In this special look behind the scenes of Here Comes the Break, Asante Blackk interviews Gael Aitor of Teenager Therapy and the actors who played Ruben’s parents discuss the making of the show. This is the first of two special behind-the-scenes bonus episodes.
Executive Producer: Asante Blackk
Producer: Daniella Perkins
Starring: Asante Blackk and Daniella Perkins
Co-Starring: Bobby Cius, Rayme Cornell, Christopher V. Edwards and Taylor Bettinson
Written by: Taylor Bettinson and Nakia Hill
Directed By: Christopher V. Edwards
https://instagram.com/oompoutloud
https://www.instagram.com/herecomesthebreak/
https://www.instagram.com/doubleelvis/
https://twitter.com/doubleelvisfm
https://www.facebook.com/DoubleElvisProductions/
Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com
Welcome, welcome, all you listeners out there. I'm Bobby see Us and I play Marco. That's a wrap on our story for the season, but we still have more content for you. This is a bonus behind the scenes episode about the making of Here Comes the Break Right. This week, we have two special segments giving you a glimpse of the actors behind the characters, each reflecting on the show and its themes from a different perspective. First up, a conversation between a Santy Black are Reuben and Guile from the hit podcast Teenager Therapy, which we recorded back in May right as the show debut. Have a listen. All right, Um, okay, So I got a couple of questions for you. First question I want to ask is why was it important for you guys to put together this podcast. You know, I have my assumptions and you know why. I can decipher, but I want to hear from you. Yeah. So it was really interesting because I think when I thought of Teenage Therapy, it was sort of a a shower thought. I was like, I was listening to this other podcast that had a similar concept, but it was like with the married couple, And when it came to my podcast, I was like in the shower and then I thought, pulled up maybe there was like a teenage version of this that might be interesting, because I thought it would be interesting to listen in on what other teenagers are going through, what they're experiencing, what they're not and stuff like that. And so when I first started this podcast, it kind of just came as I think it's something that I wish existed and it doesn't, so I might as well just making myself. And we didn't really have any deeper meaning to it. But I think as we released the first episode, got feedback from our listeners and started to realize, like what this meant to people is when we really came to understand that there's actually a little bit something deeper here, and there's values in this that we could pull out and like talk about and like expand those values to our community. So even though we didn't start with these, now the values that we really hold is vulnerability and showing vulnerability, having the courage to be vulnerable, and just letting people know you're not alone. You know, there's others going through this, not just you. It's something that's really resonated with our audience. Yeah, when did you start to see that people were really relating and listening in. Was there a certain subject that you guys tackled that really made you realize, Oh, yeah, this is you know, this is helping a lot of people and we gotta keep going. Yeah. Honestly, it was like even after that first episode, we had a pretty good like first episode, and like as soon as we launched overnight, I remember waking up and we had a bunch of d m s and a bunch of people that had listened, and all of them were saying, like, Yo, I really love this podcast. It was so good to helped me so much. And as we kept just doing the episode, I think the next episode after that we talked about like mental health and heartbreak, and even after that episode, we got dms telling us like, Yo, this podcast is helping me so much. It's been helping me feel less alone. I feel like understood, I feel heard. And it's when we realized, like, you know, keep feel heard. They see our stories and even though maybe they don't relate to our issues directly, they see a part of themselves in us, and because of that, they're able to help themselves in their own lives, which I think was when we really realized like, well, maybe this is kind of important to people. That's beautiful. Is there a particular episode that you're really proud of that you know, your favorite one. Yeah, there's a lot to choose from. We've done like a hundred thirty seven episodes today, but I think I think the best episode that represents what our podcast is about is probably the realities of our friendship, where we just talked about like the dynamics in our friend group and the sort of power dynamic that sometimes takes hold because it's sort of like a business and a friendship and just trying to keep that together and keep everyone closed and keep the relationship healthy was something that we had been struggling for a while. So when we talked about it, like you know, we got pretty emotional and just really had a raw conversation about like, you know, what's going on? How do we fix is? Uh? And I think that episode was probably the best representation of our podcast and white like important conversations like those matters. No, that's so beautiful, man. I mean, I think that it's really important for young people to see other young people being vulnerable and so that we can understand that it's okay, you know, to have those conversations. The only way to it is to go through it right. So he's got to go through it and have those people that you can go through it within exactly exactly. That's that's amazing. Always comes out better, always fixes things too. Always, that's amazing. That's all my pulations. I