Greatest Comebacks with Shantira Jackson

and feel like I am doing something today. Well, it's also a little overcast in l A, so it feels like I've got a sweater on, a dirty sweater. Well, thank you. And dirty leggings. Dirty leggings. That sounds like your next album. That's sad. And for a woman in her mid thirties to be talking about dirty leggings as a brand is like pretty bad. I'd like to just keep that to this podcast and then never do it

or say it over again. Um. On that note, I am so excited for our guest this week, a friend I haven't seen wow since We all went in a group to see us um, which was a very fun That was a great field trip Um, grown ups going in large groups to movies. I highly recommend it when movie theaters come back and amazing. Um. We wrote together on the SPS, originally from Tallahassee via Chicago, now in l A. Writing on the news say by the bell, Shantira Jackson, Welcome. Thank you so much for having me.

How are you doing? I'm going. I mean, I'm sad but good. You know the way the world is, We're all like sad but good. You've been so busy. I want to just highlight some of the stuff you've been doing. You helped organize and run one of the massive, very successful protests in Hollywood the day after Brianna Taylor's birthday. And then you were also one of the names that was signed at the bottom of the letter demanding changes

to Second City. And then I have to imagine on top of that, are you are you working right now? Are you writing too? Yes? I am. I'm trying to Um yeah, how how are you doing all of this? No? It's yeah. I mean, like I complain about having one job, but um yeah, to do all those things as awesome. Now, can I ask just a question that's been on my mind? How do you organize a protest. Okay, so here's the thing. I love a party, but I don't throw parties, right, So,

I mean there are people who really do this work. Um, this girl named Fannon Morton and my friend um Sheets Rashida, they like were the women who were like, let's fucking

do this. And I was like, okay, I'll use my blue check mark and trying to get people there is possible, and then I'll say that I'll speak, And I mean like they were the working forces behind like getting like the place where you go, Like it was us, we'll be in trouble because we wouldn't have a permit, right, But um, there's a lot of organizers who really do

the work, live and breathe that stuff. And then like I was in a fortunate position where I could be like I can give people to show up, and I can get people to and I'll speak and for for some reason, people if you've ever been associated with television in any way, shape or form, people will come and listen to you. Yeah. So the blue checkmark people have really it's like it's weaponized, Like they're weaponizing it against us, and it's like I don't really know anyone who was

like give me a blue check mark. No, it's right exactly. It's like what people get so mad, like it's it used to be like you fat horror, and now it's like you blue check mark, yes, and it's like, I'm not rich. I think they associate the blue checkmark with like fucking green stacks and it's like, no, dade I wrote on a TV show and like I live in an apartment and NoHo like I'm not you know what I mean. They see the blue check mark and they're

like it is Marie and Twinette herself. It's like they really like I don't have enough natural light in my apartment. The blue check mark means nothing, So do you. I mean, I'm genuinely just curious as a friend and fellow creative, and I do want to say there maybe a photo that surfaces of Shantira and I and I'd like to address that we are dressed as security guards and not cops. Going there my Instagram and I'm like, why am I

dressed as a cop? And then I was we were security guards, um in a sketch that that we worked on that we then forced ourselves to be a part of which is if you're going to be a creative forced your way into things. I think that is my number one. Are a woman in this industry, you must write for yourself. So we wrote a sketch and we were like, you know, who should be in it? Us as two female security guards who are smaller than the

man we have to pull off the stage. It also was they were like, oh, since you know, you get paid to write for a show, but then since we were doing something on camera, they legally have to pay us too. And I was so behind on my sag fees. I actually had to pay seven hundred dollars to be in that sketch. You know, I still to this day, I am not inside. I have not booked anything enough for that. So I got that's the time I was ever paid to be on camera. So I got four hundred,

and I was like, I'm rich again. Repeat blue check marks have no money? Yes, and who are you guys were pulling off Bill Murray on stage? No, it wasn't Bill Murray. It was um, gosh, what is it? Yeah, Michael who who is like so lovely and is so funny. But we were Our sketch was also after like a really somber wild piece that so we just stood backstage listening to it was not the best time to do that sketch. We were like, we're going next, Oh no, And then my mom was watching and she was like,

I just saw you. It was like a weird thing to be like getting a test from my mom after this really really sad like it was basically like in Memorium kind of vibe after and then we were like, let's go do this bit. Yeah, they were famous people standing backstage crying. We were making sure we had all of our props for the security guard part. Is that story that you've told me about this appropriate? Free to tell about the rehearsal? No, sorry, it's not appropriate. It's

so Shantera. We'll we'll discuss that off air because you will remember and it's so funny. Maybe CJ and I will do our first ever Patreon just to tell people what this insane story is. Um. But yeah, sometimes you behind the scenes of things is really really where the action you think it was really wild. I remember exactly what you're talking about because I was a participating and

I was like, this is not my job. So if we never if we never tell the story, just know that a black woman said this is not my job, that is why. So that gives you any idea. It was just something and we're like, that's not your job, all right, Oh my god. So fun. I mean remember when the world was a fun place where we would just get Mendocino Farms for free no matter where we were. And remember, okay, so like Mendicino Farms was like chill. But I remember they were like, you can order whatever

you want out of this book. And they would go to like it's a yard house, breaking out yard house, and I would order a forty dollar rearby. Every people be like and I'll be like I need I need the ribby um mashed potatoes, and I just like every time, I was like, well I want a forty dollar steak.

