This week, host Dascha Polanco welcomes two Dominican-American comedians unafraid of breaking traditional media rules to bring their original content to the world. Performers Sasha Merci and Darlene Demorizi – aka Dee Nasty – host Fuse’s brand new social commentary show ‘Like, Share, Dimelo’ and join to discuss the new hustle that content creators like themselves are learning to achieve widespread success. Brown Love is produced by @ConTodoNetflix, a social community for Latino creators and fans alike to come together and celebrate their #LatinXcellence, in collaboration with Dascha Polanco.
This week, host Dascha Polanco welcomes two Dominican-American comedians unafraid of breaking traditional media rules to bring their original content to the world. Performers Sasha Merci and Darlene Demorizi – aka Dee Nasty – host Fuse’s brand new social commentary show ‘Like, Share, Dimelo’ and join to discuss the new hustle that content creators like themselves are learning to achieve widespread success.
Brown Love is produced by @ConTodoNetflix, a social community for Latino creators and fans alike to come together and celebrate their #LatinXcellence, in collaboration with Dascha Polanco.
[Music]
Dascha: Welcome to Brown Love, the show where we get real about all the things Latinx communities are talking about on your time line. Brought to you by Netflix and Con Todo. I'm your host, Dascha Polanco. Each week, we'll be talking to Latinos in entertainment who are making space for our communities to see ourselves in all our complexity. Over the last decade, constant creators have found new innovative ways to get their work to the masses, often using social media to bypass the traditional gatekeepers still playing by outdated rules. This digital hustle is reshaping our industry and today it's launching more careers than ever before. That includes our guests this week, performers Sasha Merci and Darlene Demorizi, aka, Dee Nasty. These Dominican American comedians built a following on Instagram for their hilarious takes on navigating 20-something life and they now host and produce Fuse's brand new talk show, "Like, Share, Dimelo," where they offer pop culture commentary from the POB of two Bronx Latinas. I love getting to chop it up with two fellow New York Dominican [unintelligible 00:01:10] and let me tell you, our conversation really went there, [Spanish]. Welcome, Sasha and Dee.
Dee: Hey!
Sasha: Hey!
Dascha: So the first thing that we're going to ask is usually an icebreaker and it's [unintelligible 00:01:27] cooking, what are you cooking at home these days? Dee, let's start with you.
Dee: I'm cooking a lot, actually. I'm not saying that I'm the best cook because that's not true and I'm very [unintelligible 00:01:36] but I've been making a lot of rice and beans [Spanish]. I don't have the rice [Spanish] all mushy, like [Spanish] it's like good now. It took me a minute to learn.
Dascha: So you're cooking more, that's a good thing. I've been cooking as well. I think it's safer. It's more hygienic to eat inside, right? What about you, Sasha?
Sasha: I've been cooking a lot.I've been cooking rice and beans.I'm moving onto lasagna and making some salmon, you know, and at first, I used to burn everything but now it's edible, you know? It was so bad, my food was so bad before, that I didn't even offer it to people because I'm like I don't want to be liable for anything. [Laughs]
Dascha: So only you would take the risk and eat it?
Sasha: Yeah and now that the food is good, I'm like damn, I wish that, you know, I could invite people over so they can taste this food, but yeah.
Dascha: So, since you guys are starting off, Darlene have you learned to cook Sancocho?
Dee: Yeah, the only time I've ever attempted to cook Sancocho I was with my mom so it was a little easier, but Sancocho is like very hard, but I think that obviously because we have a show named Sancocho, we need to learn how to make Sancocho.
Sasha: Yeah, definitely. You know what it is?
Dascha: Go ahead.
Sasha: You know what it is?That my aunt, right, they're like yo, you're Dominican, you should know how to cook, but my aunt never let me come in the kitchen. [Spanish] and so I'm like hi, and now that I live by myself I was like that was not helpful, not at all.
Dascha: It's interesting you say that because I think it happens in every Dominican household where either you sit there and you watch and you learn or you're not allowed in there and you basically get raised here and you just do [Spanish] which is the easiest thing to do, right? The first thing I wanted to do is I wanted to ask you guys where you act currently, because I know Darlene is in New York and Sasha-
Sasha: I'm in Los Angeles.
Dascha: Los Angeles, which is interesting because I want to get into all that juiciness and I wanted to talk about your upbringing in the Bronx. You both really wrapped the Dominican heritage and being Dominican, how did your family keep their cultural life for you, Sasha?
Sasha: I just didn't know any other way. I was born in the Bronx, New York, and then my grandparents, they raised me in D.R. until like I was five or six. That's my identity. That is just the only way that I know how to identify.
Dascha: And I want you to hold that thought because I'm going to ask you something about identity, and what about for you, Darlene, how did they keep the Dominican heritage alive for you?How was it instilled in you?
