“Get Honest or Die Lying:” Charlamagne tha God on Why Small Talk Sucks

>>> AND OUR NEXT GUEST IS USING HIS PLATFORM TO ADVOCATE FOR GREATER AWARENESS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FOLLOWING THE SHOCKING VIDEO OF RAPPER SEAN "DIDDY" COMBS ASSAULTING HIS THEN GIRLFRIEND CASSIE VENTURA.

CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD IS A TELEVISION HOST, AUTHOR AND CO-HOST OF THE INFLUENTIAL RADIO SHOW "THE BREAKFAST CLUB ".

HE IS FAMED FOR HIS CANDID INTERVIEWS WITH CELEBRITIES AND POLITICIANS AND CULTURAL.

HIS LATEST BOOK IS "GET HONEST OR DIE LYING: WHY SMALL TALK SUCKS."

CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD JOINS MICHEL MARTIN TO EXPLAIN WHY HE IS ENCOURAGING THE WORLD TO EMBRACE MORE MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION.

>> THANKS, CHRISTIANE.

CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US ONCE AGAIN.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

HOW YOU?

>> I'M GOOD.

LOOK, MOST PEOPLE KNOW YOU AS THE CO-HOST OF "THE BREAKFAST CLUB," SUPER POPULAR RADIO SHOW.

YOU'VE BECOME AN IMPORTANT VOICE AS A POLITICAL COMMENTATOR.

YOU'VE ALREADY WRITTEN A COUPLE OF BOOKS, BUT THIS ONE IS DIFFERENT.

AS YOU SAY IN THE BOOK, YOUR PREVIOUS BOOKS WERE ABOUT YOURSELF.

BUT THIS ONE IS ABOUT US, OR THE AUDIENCE, AS I GUESS I WOULD PUT IT.

WHY THE CHANGE?

WHAT DID YOU THINK WAS MISSING?

WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY?

>> MY FIRST BOOKS WERE VERY PERSONAL TO ME, MYSELF.

THE BOOKS THAT I LIKE TO READ A LOT OF TIMES ARE USUALLY IN THE SELF-HELP VEIN, AND MALCOLM GLADWELLS, THE RYAN HALLIDAYS, THOSE INDIVIDUALS USE A LOT OF HISTORICAL CONTEXT TO BACK UP A LOT OF THEIR BELIEFS OR LAWS, YOU KNOW.

IN THE CASE OF RODERICK GREEN, I'M NOT THAT SMART.

SO MY HISTORICAL CONTEXT COMES FROM ME AND MY LIFE.

BUT WITH THIS BOOK, IT WAS MORE SO NOT JUST THINGS ABOUT ME, BUT MORE SO OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE WORLD AT LARGE.

OBSERVATIONS ABOUT SOCIETY, WHETHER IT'S MENTAL HEALTH WHICH I'M A BIG MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE, OR POLITICS, OR SOCIAL MEDIA.

JUST ALL THESE THINGS THAT I FEEL LIKE ARE RUINING OUR CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS AND CAUSING US TO MAKE A LOT OF MICROS, MACROS.

I DON'T KNOW HOW SUSTAINABLE THAT IS FOR US.

>> I JUST WONDERED, WAS THERE SOME SORT OF A TRIGGERING EVENT THAT SAID TO YOU I REALLY NEED TO SPEAK ON THIS?

>> I THINK JUST OBSERVING THE WORLD FOR THE LAST SIX YEARS, YOU KNOW.

OBSERVING THE WORLD WITH A LOT MORE CLARITY BECAUSE OF -- BECAUSE OF THERAPY, BECAUSE OF THINGS LIKE MEDICATION, BECAUSE OF PLANT-BASED MEDICINE.

JUST OBSERVING THE WORLD WITH A LOT MORE CLARITY AND DISCONNECTING, RIGHT.

WHEN YOU'RE DISCONNECTED FROM SOMETHING, WHEN YOU CHOOSE TO MAKE THE CONSCIOUS DECISION TO SAY MAN, I SEE WHERE THIS SOCIAL MEDIA STUFF IS TAKING US, AND I DON'T REALLY WANT TO BE A PART OF LIKE THAT.

SO I'M NOT -- I HAVEN'T BEEN ON TWITTER SINCE 2018.

YOU GO ON MY TWITTER, IT'S A BUNCH OF PROMO STUFF.

I DON'T GO ON TIKTOK.

FOR ME, IT WAS JUST WATCHING HOW SOCIAL MEDIA WAS LITERALLY TAKING OVER PEOPLE'S MINDS, THEIR BRAINS.