So yeah, yeah, that's what I did. Sometimes you'll be on or I've been on things where it's like here's the menu, and like the first day, everybody is like, Okay, we're gonna get chips and gawk for the whole room. Let's get some calamari. And then everyone's getting like an entree salad and three tacos. And then the next day they come in and they're like, Okay, the limited fifteen dollars. We go so intent we're just because I'll order lunch and dinner and I'll be like, we need extra to

go boxes and take stuff home. I was paid so poorly on something I was working on that the food was my only way to like make up for it. And they would you have like it's like I am living below the poverty line being on television. I'm getting a club sandwich and a steak and you can suck my dick. I yield my time. Yes, give me the snacks on my last job, and it was like the last day and I just like I was like, I'm gonna take this granola bars because I asked for them.

This show is over. They're going in my backpack and I'm an equal opportunity food um mooch. Like I gave blood last week and I took a ton of snacks for myself, and then I took snacks home for CJ, who did not give blood. But I was like, oh, I know he likes these kind of fruits. You know what I mean. You know I've been on a diet to First of all, you guys are married. Your blood is his blood, his blood is It's fine, absolutely let's chat sports before we get into the topic. You are

from Tallahassee, moved to Chicago. Now growing up, were you Florida fan? Oh? Yeah, like I'm I was. I went to Florida State, so my dad went to Florida State, My aunts went to Florida State. My dad ran track. They're like, I was a huge sports fan, so like there's nothing to do in Tallahassee except for play football or work for the State of Florida, and like that's it. And since I grew up and didn't want to do either of those things, I moved away. Yeah, but that's

so wow. I mean Florida State one of like the mast storied football programs for sure. It's like when I closed my eyes and think of football college football, that I just picked of the Marooning Gold. Yeah. I mean like and also like we're good at like every sport. So like even if you just on campus and you just want to like puts around, you could be like I did, go watch the golf team probably and they'd

be good. It's like everybody's good. It's like I can't watch a couple of holes of this every time you come to campus. Whatever was happening. It was good when you moved to Chicago, did you feel because like, I mean, you were on a sketch team called three P So it's like you're definite. You you definitely became part of like the Chicago comedy scene is we did, which in turn is kind of like you have to be a

part of the Chicago sports scene as well. Oh yeah, I mean, like I O was across the street from Wrigley Field, which which which kind of made me a Socks fan. I lived behind Wrigley and I didn't care about baseball, but then my commutes home from my job at Blockbuster made me a Socks and I was like, are adding minutes to my commuteant? I hate them? Yeah. I was just trying to do a couple of improv shows. I will never forget my first improv show. Ever, this

isn't even a Cup story. It's a black Hawks story. Uh. And the black Hawks had won the World Series and not the World Series the Stanley Cup. Um that the day of my first Harold show, and I got there early because I was just going Stanley Cup. You know,

like that is the improv equivalent of the stand. So like I made a Harold Team, and it was our first show ever and people couldn't come to the show because the fans from the Stanley Cup were so wild that the police put up barricades, so people were like trying to cross Clark Street and like couldn't get so like it was just like the people who were already the theater had to stay in the theater and watch our show, and the people who came to see the

show couldn't get in because of the Stanley Cup. It was a mess. Yeah, that corner would just be absolute mayhem.

What was it? A Bar Louie that was next to Yeah, and you would go and like eat there after class or shows and then it honestly, like the image that's coming to mind is in Ghostbusters when the Titanic comes to New York City and all the zombies pour off of it and are roaming the streets like you would be in Bar Louie just having a nice zip zap zop time with your friends, and then zombies would overrun.

I mean, this is why I think a lot of great comedians and writers all come from Chicago's because that was our audience. Like we had to like entertain the dumbest people in the dumbest bars and now it's just like, oh, everything else is a cake walk to us. Oh yeah, absolutely. Also people walking in drunk in the middle of your show,

going what is this? What are they doing? And it's like, shut up, I'm trying to do improv and they're like no, Like, nothing's worse than being yelled at from some guy who just love a baseball game, who just wants to know what's happening. Yeah, we we did comedy in a hostile environment. Um I did. I did just watch the Saved by the Bell reboot, which you're you wrote for right, are you guys currently writing on that where all the episodes are written. Production is halted, so we have a couple

of episodes left before we can put a show out. God. You know, the trailer really surprised me. I thought it was just gonna be another like multi cam reboot, and it was like, I mean, I don't know, the jokes are feel it feels like thirty Rock. I know there's a thirty Rock right around it, but I'm like really excited about it now, thank you. I'm really proud of it. It's really fun and the um the Yeah, Tracy Wickfield is like a thirty rock baby. The show running. Uh,

it's like joke heavy, it's really smart. The rooms diverse. Like you know that if I didn't like the job, I'd be like, it was a fun time I had, but I actually really like yeah yeah, you'd just be like, oh, yeah, everyone was great and I'm looking forward to doing some new things. No, that job was great. I hope we get a second season so I can go back to the job I liked. I knew. I knew you loved that job because I knew there was a job previous to it that you did not love. And that's how

you can tell someone actually likes a job. Oh yeah, they do, and they don't got a past job. You're like, oh they like this one, got it? Oh yeah, yeah, I the job I had previously. I worked up for six days and I quit. And then I also like didn't post that I was working there, Like usually when you get a new job, especially in TV, and you're like, I want people to watch it. I'm really excited about this experience. I like took that job that I quit,

and I was like, I'm away before I post. This has a weird vibe, And then um, I did not post about it because I quit after a week. I was like, your girl has got to go. No, I, um, I hated that show and I hate that person. And I was very proud and happy and then yeah, I heard like fun drama behind the scenes, and yeah, I told me with joy. Yeah, then I was really happy

you're out of there. Yeah. Also, it's so funny. It's because like you know about it, but like also like a lot of people know about it, Like if you don't know about it, sorry, you don't have a blue check mark. Now, I'm just kidding. It's just that it's one of those things where like I really was low key on my exit and people would be like I heard about that, and I'd be like, who told you?

