Muse

Here at the Happiness Lab, we're serving up some hot takes for the summer. Big ideas that just might reshape how you think about your well-being. Like the radical notion that we should get rid of small talk completely.

We talk about current events. We talk about what you do for a living. But not, do you love what you do for a living? Is this your dream job?

For more surprising ideas backed by psychological science, check out our new series, Happiness Hot Takes. Listen to the Happiness Lab with me, Dr. Laurie Santos, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Can superstars even exist the way they used to?

2016 was sort of that last era of monoculture, where we still consumed things in community. Everybody wanted to be Beyonce at that point. I don't think we'll ever see another Rihanna.

What does it mean to be Black and eat in America? You will never make me feel bad for being a Black girl, for being a Black American girl, ever.

From music to food to the conversations shaping Black culture right now, Therapy for Black Girls is bringing it all to the mic. Listen to Therapy for Black Girls on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Listen to Laugh But Not Least with MC Jin on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Mojo in the Morning, a little impromptu survey that Spike wants to do here right now with the listeners.

Caused a little bit of a debate. I was out with my Megans. I was out with Megan from the show and Megan, my girlfriend.

Really?

And I was blessed. Tell me. Megan squared.

Was it confusing as to what to call each? Because you on the show call Meg your girlfriend, Meg.

Not today. He's been calling her Megan all day.

But I know that she, does she like to be called Meg or Megan?

I always call her Megan. And I think she just reluctantly took Meg because she knew we had to differentiate them on the show. And also when I first started dating Meg, I put an emoji next to her name. so I would not mistakenly text something dirty to our Megan. Oh, my God. I appreciate that. Can you imagine?

Wait, wait, wait, wait. Do I have an emoji, too? And if so, what is it?

No, none for you. I wanted to be looking as different as possible, so I always knew who I was texting. You're welcome.

And if Megan were to have our Megan from the show were to have an emoji, what emoji? Would it be the middle finger?

It's got to be the middle finger.

Yes, 100%.

Of course. It's the thing she gives me most. All right. So go back. You were you were. So when I was out with them, it started a conversation because my girlfriend, we overheard one of the guys in front of us tell his girl that she's so so pretty. And my girlfriend said, don't ever call me pretty. I said, what do you mean? Because I don't think a guy should tell his girlfriend or his wife that she's pretty. I think that's a term you use for strangers. So I said, how about beautiful? And she said, I love beautiful. She loves beautiful. She loves sexy. She loves gorgeous, but not pretty.

Pretty just lace flat to her?

Yeah.

Just like me?

Well, she said pretty or cute. Pretty is what you call a stranger. Uh-huh. So, like, I'll only say someone's pretty. Like, that's the word I use if I'm talking to my girlfriend. Like, oh, look how pretty that girl is over there. Because to me, it sounds very generic and basic. I'm not going to get in trouble if I say, look how sexy that girl is over there. then I'm thinking something different. So, yeah. Well, and this is where they had a different opinion.

Wait, so what do you think, Megan? Well, I think pretty is fine, but I also think you're using pretty wrong. Pretty is reserved for the people you love most, because that's a nice way of calling them dumb. Oh, my God, you're so pretty. You are so pretty. You are so pretty. Right.

Well, then Megan said, cute is what you call ugly people who dress nice, Because Meg and Megan were agreeing Nobody wants to be called cute And cute's what you call a dog too

Like a puppy or something

Or a kid

Whenever somebody's in my DMs like oh my god you're so cute I'm like oh my god you're so disrespectful I feel like I would take cute But I think honestly

I think anything wrong with any of these

No cute is disrespectful Really? Yes Call me hot

Is it a little patronizing to be cute?

Yeah

Like, Mike, that should not be your first, second, or third choice to call Allie cute. There's a lot of better compliments.

Cute is what you say.

to a girl who has a good personality.

What if a guy calls you effable?

Oh, yes, here's my number.

Really? Honestly, you don't think that's a disrespectful thing or no?

No, because it's been so long.

What about adorable? That's what you want grandma to call you.

Yeah, adorable is what I want an old lady to call me, but not a man.

Okay, and then the one we didn't bring up, what about hot?

Yeah, I want you to objectify me.

Wait, you can call you effable, but you can't call you hot.

She said yes.

Oh, okay. I thought you were joking. We don't know when you're being sarcastic. Yeah, I never know what the sarcasm comes in. All right, 844-MOJO-LIVE, 844-665-6548.

It's pretty bad. Or it's pretty good. Pretty good. Yes.

Your thoughts on this one? You can also text 95500 and tell us. What about you have a Pixar booty? Is that a good one?

Like the Incredibles? I mean, yeah, I'd take her booty. Yeah. That's a good one. Like a Lassa girl?

Yeah. Okay. She's thick with two Cs.

I do think she's right, though. Now that I think about it, pretty is just kind of like, eh.

Just kind of false flag.

It shouldn't be the choice. There's so many better words. Yeah.

