Claim OwnershipAwf The Record
Subscribed: 212Played: 2,146
Subscribe
© 2026 Awf The Record
Description
In a podcast that lives up to its name, Mona Kosar Abdi and Jeannette Reyes go “Awf the Record” with industry disruptors and cultural tastemakers, bringing you candid conversations that reflect the dynamic intersection of media, culture, and society . It’s a show that lives between the news of the day and the group chat. [Awf- Thuh- Rekərd ].
78 Episodes
Reverse
In this episode of Awf The Record, Jeannette Reyes and Mona Kosar Abdi sit down with Jodie Taylor, corporate strategist, DEI leader at Sony Music, and digital creator with over half a million followers, to unpack the strategy behind becoming your highest self. Jodie shares how a devastating season of loss, heartbreak, layoffs, and friendship breakups forced her to completely reevaluate her life. Instead of staying stuck in grief, she built a deliberate blueprint for transformation by focusi...
What really happens behind the scenes of reality TV? In this Awf The Record segment, Jay Manuel unpacks the truth behind one of the most talked-about parts of America’s Next Top Model: the makeovers. What began as genuine attempts to help contestants evolve their look quickly turned into something else entirely. As ratings grew and the show became more sensational, makeovers increasingly became storylines designed to create the biggest on-camera reactions. The conversation also explores the p...
What really happened behind the scenes of America’s Next Top Model? In this episode of Awf The Record, Mona Kosar Abdi and Jeannette Reyes sit down with fashion creative director, TV personality, and former America’s Next Top Model judge Jay Manuel for a raw and revealing conversation about the reality behind one of the most iconic reality shows of the 2000s. Jay opens up about the renewed public scrutiny surrounding ANTM after the Netflix documentary and social media rewatch culture reignite...
Can confidence actually be learned? In this Awf The Record segment, Jeannette Reyes and Mona Kosar Abdi unpack a surprising lesson from a posing class that completely changed how they think about confidence, presence, and what it means to feel sexy. What started as a simple lesson on red carpet posing quickly turned into a deeper conversation about how women are taught to shrink themselves, move quickly, and seek validation. The hosts reflect on how slowing down, owning your space, and embrac...
What does it actually mean to be sexy? In the Season 4 premiere of Awf The Record, Mona Kosar Abdi and Jeannette Reyes reunite in New York and quickly find themselves unpacking a bigger question than they expected: why does being sexy feel so uncomfortable for so many women? What starts as a simple posing class meant to help them feel more confident in photos turns into a deeper conversation about religion, misogyny, body policing, and the shame many women are taught to feel about their own b...
The girls are back… and this time they’re not going anywhere. Season 4 of Awf The Record is officially here, and we’re going weekly. Every Thursday, Mona Kosar Abdi and Jeannette Reyes bring their newsroom instincts and group chat curiosity to the conversations everyone’s whispering about. From relationships and pop culture to trending headlines and the questions nobody wants to say out loud. The honest conversations. The uncomfortable questions. The moments that make the group chat exp...
Today, this candid and reflective episode of Awf The Record is your go-to year-end reset. Jeannette and Mona ditch the highlight reel to unpack what 2025 really looked like: burnout, blurred boundaries, constant “work mode,” and the pressure to overachieve. They break down the habits that kept them running on fumes, unpack the immigrant-kid conditioning that glorifies exhaustion, and reveal the small but powerful shifts they’re making to build a more intentional, joyful, sustainable 2026. Whe...
There’s power in being seen… but there’s also pressure. In this “Best-Of” episode, we explore the beauty and the burden of being a woman in the public eye. Through deeply personal stories of fame, identity, grief, and cultural expectations, these guests reflect on what it means to be visible… and misunderstood. This episode is for every woman who’s ever felt picked apart, underestimated, or praised for the version of herself the world projected – not the one she chose. KEY POINTS:...
What if your dream job wasn’t the dream anymore? In this special “Best-Of” episode, we’re revisiting four powerful stories about career pivots, evolving purpose, and letting go of the identities we once held onto. From childhood fame to corporate boardrooms, these guests opened up about what it really means to outgrow the path you thought was permanent. Whether you're feeling stuck, scared to start over, or just craving something new, this episode is your permission slip to pivot. Because...
From Beauty Queen to Comedy Queen—Taryn Delanie-Smith proves that reinvention isn’t just possible—it’s powerful. This week, Jeannette and Mona sit down with Taryn Delanie-Smith—comedian, content creator, and former Miss New York—who turned a viral TikTok into a thriving career. Taryn shares how she went from pursuing diplomacy to building a comedy empire, including the hilarious (and sometimes chaotic) journey that led to a reel that brought her 21 million views and internet fame. Known for h...