can't wait to hear you guys. Keep going, and you know, I wish you guys are best. Seriously, thank you, dude, thank you. That means a lot, of course. Our second segment is a conversation between Christopher Edwards, who plays Ruben's dad and also directed the podcast, and Raymid Cornell, who plays Ruben's mom. Chris and Raymid discussed the themes of the show from a parent's perspective, and they go into some detail about what it's like to produce a podcast over the pandemic year. Their conversation coming up next. HM. Hey, Hello, I'm Chris Edwards and I am the director of Here Comes the Break, and I also play Ruben's father. Hi, guys, I'm Ramie Cornell and I am Ruben's mother on Here Comes the Break. Good to be here, Hey, Ramy, what's going on? How you been. I'm well, thank you and I'm glad I probably get to talk to the people who are listening to this amazing story and and podcast. Yeah, it's great. It was such an amazing journey to take to start the podcast and move through it, particularly during COVID. Well yeah, well, speaking of that, I mean, what was it like casting and directing a podcast over a pandemic? Right right? What was that process? How did this come about for you? That's a good question. It can about through through a network of folks here in Boston. Someone floated my name to the producers, and I hadn't done any podcast before. I've done, you know, a little bit of filmwork, a lot of theater work, run a shakespeare company here in Boston, and I thought, oh, this is an opportunity that just felt right in my wheelhouse for so many reasons. One because you know, often work with actors in the theater, but also because of the hip hop themes of the show, because I've done a lot of hip hop theater. So it fell into my lap that way. And to be honest with you, it was right at the beginning of the pandemic, and I wasn't you know, I was kind of a benefit dark place, like a lot of people around not being able to work in the theater, not being able to come back to live performances, and I was really questioning a lot at the time, and this thing came up as a breath of fresh air, this idea of a podcast that could be done virtually. It's deal had a strong narrative, it was about young people, and so it really helped me get through the beginning days of the pandemic. So we did a lot of the work virtually, and then we moved into a studio that was socially distanced and worked with the actors. You know. We had actors in Boston, yourself, in St. Louis, Los Angeles, and then we had artists from Deaf champ from pretty much all over the country. And luckily enough, the way it was set up that we could just get to work done virtually. So it was weird at first to try to direct something and not be able to see the actor, but really kind of hearkens back to the old school radio plays to some extent, you know what I mean. Yeah, it was great. It was a great process. We had fun, and I don't think the pandemic put too much of a damper on what we were trying to achieve, right, Well, I think what we've learned, certainly I've learned through this is that there's two things that in the pandemic is that all of this platform and what we're doing, it allowed you, in terms of casts, to open up, right, to open it up to you don't have to be where everybody else is in order to create art, right, in order to create stories. And I think this is something that positive has even though we do it everybody has a home studio or that sort of thing, but allows you to cast a wider net and you know, and allow other artists to participate in these sorts of shows. I'm just you know, these these sorts of shows, which I think is is super exciting. It's like, yeah, I have my mic and I have my computer, and I have these people in mind, and that people from all kinds of places can come together. So what it does is it widens that opportunity right for those that want to participate and can participate. So it brings together you know, people say they have and the have nods, but then it allows and open in a far reach, right, which I think is really great about a podcast, which for me, I've always done voice overs, I'd never done a podcast past, and this concept was super exciting for me. And when you called me and you because Christopher and I have known each other for a very long time, almost thirty years. Our children are ten months apart. His daughter is now going to college, my son's going into a senior year, and had me in mind being a mom of a young black man. So I love that I was invited to audition and then eventually booked it, which is great, But for me, it was the concept in terms of this podcast where there's a story because their story and episodic story. But was even more interesting is that the listener actually can take something away in terms of artists right, and artists that are being introduced that is not just a story you listened to, like oh I love that story, but now the listener can take away and say, oh, I'm going to download this artist. I'm going to follow this artist. Right, There's a dual thing happening, which is what drew me. I'm like, oh gosh. The listener can be like, oh, I'm going to download this artist. Oh I just I loved her. That is what I think is unique about here comes the break is that the listener can take away with them not only information, but an artist that they can download and begin to listen to. And there's two things going on. So there's this sort of fictional story, but there's also the reality of the stories, like Wow, listen to this really great young, up and coming artist introduced by young people who are so on the pulse. Right, Reuben is on the pulse of what is happening, which is super exciting, which for me as like parents, like who is that artist? I