What about KP and Lydia? What do you guys think about that, our producers? What do you guys want to be called? What's the thing? I know they're grabbing calls, but I want to get their opinion on this one.

Well, I think when you call someone pretty, that's definitely like, you are definitely a plain bagel.

And I cannot think of anything else to call you. Maybe a double toasted plain bagel, but a plain bagel.

Maybe a couple little everything seeds on it.

What's the best that you've ever been called by somebody?

The best?

Yeah, by a guy.

Oh my gosh. Like, are we talking about appearance wise or just like, like. Yeah, obviously.

Like the most flattering compliment a guy has given you.

Yeah. I really connect with you. You make me laugh so hard.

So nothing about your appearance. No, I don't really care about that.

Do girls want to be called funny? Like you're funny?

Oh, my God, I love that, yeah. Well, all these terms were specifically talking about appearance.

Yeah, but I got it. I got it. If somebody called me ethereal.

A what?

Hold on, let me get my dictionary. Yeah, I'd be like, let me Google. Is that real?

Do you know what Meg? My girlfriend said the best compliment I ever gave her. She like melted. She said the best compliment. I called her timeless.

Ooh.

She came down for a dinner We were going out to dinner And I said you look timeless

Did you give her a diamond after that?

No I didn't need to That was like the gift right there Apparently that really connected with her

Savannah, what are your thoughts?

Literally nothing disrespectful About being called cute You've never gone into work And had your outfit and your hair and your nails done And had your office workers be like Girl you're so cute

My girlfriend should be saying You look good, not you look cute

Savannah, I'm talking about your man calling you that. It's like, that's acceptable for coworkers.

Your man calls you sexy, but there's also, like, the way that Megan had that tone in her voice about how it was disrespectful.

Like, how could that be disrespectful? I stand behind what I said. It is disrespectful.

How about if a guy calls you fine? He says you are fine.

Fine is a nice one. Cute is not disrespectful, though.

Kinsey, hi.

Hi.

How are you?

Good, how are you?

Good. What do you like to be called?

Well, it's not really a compliment, but when my fiance thinks I'm being kind of, like, dumb or ditzy, he's always like, aw, babe, you're so silly. And everyone laughs because they know what he means.

Right. That silly is the nice way of calling you stupid.

100%.

Yeah. That's the same way Megan says, aw, you're so cute. Aren't you cute?

Nikki, what's up?

Cute is very condescending. It's almost like you're like, oh, you're like a little sister. I don't see you as attractive. And it's typically for short people Which I am, I'm always called cute And it's so like a little puppy You know, you know, sexy or hot

So you would say it's Disrespectful, weird I'm glad we're in agreement

Jennifer, what's up?

Okay, for anyone who thinks Pretty is a bad thing, you need to listen to that song If pretty was a person

Who sings that?

Oh, I don't even know Is it bad?

No, no, it's an amazing song Sounds like a country song.

Yeah, I don't know what this group is.

No, it's like a rap song. Oh, it is? Yeah.

Highland star in Wale.

If pretty was a person. Like, play it. Look it up.

If pretty was a person. That's interesting that a rap song is that way.

It's amazing. Okay, so a lot of people like the word stunning. Delicious is another popular one. Yeah. Yummy.

I had a guy call me kid once. I hated that. What about gorgeous?

Is gorgeous an old person word or is that a compliment? This is a little overused. Gorgeous is a nice word, but I feel like you're not telling me the truth. It's lost its sparkle.

Gorgeous is what I write on somebody's picture on Instagram or Facebook.

Yes, Mojo.

You look gorgeous.

It's just vanilla.

It's whatever they suggest to me on social media to write.

Here at the Happiness Lab, we're serving up some hot takes for the summer. Big ideas that just might reshape how you think about your well-being. Like the radical notion that we should get rid of small talk completely.

We talk about current events. We talk about what you do for a living. But not, do you love what you do for a living? Is this your dream job?

For more surprising ideas backed by psychological science, check out our new series, Happiness Hot Takes. Listen to The Happiness Lab with me, Dr. Laurie Santos, on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Can superstars even exist the way they used to?

2016 was sort of that last era of monoculture where we still consumed things in community. Everybody wanted to be Beyonce at that point. I don't think we'll ever see another Rihanna.

What does it mean to be Black and eat in America? You will never make me feel bad for being a Black girl, for being a Black American girl, ever.

From music to food to the conversations shaping Black culture right now, Therapy for Black Girls is bringing it all to the mic. Listen to Therapy for Black Girls on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

It just came out. Jeremy, what did you just do? You just set yourself up for failure. I've never heard you tell this story. I've never told this story. This must have been tucked deep, deep in the Jeremy Lin file.

My name is MC Jin. I'm excited to tell you about Laugh But Not Lease. I'll be chatting with guests from all walks of life about the power of humor when it comes to facing difficult times. These will be conversations that remind us all life is hard. Laugh harder. Listen to Laugh But Not Least with MC Jin on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.