
This week, we speak with Van Lathan Jr., prolific podcaster, Oscar winning producer, and author of the new memoir Fat, Crazy, and Tired: Tales from the Trenches of Transformation. Our conversation covers vulnerability, feeling [un]comfortable in our own skin, and the struggle of loving our bodies. We also get into mourning the future, and the journey of becoming who we think we need to be.
The Stacks Book Club selection for May is Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop by Danyel Smith. We will discuss the book on May 25th with Novena Carmel.
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Everything we talk about on today’s episode can be found below in the show notes. You can also find everything we talked about on Amazon.
- Fat, Crazy, and Tired by Van Lathan
- Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay (The Ringer)
- TMZ Live
- Lizzo
- Survivor (CBS)
- King Von
- Upitty (Nate Adams & Adam Carolla, 2020)

- Day ‘N’ Night (Nightmare) (Kid Cudi, 2009)
- Man on the Moon: The End of Day (Kid Cudi, 2009)
- Sonos Move
- Leah Lakins
- TIDAL
- Goldfish
- Swedish Fish
- Dessert Mints
- Sprouts
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
- World’s Finest Chocolate
- Ghirardelli Chocolate
- Godiva Chocolate
- See’s Candies
- Ben & Jerry’s Vanilla Heath Bar Crunch
- Star Wars (George Lucas, 1977)
- A Swiftly Tilting Planet by Madeleine L’Engle
- A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine l’Engle
- A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
- James Baldwin
- Toni Morrison
- Miss Me with That by Rachel Lindsay
- “Ep. 202 Even the Bachelorette Gets Insecure with Rachel Lindsay” (The Stacks)
- Heavy by Kiese Laymon
- Peniel Joseph
- The Sword and the Shield by Peniel Joseph
- Stokely by Peniel Joseph
- Waiting ‘Til the Midnight Hour by Peniel Joseph
- Fat, Crazy, and Tired by Van Lathan (Audiobook)
Connect with Van: Twitter | Instagram
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