don't know. You know, we're sort of old school right right with the casting and all of that, and you're being drawn to the project. What specifically, if anything about the mom character or or the narrative brought admitted interesting for you. Yeah, well, first, like I said, the concept that listener can actually take something away that's tangible. There was that, but also the familiarity of being a mom of a young black man. I am a single mother of a seventeen year old young black man, and sometimes things just fit because you have the experience and being an actor for all of these years, I didn't really have to pull from anywhere or imagine because there's a daily reminder of Okay, how am I navigating my son's future? How am I protecting? How am I not protecting? What am I doing now to help him move forward? So when reading the scripts and I'm like, oh, I know what this is. I know what this is. Okay, I know he's lying. But do I lean into this lie? Do I call him out on the lie? Is this the battle that I choose? Right? And I go through that every single day? So that was the the easy part to sort of drop in to mom. Absolutely, But what I love about here comes the Break is that Reuben's characters to solid parents who are present and are a team, which is super exciting and I think really important. But what's interesting is that young people that and I'll speak for my son and even Reuben that when a parent says no, and you can speak to this Christmas well, that all our kids here is we don't support them, and no means I don't believe in you. I don't support you, and right, that is the translation. Or it's not fair. That's not fair? How is that fair? And yeah, it's real. The the program brings up so many things that are palpable, I mean, in the world, but also just generally speaking in my life with I have eighteen year old daughter, and um, these ideas of being young and being a creative and what does that mean and sometimes the anxiety that that produces in the creative mind with will people like what I'm creating or are they going to think it's terrible? So like carrying the weight of that I found really interesting. And then when you add that to the social media the worlds that we're in, and how kids and even adults were putting stuff out in the world, and there seems to be this movement around not one too to be judgmental or to judge things, but in the essence, it's like a cash twenty two because you're throwing it out there for the world to see it, and then it's hard for the world not to judge what is thrown out there. And so just like the weight of what judgment means for young people right now, I think I got cut off. I was talking about what drew me to the role and what drew you to the role, and one of the things that I've found really interesting. I find really interesting about the project and the role, aside from the meta aspects of it that it's a podcast about three young people making a podcast, but also the things that are evolving around their lives. I have an eighteen year old daughter and who is also a young creative, and so the challenges that come up just around creativity for young people and the voice that they want to have in the world, and how that plays out in this this social media landscape, and how this social media landscape creates anxiety and judgments and and all of things, and how as a parent you navigate that for your child's health, but also you want to be supportive in what they're trying to do creatively because this is now this idea of an influencer and a blogger. All that stuff is new to our generation. I just want to say so. In the first episode, Reuben educates the listener, well, I was educated. I'm only gonna speak for myself. Was something that was new to me about young people and it's about likes and it's about and I was like, whoa, whoa. I had to be educated. It's like, wait, is this what my kid is going through. We'll be right back and now back to the show. Your daughter. I noticed a creative. My son is an athlete and doesn't really care about anything, but I had to be like, oh, this is what it is now, which is different from our generation Wright. We're generation X, which I think is the best generation by the way, before computers, before phones and after so I think we had the best of both worlds. That's just an aside. However, that being said, I was like, oh, oh, this is what I need to be paying attention to. This is how I need to find out what my kid is engaged in or not engaged? Do I do it secretly? How do I get his phone? How do I find out what they're doing? But it was the education part. Listening just to the first I'm like, oh my gosh, this is what they're dealing with. Sure, now there's like an instant fame, and I had no idea that being an influencer had more credibility with young people then being on some TV show like what Right. Yeah, and it's crazy too, like what that causes around mental obviously, you know the writer's Nikia and Taylor really I know wanted to focus in on and captured very well. Yeah, and also when we spoke to the artists from Deaf Jam, it was also a huge thing for them. I was really impressed by how these young people. Because also those artists were early twenties, that may have been a couple of late teens right there at the top of their game, but all of them spoke about self care and how they deal with the challenges and the requirements of getting your craft together, getting your pr stuff together, organizing things, and also having a life, you know, And so I was really impressed with that. As a parent, again, that's something that I I've had to come to terms with around my daughter and anxiety and what that does, just her being creative and not wanting to be judged all the time. And