Greatest Athletes on Social Media with Omar Raja

of my day ones, and they were a mistake. Ny. How are you doing. I'm good. How are you? I'm doing great. It's good to be doing the pot again. Sports is coming back, so it's not a lot of like you know, remember when Lebron blocked Now, this podcast has already been um pigeonholed as as a podcast that pretends to be all sports but is really basketball. Do you think you'll be able to be I don't sports agnostic?

Yeah no, no, no, I'll try. But I mean our guests for today is no better way to introduce him. You know, he used to tell me as I guess my boss, but my friend, you know, House of Highlights is primarily a basketball account. No no other sports really work that well. But he's no longer at House of Highlights, and we'll get into a little bit nothing controversial, but he's now a new employee at ESPN. Ladies and gentlemen,

welcome Omar Rajah for having me. C J. When you said co host, I thought you were like talking about me. We were we were the first. You're talking about Megan the first co host. I'm the first co host, all three of us right now. This might be podcast history. We got three Twitter show hosts. Leg you know what,

It'll never be done again. I promise you what. I like that Twitter inadvertently did I think Twitter would tell my show, you guys are the art most viewed show on Twitter, and then Twitter would tell you, guys, you guys are our most viewed show on Twitter. And it's like, now, how can that be true of both shows that no one is watching. Well, they were both coming on at the same time, too, so it couldn't have been like one of those most active show right now that's the

most viewed. We were both kind of going around the same time. And I actually didn't know that they said to you, they you're the most viewed, because now I'm kind of jealous and hurt because I thought we were I thought it was legit. I was like, oh, c J, like we've done something here. It's like we did something. People liked it. People saw a few of the clipouts, they liked it. I mean, we had a season two, but you I mean you guys were not a part

of season two. Yeah, there was a season two. It was also there was technically a season two of my show, and I was also not a part of that. Things happened. That's the business. We're still working right now, gratefully in in the pandemic. But um, for some of our listeners who don't know you, Omar, I wanted to get a little bit into your back story. Um, you did. You founded the popular Instagram sports account House of Highlights. How many years ago now, two thousand and fourteen, August two,

Obama and so what happened? So you started the account? You were at University of Central Florida. Yeah, I mean, honestly even starts a little bit before that. Like I think the story often tells like Lebron left the heat, but what's the media training? What's what's that's the media trained story? Now, I can be a little bit more

honest about how it kind of went about. Um the years before that, in two thousand and eight, two thousand nine, I was trying to make YouTube videos for like NBA two K and basically so many video games back then, so it's call of duty too, and that was like the first time where you saw that, like, if you grew an Internet audience, you could make money off of it.

I was just too young to like ever really figured out and have the money to like five equipment like microphones and cameras, so I kind of gave up on it. But when college came around, now I was a bit more mature, I had some money I could try it out, and Instagram was like kind of the YouTube of the time of two thousand and twelve two thousand thirteen, like

having this rise. So when the Heat won the championship with two thousand and thirteen, there was this photo of Dwyane Wade popping champagne, and I'm gonna take all of these cool photos and make my own Instagram page because Instagram was really known for his photos at that time too, there was no so I put them all together. I made an account called Sports Posters, and I got like two thousand followers like two weeks. I was like I made it. I was like, I made it. I was good.

And then I kept doing it, and I think over a year we went from zero to two d and thirty five thousand, and then the natural transition was like, all right, let me do this for a video as well. Um when lebron On left in July and augustly just started it. So then I had with pages, but Sports Posters was just primarily it was just like curated sports content, not just videos. It was like a lot of people we work with now like photo shops, yeah, and like

memes and ship. The sports posters still exist. No, so I think about to three years ago it was become House of Highs were getting so big that it's hard to manage, like to three different pages. Um that I was just like, we hit up Instagram, like can you put these two accounts together? A lot of people on followed though from sports Posters that were like what is all these videos? Were like we do not like these

moving pictures. I remember that I was like, I didn't notice that it was House of Highlights the only one doing it until I actually maybe even met you, where you were like no, we're we're primarily going to go

video because it's like it's literally it's highlights. And I just remember, like, why why wouldn't you do what Bleach Report is doing, Like why not just like a quote card and stuff like that that those get numbers, But like you sort of figure out early on just videos, and that's sort of like the model that everyone's doing right now is it's the top ten. But yeah, I would say the major thing that even Instagram does, probably TikTok does a little bit, um, is they push videos

so hard. Videos are super share able. People are actually like you can look at a photo in two seconds and keep scrolling like a video you might have to legit stay on the app sixty seconds. So they want stuff and they're gonna push stuff on the explore page and in the algorithm that are videos. Um. That's why, like at a certain point I felt like they were really pushing I g t V because then they just

met you spend more time on Instagram. So I just remember pushing bad content HEV being like, let's just do it.

No I G t V. E then numbers the number they're chiec in the numbers, man, come on, and so then you guys met in seventeen Wow, Okay, Yeah, I would just walk by each other at the office because I feel like you're a part of this bleach report acquired at So I do I do the journey like House of Highlights I started, And because I had all the success with sports posters, I knew how to kind of make it even faster the success I had over

the last year. Um. So, one thing with highlight wrights is you need to have like you need to be a partner with the NBA. So I always knew I needed to partner with an ESPN or a bleacher Board from the beginning. Yeah, because YouTube had like because I've I've seen like NFL highlights and like two thousand and eight get copyrighted by the NFL. So like I was aware of like copyright a little bit, especially if you get bigger, Like if you were not growing in size,

they probably would have looked the other way. But once you yeah, once you're monetizing it and huge, they're like, well, now we want to be a part of that. Yeah, exactly. So once you hit like five thousand, you're like you're just waiting for the day to get shut down. Like, man, you got happed, right, Yeah, I got I mean on the last. So this is was crazy, is I got the offer from Bleach Report. I don't think I ever shared this. I actually wasn't gonna take it. Um yeah,

I mean I wasn't. It wasn't anything against Bleacher Report, And in hindsight, I should have definitely taken the offer. Um like I should have definitely like, thank god I did take it. But you know, on on a on the I got hacked on a Sunday two days before that. Um, I decided that I wasn't gonna agree to the br offer. Not that it was bad. I just wanted to see what would happen if I could just stick it out

for another year. Yeah, I mean I was. I was figuring out different ways to do it, and I also I was curious what it was gonna be like to have a manager. And also I think when you watch TV shows or movies, the idea that like, oh, they're just gonna buy it and then ruin it always in the back of your head. So I think that that one primarily was in the back of my head, like yeah, they're just gonna buy it and then kicked me to the curb and I'm gonna regret all of this, so

thanks for that didn't happen. But I made the decision on a Friday night to sell it. Two days later, I got hacked, and maybe it was not from God to be like, no, you idiots, you better sell this thing. You're maybe maybe it was bleacher Report. They're like if we said that. Half the people I tell the story to they're convinced that Bleacher Report hacked it. But I eventually figured out who did it. It was just like hacker.