It's wild out here? Well, I think I think sometimes what happened you You were very discreet, and I remember you being like, I'm not saying what I didn't like. I'm just happy to be at this new show that I did like. But since you came from a show that other people didn't like, or people don't like the person associated it was, it was fun for us, you know. Yeah, you so much respectful and professional, but you gave us a nugget and we ran with it. Let's get into

the topic. So our topic today is the greatest comeback. And this was actually a peek behind the curtain. CJ and I did this topic for our pilot of this podcast that was never released, but we have been wanting to do it again and you felt like the perfect person to do it with. Um, it's feel good. We're trying to kind of do things that feel a little empowering right now within the realm of sports themselves, so

this felt like a good topic for that. And UM, yeah, Shin Terry, you want to give us your number three? Pick my number three comeback? We we just talked about them. Uh, it's gonna be the Cubs winning the World Series. Great one, that's my number three. Were you in Chicago then? I was in Chicago and my experience so like, uh, c J, I don't know if you like baseball now, I don't. I think I don't know what will ever change it. But no, I think it's the most boring sport. Like

I think it's so boring, it's too long. But I was working at Second City and then uh, when I finished my show that that last game went into extra innings, it was like hell along. So I watched a bunch of the game in the bar and then I went to go work out at Export. I was like, this home, my So I went to go work out in the bar. I mean it went to work work out an Export, and they were playing the game like on different things. So like I was like just working out and like

looking to see if they were winning. And then I like finished working out, went downstairs, changed came back up, and then like they won, and I was like, oh my god. And then I walked home like it was announced that they won. I walked outside on well Street and then it was people pouring out and I was like, holy crap. So like I watched most of the game and then I like watched the replay in Export, and then I was like I gotta go home right now. Yeah,

you're like I gotta get out of here. Even hearing that Export, I'm like transported back to a certain time in my life. That Export is burned in my memory. But yeah, I mean what's wild too, is there were so many bars in Chicago that were just showing the game on TV. But it was like it's a hundred and fifty dollars to come in here and watch the game where Yeah, and it's like you were just at export for free watching it having the same experience. Yeah,

it was wild. I was in that bar and it was just getting kind of crazy, and I was like, I don't know if they're going to win, but I do know that if they win, I don't want to be in this small bar, and I do know that if they lose, I don't want to be in this small bar. So then I went and got an elliptical. Yeah.

I mean. What I love about this come back, and there's gonna be one similar to it is that it goes from being you know, they were down, the Cubs were down three one right, and then you're just like, well, disappointment again, like I can't believe I wasted my time caring, and then you then they win one, and then when they win another and you're like, oh my god, and it's just like if I was a Cubs fan, I would just be incredibly stressed out and that, but that

payoff then going into extra innings in Game seven, it's just it is like whether or not you're a fan of them or a fan of baseball, you're like, this is an achievement and like something we may not see for a while. Also, I was in Chicago when it happened.

That's why that's so amazing, because like all of the choices that I have today were things that I actually saw, are like participated in, you know, like not like I remember watching it live and I like remember the moment when like the whole city was like, oh my god, something amazing happened today and you could feel it. There's nothing like somebody winning, Chicago winning. It's like there's nothing like yes, yeah, well, and do you got what which

is more impressive to you? Coming back from down three one in the World Series or coming back from a curse that a man put on you over a hundred years ago? The Goat? You think the Goats a more impressive comeback? Okay, overcoming the curse? I think that. I think the Goat is more impressive because I've seen people come back from three to one. I've seen people come back in basketball. I've seen that before. We haven't seen anybody way in a hundred and eight years to win,

So I think that's impressive. It's a longer wait. Overcoming a curse is what, like Harry Potter is about you know, like it is impressive. Um, okay, I will go next. My number three is gosh, this is when I actually didn't even know about until last week, when this person may be celebrated in a birthday or some sort of anniversary, and it is Ben Hogan winning the nineteen fifty US Open, and I know about this. What I'll just say now, my honorable mention is going to be Tiger winning the

two thousand nineteen Masters. And everyone considers that like truly the greatest, um the greatest like individual comeback from his He had four back surgeries and his personal scandals and the Hooters waitress and all of that, and then he was able to come back and and win. But when Tiger is asked about that, he says, ben Hogan's come back is the greatest comeback in sports. So I'm giving the nod to him, and he Ben Hogan was hit

by a greyhound bus. Hit by a greyhound bus on leaving a turn after on his way driving home from a tournament and broke his pelvis. Ribs were broken. When the authorities were whoever first got to the scene, they thought he was dead. That's how smashed the car was Um he should have died. He should have died, and doctors are like, there's no way he'll ever play golf again,

he may never walk again. And then less than a year and a half later, he not only was back walking, but he won a major tournament and he wouldn't he shouldn't have even been playing, and based on like medical report, So if you read what he had to go through to get like he had to soak an EPs and salt for an hour every day before even going out there,