In this episode of Awf The Record, DeAndre Brown – aka the original “The Corporate Baddie” – gets real about leaving investment banking to become a full-time content creator. From viral TikToks and six-figure brand deals to burnout, reinvention, and building a brand with purpose, this episode peels back the curtain on what it really takes to pivot from 9-to-5 to FYP. He shares the lessons he learned negotiating deals (including a $6k LinkedIn check and an $80k CVS partnership), why auth...
This episode flips the script… literally. In a candid, behind-the-scenes Q&A, Jeannette and Mona sit down with their podcast producer to answer the questions they don’t usually get asked on air. From the burnout that led to leaving legacy media to how they really feel about brand deals, content creation, and modern relationships, nothing’s off limits. If you’ve ever wondered how two former news anchors rebuilt their lives and brands in real time while navigating love, money, pressure, and...
Celebrity hairstylist and salon owner Yene Damtew joins us to talk about the real work behind “good hair,” the pressures Black women face around beauty standards, and what it was really like doing Michelle Obama’s hair at the White House and beyond. From the rise of Instagram stylists to the myths around natural hair, Yene gets brutally honest about the hair industry, client relationships, and why the best stylists are educators first. 💬 In this powerful and hilarious convo, we cover: - Her j...
You may know Andrea Lewis as Hazel from Degrassi — but that was just the beginning. In this powerful episode of Awf The Record, Andrea opens up about the transition from being one of the few Black girls on TV to becoming a writer, director, and multi-hyphenate creative building space for others to shine. From identity to independence, creative control to burnout, Andrea gets real about what it takes to grow up in front of the camera and then take ownership behind it. We talk about her product...
“The line is drawn when you’re not in control of it. The ownership, agency, and empowerment factor comes from putting the price tag on your own image and likeness.” Melyssa Ford is stepping out of the image, the headlines, and the hype - and into her truth. In this powerful and unfiltered episode of Awf The Record, Melyssa opens up about what it really meant to be “the video vixen,” the trauma of being hyper-visible yet misunderstood, and the personal fallout of fame, objectification, a...
Is Ozempic a game-changer or just the next quick fix? In this episode of Awf The Record, Jeannette and Mona are joined by Dr. Darien Sutton, an ABC News medical correspondent and emergency room physician, for a deep dive into the complex, controversial world of GLP-1 medications, Ozempic, and the science (and stigma) behind obesity. They break down everything you’ve been hearing [and seeing] online – from food noise and body fat bias to BMI myths, celebrity culture, and what weight loss l...
From her dream job at Bravo to building one of the most powerful creative communities in the country, Imani Ellis is the visionary founder behind CultureCon and The Creative Collective NYC. In this episode, she sits down with Jeannette and Mona to share the real story behind her bold pivot from corporate life to creative entrepreneurship - including the fear, obsession, burnout, and self-trust it took to make the leap. Whether you’re in your corporate bag, building something on the side, or j...
This is not just a sex talk- it’s a whole intimacy intervention. In this jaw-dropping, laugh-out-loud, deeply healing episode of Awf The Record, Jeannette and Mona welcome licensed couples & sex therapist Marissa Nelson to the group chat… and let’s just say: nothing was off limits. From the orgasm gap to scheduling sex, soul ties to underwater escapades (yes, really), Marissa breaks down the myths, mindsets, and cultural taboos keeping Black women from fully experiencing pleasure. We talk...
The group chat is back, and we’re kicking off Season 3 with the realest catch-up yet. Jeannette Reyes and Mona Kosar Abdi sit down to unpack a summer filled with unplanned pivots, unexpected lessons, and major perspective shifts. From navigating a painful career rejection to juggling pregnancy timelines, family expectations, media burnout and motherhood pressure, this episode is for anyone feeling like their life plan just got flipped. You’re not behind. You’re being redirected. Jeannet...
It’s finally here: Season 3 of Awf The Record, the unapologetically real podcast from Jeannette Reyes and Mona Kosar Abdi. This season, we’re going even deeper with emotional confessions, viral-worthy breakdowns, and unfiltered takes on Black womanhood, sex, therapy, identity, and healing. From hair trauma and awkward intimacy to pleasure, purpose, and poppin’ your sh*t unapologetically, Season 3 is about owning your voice and honoring your truth. Expect big guests, bigger gems, and the kind ...
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States
Just finished an episode of 'Awf The Record' and I'm thoroughly impressed! The hosts have such a knack for diving deep into interesting topics while keeping the conversation engaging and lively. https://medium.com/@PackagingHouston Their insights are spot-on, and the chemistry between them makes each episode a joy to listen to. Highly recommend this podcast to anyone looking for thoughtful discussions and a good dose of humor. Keep up the great work!