If if anyone's interested, you can look up something called sim swapping and it's kind of the way to hack a bunch of accounts, like the guy impersonated me contact and like a T and T into day a T and T Like, hey, I'm omar like me, that's a lot to do. I got hacked, but it was fishing, and I think fishing is just like, oh, if we can get one stupid person to click on something, And I said, boy, oh boy, here I am. I am your stupid person, and I will click on it. Because yeah,

they were like, you have copyright infringement. I'm like a good my ass like I own it. But I clicked things and then a man in in Turkey had it well, people say, how do you know it was a man? I don't think a woman in Turkey would do that to me. I think it was a man of journey, I assume. But yeah, I did not have any offers to accept to get me out of it. Just a stranger on Twitter helped me. So no, but you gotta

think about it. For me, I'm still in college and I have this big offer and now I think I lost it all. I was like, I'm done, and I think it was I got hacked on October eighteen and it wasn't like October twentieth. I got it back because I think, Megan, you got it back pretty quick. I didn't get the account back to Halloween, and at that point I actually given up. I was like, there's just no where God. So are you still talking the Bleacher Report during that time? Yeah? I mean they're the ones

that helped out. They kept putting the connecting Facebook. Facebook at first was kind of being hesitant on helping, or they just weren't really responding, or they didn't seem really care. Facebook not being not being good people. Wow, we gotta

call Mark. But eventually eventually they did, to their credit and they looked into it and they were like, you know what he got happened, So they got me the account and then honestly from the jump, I'd never regretted it after that because like, I got to do all of the things I dreamed of as a kid, and then I met c J. And and now now you keep running. You want to say something nice about c J,

so I'll let you. I did. So one of the first memories I actually have of CJ because he he wasn't working on the Social Department at the time, so he would come down because he wanted to work with Social for Bleacher reports. Yeah, I was getting I was on social at first and then I got pulled onto and then remember that, so he would he would like when he would disappear, he would oftentimes go to like your shows. I remember one time it was like what

West Palm Beach or so it was something Implora. Remember c J came down talked about your show in Florida like killed at YadA YadA, And then I was like, wait, like who is she? And I got the entire room to stop what they're doing and watch you stand up that you don't cone in and we all laugh I'll never forget PJ, who was working with us, laughed, who wouldn't stop laughing. Yeah, and I'm not so scary. That is like the situation you've just described as every comedian's

like greatest fear, because now I'm hearing the positive. Oh yeah it was your boyfriend and now we're all friends. And but for every one of those, there's been ten where like someone I went to elementary school with was like, here, we'll put it on and their whole family reunion just

clowned my ass afterwards, hated it. No, but they were into it, and that's so I was like, Okay, this is for real, not oh then you liked me once your friends laughed at my late nights and Omar, we've we've discussed this, like getting on TV is like people can do that, you know, but like you can bomb or you could be obviously not funny some of these TV spots. So it was like so scary. So you actually yeah, you came through, thanks Henny, Okay, Omar, Now

you you run the sports Center Instagram account ESPN. That is crazy to even say. How like when we when someone a layman is looking at Instagram, looking at Sports Center, they are in your mind. Yes, um, I mean the when they offered it, I was kind of like taking it back. I thought it would be like, you know, work on something on the side and do some other stuff, maybe do another Twitter show. I wasn't expecting them, like the Sports Center brand, like when you sit down and

go there, like it's a very very recognizable brand. It's probably you could argue, I don't know for sure, but it's definitely a top maybe one in for ESPN, maybe autely center. Right. So when when I first like I couldn't believe because like all your childhood memories are also linked with Sports Center, so it's only this big moment of like, oh wow, like I'm reliving. Like if I talked to ten year old Omar and I was like, this is what your journey is going to be, could

be losing his mind. And I think the coolest part was probably in March when uh Lebron was having an I G Live and I kind of came into the Sports Center account and Lebron said, oh, like yo, you guys have been on point like sports running your social media, And I think that was a good point of like kind of put a stamp on you of like, oh, like what I've been doing over the last three months

has been unique and different and stuck out. And when Lebron says, you know who's running the Sports Center account, like you're killing it. That that one melt meant a lot and you you have a few that was I mean, even back when you started House of Highlights, it was like Snoop Dogg followed right re post and you were kind of like it was that an indicator like, oh,

this could be a for real thing. Yeah, I think when the celebrities that you like, I remember calling my dad and asking him if he knew who Snoop dog was once when I was like, yeah, I do. I was like, okay, like this is like a big moment. And then do I remember, like I remember like Dwayne Wade in two thousands sixteen followed Lebron and two thousands sixteen followed out s Highlights um, and then like when they started commenting and liking regularly, you're like, oh, man,

I made it um. And then obviously with with Wade, like I grew up in Miami, so he always meant a lot to me, so to do that Jersey swap um at the end of two thousands. At the end of his career, he decided to do in Jersey swall with Me of all people now, and that meant a lot, especially because he was the first ever profile picture for House.

Credit to c J Man Me and c J. I'm always gonna miss those memories because like we're two people that should never have NBA credentials or be your credentials is no, but we'll say it it yeah, And like all Star Break, we're like mad because you have to wake up at like seven am because we've been drinking pepsi of all things, still two am the night before, we can not even hungover. You're just like, no, it's

not even that we're drinking pepsi watching movies ttootoo. This is also on my birthday, so he's not with his spouse, whose birthday it is always but that and this is an illegal because this is a meat like we get meal stipends and we use a corporate car. We're like, we're gonna get I know, it's not a leak. I know, but that doesn't make it ever be held accountable for anything I said podcast. So you are forever a child whose parents have gone on vacation and you've been given to.