I think he he was in. He was towards the top spot going into the weekend, and I guess told his wife, I don't think I'm gonna be able to finish, Like he just didn't even think he could physically walk thirty six more holes, and then out of like sheer determination, was able to do it, and yeah, and one a major and then went on to win many more majors after that, and that kind of like cement, that's why we even know who he is. I guess he also hit the ball further than any whenever, so he just

sounds great. I just to be hit by a greyhound bus. Yeah, that's cartoonist. That's like a punchline in scary movie. Can I just be honest with you really quick? When you said a guy hit by a bus, I truly was thinking, like mean girls like I hit. So when you were like in a car, I was like, okay, so like a little private. Me was like less impressed, but I'm still impressed. Well that's that's how sick our brains are. Because I thought the same thing, Shantira. I was like,

oh my gosh, he got hit by a bus. And then you're like, d yeah, Wiley Coyotes style, and then he's swinging a golf club. But yeah, it's just it's I mean, to your point, Shanterra, It's like I wasn't alive, so I don't know this and I only know about it because I think what Tiger did is so incredible, and Tigers like, yes, it is incredible that I cheated on my wife and won a major after it. But it's more incredible that this man got hit by a bus.

Yeah that's crazy Tiger opinion on that. So that's my number three. I mean, poort Ben Hogan, he couldn't even he couldn't even get it to my one spot. Um, okay, see, did you give us your number three? All right, my number three. I don't like showing them love. God, I don't like what this is already. It's Patriots super Bowl fifty one. That you know what, it was probably one of the worst sports moments to have to experience, just

like not a good year Trump one again. Yeah, and that's why I'm like it truly, yes, yes, but I can't discount that it happened, you know. That's why. So I'm like, and I know people will get mad at us if we don't bring it up. And like it was, you know that year, especially Brady had been suspended for the first four weeks, and it's part of like his legacy, whether you like it or not. Like for them to

then win the Super Bowl. They were down twenty eight to three with two minutes left in the third quarter and then they came back in one. It's just like something I've never seen before. I know, I never want to see it again, I know, you know. So I watched the election results come in at a comedian's house and then it was heartbreaking and terrifying and all, you know,

all those emotions. And then three months later, I guess it wasn't even it was like, yeah, maybe two or three years later, the same comedian was like, you want to come over and watch the super Bowl here? And I'm like, fuck, yeah, you know, we'll break the curse on your house. And then this happens and I was like, I will never set foot in your home ever again. I hope you move and this burns to the ground. Curse that person. Yes, yeah, oh it was um yeah, no,

you're right, c J. It is. The thing is it's an amazing comeback. But it's it's like symbolized evil winning. And I know that that's too harsh, but it was like, it's an amazing combat. If it happens for the team that we want to win, it happened for the team that we're like sick of their ship. Yeah yeah. It's like Darth Vader being like clinging for his life and coming back. It's like, Okay, you did it, Darth Vader,

but like we don't like you. Yeah, CJ, thank you for taking one for the team because people would be mad. But ye, the super Bowl is a large stage and they did do it. It's just I feel for the Falcons, but I needed it. We need to know and I didn't know. It's like I say, we I don't give a funk about the falcons, you know, but I was no. I mean, everyone against Trump was on the falcons. We needed that and we did not get it, and we got in the most upsetting fashion. Yeah. So wow, yeah,

what a what a span of a few months that was. Okay, let's take a quick break and we'll be back and more. All right, and we are back with our second picks. Shantira kick us off here. Okay, So my second pick is another game that I remember watching live and it is the miracle minute by Duke in two thousand one, Like Jay Williams, they were playing Maryland and they scored ten points in like a minute. It was this in the championship for Final four. No, I don't even think

it was in the championship. It was just just like a regular season game. It was just like a wild game. It was just like a wild game. And like they we're down by ten points with like a minute left, and like in men's basketball, like that is nothing like I've grown up to be, like anything that happened in ten minutes, right, But it really felt like they weren't

at Duke. I don't believe I think they were at Maryland, and it was just like, Okay, we have a minute, let's see what happened, and they tied, the game came back and then one in overtime and then like Jay Williams score were like ten points in like a minute. Wow, yeah, ten points in fifty four seconds against One Dixon and Steve Blake. We talked about One Dixon a lot because

the housewives. But uh and also just like I had I had One Dixon Wizard's jersey as a kid because I liked that Wizard's Jordan team for some weird, sick reason. And yeah, I mean yeah, Maryland was eight. I mean these were like college stars in the game. We talked about Jay Williams a lot to yeah, but for other reasons. I remember watching it and being like, dang, that was a good game. I guess, oh crap, they came back.

I just because I also played basketball growing up, and I was like, that was the most amazing thing I've ever seen. Wait, wait, so were you were you four or against Duke? Oh? I was four, Duke. I was in the A C C like a CC family, you know what I mean, And like I really looked, I really loved who was winning. I was like fifteen. So I love Duke, I love Yukon. I love watching really really good players be good. So I was like, I want Duke to win. And man, that was a crazy,

crazy game to watch. I've always wondered if Conference, if Conference c J gets makes fun of me when I can't say words right, and shock, he didn't do it. I've always wondered if Conference Allegiance, like I do that I went to a Big Ten school. If if Produe is out of it, I root for the other Big ten schools And people are like that seems weird, and I'm like, I don't know, it seems like we're a family.