Dee: I mean, there's no other choice, you know, like I'm 2nd generation born and raised in the Bronx, in New York, but my mom is Dominican, my pop's a Dominican. They speak Spanish and even though they have-also my family has been here in the states since I would say like the late 70s but Spanish was always spoken in my house. Every Saturday morning, we used to get up to clean, there was music playing, it was Spanish.I mean, my mom would mix it up a little bit. She will throw some Chavez in there, but it was always [Spanish] and just obviously cooking because we Dominicans from the Bronx, isn't that funny, we used to go eat outside every day so they would cook what they knew and it's not even like a conscious decision to keep it going. It's just engrained in you. So, even though I would literally only go to the Dominican Republic three times my whole life, I'm 28 years old, but I'm Dominican, like I speak Spanish when I'm there, I feel comfortable. I don't know, it's just a part of me. I don't think there was ever another option.
Dascha: So you know that we speak a lot now about identify and how we identify as being Latinos in the U.S. and there's so many terms. I mean, I don't know if it's similar for you guys but I can say that growing up in New York, there was no such term. It was like here you from? I'm Spanish.I'm Dominican. You know what I mean? So I always like to ask people at the very beginning how do you identify now in these times? Because I know you had your first episode about Latinx, the term, and which I enjoyed so much.
Sasha: Thank you.
Dascha: How do you identify Sasha?
Sasha: I identify myself as a Latina, you know, Dominican Latina from the Bronx. Growing up I would say Hispanic, Latino, because to me it was like interchangeable and then MAN-X it was like whoa, weren't you just Hispanic?Weren't you just Latino? Where's the x coming from? So I just identify myself as a Latina Dominican from the Bronx.
Dascha: And for you Darlene?
Dee: Whenever anyone would ask me, like hey what are you, and as a kid, you say Spanish, right? So I never even, a little bit small, I think in my late teen years, Spanish necessarily just meant spay, you know, like I'm Spanish, I'm Dominican, and in New York City, everybody knows what a Dominican is, right? But in L.A., when you go over there, they're who they is? I mean, you start doing Spanish, speaking Spanish, you know, so then you say oh no, you're [Spanish] and I think especially for East Coast people and I think Caribbean Latinos, which there are so many words for it, but we always say [Spanish] and I think that also stems from just like the school system, like there is Hispanic heritage month so we [Spanish] so even for me, Latina, I didn't start saying Latina until I was in my 20s. [Spanish]
Dascha: It is very confusing and it's something that I've had to learn to use in the industry, because like I need a job so I'm like so what is it, so that you guys understand what I could play, you know what I mean, what is it that you need me to be, because I'm going to be that, so I totally understand that we've had to come up with these terms and respectfully don't for those that don't understand since we're so complex and it's great to hear from a lot of people that there's a broad spectrum of it and we have a right to choose what we identify with and what we want to be labeled as right? So, speaking of that and identity, I want to speak about creative collaborators but also the idea of life-long friends and I know that you guys have a friendship. I wanted you guys to speak about your friendship, when did it start, at what point did it become a creative collab, and so forth? Darlene?
Dee: So me and Sasha, even before we even knew each other, we were meant to know each other because our families, back in the 80s and 90s they was already friends. So like my mom and her aunt, they are best friends. My grandmother knew her mother, like it was just like a family that's going to [unintelligible 00:08:11] at the very beginning but I think the first time we actually met-met, you were like 10 or 11 years old.
Sasha: Yeah.
Dee: Right? But even then, you know the story, even then we'd heard about each other and so my aunt would be like oh, Sasha's like this artsy girl.
Sasha: And she would always tell me oh you've got to be like Dee, because Dee has straight A's and stuff like that, and I was like a C student, so I'd be like man, she's a goody two-shoes, right?
Dee: And so I think we had that same similar feeling about one another and so we were teenagers and we were like yo. You do?Get down like and we just became mad cool and since then we just were up and down together pretty much and we started working – yeah, [unintelligible 00:09:00] so we went to, we worked at the same hotel and then forget it, by that time, we were just like we were already sisters, but our families grew up together so we were already family.
Dascha: So at what point did it become more than just family and friends and like a creative partnership?
Dee: I think it was around the time that Instagram released its video feature and I remember during that time, like me and Sasha always knew we wanted to be creative and everything, and so I used to take acting classes while she used to sing. She would go to the studio and she was pursuing a career in singing, because she's got a voice, but it wasn't until Instagram released its video feature and then Sasha started doing these videos and they were catching on, they were mad funny, and slowly she was gaining a lot of traction and then I did like one or two and everybody was like yo, you guys are all, Sasha Merci, you know, [unintelligible 00:09:50]. [laughter] But it wasn't until like I didn't want to do it anymore because everybody thinks I'm you. And Sasha was like, “Nah, keep doing it, keep doing it. You’re funny.”
Sasha: I was really like come on, because I always thought Dee was so funny, right, and I'm like if people think I'm funny, they're going to think you're funny. It was organic because even at work, we were already a duo, like just making people laugh. So they're like oh, Sasha, Dee, come here, and we were always like making people laugh at work so it was just a very organic thing that we were like man, if we're doing this at work, we might as well like try to do standup. And I remember the first time we tried to do standup was like three years ago. We bombed.