Whatever the amount of money is, it's too much for you to be trusted with, even fifteen it's too much for you. Fifteen dollars is too much for you to be trusted with. Well, it's accurate. And then we were we get these media credentials. We realize that we can ask any NBA player we question we ever want. And

I think C Jay enjoyed it the most. He was asking people if like you, was asking Blake Griffin, like, do you think people should really be impressed by like you jumping over a keya because the controversial thing and um, then he asked Wayne, wait if remember when he was the House of Highlights profile picks? So well, I just

remember because like it's again, this is so crazy. What our jobs and lives have been since working this business is that because like at a TV network like ESPN, you make something or you pitch something and has to go through like eighteen different channels above you to make to get meaning to be in that room. You're probably a professional person, you know, you're probably a normal omar. And I don't want to I don't want to boast you up here because you've been boasted up enough or boosted,

but you have the key. You have the keys to one of the biggest accounts at both places or at two places now. But that's how it's like, oh, omar, how am I going to get on the account? What do I gotta do? It's that became the game. Whenever we went to go like make stuff ourselves, it was he was like, asked Dwyane Wade how he felt. So I was like, oh, yeah, we could just go up and ask these people. Well, and I think for you,

it's like stand up. We become so desensitized to saying crazy things two people, you know, like I have said to countless people, I will fucking kill you into a microphone. And I'm not going to kill that, absolutely not. But we just and that's not that's not even like a joke of mine. But there have been instances where that's so like our our normalcy of what is allowed and not allowed and what is like socially acceptable to say

to people. Our gauge is fully broken. It's like when the radiators like, like, we have no idea, so you're willing to just ask people crazy things, whereas like a sports writer would be like, so you know, they're not going to be able to bosses who have like hired us and me like, oh, we're gonna get different stuff out of these guys as opposed to like the sound bite like you know we're doing different things shout out.

It's not like it's not like it didn't work right, Like, no, we were jo like CJ had a bunch of clipouts from All Star Break, we did our Twitter show. Um, we had a bunch of clipouts because we did like the most like you got a haircut in the middle of your bizarre is it like like sports, Andy Milanakas. No, Like the thing is we spent so much time on this account that we know what's clippable, Like why we because a lot of these shows are a lot of filler.

Everyone's reporting as is he hurt or is he not? Is he good to go? We're like, did you what I think television in general is so much filler like even and maybe that's a reality show thing too, so like sports and reality kind of, but it's like, just tell us what we long. Well, we had an hour and ten minutes shows, right, and we were like, if we think are going five minutes with the illusionist? Yeah,

all we did was bringing animals. So like post we had this video where a toad was put on my lap while I was blindfolded, and it was a big hit. Literally I posted on TikTok. I was just like messing around. I was like, we're in quarantine. Let me make a TikTok. This is two days ago. That video now is a million views on TikTok two days um of a toad being put on my own without athlete, Like we didn't need a Nate Robinson or like a Nick Young in it.

Like people knew your personality and was like, yeah, we want to see animals put on his head to see animals. At what moment did you go or I guess when you were younger and you were making these YouTube videos, did you ever think that the goal or what it ended up happening to you would be on camera stuff. I had to really get pushed to do on camera stuff. I know it was a little hard in the beginning.

But any thoughts when you were younger, when when two thousand and eight, two thousand then when I was making YouTube videos, I did think it was going to lead to that point, but I never thought it was gonna be with like a corporation. But like all the if you look at all the YouTubers, they kind of just do it on their own and they have their own editor. They don't really work with companies unless like Nike or somebody wants to do like a quick little video with

the sponsorship. So back then I did imagine it, and then what's funny is five, six, seven years later I didn't want to do it, and then credit to my boss at the time who pushed me to do it, and then we didn't done it years before I should have definitely done it. Well, I do think it's I mean, I say this as someone who's been like trying to get on camera since I was a fetus, but but I do think it's I'm not more than you, Okay.

I do think it's kind of endearing for someone to be not want to be on you know, like when we take pictures of like our nieces and they really like our was saying, we're like Jesus, here we go. So it's it's totally fine to not want to be on camera and let your work and life speak for itself. But now you're as broken as we are, so welcome to the club. Yeah, does the game not the game

or just you running Sports Center. Obviously you're bringing over a lot of stuff that you learned at House of Highlights, But does your priorities shift at all with on camera stuff or is it just like the job is bigger and the importance on curating this thing programming and also being ready for my own air segments. Yeah, the job definitely feels way bigger. Um. And I actually wasn't expecting that because the accounts at the time had like the

same following. So I get that the sports that our brand is ten twenty a hundred times bigger than the House Highlights brand, But like I was like, oh, from a social perspective, they're kind of the same, like follower wise, so maybe people there won't be this big importance on it. But it was interesting even from the jump, like when my name was put in the bio, people were like, um, commentating about like commenting about whether that's right or whether

it's wrong. They got proved pretty quickly that it was right, the right decision to make, but um, it was interesting that like, oh, like even though this account might have less followers than House of Highlights, people seem to have a lot more eyeballs on it for for whatever reason. UM, So that was the focus at first, Like the first three months, I was like, let me make sure this account isn't a good is in a good place. And then after that it was like, let me see, all right,

ESPN has a real talent booking department. Let me see who I can work with. Um and then the pandemic kind of changes everything. So that's kind of been a bummer. But my first three or four months at ESPN were like amazing. Like I did a commercial with Magic Johnson Center commercial. Yeah, that was crazy. I was like, this is this is crazy? Um my, like Matgic Johnson literally made my head ball. This is this is ridiculous, Like

this is ridiculous of the time. And then you guys went to the Onward premiere, UM, and you know what, I love that movie. I'm not guilty. I watched it. I watched on Disney Plus again. I think it was great. I swear to you. I think it's maybe c J didn't like it because he was asked to move out of the pictures. People were taking about them. Okay, yeah you were, You're so cute on a little stiff and repeat. Um, anyways,

should we get to the topic. Let's roll on the topics and some more of these stories will pop up because this topic is very relevant to your expertise. Uh. Today we're talking greatest athletes on social media, so kind of just like who has the best presence on social media of an app for an athlete. So there's a topic. Let's take a quick break and then we'll come back with our picks. And we're back with our picks for

greatest athletes on social media. Omar as our guests will give you your third pick, but your first to go my third pick. Yeah, we're gonna hate this one. I didn't know I was supposed to tear them out in the three to one, And it's because there's no other star like him that's active on social media the way he is. Right like Steph Curry, James Harden Westbrook, they don't only do Instagram stories. He's always showing off his family.