Are We're a family. And if Florida states out, honestly, in Florida states out, I'm rooting for anybody except for the University of Florida. If I'm being okay, that's that's my Anybody, give me a Big ten, give me the SEC, anybody but the University of Florida. But if I'm sticking, if it's a toll, if there's somebody in the A C C, I'm going a C. Yeah. Yeah, that's how I feel too. I'm glad to hear that I'm not the only like I don't even know if it's Homer

because it doesn't even make sense. But I'm like, yeah, sure, I'll for Michigan. I don't give a fun you know, like great, it feels good for all of us, even though Michigan wouldn't spit on pretty if they were on fire. What family would I be a part of? If I went to Columbia College, a school that accepts its happens, you are part of the Kardashian West family. To if any of the Kardashian West are in any um sort of struggle, you are. That's what I tell. People are like, oh,

Columbia College, interesting, what's that all about? Like, well, it's where Kanye dropped out, you know, um, and he is a brilliant artist. And they're like, okay, cool, but you there to be like an art school, um, because art school they don't compete in athletics. There is no conference, there's no But then maybe it's just like you, whichever has like a good like color or like a good song.

A logo, Yeah, you're like that logo symbolizes anything that you if there was a documentary that you were moved, That's what I did five for a while with the Michigan Black Sox black Nikes, Like that's usually what I do. So yeah, I think that's a your your the art School conference. Okay, great pick, Shantira, Okay. My second pick is a game that I was actually at and that's why it goes. That's why it goes ahead of Ben

Hogan being hit by a gray humbus. I apologize, Ben, but this is the two thousand seven Colts a f C championship game. C J is laughing, And the thing is, I know this is a Homer pick, but this game is on a lot of lists at that At that time, it was the greatest comeback in conference championship history. I do not think that record has been broken. And it was the fourth greatest comeback in postseason history. Now obviously we've mentioned when that so now we watched we watched

parts of it. It was it was like the Patriots always beat the Colts, like in the moments and games that mattered most, they won, and so it really and and Peyton had never been to a super Bowl at this point. We were the second of the conference championship, so we already knew the Bears were going and you know, you have to be delusional as a sports fan and be like, we're gonna win this time, but that's an uphill battle to go against Belichick and Brady in two

thousands seven. Oh my god, this is like prime evil time for them. And the Colts went down to three in the first half, and it truely, I mean I was reading an article about it today and it was like when they scored that touchdown to go up three, the stadium was silent, like the air felt like it was sucked out of there. I remember my brother leaving at halftime to go smoke a cigarette, like it was

bleak inside of there. And then the Colts just fucking came out roaring, and it was so incredible to be a part of because it wasn't just a comeback in this particular game. It was a comeback for all the times the Patriots had beaten the Colts. Like the rivalry was so real and so fresh, and it felt David versus Goliath. It really felt like the little, tiny losers had finally beat them. And I remember Marlon Jackson catching

that interception and that's when it was cemented. And I was reading this article today and the guy was like, it's the greatest NFL game I've ever been to. And is he a Colts fan? I don't know. He does have a journalism job, so I'd assume not. And he was like talking about there were grown adults crying. My brother had to hold me up, like my knees gave out. And I didn't even remember that will s it's welcome to Miami because the Super Bowl was in Miami that year.

Started playing and I'm like, we're the best. We had the best, we had just the best time. That day. I saw a woman p in a sink at a white castle. I mean, I'm living my little Indiana dreams. And it was at the r C a doome like that doesn't even exist anymore. It was just it was magical to be there. So that's my number two, honestly, And that's why I made the Patriots come back my number three, because I knew it would just set you up nicely for that. Thanks, honey. Feel good, Oh, I

feel so good. I just I love that blocked out there for a second describing it play by play well. I also, I mean the Colts went on to win the Super Bowl if they hadn't with that game, still feel is good. I don't know. I think it would still be a great comeback, but it's like it was the biggest hurdle too. Then went what went on to be a Super Bowl win. So yeah, it feels it feels sweet. Okay, okay, alright. My second pick is one

that I'm still like diving into a lot. Last week I watched when we were Kings and I, you know, just also with you know, the current climate, I was like, how big of a feat this was? So Ali Foreman rumble on the Jungle, because I don't think it like our generation realizes how done people thought Muhammad Ali was like he was banned and suspended from the from boxing

and sixty seven didn't return until three years later. At that point, I believe is like two and was like, I'm gonna get my title back, went to fight Frazier, who won lost umanimous decision, and you're like, this guy's gotta be done. Like at this point, like to put it in more current like analogy, it's like it is like Jordan's Wizards or Wizard Jordan's and then just In and also just seeing Foreman in this documentary to you're like, whoa, this was a different dude, this guy like Foreman was

a machine beating Frasier. He was just a ston't like just stone cold. Ye, he was like a badass and now we think of him as like a sweetie pie and and rewatching that doc too and just that fight, you realize everything in boxing movies is stolen from literally

everything all he has done. But like there was a comeback not only in this like long period of time, but also within the fight of like doing the rope adope where he's just getting like hit by punch after punch, heavy punch and then tired out Foreman and beat him and that is just like again something I've never haven't seen since um and just I get adds to the legend of Muhammad Ali. Yeah, Muhammad Ali is probably like

the number one person that I've learned about that. I'm that I'm very much aware that, whether it was my own choosing to not know about him or society as a whole being like, oh, that's just not a dude that we like fully celebrate. But I'm like, damn, this guy was is a legend, Like was it? Was it a king of God amongst amongst humans, amongst the normal people to to boycott going to war. I mean that ship sounds so like he really walked out. So many people talk to talk, but he was like, I don't