I WAS WATCHING PEOPLE GET ONLINE AND NOT EVEN KNOW WHAT TO THINK OR FEEL ABOUT SOMETHING UNTIL THEY SAW WHATEVER THE MASS CONSENSUS WAS ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

AND THAT WAS SCARY TO ME.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S KIND OF LIKE WHEN I NAMED THE BOOK GET HONEST OR DIE LYING, OF COURSE, THAT'S A PLAY OFF ONE OF THE GREATEST HIP-HOP ALBUMS OF ALL TIME, 50 CENT.

BUT IT ALSO WENT AWAY ON A SPIRITUAL RETREAT EARLIER THIS YEAR.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP FOR ME IS STOP LYING TO YOURSELF AND STOP VOLUNTEERING THOSE LIES TO OTHER PEOPLE.

WHEN I LOOK AT SOCIAL MEDIA NOW, I SEE SO MANY PEOPLE LYING TO THEMSELVES.

AND THEY'RE LYING TO THEMSELVES AND THEY'RE VOLUNTEERING THESE LIES TO OTHERS.

THEY'RE WILLINGLY PROJECTING ALL OF THESE LIES ON TO OTHER PEOPLE.

AND ONCE AGAIN, I JUST DON'T KNOW HOW SUSTAINABLE THAT IS.

IF IT'S SUSTAINABLE AT ALL.

AND IT'S SCARY.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU'VE COMPLAINED ABOUT IS THAT THE NUANCE OF WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SAY IS LOST, RIGHT.

IS THAT PEOPLE FEEL I ASSUME BECAUSE YOU'RE AN AFRICAN AMERICAN MAN, THAT YOU LEAN LEFT.

BUT IF YOU SAY SOMETHING THAT LEANS RIGHT OR THAT SEEMS TO LEAN RIGHT, THE CONSERVATIVE MEDIA EATS IT UP.

BUT IF YOU SAY SOMETHING THAT THEY DON'T AGREE WITH, THEN THEY'RE NOT INTERESTED.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE SAID IN THIS ELECTION CYCLE, YOU DON'T WANT TO ENDORSE ANYBODY.

YOU'RE SAYING YOU'RE GOING TO VOTE, BUT YOU'RE NOT GOING TO ENDORSE ANYBODY.

THAT HAS CAUSED A LOT OF HUBBUB.

I'M JUST NOT SURE HOW DO YOU RECAPTURE THE NUANCE?

HOW DO YOU RECAPTURE THE NUANCE OF WHAT YOU'RE TRYING TO SAY AND TO BE HEARD IN YOUR TOTALITY?

>> BEING OUT ON THE BOOK TOUR THE PAST WEEK, AND YOU KNOW, DOING A LOT OF THE DIFFERENT PRESS THAT I DO, EVERYBODY HAS NARRATIVES THAT THEY WANT TO PUSH.

I FEEL LIKE SOME JUST DO IT BETTER THAN OTHERS.

I FEEL LIKE THE RIGHT HAS A NARRATIVE THAT THEY STICK TO, AND THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.

THEY CAN GET ONE THAT HELPS PUSH WHATEVER NARRATIVE IT IS.

AND RIGHT NOW FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS, IT'S BEEN BLACK PEOPLE ARE NOT REALLY IN LOVE WITH PRESIDENT BIDEN.

THE NUMBERS FOR DONALD TRUMP ARE STARTING TO RISE IN REGARD TO THE BLACK VOTER, WHICH I THINK IS A LITTLE BIT OVERSTATED.

BUT ANYTHING THAT CAN HELP WITH THAT NARRATIVE.

SO IF CHARLAMAGNE SAYS JOE BIDEN IS AN UNINSPIRING CANDIDATE WITH NO MAIN CHARACTER ENERGY, THAT'S THE HEADLINE.

FORGET CHARLAMAGNE SAYING DONALD TRUMP IS TARGETING DEMOCRACY, TRIED TO SUSPEND THE CONSTITUTION, OVERTHROWN THE RESULTS OF AN ELECTION.

FORGET ALL OF THAT.

WE'RE GOING TO STICK TO OUR NARRATIVE.

THAT'S WHAT -- THAT'S WHAT, YOU KNOW, THE RIGHT DOES.

THE LEFT, ALL THEY DO IS PAY ATTENTION TO THE NARRATIVE THAT THE RIGHT PUTS OUT THERE.

SO THEY NEVER, EVER CREATE THEIR OWN NARRATIVES.