He's doing Instagram lives, He's joking around with everybody, and he also shouted me out on social media. So that's why he's got at least top I mean, so his family is such a huge part of like I almost want to say his brand, but that's not but like I do think his family is they're the most showcase

on on Instagram. That's where you get to like see their house and the Taco Tuesday, and like even when you made that short about when like Lebron missed the playoffs, you're able to do that because we know so much about his life of social media. I actually had Lebron as my honorable mention for one specific moment, which is when he called Trump a bum on Twitter and then he's Trump said nothing back, Like that's that is how,

you know how powerful? Because Trump was going after Steph Curry, who was, you know, also an m v P, a Hall of Famer of multiple championship winner, like has an incredible resume, and then Lebron calls him a bum and he's just silent, and it's like, yeah, what do you want to say that to Lebron? What Like Trump is like I can I can talk ship to Steph Curry because he's a little guy. I think I think that's

what he's doing now. It might be I don't know if it was Lebron who made me think this, but like for a long time, especially when athletes first started getting on social I was like, there's no way, they're the ones running this. There's no way to the ones clip and stuff, posting videos or typing out. But then like a Lebron seeing the Trump things, seeing the way he doesn't now, I'm like, it's he thinks of it, he types it, he hasn't read at his at his hands,

and it's it's from him to Instagram. Because sometimes it's corny too, you know, like that's he's almost like vulnerable. It's endearing. He he puts it all out there. They also do the TikTok's, like his whole family does the tiktoks for like the last three months. They're all dancing. Yeah, he's yeah, some people will roast them on Twitter sometimes, so he'll he'll put it all out there, all right. Well that that leads perfectly into my pick. Okay, you

thought you were gonna get made fun of mine. My number three pick is Brawny. Listen, because Brownie for other I'm just worried about c J M. Brawny. But it's like this is a trial, Okay, listen. We we've seen the phenomenon, especially with accounts like Overtime, like People Care and like Hoop Dreams, a documentary People caring about a high school athlete. But man, it is crazy. This kid is famous. He's Lebron's kid, but he is as big as like the Stranger Things kids. He's like, he's like

on like teeny bopper magazines. I don't even know if those exactly because he's son. Yeah, but he's genuinely funny, like the otherstball did you did you you saw this omar where someone on stories Are on his live asked who his dad was and he said Steph Curry. Like I like that, he like it seems like he has a pretty normal teenager life and I like that. That almost makes me like Lebron even more that he has created a household like that. But it's gonna be crazy.

We're we're excited when when Brawny first dunked and then they cut to his dad, like, it's crazy that we have that access, and it's it's interesting. You want to get Freaky Friday And with Brownie, I wouldn't a second I went in a second life right now for Brownie James. No going back to me. You're Brownie who on this podcast right now wouldn't do that. I wouldn't. You wouldn't trade lives not with I don't want to be a sixteen year old boy. You say no with Bronnie Omar.

Who would it be then? Who would you trade lives with? Oh, lebron Le bron and Drake would probably the two people that probably a great life. They just have this great life where you can do anything they want. Megan, I keep my life with you. I keep my life with you. Yeah, me too. I was just kidding, all right, Megan, this your guys just picked set up my pick in some ways to um. So my third pick is Kevin Durant.

And this is only I know this seems strange. This is only because of the burner account phones and because like he's so he's so invested in social media. He was willing to lie, you know, like he cares about and no, social media is so important. He's like, I'm gonna pretend to be other people on so initial media, defending myself because I don't want people being mean to me on social media like that that. Actually it really shows dedication to social People are also like he's fun

and does things. No, the burner accounts was so funny to me. And it was at this time when they were like, didn't the seventies six GM his like wife and him why it doesn't seem like it doesn't seem like the other leagues have burner count scandals like the n B A, Yeah, weird, this is It's a great way to bring this up because we all get comments on our content, especially when we're on screen. And I don't know about you guys, but like I obsess over the comments. Do I do anything about it most of

the time? No, But what are you gonna do? Not be Filipino, but yeah, a lot of mine are just like, you got a weird shirt, I'm gonna find your He's like quick, complaining bitch, and I'm like, my whole life is complaining. But I can't not do that. But for someone at Katie's level to then find ways to react to those comments is beautiful. And I don't like, I didn't like Katie going to the Warriors, but I do like this side of Katie that is like, I'm gonna

go and respond to my haters. And he got called out for it, they found him, and he's continued to do it. Yeah, because he quote he had a quote where he said I'm not going to stop. He's like, I just got caught that one time. I'm not gonna I'm gonna keep doing and I love that he's still out there responding it's it's it's honestly funny because there is no it's it. It's not even it's not even a victimless crime because it's not a crime. It's just him like being like, don't be mean to me. It's

it's on like a on a fun scale. He doesn't have Burner saying don't be mean to me. He's just like, up, it's great. Yeah, I think it's so funny. They're more like, no, Kevin Durant was super underrated and no help, but he deserves more. Phrase like that are all saying, yeah, it's like too specific. There's a comic, and I'm sure there's

multiple comedians that have Burner accounts that defend them. But like I that's something people have to point out to me because I would never even imagine, like, there just seemed to be enough crazy people that do say weird things on the Internet that I wouldn't think you'd have to invent them. But Katie, I mean, he's a Trailblazerah. Yeah, I wonder what other NBA players might have one that we just haven't found out about. Yeah, I mean I think the only reason why we Sorry, it's hard to

like it's hard to catch some one. Yeah, right, the two instances, there has to be more. No, it's really the board kids of the internet who are doing that detective work to find it. And I think Katie's the only reason why he got found out because maybe he did a little too much, and because he is a player of that level, like he is one of the best basketball or on, like if I was as good as how did they catch co Angelo? Is that co Angelo?