Dascha: Hold on, because that's my next question, so when did you realize that you wanted- was it at the point at your job, like there has to be a point I feel like that you both come up with the idea like look, this is what we want to do. This is what we're going to pursue in entertainment, like comedy, standup, what was that, did you have that discussion, was there any dialogue?Did it just happen? Was it something like hey, like we're going to chill.We have one of those nights, like let's do something daring, at what point?
Dee: Well we had many of those nights. Like I think that's the thing about Sasha and I, working in the hotel, we were comfortable, right, we were making good money, we were really young. I started working there at 19, you were 20, and we were making six figures. We had our 401K. We had [unintelligible 00:11:11] [interposing].
Sasha: I'm like what, yeah, Sex in the City from Washington Heights, [Spanish].
Dee: Right? We were living our lives, right?
Sasha: We lived our life.[Laughter] [Clapping]
Dascha: For those that don't know, it's okay. We get it.
Dee: We were living, we were having a good time but then we were like okay, how long are we going to be doing this, right? Are we going to continue to just work and then live for the weekends and [unintelligible 00:11:39] and we knew that we had something going on. We already had our little Instagram skits going and they were getting traction, I'm like yo, this is what we want to do. So, we continued to still do the regular 9-5 life and then do the skits and then from there started doing comedy but we were just like what are we going to do, are we going to die behind, I'm going to die behind the front desk? [Spanish 00:11:55] and I wasn't ready to be the help, I was tired of like checking people into these glorious rooms and I'm like you know what, I have like three skits that I've got to do. I've got some jokes that I've got to write.
Sasha: That was also another thing that I'm like you know what, like just being able to make a body of work that people can see that we're just not girls that just do sketches. We also have talent. It was very important for me as well, because we did have that background. It was not only just oh we're doing sketches, you know?
Dee: Yes, those were just something that came out of being bored and trying to have fun, but then we realized that people started to really react to it and I think the main reason is because here are two Dominican chicks putting on and talking about the things that other Caribbean and Latinos can relate to and that was something that I feel like is missing in the media, missing online, and we became super relatable in that sense.
Dascha: To be acknowledged to get the support that you feel like is just a joke but something is gearing you towards that I feel that sometimes you have to listen. Things happen. They happen organically and sometimes it's not what necessarily you planned but it's where you're being directed and you make, you guys do such a good job at it.
Sasha: Thank you.
Dascha: Who were the first people who made you laugh, Sasha?
Sasha: I mean, [unintelligible 00:13:15] was one of the first people, well I'm going to tell the first person, the first person that I was like falling crying and I was like now I understand why people watch people stand on a stage with a microphone and it was Eddie Murphy Raw. That was the first standup that I was like oh, this is standup, and then from there on I started looking more into standup and then my brothers put me on like Dave Chappelle and stuff like that.
Dascha: And Dee?
Dee: Yeah, same for me, we both have older brothers. Well, I have one older brother and he's a comedy geek, like he loves standup, so from a very early age I was put into Eddie Murphy. I was put onto Richard Pryor and I think it was me and my brother discovered the Chappelle Show randomly one night, like I think in '03 and on Comedy Central we were like yo, who is this guy? He's funny and we were just watching it and I didn't stay. I'm like Sasha, like this is fun, and like for me, I’m like a little bit of a nerd. I like to read, I like to talk a lot and I like to talk about the things that I've learned but that could be super like a snooze fest so I found that comedy was like okay, I could talk about the things that I learned and make it funny and people will be interested, so yeah.
Sasha: That's amazing, a smart Dominican woman at last, smart women, funny, comedic, wow, we're on a roll here.
Dascha: But for two women, two Dominican women to go and do these shows, that's a whole other thing. I wanted to know how does that process start?How do you start it? Like, what is the process?
Sasha: I would have to say it's organic, right, it's an organic thing because it's really who we are. Me and Dee have always been people to make jokes and I feel like we always have something to say and we're great storytellers, especially at work and amongst our friends, and we learned that from our family because [Spanish] and don't say we were like oh listen to a podcast [Spanish] and so we did that and people loved it. People were like oh my God, that's all dope, whatever, and then I ended up moving, and so this is one we're like you know what, let's just make it into a show, and we were already working on our bits so when Dee was in New York, I mean she's in New York right now but when she was in New York she was doing her standup and I'm over here doing my standup so we were just developing it and it was just a matter of time that when I got there, we were like yo, let's put a show together and then we ended up bringing on our home girl, Gloria, the producer, and so we just, it was so organic and we got to see that the people needed this voice, that we don't have this voice and so it just grew from there.
Dascha: So your first comedy show was [unintelligible 00:16:11], you didn't do like the comedy shows like they have in Times Square, any of that?
Sasha: No, for sure, we were individually doing standup already but to put this together, this was like let's host it and let's just put it together.
Dascha: Listen, it takes valor, it takes resilience to do stuff like that because let me tell you, something about standup I'm always scared of is like what happens if you're up there and you're not funny, like what you gonna do if you're just not funny? And, we all have our first time trying to stand up and then we bomb it, right, what was your worst bombing ever? Did you ever have one?