I CAN GO ON A SHOW LIKE WITH YOU AND THEY'LL ASK ME WHY I DON'T WANT TO ENDORSE.

AND I CAN SAY ALL OF THESE THINGS ABOUT TRUMP.

AND LITERALLY SAY THERE IS ONLY TWO CHOICES.

SO I'M CLEARLY GOING TO VOTE FOR THE PERSON I THINK WILL PRESERVE DEMOCRACY.

INSTEAD OF THEM SIMPLY SAYING WHO THAT INDIVIDUAL IS, THEY WILL KEEP PUSHING ME, PUSHING ME, PUSHING ME TO SAY IT MYSELF.

I JUST THINK THAT'S VERY STRANGE.

BUT WHAT GIVES ME HOPE IS THE PEOPLE.

OVER THIS PAST WEEK, I'VE DONE ALL THIS DIVERSE PRESS, BUT I'VE ALSO BEEN AT THESE BOOK SIGNINGS TALKING TO PEOPLE.

AND THAT'S WHO I ALWAYS GET MY INFORMATION FROM.

MY INFORMATION ONLY COMES FROM THE PEOPLE.

THE PEOPLE WHO CALL INTO THE RADIO STATION EVERY MORNING, THE PEOPLE WHO I MEET IN THE STREET FROM SOUTH CAROLINA TO NEW JERSEY TO L.A.

I TALK TO PEOPLE.

AND WHEN PEOPLE TELL ME THEY UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT I'M SAYING.

AND NOT ONLY THAT THEY FEEL WHAT I'M SAYING.

YOU LOOK AT THE POLLS.

A QUARTER OF THE COUNTRY FEELS THE WAY I DO.

THEY HAVE UNFAVORABLE VIEWS ABOUT BOTH CANDIDATES.

SO WHEN I MEET THESE PEOPLE WHO ABSOLUTELY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS THAT I'M SAYING, AND THEY UNDERSTAND WHY I'M SAYING IT, THAT'S WHAT GIVES ME HOPE.

BUT I HAVE ZERO FAITH IN MEDIA.

>> YOU'RE RIGHT THAT EVERYBODY IS A SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER.

AND THERE IS NOT A DAY THAT GOES BY WHERE THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS WITH THE WORLD.

THE RESULT IS WE'RE BEING DESIEGED BY A NEVER ENDING CASCADE OF THOUGHTS, OPINIONS, RANTS, LECTURES, AND READS.

SAY MORE ABOUT THAT.

AS A PERSON, YOU'RE DISCUSSING IT YOURSELF.

YOU'RE A PERSON WHO KIND OF GETS INTO THE DAILY FLOW OF CONVERSATION.

SO SAY MORE ABOUT THAT.

WHAT IS IT THAT TROUBLES YOU?

>> IT'S NOT THOUGHTFUL, THAT IT'S NOT SINCERE, THAT IT'S A JOB FOR ME.

IT'S SOMETHING THEY FEEL THEY HAVE TO DO, JUST BECAUSE THEY'VE CREATED THE SPACE TO DO IT.

THERE IS A LOT OF MONETIZATION INVOLVED.

ONCE START, YOU'RE TOO PAID.

ONCE YOU START, YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM, YOU CONSTANTLY WANT THAT ENGAGEMENT.

SO, YEAH, FOR ME, IT'S JUST THAT IT'S NOT -- IT'S THOUGHTFUL.

IT'S NOT COMING FROM A GOOD PLACE.

IT'S NOT LIKE EDITORIAL THAT YOU WOULD READ BACK IN THE DAY.

IN A MAGAZINE OR IN A NEWSPAPER WHERE THERE WAS ACTUAL STAKES.

THERE WAS CONSEQUENCES TO REPORTING THE WRONG THING.

THERE WAS CONSEQUENCES TO REPORTING FALSE INFORMATION.

NOWADAYS, PEOPLE ARE JUST MAKING THINGS UP FOR CLICKS.

AND NOBODY CARES ABOUT THE TRUTH WHEN THE LIE IS MORE ENTERTAINING.

SO NOW IT'S JUST LIKE YEAH, PEOPLE ARE DOING ANYTHING, SAYING ANYTHING, WRITING ANYTHING, YOU KNOW, JUST FOR THE ALGORITHM.

AND I DON'T LIKE THAT.

I THINK THAT'S VERY DANGEROUS AND IT'S THE OLD SCHOOL PART OF ME THAT WANTS PEOPLE TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR WORDS THE SAME WAY I HAD TO DEAL WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF MINE.