give a shit about this medal. I don't care about this bill, Like I'm here for my people, and it's like whoa, Like also, that's a lot of money, Like he was really like he gave up a lot just to be like, I'm gonna stick to my principles. I'm gonna stick to my morals. And then came back and whoops and masks like you can't be mad at Yeah, yeah, I mean, and it's so interesting to this NBA debate is happening right now and like that's not something I

can even have an opinion on. You know, like if if Kyrie doesn't want to play, I get it, Lebron wants to play, I get it. You know, like everybody is right in what they want. But Mohammed Ali, he wasn't boycotting. They banished him and they said you cannot play, because like that's so he would have taken the platform. He would have continued to fight and and use his

platform and push the issues. But he was silenced and unallowed to which is so crazy given what we see I mean it would be like Lebron being punished for calling Trump a bump, you know, like it we've evolved since then, but it's like, wow, he really did so much and is so underappreciated, I think, especially in white America. Yeah. Well, also they like there's a different narrative. America is very

good at like rewriting history. So now they're all like, we love Mohammed Ali, we love everything about him, and we're like, yeah, I get two years ago you did not love him and you were not about him. Oh yeah, that's a great pick. Thanks c J. Okay, we're gonna take a break and then we'll be back with our number one picks. All right, and we're back. Can she can't hear how we do this? Since you're our guests, you'll be the last of the to choose the number

one pick. That's sort of our big finale. So, Megan, why don't you kick us off? Okay? So my number one is a person coming back from an injury again, and this one is Monica Sellis coming back from being stabbed in the back while playing a tennis match. Um, it's so insane. I've been a lifelong tennis fan. This happened in ninety three. So I do remember this happening. I like, yeah, it's it doesn't matter where the funk

I was doing. But it's but like it's something that I forget about a lot, and then when I re remember it, it's so crazy. Um. Monica Sellis at that point, was like she was the number one ranked woman in the world. She had won eight majors. She was playing kind of even like a warm up match in Hamburg, Germany, and a Steffi Graff like psycho fan ran onto the court and stabbed her in the back. And the guy's name was, Um, I know it's Santira. It's so fucking crazy.

I don't think it's that's my response when things are so I just laughed. Now I know it's the story is going to get even more fucked up. Unfortunately, the guy's name is um Gunter Parch and yeah, he was obsessed with Steffie Groff and Sellis had recently beat her, and Gunter ended up um serving no jail time he was given. He was given two years probation and because of that, Monica Sellis said and then did not ever

play in Germany ever. Again. She said she did not feel safe playing there, and she felt like they they're like justice system had let her down. But she did. Yeah, she did come back to play. There was even discussion about UM holding her number one seat for her because her ranking was dropping, not because she like got injured playing. She got injured because someone stabbed her, and so they ended up voting to not hold her seat for her.

But she still had her ranking when she came into tournaments, and so she came back. It was less than four years later and one the Australian Open, which is the major that Serena one while she was pregnant, So I just you know, it's like so badass for both of them, UM, But then that ended up being the last major that she one. UM post the stabbing, but she did have a career, but it really, I mean, it halted her.

It took away four years of her tennis prime, which tennis is such a short um traditionally, like career length you have obviously, like Serena has busted that in Federer, but it used to be like, oh, you've got like five years you can play tennis, and and four of them were taken away from her. But she did come back to win a major and then some other like tour tournaments after Yeah, so Gunter, you fucking stinker Gunter. I mean I was, I'll just reveal my second pick.

It's you know, the calves coming back from three once your first pick, first pick, and then I'm like, well, none of them were stabbed in the series. You know. It's the thing that makes it extra crazy is that it was in a tournament, Like she was playing tennis during this and and she has she has contended that that tennis has not done enough to protect player like

that year at Wimbledon. Usually the chairs they have their backs to the crowd and they're seated like next to the umpires that you're Wimbledon, they turned the chair so they were facing the umpires, and Monica Sells was like, yeah, that's not really enough to stop someone from running on the stabbed somebody like I mean, yeah, I mean maybe

you should have gone last, because like there's nothing. When you were like she got stabbed in the back, I was like metaphorically, like I can't what, Like I thought they got hit by a bus, uh for real? And then I thought they were the metaphorical stabbing. And you know what, every time you tell me with th real. It's a I'm flabbergasted, but also like how bad does Stephie grow feel? It's like, oh my god, Gunter, what are you doing. It's like it's that Jodie Foster. It

didn't one of her fans. He tried to kill. He tried to assassinate somebody, and it's like, oh my god, these fai like Gunter, Stephie is not going to be like wow, I love you now. Yeah, it doesn't make any suits. Well, that's wild. She's married. She's married Andre Agassi. She don't care about you Gunter well, and like in the articles, they're like an authorities think he maybe had

mental problems. It's like you think, you think Gunter was suffering some from some mental issues to run on a tennis court and stab a woman he doesn't know, Like, yeah, he's suffering from some mental issues. It's so wild. I'm gonna have to really look into this later because in my head it heads up. Happened so fast, but in my head it's like slowed down. You see a man

with the knife. People are running like you know, how buck wild and like like insecure things have to be for a full grown man with the knife to come onto a court and I'm best she was wearing all white. Oh my gosh, wow, she was in her cute little tennis outfit. There's actually like a really iconic photo. It's it's eerily similar to the Nancy care again on the ground owned where Monica's on the ground being tended to. It's it's such a wild, insane, terrifying, uh story, I

will be looking into good good. I'm I'm glad, and I also just like I've always loved Monica Sellis. She was she was a badass, awesome tennis player and so cool and yeah, I feel like he definitely robbed her at this, but she's still a badass to come. I would never I wouldn't even play ping pong ever again, Like it would be a rap for me, a rap on my tennis life. But she came back and beat some ass too, Okay, c J, all right, give us

the cast. Well no, so honorable mention. I didn't mentioned because it's it felt so new and I just remembered it was the Chiefs the game before the Super Bowl where they were answered points and then I think maybe Damian Williams he returned it like it was like a seventy year. I don't even know how long it was, but then everyone knew, like oh, like you could feel it.