Dee: Yes, many, I think the very, very first time when me and Sasha decided to go to an open mic and do it, I didn't speak English. I didn't speak Spanish. I was up there speaking yoda [Spanish]. They were sent backwards, you know? I was like so bad, just so bad, and but yeah, I remember setting up that stage and even though I didn't get one laugh and I can remember this one girl in the front row, she was like, like her arms are crossed and she gave me that like 90-day Beyoncé, the chick.
Sasha: No neck?
Dee: Yeah she was like oh, but to me, and I think this is where the Bronx comes in, I got off and I was just like oh, I didn’t die. Because my whole thing was like okay I bombed and nobody laughs but is somebody going to hit me? You know?And nobody did. I'm not going to get fucked up.
Sasha: Exactly. [Laughs]
Dascha: So what about for you, Sasha?
Sasha: Oh my God, so I think that in the beginning I didn't notice if I bombed or not, like I always, they went oh that's good, like you're doing good, but there was a time that I bombed so hard and my boy, he was like you did horrible. [Laughs] You ate so much crap and I was like I did didn't I?
Dascha: Do you find that audiences respond to you differently depending on whether you, the gringos or Latinos? Dee?
Dee: Absolutely. I'll be honest with you, I think that when I'm around a white audience, at the same time, they be loco, they be laughing, they crack up, like and I'm like that wasn't that funny, now you can relax.But when your own people, you've just got to earn it, like it's funny how Sasha said to me because I think like in a casual setting if it's just like people hanging out, then whatever, everybody's cracking jokes, male or female, it doesn't matter, um but when you're on stage, if you don't make them laugh in the first 10 seconds, they already, the talk over you, they don't care, like you're really got to earn that respect in that proper Latino audience as opposed to just you go downtown and do a quick little 10-minute bit, you know.
Dascha: I don't understand why when all we need is that support. It's so funny that you guys are saying that because it happens every single thing, right, it's happened to me in my last freakin' years of my career where I'm like all I need is for you guys to support me so they know how valuable I am, because of the idea that you guys take the chance, and getting the support and knowing that you're a very small percentage of what's out there and what we are exposed to because even asking you guys who do you guys look up to as being funny or who was first, they are all male Americans, right, it's not like oh, I know this woman that she was super funny, and there's plenty of Dominican women so it was interesting to hear that and for those that are listening it's important for us to support our people so whether it's funny or not, laugh bitch, just laugh.
Dee: The one thing I would say about that is just that like we definitely do get support from our community but I would say that it's more prevalent in the people who are second generation, Dominican, Puerto Rican or Latino in any sense. I feel there have been a couple of shows that I've watched sometimes and it's a mixed bag of people who are second generation and people who just, you know, either immigrated here or are visiting. So I feel like because a lot of our set is in English, that's why in certain field, in certain crowds, it could be like a little, like okay, but where is the Dominican jokes, I want to hear the [unintelligible 00:20:27] joke or whatever, you know, but it is, I feel like I am more nervous to do a set in the Bronx or in Washington Heights than to do it downtown because I'm like I really have to represent.
Dascha: Right and one thing that I did notice is that they like to talk over you, when you're doing a show.
Sasha: We like to talk over us?
Dascha: Yeah, yeah, yeah, no, no, no, like when we're on stage and people are watching and they're like see, I see it, you know, and so I'm always learning like, instead, I'm like I go with my mind, like these are my friends, right, so if my friend is cutting me off, I'm going to be like see you [Spanish 00:21:04], you know, and so I ended up learning that because we do like talking over each other in regular conversations, like think about all your aunts in the kitchen or like in the living room [Spanish 00:21:18], you know, it's like you don't even get a breath in so I learned that okay with my community I have to approach it like-
Sasha: It’s all about approach.
Dee: Yeah, it's like the approach of [Spanish 00:21:29]. You have to turn it on, you have to turn it on, you have to turn it off, you have to turn it off.
Sasha: That's how we get by.
Dascha: So how do you create, how do you curate a show like Sancocho, how do you decide who joins the show?Do you only make it for Latino artists, like what's-walk me through it, because I might want one day just to participate.
Dee: Yeah.
Dascha: Na, na, na, I do be taking the notes. I’ll just be like the people on stage, not no comedy stand up, no, no, no.
Sasha: Yeah, come through.
Dee: Well, I'll tell you one thing, I think the reason why we went with the name Sancocho was because we wanted to include people from all different backgrounds. I think initially we were like let's doing something for Latinos but it kind of puts us in a box, right? So we were like how about we do like a Sancocho because every culture, every, yeah, culture and community across the world basically has a type of Sancocho or a stew, in New Orleans they all it gumbo, so it's just a mix of so many different types of meat, or, you know, in the stew, but that's kind of like a metaphor to what we wanted in there so wanted it to be a big pot of just everything and I think like anything you should always have an outline and just what it is that you want to say, what do you want to show with this and then you go into the vibe, right, so our producer, Gloria Moda [ph 00:22:50], she's super into that so she would say okay, there needs to be an energy, there needs to be a vibe so obviously there are so many different types of comedians and depending on our sets, we want the set to be similar to the other ones, because there are dry comedians and then there is slap-stick comedy and other kind of-there's just a lot of different niches within standup. So we kind of just want the energy to keep going and we always want an even number of male and women, sometimes a little bit more women because why not? And, we just want to just show that not only can we be up here with the guys or people that [unintelligible 00:23:23] years, everyone is from a different background.We've had people who are Indian [unintelligible], we've had people who are black American, Caribbean black, Dominican, and obviously [Spanish] so we just wanted it to be super-
Dascha: Inclusive.