yet that's the essence of what we do, you know, right, there's that generational difference if we know how we grew up and went to school. You stuck it up, people up your booststraps, you keep it moving. And it's interesting for me, like when my son he said to me, you start me the funk out, and I'm like, what, Like, what are you talking about? First of all, I've never said that to my parents because I would have got slapped across the faith. But secondly, I'm like what, But they speak and they sit in their truth and they vocalize their truth. You know, there's the line and they pretending and the sneaking around because they think we don't understand. We may not understand because they think we're against him. But I had to sit back and listen, like you know mom does to Rubin, to really listen to what his wants and what his knees not because the automatic is you don't support me. So that was another thing that was interesting because even me, I right off, I'm like, oh my god, okay, and whatever, you need a mental health but this is real and these young people are advocates and are teaching me, and I'm listening and holding space for that just me as an educator, which I am, and all of those things that I'm being taught by this young generation who has to navigate this not only social media, but some of them are really really good at it and savvy and others allow it to seep into what it is that they're presenting or what have you. So that to me was super interesting. And what's great about the show is that all of that is covered. Sure. Yeah, and playing a parent, and I think they wrote this really well that the parents in this project are very supportive parents that said, like Ruben does some crazy stuff, like one of the episodes, not to give it away, but he takes a long trip and just besides, he's gonna take a long trip, just on and I'm like, how is seventeen you get on a plane, you know, and like and the parents bug out on him, but like, rightly so because what he does is inappropriate and stupid. So it has a really great balance of like, here's this stuff. You have this anxiety, and we're supporting you around it, and we want to help you reach what you want to reach. But at the same time, you're responsible for your behavior, and this right here is we will not tolerate that. And so I found that to be very true to what it is to bring up a child. I don't have a son, but trying to help navigate for a young sorry, young black man right now and in a troubling time is dangerous out there. For these young men, It is dangerous. Sorry to interrupt, But the thing that is so frustrating is that my seventeen year old thinks I'm whack, right, thinks I don't know anything. If you only knew right, you can't play a players. What I tell my daughters, Christopher, we've known each other and you know, still it's the thing where they think we don't understand, you know, but there is maybe this aspect of it, which is social media. I don't completely grasp in some Lonelie and whatever that's bullshit, right, But the fact that knowing that, okay, this is gonna lead you down the wrong road, when do I let the failure happen knowing that right, or do I help you succeed or allow you to experience and fail whatever that means, or succeed knowing what the outcome is going to be and helping you navigate because they think we don't know anything about anything, even though we do, and we're like, I know exactly how this is going to play out. So is this the moment I sit back and let it happen? Are there no consequence of the consequences will be the failure? What happens on the other end, which I think these parents and here comes the break are doing. It's like you have to choose, Okay, where is the learning moment and where there so they can learn? And when do I support knowing that the outcome is not going to be what this person wants? Do I protect them? That is the super hard heart, and I do with my son on the Time Live yesterday. Do you know what I'm about something? And I knew it was a lie, but I would like, you know what, I'm gonna let this one go. He knows I think he's line, but he's gonna lean into break like, do you get what I meantime? You got to turn the other cheek around this stuff because at the same time that there's almost a sense that at times it's about them trying to find themselves right and also find what the boundaries. I think sometimes it's like what the boundaries of your love might be? Sure so that they understand that they're supported and what they want to do. That said, but they never think they're supported. If you say no, they think we're against them, that we don't work and we don't believe in them. I'm gonna ask you one quick question. What do you think parents should take away from this project? Gosh, what I hope is that there is learning for parents about what this social media and the impact it has on our young people, which I didn't even realize because I was unfamiliar. I have a tendency to dismiss, which we can't do that. I can't do that because I'm like, I don't get it. Whatever, what is the snapchat? And I'm on the Graham and I'm not on the Graham and you know, and all of that is that I have to be active and not be afraid, which I think I am as a parent of like what is the social media? And I think it's bullshit and this and that and you don't need this, that it's not that that it is a driving factor for a lot of young people and what is that? So I have to be an active participant. And I hope that parents take that away that to learn about what is this, how are teenagers and young people reaching other young people, what is important to them, and not dismiss what is important to them as a bad or or that this will go away. That this has been part of their