And then they rode that all the way into the Super Bowl and one that was against the was that against Texas, and like that was like again a correction. We just didn't want to see, like we needed the Chiefs to um in our climate. And so the Texans coming in there and scoring twenty four un answer, You're like, all right, people are we're going we'reering back? Why were we mad at the Texas? I just mad at JJ wat right right right, right, right, right right, because this

was pre knowing about the astros um cheating. Because it's like, you guys got a World Series that you kind of don't deserve. So yeah, you're not going to go to the Super Bowl. Yeah, we just gotta That's just what's going to happen any Red, White, and Blue team. I'm like, I don't know, as like I don't know if the Chiefs and that weird forgotten can be but totally forgotten

at the end of the day. It's like the Chiefs are technically in the A C C. You know what I mean That Like, if we're going for they are the Chiefs. We know everybody's got some problematic stuff going on, but I'm gonna go for the Chiefs. The Chiefs have the Chiefs have a crazy history. Whoever has the least amount of bad things is yeah, yeah, and you want Andy Reid, you know it was he Yeah, And I mean, what's beautiful. They both have black quarterbacks, Like that was

a celebration. I forgot my honorable mention obviously. Reggie and the eight points and we just talked about it. We know it. And same with this one. So three one Calves coming back three one, it was it made me cry. Um, just everything was so beautiful about it, Like the Warriors were the best team in basketball. We kind of got the sense of like we don't need to watch this anymore.

And Lebron doing it for Cleveland, Um, it was just a yeah, I said, like that was like one of his first words in the post post game, like genuine like just tears of joy and relief. I rewatched that last five minutes of that fourth quarter of Game seven, is just truly magical. Every player has like Lebron had the block, Kyrie had the three, and Kevin Love had to stop on Steph Curry. It's just in sports. Is

one of the greatest moments. I think, very much like the Cubs win, it's not just a win from three down, it's that he was He's from Cleveland, he played in Cleveland. They couldn't do it. They go, he goes to Miami, they burn his jerseys. He wins that he comes back like it was so layered and and everything Cleveland has been through with the Calves being bad and the Browns being how they are, and and then them also having just like financially kind of falling apart as a city.

Didn't their river catch on fire like crazy ship is constantly happening there. They call it the Mistake by the Lake. I think it's so rude. I love Cleveland, but it really also it did feel like good versus evil. And I know that's wrong to say that the Warriors were evil, but you just I wanted Lebron to win for his whole athlete. Yeah, I wanted him to win for his city.

And it's like that's where he grew up. It's like, I mean, like it really truly is like a great American tale, like he was this young black kid doing it for his city. He goes all over the country and he comes back for like, wasn't that that contract was like four He was like, I'm gonna come and win a championship for you, and then I'm leaving. Like he literally did it all for his city and then he was like, ah, this is finished. I feel like if Lebron retired after that, he did his work. He

did the work he wanted to do well. And now we know that that win was what made Jordan be like, Okay, you can make a documentary. He was like, oh, jo, okay, he's really coming for like it, and and there will be a documentary about on someday and that will obviously be so integral and it is like such a magical moment. I hope we have to wait two years for it, right, No, I don't think we will. I'm sure Lebron's working on it already. Um, but yeah, it really damn that was

It made it made me cry. I think it made a lot of grown ups cry. Okay, she and are you ready for your number one? I'm ready for my number one. My number one is Florida State National Championship two thousand fourteen. Okay, we uh, we were really really losing. We were down I think we we we scored first, we were like three zero, and then Auburn came back and they were in the league to three, and it looked really, really, really bad. And then we came back.

We came back and we won fourth quarter, last minute, Chamis Winston throws it to Kelvin Benjamin thirteen seconds left on the clock, and we came back. We we ended the season national champions I fully remember that. It was like I must think that one gets overshadowed because of j Mess, you know. I also have a story about where I was when that happened. So, like I was living in Chicago. It was the middle of the polar vortex. The day that four Stage won the national championship. I

was in my studio apartment alone. It was negative fifty four degrees outside. I was talking to my aunt, my family. We were watching it right My aunt is up Florida State alumni to and we're watching it and it's the fourth quarter, I mean, it's halftime and we're down three, and she turns it off. She goes, I can't watch us lose this game. And then I was like, I'm stuck inside in the middle of an apocalypse. I'm gonna

watch this game. So I'm drinking bourbon by myself in my studio and we fucking come back and we're national champions. And I called my aunt and I go, we won, and she goes, what I turned really? Yeah? She didn't. She Oh my god. She hadn't even been getting like texts. I guess she's an aunt. She was like, I can't

do it. I'm gonna turn it off. I don't want to hear anything because also, like there's some members of my family, like my mother is a Gators fan, trash she so she was like texting my eye being like you're losing, You're losing. So my aunt was like, fuck it, I'm not taking any more text call me when the game's over. And then I was like, yo, we just

won undefeated Rose Bowl, Baby, give me my championship. Well, and then how do you celebrate something like that because the polar votex, because my first instance will be to run out on the street and find somewhere to get drunk.