Dee: And just inclusive as well.
Sasha: Yes, and even within those stories of these comedians, we get to see the similarity of our upbringing and it's always about family. It's always about how stern they were and how they got yelled at or whatever, just things like that, because that's what brings them together. That's what brings us together, babe!
Dascha: Putting our parents on Blast, putting them out there like ah, ah, she did take the broom. She did take the broom [Spanish] and I deserve it and I've come to terms that I deserved it.
Dee: Yeah, it's made me a better person.
Dascha: So being include I guess is something that not only we need and we've spoken about but you guys are doing your due diligence to actually make a part of Sancocho experience and for that I thank you. I wanted to speak about Instagram and how it has been an important tool for both of you to create professional opportunities, how did that particular platform elevate your work and help with your overall exposure, like could you have reached this point in your careers without it? [Unintelligible 00:24:49] Darlene.
Dee: I don't think I could have done it without Instagram and I think even like for example the week, I need an Instagram break, because I think that Instagram and social media served as a tool to escape on a day to day but now we endorse because of the quarantine so it is our day to day. So right?
Sasha: Girl, you and me!There's nothing wrong with that, yeah.
Dee: Like everything, everything in moderation but the start of my career was Instagram. I owe it to Instagram 100-percent and I think the thing that I appreciate the most about what I do on the gram is because we started off as quote, unquote, influencers. I hate that word but it is what it is, and when you go to these typical influencers' page, you see something that Tide curated, you see something that a lot of photoshop, a lot of basically what they want the world to know instead of them being themselves and because I think for Sasha and I, we started it with just our own little personal anecdotes and our own way of being, like I'm famous for waking up and doing videos. I can't even tell you how many times I've met people in the street and they're like oh my God, you're way prettier in person because I be looking crazy on the gram, so, but that's me. That's what most women look like when we wake up. It is what it is. From there, it did open up a lot of opportunities and a lot of doors, a lot of media companies has got their eyes on it, and without just programming our minds to do those little skits and brands, I don't think I could have even gotten to the level of where I'm at with my standup because it taught me a joke format and I put it on, on the media, and then it helped me learn a different format for when I'm on stage.
Sasha: Instagram has helped in many ways, not only as a tool but it also just allowed exposure that we necessarily wouldn't be able to get or get the opportunity because we have no in so long in this industry, whether it's comedy, whether it's film, whether it's TV, music, whatever it is, I think that it is a very essential tool. It's something that has helped us all, right, including myself with-I have to thank not only social media but the streaming which is what helped me to get that opportunity I would say [unintelligible 00:27:06].
Dascha: So I wanted to take this opportunity since we're in the professional area, I wanted to talk about what's current now in quarantine and one of the things that is current that I've been enjoying is your new show, "Like, Share, Dimelo" on Fuse, so I want you guys to talk about that. I want to know how did that come about. Tell me [Spanish]. Sasha?
Sasha: Yes, so what happened was we were already doing the Sancocho, right, and we already had our podcast and we always knew that we wanted to do something together. Me and Dee, we always felt like-I remember when we first saw "Broad City" we were like that's us, you know, like that's already us and it’s just natural and it is so real and so we were approached by Fuse and that's how that happened, we were like you know what, this is a perfect opportunity for us to just create a show with our voice and that's the beauty in it, the fact that it's completely our voices and we get to work with a team of people that are doing everything to make that happen.
Dee: Like Sasha said, we wanted to do something together and something that we definitely want to incorporate in there, because we have a background working in digital with Vice and a lot of what I do is I interview people and I ask people-
Dascha: Yes, yes.
Dee: ...questions, anything that's relevant, anything that's trending so I have this franchise called "The Other Street" and I really do enjoy talking to people and I enjoy talking about just either Evergreen topics or something that's trending or something like I'm very opinionated and I have a lot to say, but I'm like I want to do something where we can talk and just talk about this is, but I also want to incorporate like put a little homage to like where we started and that's how we always start the skits, the show of the skits, so I'm like I want to show our comedic skills in the beginning and I want to show that it's relevant to what we are talking about so we got lucky enough that Fuse was like we don't care what you want to do. We're going to give you creative control. We just want to something with you. [Interposing]
Dascha: But what is it, like where do you shoot it? Does this happen in New York or L.A.?
Sasha: L.A. So, Dee has a fly.
Dascha: So you shoot it in L.A.?
Sasha: Yeah, Dee has a fly over here and we shot it, and we got to shoot three episodes before quarantine.