AND STILL, I HAVE TO DEAL WITH THE CONSEQUENCES OF MINE NOW.

AND THAT'S EVERYTHING FROM YOU KNOW, YOU CAN BE SUED.

YOU CAN GET PUNCHED IN THE FACE.

YOU CAN GET FINED BY THE FCC.

YOU CAN GET FIRED.

THERE IS ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT I HAD TO DEAL WITH THAT MAKES ME UNDERSTAND, YOU KNOW, FREE SPEECH AIN'T FREE.

AND SO THAT'S WHY I WANT A LOT OF THIS GENERATION TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH THAT AS WELL.

>> HOW DO YOU BALANCE THAT WITH THE FACT THAT PEOPLE STILL WANT TO HEAR YOU TALK NONSENSE ABOUT CELEBRITIES.

THEY DO.

IT'S ENTERTAINING FOR PEOPLE.

AND ALSO FOR PEOPLE IT'S A DISTRACTION FROM THE HEAVINESS OF THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.

SO HOW DO YOU BALANCE THAT OUT?

>> IT'S GOING HAPPEN.

IT'S NOT LIKE IN THE BOOK I'M SAYING LET'S CUT ALL THE SMALL TALK.

I'M SAYING LET'S MINIMIZE IT, RIGHT?

BUT ALSO, ONE THING I'VE ALWAYS TRIED TO DO, EVEN WHEN IT COMES TO CELEBRITIES, I WANT TO TAKE IT OUT OF THE INDIVIDUAL AND ACTUALLY TALK ABOUT THE ISSUE.

WHAT IS THE BROADER ISSUE THAT WE CAN DISCUSS.

I FEEL LIKE THAT'S USUALLY THE CASE ARE WITH ANY CELEBRITY STORY.

YOU CAN FOCUS ON THE INDIVIDUAL IF YOU WANT.

THERE IS ALWAYS AN ISSUE THAT I STARTED TO SAY UNDERLINE.

BUT REALLY IS NOT UNDERLINED.

RIGHT NOW YOU LOOK AT A SITUATION LIKE WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH DIDDY AND CASS IT IS.

EVERYBODY WANTS TO FOCUS ON THE CELEBRITY, TALK ABOUT WHO'S GOING TO STILL BE PLAYING DIDDY'S MUSIC AND WHAT COMPANIES NOT WORKING WITH DIDDY NO MORE.

BUT THE ISSUE SHOULD BE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.

THE ISSUE SHOULD BE MEN REALLY DOING THAT REAL INTERNAL WORK ON THEMSELVES SO THEY DEAL WITH WHATEVER HURT AND PAIN AND TRAUMA THEY GOT IN THEM THAT STOP PROJECTING THAT ON TO OUR WOMEN.

THE ISSUE SHOULD BE TALKING ABOUT THE PATRIARCH.

BECAUSE AS LONG AS MEN ARE IN THESE POSITIONS WHERE THEY'RE AT THE TOP AND WOMEN ARE SUPPOSEDLY UNDERNEATH THEM, YOU'RE GOING TO ALWAYS HAVE THESE SITUATIONS WHERE MEN, YOU KNOW, LIKE I SAID, PROJECT THAT PAIN AND HURT ON SOMETHING THEY THINK THEY OWN, BUT THEY DON'T.

THOSE ARE THE CONVERSATIONS WE SHOULD BE HAVING.

LONG AFTER DIDDY AND CASSIE IS NO LONGER IN THE NEWS CYCLE, THERE IS GOING TO BE WOMEN ALL OVER THIS WORLD BEING VICTIMS OF THE PATRIARCHY.

WOMEN ALL OVER THE WORLD BEING VICTIMS OF SOME MAN WHO AIN'T DEALT WITH HIS HURT, AND HE'S PROJECTING THAT ON TO SOMEBODY ELSE.

SO TO ME, THAT SHOULD BE THE CONVERSATION.

IT WAS ALWAYS THE BIGGER ISSUE.

THAT'S WHY I NAMED THE BOOK "WHY SMALL TALK SUCKS" BECAUSE WE DON'T FOCUS ON THE MACROS THE WAY HE WE SHOULD.

>> LOOPING BACK TO POLITICS, ONE OF THE THINGS YOU SAID IS ONE OF THE REASONS YOU DON'T WANT TO ENFORCE THIS YEAR IS YOU WANT PEOPLE TO START FOCUSING ON THE ISSUES AS OPPOSED TO THE PERSONALITIES.