So how do you then celebrate? I was already pretty drunk because we were losing so bad at halftime, but it was like one of those things where I like my my friends from if we were like texting being like, oh my god, like there was no bar to go to, Like there was nowhere for me to go to actually do with the people and watch that game and it'd be safe. So like literally like I was thinking about, but like, also, if you're like an Auburn fan, you're

probably somewhere I don't go in the South. At least you got to be warm. When you lost, I freezing and I was like, I can't believe my team. First of all, I was gonna blown underbeated season while I'm trapped in this small apartment freezing my ass off. But we came back and it was I mean, I think because I'm a Florida State fan, but like it was the best thing I've ever seen, because I literally was like, are we gonna lose this game? Was that was Cam

at Auburn? Then? Was it Jamie's versus Cam? Um? No, I'm sorry I side tracked Chest, but yeah, I mean it's Scott. Now. I'm just thinking about, like not even just the culture shock, but like the weather shock of moving from Florida to Chicago as a young woman watching in Pasadena to Yeah, it was saying no, I'm talking about experience. Oh yeah, I didn't say snow till I was thirteen. It was it was a big change, but I had I had improv dreams, y'all, and that's where

it had to go. You know. I had was your family like, why are you going to Chicago? Well, I have one aunt who lived in Beverly, who lived in the suburbs. So like my family was like, because I went to school in my hometown, so like that was

the first time I've ever moved away from home. So like my family was like, we'll take you going into Chicago because we have like a family member rather than me going to like New York or l A where I didn't know anybody, and I had literally never been before, Like I've been to Chicago for Christmas like three times. So like it was like they were like, this is fine, We've been to this city before, and if all hell breaks loose, you can go to the bourbs and figure

something out. Yeah, that makes sense. That makes sense. Chicago has always been a great natural step if you weren't like I was always afraid of New York in l A. And I was like, Chicago will be a nice, easy transition into a major city. And also it was like wait, and I had been to New York when I was like nineteen, and I didn't know that they threw the

trash on the sidewalk. So I came from my like hoity toity fucking Tallahassee recycled everything neighborhood and I got there and I remember walking down the street and some man came and just dropped two trash bags on the sidewalk. And I looked at this girl and I was like, why did he do that? She was like, that's where they put the trash, and I was like, I don't

think I believed here. That's how I felt, too, So funny, it's yeah, oh, I mean even iving from Chicago to New York as a culture shop because you're like, wait, where are the alleys. It's like there's there's a lot of things Chicago fux up, but like at least our trashes. You know why there's alleys, right, It's because Chicago burned down. So Chicago is on a grid sweat day and it's built exactly like New York. It was like New York the second city. It was literally New York two point oh.

And then it smelled like garbage because there was nowhere to put the trash, which is what they did to New York, and then the whole city burned down. And then when they rebuilt it, they were like, you know what, we should just add one more in between. We need to do over, a little do over. You would have to, I feel about the whole country of Germany. Yes, they

got to do over starting like nineteen fifty. And it's like, yeah, they have their trains work better because they stopped being a country for a while and now they're yeah, they rebuilt the whole thing. And that is why Chicago. They that's why Chicago has alleys. Literally, you would have to burn New York to the ground for it just to get the alleys that it needs. Oh, it doesn't come to that, I don't think so. It's I think they've accepted the way they are. Yes, they love it. They're like,

we're killing it. This is a character in a movie. I know we're gonna have to cut all of a shipping on New York because they're going to be but I mean, keep the story about Chicago burning down. That's why we have alleys. Literally, that's just a kid. Yes, we'll keep that. We'll keep that. Okay, shantire, What can we plug for you? You can plug my my Twitter, on my Instagram, and then whenever production pops back up,

we could plug say by the Bell. Yeah, I mean, I think we're all gonna be on the lookout first, say by the Bell. We're plugging it here. But I feel like the people are gonna they're gonna get to it on their own. But yeah, your Twitter, you've been making me laugh, You've been educating, You're covering a lot of bases on your social media right now, I'm trying. Yeah, you've got to be fucking exhausted. I hope you are napping. I know that you're like you're making a lot of

delicious um. You're baking, you are pickling, you're making salsas. It all looks incredible. I'm trying to like come out of this with the notary like a skill set. But like if she went down, if you need bread or pickles, I got you right. I mean, I appreciate all of like the activism work you're doing, and then on Instagram visually you're doing a lot of great work too. I always remember your your fun suits. I can't wait to see you in a fun suit in person, in real life. Yeah,

I can't wait to hug you. Yeah, I know. Um, okay, see you can find c J at c J Tolodano. I am at making gaily please rate reviews. But oh yeah, we've been getting great suggestions. We're gonna do it. We're going to do an all Canada episode. Excuse me, yeah, listen, I promised a thirteen year old in Canada that we would be doing in all Canada episodes, so you're getting it. Thirteen year old. I'm not going to say your name because you're already talking to year old. On from thirteen

year old reached out to me, okay, can't here. Thank you so much. We missed you. You're yeah, you're killing it. You'r we love you and you are inspiring us to love you. Guys, thanks for having me. Bye bye. Shore By 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.