Dee: We wrapped Episode 3 but then Tom Hanks was like I got Corona virus, and we were like oh this is serious! It was nuts but it's been like it's a God send and we broke down with Fuse to what we want, like we have so much control over the show that we even picked out the set.We went to the prop room, like we're very hands on it. We wrote the sketches. Especially Sasha, Sasha took most of the-
Sasha: Sketch.
Dee: Yeah, that was all you and Lee, who is one of the producers, they created the sketches that were mostly coming from Sasha's brain and together we found out what topics we wanted to talk about because one thing we wanted to be adamant about was we don't want to just talk about normal things, which we will get there but we don't want to talk about like, oh, how to get over an ex or this.
Sasha: Right.
Dee: It's always about a dude.
Sasha: Right.
Dee: We don't always talk about dudes, right, exactly.
Sasha: I can tell you, like not everything is that, but what I wanted to know was like because I watched all the episodes and it feels like you go to your cousin's living room.
Sasha: That's what we wanted, yeah.
Dascha: You know what I mean?It's like-
Sasha: We wanted it to be like our parents moved out or they had a little [Spanish], rent control, you already know.
Dee: Exactly because one of things that we notice on TV and people don't realize is that even that is not relatable, it's like yo, for the Friends show, I didn't understand how they were able to have such a nice apartment, yo, like all the time these people have nice ass apartments, I'm like how y'all got that apartment and y'all don't work?
Dascha: [unintelligible 00:31:00] mansions for New York City and she's a waitress, come on.
Dee: You know what I mean, so it's like I love the authenticity of it. It's in L.A. and it's reaching to so many beyond L.A., right, even if it's shot in L.A. and I think it's about the story and the relativity that we all find in it. Now, there are 33 countries in Latin America but in Hollywood it often feels like we only see stories about a limited handful of Bambino culture.
Dascha: How important is it to you to create a space for a Dominican American story, Sasha?
Sasha: It's so important.It's so important because there are so many of us in New York City and on the East Coast that it's insane to me that when I first moved to L.A. that people were shocked that I spoke Spanish.They were shocked. They be like oh seniorita, are you speaking Spanish, and it's like oh, I'm from the Caribbean and so that to me was something that made me realize that I never needed to look to Hollywood to see my culture.Like as soon as I walked out the door, I saw my culture, but it was not until I got to Hollywood that I realized that my culture is not being represented and there are millions of us, millions, millions of us out there, trying to make shit happen, you know? So that's very important to me.
Dee: Yeah, I think it's to important when people think of the United States, New York is the first place you think of, right, and Dominicans are the last demographical Latinos in New York City, so like Sasha says, you walk out your building, you look to the left, [Spanish] on TV, where are we? Where's our voice? We're all over the place. We're in Rhode Island. We're in Florida. We're in Massachusetts. We everywhere.
Sasha: We in Miami, too.
Dee: [Spanish]
Dascha: There's a little Washington Heights in Alaska for those that don't know. I was obsessed as a little girl about finding where we were at, so yes, I was really obsessed finding out where are we in the freakin' world? So I would ask like are there Dominicans there?And that was my first question, is there Dominicans there? So, I think it's important for us to not only see, just to have diversity and with respect to every, like I grew up watching Mexican novellas, right, and I'm like yo, how come I never seen a Dominican person in novella, and the first one I saw, I don't know if you guys remember, was [unintelligible 00:33:19] [Spanish].
Sasha: Yes, I remember when she won. [Interposing]
Dascha: [Spanish], every store had her picture. Come on.A lot of young Latino kids have no idea how to break into this industry. You guys took matters into your own hands, what advice can you give to other aspiring contact creators, for you, Dee?
Dee: I think that the most interesting thing about this generation now is that, especially the people that are like [unintelligible 00:33:51], right, they're not just consumers.They're not just consuming media.They are also creating and molding media and entertainment. It's like a completely different vibe than what it used to be even 10 years ago, so really the power is in your hands. If people see that you're out there, you have talent, and more importantly you are consistent with what you're doing, then you're going to get there.Like, my whole mantra has always been do a little bit every day and in today's world there is such an influx of content that you have to be on top of it and make sure that what you're saying, you know, you are setting yourself apart from other people. You are also still being true to yourself but just, like you said, you've just got to do it.
Sasha: You just have to do it and not worry about clout. Don't worry about how many people are looking at you, if this is something that you really want to do and you're setting forth to do it, do it.
Dee: Yeah and when you finally have the [unintelligible 00:34:45] to do it and if you're finally like I've mustered up the courage to go ahead and go for my dream, then you have to remember that aesthetics are everything. You want good lighting. You want good sound. Those are the very tiny details that I feel like nobody ever talks about but when you're watching something that's grainy or listening to something that has an echo, it's already like throwing you off, so if something, even if the joke is not even there in the first 10 seconds, 20 seconds, if it's visually appealing, if it sounds good, you're going to be a little bit more patient and then watch it, you know, so I think with social media I do kind of get like a little lazy with it because I mentioned earlier I be waking up and doing my videos so when it comes to like something that you want to do, a project a podcast, a web series, you've got to make sure that you're listening, like paying attention to those fine details as well, and people will take you serious.