THERE ARE THOSE WHO ARGUE THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE SORT OF ON THE PROGRESSIVE LEFT OR LET'S JUST SAY AREN'T CONSERVATIVE FIND IT EASIER TO BE TOUGHER ON THE DEMOCRATS BECAUSE THEY'LL TAKE IT.

IS THE REPUBLICANS WILL GET UP AND WALK OUT OR THEY'LL MAKE YOU THE ISSUE, OR THEY'LL GET ON A SHOW SO THEY CAN JOUST WITH YOU SO THEY CAN START A TWITTER FIGHT, WHATEVER, AN X FIGHT.

WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT?

>> I DON'T KNOW THAT THEY'LL TOLERATE IT.

IT'S JUST THAT THAT IS THE PARTY THAT I VOTED IN.

IF YOU'RE A PROGRESSIVE, NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN, IF YOU'RE A PROGRESSIVE, YOU VOTED IN.

SO IF YOU SEE THESE PEOPLE -- IF YOU PUT THESE PEOPLE IN A POSITION OF POWER AND THEY'RE NOT DOING WHAT THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO DO, YOU'RE GOING TO RAISE HOLY HELL WITH THEM, AS YOU SHOULD.

JUST LIKE CONSERVATIVES DO WITH OTHER CONSERVATIVES.

IF THERE IS A CONSERVATIVE THAT ISN'T FALLING IN LINE WITH WHAT THEY WANT, THEY'RE GOING TO SHAKE THEM UP.

LIKE DONALD TRUMP WILL HAVE A MILLION NICKNAMES FOR THAT PERSON BY TONIGHT IF THEY DON'T FALL IN LINE WITH WHAT OTHER REPUBLICANS WANT TO DO.

FOR THEY ARE A CONSERVATIVE WHO GOES AGAINST THE GRAIN, THEY GET CHASTISED.

THEY GET ALMOST EXILED OFF THE ISLAND.

I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH PROGRESSIVE CHALLENGES DEMOCRATS AND LIBERALS, BECAUSE YES, I'M MORE PISSED OFF AT THEM THAN I CONSERVATIVES BECAUSE I VOTED YOU IN.

I VOTED YOU IN BECAUSE YOU SAID YOU WERE GOING TO DO THESE THINGS.

AND IF THESE THINGS AREN'T BEING DONE, I GOT TO HOLD YOUR FEET TO THE FIRE.

I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH IT.

>> WHY DO YOU THINK IT IS?

YOU HAVE SAID REPEATEDLY THAT THE DEMOCRATS ARE JUST DOING A VERY POOR JOB OF COMMUNICATING.

WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS?

>> I HONESTLY THINK BECAUSE THEY'RE STILL MOVING LIKE POLITICIANS.

AND CONSERVATIVES ARE MOVING LIKE REGULAR EVERYDAY PEOPLE.

CONSERVATIVES HAVE REALIZED THAT REALLY, TRULY, NOTHING IS A DEAL BREAKER ANYMORE.

YOU KNOW.

I REMEMBER DONALD TRUMP SAID THAT DURING HIS FIRST CAMPAIGN.

I CAN GO WALK OUT I THINK IT WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET AND SHOOT SOMEBODY IN THE HEAD AND NOBODY WOULD CARE.

AND EVERYBODY WAS OH MY GOD.

THE PROBLEM IS EVERYBODY WAS TOO BUSY FOCUSED ON WHAT HE ACTUALLY SAID AND THEY WERE TAKING IT LITERAL AS OPPOSED TO WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO SAY OVERALL, THE METAPHOR HE WAS USING SO TO SPEAK WAS AIN'T NOBODY TRIPPING OFF NONE OF THAT NO MORE.

SO YOU SEE A GREAT MOVIE WHICH I LOVE, BULWORTH, STARRING WARREN BEATTY.

DEMOCRATS NEED A BULWORTH.

CONSERVATIVES HAVE THEIR BULWORTH IN THE NAME OF DONALD J. TRUMP.

THE DIFFERENCE WITH THE CONSERVATIVES AND LIBERALS IS CONSERVATIVES ARE MORE SINCERE ABOUT THEIR LIES THAN DEMOCRATS ARE ABOUT THEIR TRUTH.

DEMOCRATS HAVE TRUTH THEY CAN TELL.

THEY HAVE REAL WAGES THAT THEY'VE PUT ON THE BOARD OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS.

BUT THEY'RE JUST NOT ABLE TO COMMUNICATE IT.