It was just like he was talking about seventies sixers players though, right, um, yeah, a little bit, just like he was just yeah, he was criticizing the organization and stuff and with someone like yeah, it's also like information that only he would know. Ye, well, come on then, like it was very very specific information that only he would know. But it turns out it was his wife, I believe, but like, yeah, yeah, I would do that for you. See, J appreciate You're welcome you. I like

my feelings. It keeps me working hard, it keeps my drive going. I'm gonna I'll go in there. I'll be saying way too specific stuff, how your fart sound, your phone number, your social security don't men. And that's how I stand up for you. How because comics seem to get you know, even hate. It doesn't matter who you are, me, anybody, and even like Chappelle just comes this angry mob. How do you deal with it? Like does it ever bother you?

Or do you kind of know like every comic at this point gets it, might as well just kind of keep moving on. Some stuff it does bother me. Like someone posted something talking shipped to me on like my Father's Day post to my dad, and I just was like, what do you do? Like you honestly you can come and talk ship to me about anything. Please don't say crazy shit like on posts with my family. There's enough photos of me by myself or me like in groups

of comics, please like come there. Like now that's how that's how much it is. I'm having to police like how they do it. And so yeah, it's bad. My my d m s are actually like where where the bad stuff goes down? I remember, which kind of sucks because it's like now I'm the only one seeing this

and you're you're saying insane things. I remember when we first started getting comments when our stuff started going, like our Twitter show stuff started going a pal mark, and then Megan was like check out my d ms where I would just see a DM come in and it was just like horrific. So I was like, yeah, there that period like me and you kind of got some flak in the beginning, like the first couple of episodes of like for whatever reason for a few days, and

then you kind of get over it. Yeah, it's just true classic caters. Um. Yeah, so I've started a rule now I'll only talk ship and respond to people on Fridays. Um. Yeah. So like other than that, I just kind of like keep it moving. But I definitely yeah, I mean my Tonight show comments are the worst. They're bad. They're really bad. It hurts, Yeah, it hurt your feelings. But then you're also like, I don't no one ever calls me a

fat bitch anymore, Like that's kind of nice. Um. So I'm happy that my career sort of, um hit a new plane once I've lost weight, because if I would, if they're just like you, dumb bitch, that's a lot better than like you fat, like being called fat seventy five times a day. It does start to get to you, you know, people calling you fat. It's like for Omar and I, it's whatever brown like fictional characterism. Yeah yeah, like a Laddin or Jackie Chance. Oh, they make fun

of my knees, like a guy made fun of my knees. Um, and I was like, wow, like that's how hot I am that you have to go to my knees to find something like I Actually that's a win for me. Okay, Omar, give us your number two. My number two is actually honest onto Okay, not because of anything he really does on like Twitter or Instagram. It's really his TikTok's. I don't know if you've seen him and his brother started dancing around the house. But also he has a newborn.

Never the person to say this, but those like the cutest videos. Yeah, son is a good mix of like cute videos, but also him and his brother who's also in the NBA. Now was the we were watching one of his TikTok's and the little bit baby was like checking somebody out or was accusing the baby of that. And that's what Yeah, him and his wife, Um and his brother, it just all seems very very genuine. It's like never put on because it is corny, like and

it's crazy that he is. Him and Lebron are the two contenders for m v P. But they're like really corny on social media or a lot of corny. But yeah, they're corny is such an interesting word because they are specimens of like athletic feats, you know, like they're six seven six eight chiseled muscles. So it's like you can be It's like when the Rock is corny, It's like, yeah, you could kill all of us, like be corny. It's it's kind of fun. Now do you feel that way

when you're corny? Because you're just through, just in all aspects of life. Omar has told me to delete stuff from my Instagram account, like what me eating at cheeseburg I thought you were. It's this one. It's the picture where he's doing this. I know this is an audio podcastle I has Burger and I texted him, I think I texted. I was like, I just want you to know, like I saw this post. I ever see a CJ post on my timeline immediately double tap. I'm avoiding this.

I'm not supporting it. I hate so damn much. Would you ever make fun of him for posting like sentimental, cheesy stuff about our relationship. You know what, I don't remember doing it with you. Maybe CJ can call me out. I have a friendly Warris that like we bashed in every time because it's just like there there's an acceptable amount of like you know that that person has to

do these things birthday anniversaries. It's kind of like the Staples. Yeah, like, oh I love you even like the random I love you. That's like one of our friends that I think CJ has even met him. Oh he actually, Oh my god, Warris actually went to your show in Brooklyn and I an iconic night, lost it. He lost and he was like, this is hilarious. You're really good that night, Megan, and she I hate when you say that because you also

are amazing at thinking on your feet. Um, because I remember someone said something about a dumb white girl who looked just like me tried to school me on racial relations just sitting with glasses in Williamsburg. And that's honey, you're gonna have to pack a lunch. Okay, you're not going to be able to do mad about it? Yeah, no, let it go. Okay, So boris yours boris his girlfriend

all the time, all the time. They're finally married now, but it still hasn't stopped because they're like living together. They got married during the quarantine, so it's been like three months. We're going to the beach and I'm like,

gotta live every little moment they have. Ye me and Drew have done that shout out to our other or my former co worker, Drew, but we've done a lot of that around you of like, I very much mean everything I say about you on on social media, Megan, But in the back room, I'm like, I'm gonna get roasted by Omar for this and then you go. But

it's worth it. But it's worth it. I think if Omar and Drew on all my friends at Bleach Report that first time when I was like leaving because I wanted to forward this relationship, wanted to figure out this life in l A. They were all four. They never went like, dude, I think you're making a big mistake. Well, I think because you were the mobiest, saddest person in New York like you were no no one had a six figure job and been sadder than c J, especially

in New York City. If you think about it like I met a lot of like cool people in New York that seemed really loved the city. Yeah, and you lived in Detroit and seemed like, rather we are in the city, man, people dream of living here and you hate it. Well, no, c J would rather live into Peka, Kansas,

the New York City a bit of that. So I always want to talk to Brian Wynn Horse and be like, so you're like one of the top guys and you live in Omaha, Like, tell me about it, because I want we'll see like a horse just like on the road somewhere and he's like, we gotta move out here, and I'm like, we're not moving out here, honey, this is fine. Okay, who's your number two? My number two pick? And I want backstory from Omar on this is Carmelo

Anthony and it's not particularly of what he did. I think he really changed the game for all of us, just like I don't know you or whoever just zeroed in his training videos with Brickley back in the Day's trainer just zero end on what could have been like boring videos back in the day, but then found why they're entertaining. Like with then I'm speaking about like Hoodie Mellow.