Sasha: Right and even if you don't have all those things, voice memo, if you want to start a podcast, I always tell somebody, voice memo. Just use that on your phone, like there are little things that you can do to start, even if you don't have no money, just do it, just do it.
Dascha: Interesting so what does success look like for both of you? Darlene?
Dee: Success for me looks like being a better version of myself. I think in the next 10 years I would like to see myself still with the same morals and drive that I have now. I think the main thing that I like about myself is my curiosity and willing to learn, so I just hope that in the next 10 years I don't lose that. I want to make sure-I see myself with a family in the next 10 years and I just want to be a household name by then.
Dascha: For you, Sasha?
Sasha: In the next 10 years, I see myself going on tour, doing comedy, comedy music, making movies, making series, balancing a family and eventually just directing and producing.
Dascha: So I'm wishing you the best and also letting people know that there's no clear cut app to doing what you have to do. You just have to put your mind to it, take action and do it, right? There's no formula. I get asked that all the time, well, how do I starting acting? Honey, I can't tell you because for me it didn't happen by me just signing up and application and getting hired. It was a process, so I think it's something that we can all send our community, our Dominican community, our Latin people out there, there's no formula, there's only determination, an idea, put it to paper, put it to your phone and do it, act upon it. Use your resources, use your tools. Don't give up and stay consistent. This was such a great conversation. I got to know you guys even more. I got to be more proud. I hope that the people out there are as proud as I am of both of you and watch how your series, Like [Spanish], "Like, Share, Dimelo." Okay? [Laughs]
[Music]
Dascha: This isn't over. We have a game that we play at the end of every episode and so it's time for some brown love and it's a love letter to our communities but we also like to ask all of our guests some of the questions about love and relationships. We have some juicy questions for you both and it's time, are you guys down for the brown love?
Sasha: Yes.
Dascha: So the first one is obviously are you single or are you in a relationship? Darlene, you can start.
Dee: I'm in a relationship.[Unintelligible 00:39:58]
Dascha: Okay, Orville Bootay [ph 00:40:01], what about you Sasha?
Sasha: I'm in a relationship with myself, but I am dating. I am dating.
Dascha: You're dating? Okay, I like that. I don't know why we hesitate all the time as Dominican women.Every time they ask me about that, I'm like am I ruining my chances of finding that better, other opportunity?[Laughter] So I'm like uh, I don't know how to answer.
Sasha: Right, right, right, privacy, poor fella, and yeah.
Dascha: Tell us your worst first date story. Go ahead, Sasha.
Sasha: Oh my God, okay, I remember going on a date. This was in Atlanta because I lived in Atlanta for like nine months, and I remember I was dating this there. On the first date, it's raining and he was just like had this weird rush, and he looked at me and he said you want to see me do a donut? And it was raining and he just, I didn't even say yes or no, he just exhilarated the car, did a turn, we started just spinning, spinning, spinning.
Dascha: Stop!
Sasha: Yeah we almost hit a tree but the third, like stopped it, and he stood there and he was just like oh my God, we almost died and I stood there like yeah, I'm an idiot, and I dated him for another six months, but it was tough. [Laughter]
Dascha: [Spanish]
Sasha: I know now. I would never do that now.
Dascha: Have you ever dated men with plastic surgery or Botox?
Sasha: Not that I'm aware.I hope not. I think that the men that I'm with though, if they're older I would tell them like let's go get Botox.
Dee: Okay, I'm going to tell you the truth. The guy that I date don't have money [unintelligible 00:41:50], you know what I'm saying?[Laughs]
Sasha: Y'all I don't know why, why, why. There are some women that have the look that they attract me that are like financially like well and they want, like what do you want, do you want this, do you want that?I see some girls on fucking social media and they're like, I'm like damn your boo getting you that? My boo gave me a card, I got a card.
Dee: I'm gotten flown out, you know?
Dascha: For real?
Dee: Yes, to Bali.
Dascha: Sasha has been flown out, ladies and gentlemen, okay?
Dee: So my Australian boo, [Spanish], you have to say that, that's exciting.
Sasha: Yeah I've gone to Bali.It was amazing.
Dee: She's being very vague.
Sasha: I’m vague, but it was the most amazing experience ever in my life.
Dascha: Is he still in your life?
Dee: Yes, he is.
Dascha: So that's who you’re dating?
Dee: Yes. [Interposing]
Sasha: You have little, pretty little Bali Australian Dominican babies.
Dee: Okay, this is the thing, right, we're not dating. We're not dating, but because of everything that's happening right now, especially with my career, I feel like that's the main thing that's important for me right now and I can't really give him everything that he wants and he needs in a relationship so I've always told him, you know, like we already know that I have to figure this out and yeah.
Sasha: Yeah, you all the way in L.A., now I know why you over there, because it's closer to Australia. That's why.
Dee: No, but it is, it is closer to Australia but to me it's just, and he's been so supportive, like he's one of those people that are very supportive but right now we do have a friendship. That's what we have right now because to be realistic, I'm a very generous people so if I be like we together, then I'm-
Dascha: See, these are the things that I'm going to keep, guys we're going to wait because I'm going to finish this interview, because I want to talk about those things. Hold on. Have you ever faked a climax in bed?