AND WHEN THEY DO, THEY DO IT WITH THEIR VOICE SHAKING SO DON'T NOBODY REALLY BELIEVE THEM.

MEANWHILE, YOU'VE GOT THESE PEOPLE OVER HERE LYING THROUGH THEY TEETH, BUT WITH CONVICTION.

SO FOLKS BELIEVE IT.

AND THAT'S WHY I WATCH -- I LIKE TO LOOK AT BOTH SIDES.

I'M GOING TO WATCH FOX, CNN, MSNBC, BECAUSE I LOVE ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY'RE ALL TALKING ABOUT ONE THING.

BUT I LOVE TO SEE THE DIFFERENT ANGLES THAT THEY ARE APPROACHING FROM.

>> BEFORE WE LET YOU GO, HOW YOU?

YOU HAVE BEEN REALLY OPEN AND VERY HONEST ABOUT YOUR STRUGGLES WITH PANIC ATTACKS AND ANXIETY.

AND THAT'S WHY YOU BECOME A MENTAL HEALTH ADVOCATE, AS YOU SAY.

YOU'RE VERY OPEN ABOUT YOUR COMMITMENT TO THERAPY AND SELF-WORK.

HOW YOU?

>> THANK YOU FOR ASKING.

THIS WEEKEND WAS ROUGH.

I WAS HAVING LIKE SOME REALLY, REALLY, REALLY BAD PANIC ATTACKS THIS WEEKEND, REALLY, REALLY, BAD BOUTS OF DEPRESSION THIS WEEKEND.

>> I'M SORRY.

>> YEAH, IT WAS ONE OF THOSE TIMES, I HAD TO HAVE AN EMERGENCY.

I HAD TO CALL MY THERAPIST ON SUNDAY MORNING BECAUSE IT STARTED HITTING ME SATURDAY NIGHT.

AND I HAD TO CALL MY THERAPIST SUNDAY MORNING TO REALLY GET SOME CLARITY ABOUT SOME THINGS.

AND ACTUALLY WROTE IT DOWN.

THAT'S CRAZY YOU ASK ME THIS.

BUT I WROTE IT DOWN.

ONE OF THE THINGS HE SAID ANXIETY COMES WITH DOING NEW THINGS.

IT'S UNHUMAN FOR IT NOT TO BE.

ANY TIME YOU PUT OUT A BOOK, IT'S KIND OF LIKE REVEALING A PIECE OF FLESH.

IT'S A NEW PIECE OF YOURSELF.

SO EVERY BOOK IS DIFFERENT.

AND EVERY BOOK IS UNIQUE.

BUT YOU'RE SHARING THINGS WITH PEOPLE.

I DON'T KNOW WHY, MAN, IT ALL HIT ME SATURDAY, OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD, IT'S ALMOST LIKE THEY'RE PEEKING INTO YOUR HOUSE SO TO SPEAK.

AND EVEN THOUGH I HAVE BOOKS BEFORE ON "THE NEW YORK TIMES" BEST SELLERS, NATIONAL BEST SELLERS AND ALL THAT, I DON'T KNOW WHY, THIS ONE JUST HIT ME A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT.

AND I FEEL LIKE THERE IS PROBABLY A LOT OF NEW EYEBALLS ON ME AS WELL.

AND THE THING ABOUT IMPOSTOR SYNDROME, IT WAITS FOR THOSE MOMENTS WHEN THAT ANXIETY REALLY IS KICKING IN.

AND THAT LITTLE BIT OF DEPRESSION POPS IN.

A LITTLE BIT OF DOUBT.

AS SOON AS THAT LITTLE BIT OF DOUBT POPS IN, HERE COMES THE IMPOSTOR SYNDROME LIKE YEAH, YEAH, BEEN WAITING ON YOU, BIG SHOT.

OH, YOU THOUGHT YOU WERE POPULAR.

AND IT'S JUST YOU START GOING, YOUR MIND STARTS GOING ALL OVER THE PLACE.

SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I'M DOING A LOT BETTER RIGHT NOW IN THIS MOMENT THAN I WAS THIS WEEKEND, BUT IT'S STILL LINGERING A LITTLE BIT.

>> WELL, THANK YOU FOR SHARING THAT.

I THINK EVERY TIME YOU KIND OF OPEN THE DOOR TO YOUR OWN LIFE, I THINK YOU CREATE SPACE FOR OTHER PEOPLE TO DO THE SAME.

CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TALKING WITH US ONCE AGAIN.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

APPRECIATE YOU.

>> INDEED.