I'm speaking about like the sort of this nickname thing, and I want to hear a little bit omar about what you were thinking about in that moment, because I really do think that House of Highlights is was very instrumental in Hoodie Mellow being a thing, Mellow's comeback in general, and then just also the phenomenon of just like we always say, like Henny j R. Or like, you know, just that that nickname device. So and I've always enjoyed and I've always thought Mellow was sort of the beginner

of that. And social was Yeah, I mean two thousand seventeen, that summer was like when Hoodie Mellow became a thing, and like he was at the end of his New York Knick career and no one was talking about like no one seemed to even care about what he was up to, and it felt like he was kind of washed and done with. So, you know, one of my best friends also is his trainer and put out all these videos and I was like, I don't know if it was me, if it was Chris that was like,

let's just do like this is an alter ego. And you know, there was a hashtag Hoodie Mellow, and it kind of became this like alter ego of like Mellow is now better than he ever was. Um, he got a ninety eight overall rating and NBA two K Jordan Brand started telling the Hoodie Mellow hoodie I never got a cut of that, which bullshit. But um, that was like a two or three month period that didn't end.

Because what happened was all the players that would come to New York, because every NBA player stops in New York during the summer, at least at one point, it was like Lebron, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden. They all wanted to come to the court that Hoodie Mellow was playing at and play against Hoodie Mellow, and it became a thing. And I was like, oh, it's gonna be like this one summer, but every year people want to see like Hoodie Mellow and he's pickups. China Clay

became a thing like bearded Clay. Also do rag glance Like it's just become this bizarre thing that never ends. That's wild. And do you think mellows he's embraced it like he he loves it now, because I mean he gets like made fun of for being old. He's like

one of the oldest superstars now. I think people were people were kind of roasting the pickup games when he kind was in and out in Houston, And there was a point where that summer, the next summer after you got cut, people were like, he should play in the Big Three and not play, not do these pickup games. But they turned out to be wrong because then like he got signed by Portland and then has been flourishing since. So, um, you got the last laugh on that one. Yeah, Portland's

flying to the bubble was some fun social media. The bathroom and mellows in the background when people are singing and he looks mad like he's kind of someone who. Durant does this too when they need to be the heel. They play the heel with like a little bit of like a wink and a smile. Um, and so it's kind of like, ah, they're in on it right, which is which is in comedy that's like the best, you know, So they're they're sappy in that way too. Okay, My

number two very topical. We're leaving basketball for the first pick, wow, and lots of them. Um and I went with Bubba Wallace, who is one i've like recently become a huge fan of. But I also think, you know, like when he is in a sport where he is the only black person, it is historically white, historically Southern, historically racist. Like, there is no battle bigger than what Babba Wallace has faced.

And he got NASCAR to ban Confederate flags almost overnight because because of you know, that's extremely courageous and brave to even ask them to do. But I also think he's really savvy and is able to reach people on social media that are not NASCAR fans, but that are fans of Black Lives Matter, and they're being a quality in sports and society as a whole. Because it's like,

I I wasn't ASCAR fan. I went to NASCAR racist with my dad, like and and we actually stopped going because, Yeah, I heard some of the most vile things yelled at NASCAR races. I'm like, we liked Jeff Gordon, and I didn't know, you know, my parents are from New York living Indiana, and my dad went into like embrace being a Hoosier and so he was like, oh, yeah, I like the number twenty four car. They always say the car number. And so we got into NASCAR and then

we went to the race. We like Jeff Gordon. Jeff Gordon wins. All these people hate Jeff Gordon and we were like, we can't figure it out. And it's just like, oh, yeah, he is truly attractive and smart and they hate that, like they just couldn't stand that he wasn't one of them and like, uh like spitting whatever they spit on

the track. And and so I think what Bubba will end up doing and and this is just a positive side effect, is he's going to bring a lot of people back to NASCAR that maybe we're never gonna be into it or we're into it and didn't like the vibe like me, And yeah, I think he's been able to change the reputation of an entire sport in a matter of weeks. And that obviously is like a huge testament to the other NASCAR drivers, to the owners, to Richard Petty, who I would not have imagined this ever

coming from. But he he posts things that are like cool, funny, he looks awesome, Like it's a perfect storm of like oh yeah you are you are black panther of Nascar. You are like a superhero to us. Now, no, it is uh. I thought Bubba Wallace was white, you know this whole ti before, just because he was a NASCAR driver, know when when someone was like can when he spoke

up and they it was all kind of happened really fast. Yeah, and then and then they were like, the Confederate flag is banned from NASCAR due to you know, speaking up from Bubba Wallace and his team. And I was like, man, it's really a big deal when a white dude name Bubba gets this. And then someone was like he's not white, and I looked. I was like, oh ship, And now I'm like fan. And that's why I like M Kaepernick too.

It's like these players who have been told to like shut up and dribble or just put your sport and not speak up because you know, just also the thinking of like nothing's gonna happen, like Bubba Wallace has shown in these short you know, month or a month and a half that you know you can you can change, you can cause some real chill, and you can say if you don't want to be a part of that change, bald weird man who'd never want a race, right, and you get the funk out of here. Yeah, it was cool.

Was the amount of drivers that were immediately supporting him, Like that walk to the front was amazing. The photo is like that selfie that he took was amazing. Um. And yeah, I think what you said also about like bringing you fans like I never would have watched the NASCAR race. Ive never been watching NASCAR race. The amount of people that you saw, whether it was on Twitter or just social media in general that tuned in to watch it, like I was at a restaurant standing up

like at the TV, like rooting for him. Um. So yeah, I mean we'll see, but I think it definitely a is bringing way more. And I think that pressure, like people will call this virtue signaling or like oh they're just doing it because the cameras are there. Well okay, but they still did it. They still walked with him, and and the pressure of social media probably encouraged them to do that, like do you want to be the last one standing with the Confederate flag and your with

your pit crew Like no, you're gonna be shamed. And and so I do think social media is like that that mob mentality sometimes does lead to positive things, even if it's you don't think it's genuine. If enough of them were genuine, then then maybe the disingenuous ones will come along. But let's say that as a white girl named Megan, So who knows. Um, should we take a break and then we'll come back with our number one picks and we are back. Um, we're gonna be doing

our number one picks. Greatest athletes of social Media? Oh are you are our guests? So you will be our grand finale CJ. That means you're up any honorable mentions? I had an honorable mention Juju Smith Schuster. I don't know about so much anymore, but like when I was working like the bike I like the bike stuff. I think he was like one of the first sort of Fortnite like what Fortnite athletes you know he was, Yeah, he was like doing celebrations based on Fortnite dances or whatever.