lives, their whole life and wasn't ours. So that is what I hope is that the paying attention to how young people communicate, how they congregate, and they have power in that social media. There's power there and to respect that power and what it can do that is great, and how it can harm, and teaching about what that harm. Like my son sent a picture out and two days later I got a call from the school and I was like, and there's that, right, So it's at least saying, Okay, this is the platform you're going to use. How can we navigate it so that doesn't come back to bite you in the ass in the year from now, in five years from now or whatever, right, rather than getting rid of it because that's not going to happen, but to say, how can I navigate this in a positive way that impacts the way I wanted to impact? And that's what I hope parents say, Okay, let me learn what this is rather than dismiss what Let me accept this and figure it out, and how can I help my child in this space? That's what I think is important, right right? Yeah? Yeah, for me, I think a lot of times A look at stuff that's happening with her and her friends, and it don't understand the levels of communication. But when you think about the world and how we evolved, you know what I mean, When we were teenagers, communication was at a particular level which was way ahead of when my parents were teenagers and when their parents are teenagians. And so these levels of communicating, whether it's through social media, through the phone, through the internet, it's that their lives are put on Everyone's life now is almost put on a pedestal or on display, pedestal or on display, right right, yeah, yeah, on display. Yeah, you almost can't get away from that now. So then how how do you manage that? And I think a lot of times I look at how we grew up and think that that applies to how these kids today are growing up. And I think what I've learned is that some of it applies, but a lot of it is irrelevant to where they are because they are so inundated with imagery and message constantly and there and so this thing that I've often done, you know, I know you've done it, and friends do it like, well, I did this when I was eighteen, and I'm okay, So if she does this when she's eighteen, she'll be okay. Well, you know that's an old Some of those ideas are old and an archaic idea, Yeah, and they don't even apply to where these kids are right now. This idea that if we just do what we used to do, things will be fine, and some bullshit philosophically part and parcel to what we just dealt with for the last four years in the country around the idea that we're going to make America greater. That's based on some old idea that somebody had. Well first, that it was great in the first place, but that you know, that's a line, right, that that we can do what we used to do and that will still work. Now, that's just that doesn't ring as truthful to me. And I think that's the thing that I hope parents takeaway is the idea of being able to be empathetic to the moment that they're yea, yep, yeah, absolutely absolutely. I hope everybody listens to Here Comes a Break. It's unique, the concept is unique, it is for everyone. The artists are amazing a Sante Black has done a lovely job. You have done a lovely job in directing, And it's a podcast. It's a show that is unique, and I couldn't be more thrilled to be a part of something that is super amazing and really different than anything that is out there. So yeah, for sure, And I shout out to the writers and to the producers and the the Kia, Taylor and Brady absolutely shout out to Double Elvis and the whole team. Yeah. Yeah, it's it's unlike anything I've ever been a part of her. We're seen on a stage or on TV, um, and so I to hope people get a chance to listen, to catch on, listen to it and be introduced to what our young people are having to offer, right and and embrace it because they're they're smart and they're savvy, right, and they know what's happening in this moment called now right and um, we'll take a moment to listen to them. And that's what I think is wonderful. So thank you so much for having us and listening to us and check out Here Comes the Break because you will not be disappointed right on. Thanks everyone, nice talking with you. Take care. I hope you enjoyed those insights from both sides of the generational divide. Next week we'll be back with more bonus content, including a conversation between the show's writers. You don't want to miss it. Here Comes to Break is produced by Double Elvis and partnership with I Heart Radio. Executive produced by Deaf Jam Recordings, Executive produced by and starring Asanti Black Is Reuben, produced by Danielle Perkins who plays Janelle. Bobby cs is Marco christ for v Edwards as Dad Raymie cornell Is Mom and Taylor Bettenson. Written by Taylor Bettenson and the Kia Hill Artist Interviews conducted by Nikia Hill, directed by Christopher V. Edwards, mixed and edited by Matt Ta Hainey, Sound recording by Colin Fleming, Music Elements and production by Ryan Spreaker. Additional production support by Jamie Dimons. Executive produced by Jake Brennan and Grady Sadler for Double Elvis Special thanks to Oren Rosenbaum, Shelby Shankman, Sarah Cowani, and Jordan Gerrellic United Talent Agency, Beck Media and Marketing, Barack Muffett and Universal Music Group, Rich Isaacson, Lind Gonzalez, Charlene Thomas, Merrissa Pizarro, Gabriel To Serrierio, Jessica Manarino and Nya Fleming at Deaf Jam Recordings and Conald Burne, Carrie Lieberman, Will Pearson, Noel Brown and the entire I Heeart Media team to hear bonus content, meet the cast and go behind the scenes of Here Comes to Break. Follow with Double Elvis on Instagram or visit double Elvis dot com. N