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It was "beat up on one of these TwoHauteMamas.com hosts" night when I interviewed WCCO-AM producer Sheletta Brundidge about her new podcast with Lindy Vincent, director of health and wellness at the St. Paul YWCA.
Vincent, with her MBA from Michigan, is not someone I'd ever have imagined would maintain a friendship with Brundidge, a comedian once crowned the Funniest Woman in the Twin Cities.
"We met at Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, like 15 years ago. Can you believe that she was in church?" Vincent asked.
"I know. Jesus!" chimed in Brundidge.
"And she needs Jesus," said Vincent.
Their chemistry is as undeniable as their TwoHauteMamas.com banter, which is excellent.
Since Brundidge is a well-known Twin Cities personality — who recently floored me with numerous cogent insights on WCCO-AM during a "Paul and Jordana" discussion of the atrocious news that the Twin Cities are among the worst places in America for blacks — I wanted this interview to be about Vincent. But You Know Who wouldn't stop chirping.
Vincent and her husband, Anton Vincent, CEO of Chicago-based Greencore USA, are parents of three kids: Chase, 18, a freshman at American University in D.C., who has been to Haiti twice on missions; Dylan, 17, a high school junior with a 4.0 GPA who does advance science research at the U and competes in science fairs around the country; and Peyton, 11, who plays the violin and is a member of an all-girls robotic team.
Q: What does haute mean, here?
A: Fly, cultured, above the fray, stylish.
Q: Does this word in any way describe Sheletta?
A: Ahhh. [Deadly pause] Not really [Sheletta breaks up laughing]. It does describe me on a normal day. Not today. I was [dressed] to record to podcast [not be seen on a video; Brundidge neglected to mention]. But next time I'll be head-to-toe fly.
Q: What is the point of podcasts?
A: Lindy: Entertainment, sometimes education, escape from reality. Life is crazy with certain people in the White House these days. You know. Sometimes you need to laugh and chuckle it up a little bit.
Sheletta: It gives people who wouldn't normally be on the radio an opportunity to still get their voices heard.
Q: Are there any podcasts you listen to on a regular basis, Lindy?
A: I like one called "Jesus and Jollof," [by Luvvie Ajayi, author of the bestseller "I'm Judging You: The Do-Better Manual," and actor Yvonne Orji.] It's funny, but they bring something educational about different topics: health, nutrition — kind of my passion areas.
Q: One of my questions was going to be: Are you going to be able to get a word in edgewise? I'm not concerned about that anymore.
A: [Big laugh] Don't be worried about that. I can hold my own with Sheletta. She talks 100 miles an hour, but I've got her. I know how to get in there.
Q: I'm also confident, now that we are talking, that standard grammar will be used. (Twitter followers know I often refuse to respond to Sheletta because she uses poor grammar, which infuriates me.)
A: Yes ma'am. I don't play that. She kind of has her own thing. I have my own thing and that's how we met but I'm very serious about my grammar. Queen's English is important.
Q: When Sheletta is not in church, what are her most annoying characteristics?
A: Sheletta: Whoa. Why can't it be: What are her best personality traits?
Lindy: Well, Sheletta swears a lot.
Sheletta: Don't TELL MY PASTOR THAT! I don't want my pastor to know that.
Q: What subjects are off-limits on this podcast?
A: Sheletta: None.
Lindy: It depends. Sheletta has kind of taken that to heart. [Sheletta formerly worked on FM107.1 when it billed itself as "Living Out Loud."] I'm more of a business person. I have an MBA and know how to handle money. She doesn't know anything about money.
C.J. can be reached at cj@startribune.com and seen on Fox 9's "Buzz." E-mailers, please state a subject; "Hello" does not count.
