlaIck Girl Magic.” Together, they unpack how this empowering phrase has also become a burden, exploring the emotional and mental cost of being seen as invincible. 
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Behind the Confident Smile
September 9, 2025
Behind the Confident Smile returns with a powerful season premiere as host Bianca Cotton welcomes guest Danielle Patterson to unpack the emotional weight of the “supermom” syndrome. From the guilt of asking for help to the freedom of embracing authenticity, this candid conversation challenges the myth of perfection in motherhood and makes space for vulnerability, honesty, and healing.
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