And and now there's just like such a movement of players playing video games like playing we we run more Josh Hart highlights playing war Zone than him. So Drag Race All Stars is on right now, and my one of my favorite queens like ever is on it, and her name is Jujuby and she goes by Juju, and so I tweeted about Juju. I was like, I love Juju. I wish Juju was my coworker. And then all these people were like Shuster and I was like, oh, wow,

there's a drag queen and famous football player. And then there's a woman who's an activist who I worked with, whose name is Juju too, and I'm like, wow, jujus are batting a thousand drag queen, activist and Steelers player to get me to l That's a big deal. It's a huge deal. So but my number one pick is I'm sorry it's basketball again, but it's j R. Smith. J R. Smith is I And I don't want to say like I don't want because I I love JR.

Love that he's on the Lakers, Like this means a lot for the bubble, this means a lot for the NBA when he's active. But yeah, I mean he was with the do you want to get this pipe? And

again people are trying trying to get the pipe. You can look it up on your own, but it's like that was some of the earliest sort of NBA pop culture crossover overlap that I've ever experienced, and I was like, oh, yeah, I feel like there's a more There's an entertaining aspect about these players off off court that I'd like to explore. And like JR was one of the first people to show me that how great. I mean, he's been in the bubble what three days, and it's already been a

guest amazing. He's already given us so much. His iglave was something special, even like he can read stuff off

of damn menu and it's just entertaining. So also he provides like a free behind the scenes of that Lakers team, and like, I don't think any other player was going to do that but j R B and j R. And he has no problem going on I G Live and answering every question about anybody like the one waiters had to be like, yes, no one's gonna think I'm gonna fuck anything up because and and him just being like, man, already got in trouble, Like he's like, because I got

the call, the last thing you should do after you get in trouble for being on I G Live is go on I G Live again. And he's like, guys, I can't be doing this every He's just so yeah, I mean him with his shirt off. He's obviously one of the greatest like memes of all time. Him not knowing the score, so like him just being himself has elevated our social media just getting to use him, and it makes me root for him real hard though, it really does. Like, I hope he averages ten twelve and

makes every three and wins more funny. I hope Lebron does not break a hand this year. Yeah, I hope it's a I hope it's a positive. I hope it's a beautiful reunion. Yeah, alright, okay, uber one, al right, my number one pick. Oh, I do have one honorable mention in basketball and bead. I just love his um the Rihanna, the Kim Carter. I loved all that um but I don't think his social media has actually been that fun since then. So vintage embiid um my number one pick in tennis. I find a way to put

her on almost every single UM list we do. It is Serena Williams. But I'm gonna tell you why. So Serena twelve and a half million followers, amazing, she does fashion, tennis and then most importantly for I think her Instagram Alexis Olympia, who is her daughter, who has I think almost a million, like six hundred seven hundred thousand. Um, she a baby, I mean she's under two, but she's so cute and they recently their little tennis outfits together.

But then Alexis Olympia's Instagram is so good that her doll, quake Way, has its own Instagram. Have you ever seen Quakeways, So quake Way became me maybe a since the first time she was a sensation was the Australian Open a few years ago where Alexis Olympia had quake Way with her and she is just obsessed with this doll that now quake ways Instagram has a hundred and forty three thousand followers. It's the real quake Way. It's quake Way is doing amazing works for Black Lives Matter. She has

a bunch of places that you can donate. She's quake Ways made some really good videos like explaining a quality and um, what quake Ways going through during quarantine. And obviously Serena's husband created Reddit, which doesn't feel like a social media but it kind of feels like a gas station for social media trolls, you know, like they got to go fill up there before they can go back

out into the world. So it's maybe it's just sort of like the Williams A Hannah as that you say, the same family as a whole, quake Way Alexis, Mr Serena Williams, Serena Williams and quake Way together, the four of them, they're an unstoppable, an unstoppable quit quartets. Yeah, I mean quake Way impressive and fighting for equality. Yeah, she's so. I think you will love quake Ways page. You're gonna be like, this is somebody doing something real. I'd also love to know, like who is really running

the quake Way page. I just don't know how. I was getting made fun of for brawny, but then you're shouting out a doll owned by a two year old Yeah, yeah, yeah. Serena Williams daughter's doll is part of a larger grand scheme of influencers on social media and their content is always heartwarming and pushing for social justice. Love it, Thank you, c J Alright, Omar, bring us home. So my honorable

mention was Dwyane Wade. Okay, because the hair obviously all the things have been doing now also on T and T, Gabrielle Union, say Gabrielle Union there that will include everybody and his whole like his whole lifestyle just seems very interested. So Wade's my honorable mention. But my number one is Shaquille O'Neil. Yeah, because of all the DJ videos, it's him dancing and picking up rock groundkowski and messing around.

Even two weeks ago he dunked and broke the ring and then threw it down and was like talking a bunch of crap um and then it like, literally, what I've been doing during quarantine is I've been going through the best Shaquille O'Neill Instagram post and posting them on Sports Center And there's some of our best posts of

the year, so we don't give away too much. O'Neill is the number one personal social media And you know, I was thinking about him, but I honestly think of him as such a massive TV star like that, you know, we almost take for granted everything else he does. But like you showed me his feet the other day. It was that on I don't know that might have been on Sports Center House Highlands. Oh god, his feet are wild.

And when he lost the bet, and then he went like balled or he all about bond and messing around and it's great. No, I mean, so I want to ask you. I guess because I was thinking about shock too. And I think he really does have the thing in his head where he goes, I'm gonna do this or we gotta do this because it will go viral. Like I think he yes, I think he plays into that.

I think he wants to go viral. I think a lot of the guys you know I've talked, I've talked to someone, they've been pretty open about like especially the NBA rookies going into like going into a season. If you talk to one, they'll ask, what do I have to do to take the paper go viral? And I always tell them, like, fifty percent is that you be really good at your sport, and the other fifty percent is like people say, oh, they're just like us, they're relatable or like, yo, he seems so fun to hang

out with. So those are the two things that people really seem to gravitate towards. And checked this both right, it's cool to hang out with, but also relatable because you'll make fun of himself and seemed like it will feel like, what, you're a goofy friend, even though he's like the least relatable person in so rich, he's so giant, his life couldn't be any more different, But we're like

what a pal? Now are our players? Athletes do? Do they want to make the paper go viral boost their social media because there's a point now where they're actually seeing it impact their playing career too. Maybe, like I think it also helps with Like I think it might just be like I can make more money and people like attention. People like you would be surprised. I think I was like one of the All Star games, the two thousand eighteen or the two thousand seventeen NBA All

Star Game, and I was like, oh my god. Half of the people on this roster have d M House of highlights trying to be featured on the page. So it's not always about like it's gonna help their playing careers. They're all stars, they're gonna play forever, and they're never they're gonna they're making so much money that doesn't even matter.

It seems like sometimes people just like attention and some of the drama, even like there was an ESPN article about Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, and seemed like some of the issue was like who's getting more attention, even though like one, I think Gobert is getting like a max contract million, Donovan Mitchell is getting like four million, But Rudy Gobert seems to have some issue about Donovan

getting a little bit more attention. So that's what Rudy, guess what, you got a lot of attention this year. You know, you got the most attention of maybe any NBA player. That's a good point. What's that. I didn't even think about that. I forgot like he got the most attention out of any NBA player in the history of mark every which ever he wins and loses. But also, you know there's people that are first rightfully so mad at him. I also think that him testing positive and

vocal probably got stuff shut down a lot. You know, people believe, but now we're here in July and people still don't believe. So I don't know, maybe we need another Rudy Gobert. Well, I felt like Rubert Rudy got it. That was like for me to like that I didn't believe in or anything like that, but I was like, oh, I need yeah, So the NBA shuts down and two

days later, every single sport ever shuts down. And I think if the NBA didn't take that lead, it would have been another month or three weeks before these leads should now. Yeah, and while we're speaking about kind of a de honorable mention, I want to I want to shout out and I know you know this guy and as Cantor, he just steals tweets. Yeah, yeah, so d last night he was like yeah, and it's still another tweet that went viral, and come on, you gotta stop.

He is the fat Jew of the Eastern, an existing character. I don't want anyone that, yes, that you're called that Jew is the man with the tall hair who makes white Girl rose and steals tweets, and Cantor is him. Yeah. I just don't know why he needs to do that. But you know, people want to be like they want to go viral pop. There's something about like going viral that makes people's day. Yeah. You would think my thing was like, okay, once you go get go viral, once

it should be enough, like you realize it's nothing. And people seem to like just want to keep going viral. You know it doesn't that much. No, it's just essentially in quarantine. You know, it's just you at home, like, well these are my likes now? Well, no, c J, I would say it does. Going viral for like a normal person quote unquote can make their day, make your reer, Like look at all the TikTok stars, But like for Ennis Canner, he's sweet. Getting thousand retweets doesn't change anything.

It's because he's been called out, I don't know a few times and he's still doing it. So it's like, well, and you would see people commenting on the one he stole from c J, and they'd be like, come on, man, I really liked you when you came to the Celtics, but now this is like the third tweet you've stolen. So he's like losing basketball fae once for stealing tweets this and this is a whole another podcast. I want to end things here because I know you've got some

stuff to do. Oh more. But Rex Chapman is just another shout out to it, like, yeah, unbelievable. I think everyone who follows him now, like on on Instagram, I mean on Twitter, like they don't know he was a former NBA player like had a decent career where I didn't know that Rex Chatman was an NBA player into like three or four months ago. And my job is to live on social media and like know all this stuff. Yeah,

he has like a E sixty. He's had like a trouble back, and it's really cool to see like he seems to really be flourishing on on Twitter. Yeah, and it's getting bigger, Like it wasn't like this niche NBA thing. It's become a lot bigger than that. Oh yeah, he's mainstream now for sure. Yeah alright, well, Omar, thank you so much. Like what do you want to plug? Yeah, we don't need a nothing's gonna help you help your plugs.

But what can we look forward to, whether we're in pandemic or when we get out of it from ut ESPN Oh, I mean just the NBA coming back. I think one of the really nice things has been that, like I don't have to just do NBA. So college football like fingers crossed, but I'm not sure if it's gonna come back. But the UFC stuff has been super interesting, um Connor McGregor, even last night with Org mos Vidal, Like there seems to be this NBA similar with the UFC.

Of like, it's a very international audience. It's a huge audience and people seem to really care about this stuff and there's a bunch of personality. So pay attention to what's going on with the NBA, but also like these UFC fights cool. So at Omar on Instagram, you got that Omar at Omar on TikTok to putting on TikTok. Here's what happened. I got at Omar on TikTok and now that's put kind of pressure on me to put out content on TikTok. So I haven't figured it out.

I'm going on two posts. The last post has a million views. It was with CJ. Literally um the toad video where a toad is put on LA so check out. You know what, don't even worry about my Instagram account. Just follow at Omar on TikTok because I have to. That will put pressure on me to figure out TikTok. Listen, Omar, who did you hire when you wanted original content on House of Highlights? I hired CJ, So listen. I'll fly to l A right, I'll wear a mask, I'll quarantine

and we'll figure out something. It's all good. I'm having a nice time at House of Highlight. Thank you again for that. Thank you for your time. Megan. Anything to plug, um, gosh, turn him to laughs any more? You got eliminated? Come on up? Um yeah, just just my Instagram and my Twitter. Yeah. I like that. I'm that I'm one of the greatest alright at CJ Toldono at Begar better at Better Megan Gailey and Megan Gaily at Megan Gailey. Uh, there has

been another episode of the Greatest. Thanks for listening and keep us suggestions for subscribing and rating, and and yeah sending us topics. We love that. Stay safe, stay healthy, Hi guys. The Greatest is a production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts from my heart Radio, visit the I heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.