Dee: Of course.
Dascha: And Sasha?
Sasha: No. [Laughter]
Dascha: Who hasn't? You know? I mean, I think as I get older, I try not to do it because then you're setting a precedent like that's okay and then the job is not getting done, but when you're younger I think that that's very common in a young woman's life.
Dee: I faked it a lot of times. I'm like yeah [Spanish].
Dascha: You apparently Sasha, you go all the way, huh, you be climaxing like a lot because you have nothing to say.
Sasha: No, I do climax a lot, and I don't know if it's because of the way my situation is set up down there, you know, maybe I'm just set for the win, I don't know, because will just be like yo, I can't climax and I'm like I make sure I do, like every time, I'm like yo, we here, don't [unintelligible 00:44:40]
Dascha: That's true, that I have to agree.
Sasha: And that's the thing that I've noticed is that women have been very shy about that and I've never been a person to be shy about it. I was like hey, you know we here for both of us, right? So, if I'm not, if I'm not climaxing, you ain't climaxing.
Dascha: Let's talk about that.Let's talk about that and like let's talk about sex, right, let's talk about the idea of us not embracing that, right?Like, people get freaked out over tossing salad, like do you toss, do you like your salad tossed? Do you toss salad?
Dee: Um, you know what's crazy, I don't really like it but I have done it.
Sasha: I've done it, too.
Dee: When you've reached the back door-
Sasha: Yeah of course, yea I do everything honey, I do everything.
Dee: [Spanish]
Sasha: As long as they clean, [Spanish].
Dee: [Spanish] Australia, [Spanish]. [Interposing]
Sasha: I'm going to try it next time, but I've gotten my ass eaten for sure.
Dascha: Oh it's the best.
Sasha: My salad has been tossed, and yeah. That’s when I turn into a contortionist.
Dee: I don't know why I don't like it, but they do it to me.
Sasha: You don't like it?Why, you got to relax, why?
Dee: I don't know, I don't know.
Sasha: [Spanish]
Dascha: Do you think it's a control thing that maybe by mistake you might fart and like okay?
Dee: I don't [laughs]-
Dascha: Listen, you have to be down with it. I think it's a level of maturity also that we're like scared of doing certain things and then we talk and we're like audition, do it now.
Sasha: Sex is the one thing we should let go and just be like comfortable, it's between and if it's somebody that you have a relationship with and you trust, then anything goes.
Dascha: For real. I'm all about that, anything goes, honey.
Sasha: Me, too. [Laughs]
Dascha: Well, you better start freakin' relaxing.
Dee: Yeah, I will.
Dascha: Relaxing, [Spanish] let's talk about celebrities, what celebrities could get it?
Sasha: [Spanish]
Dascha: For real?
Sasha: I love [unintelligible 00:47:07]. He drives me nuts.
Dascha: He could get it. He looks like he's a freak. He looks like he would eat your ass you would have to like relax and get it eaten, okay?
Dee: And I'll eat his ass, too, shit. [Laughter]
Dascha: You'll be doing an 88 up in that bitch, I don't know what number that is but you'll be an 88 up in that, whatever that is. What about you, Sasha, I mean?
Sasha: Yo, you know what's so crazy, like I never think about people that I would want to date or have sex with. But I remember like at one point Meluma [ph 00:47:44] was really cute and I was like [unintelligible 00:47:45] I thought that-
Dascha: Has a little Colombian accent?
Sasha: I was really like yo, if I see him, I'm gonna tear him down. [Interposing]
Dascha: I don't care either, I love them all, all colors.
Dee; [Spanish] I like what I like.
Dascha: So let's get to threesomes, are threesomes your thing, if not could they be one day if your partner has to have one on vacation, a solid partnership?
Dee: Yep, I'm into that.I would be very into having a threesome.
Dascha: Okay, Sasha why you scratching your head? You too jealous and that's why I wanted to get to this.
Sasha: Alright this is what I'm going to say, right, it's not that, it's just, okay, this is going to be crazy, you guys might judge me.
Dascha: I'm not judging you honey.
Sasha: I was avoiding this because I watch a lot of threesomes with two women, uh, with two men.
Dee: Oh, you want to get [unintelligible 00:49:06]?
Sasha: So that's really like and I don't think that I'm every going to, so for me it's such a fantasy because I don't think I've had ever dated a guy that was like yeah I'm down with having another dick in the room, you know what I'm saying? So, but I will try to do like a threesome with a woman, but I just don't know what I'm going to do that, you know what I'm saying? Like I don't know, like-
Dascha: I could tell you guys that I've had my share and my thing was it's what happens after, it's like I don't want you, I want you to be out, I want you to leave, you know what I mean? And I could watch but at the same time it's what happens after that that becomes like the problem. It's fun and dandy when we're all there but I'm not one, like I am really attracted to penis, I'm not attracted to vaginas so you can do it but for me to do it is not, I'm just like a penis person, do you understand what I'm saying? So there are people that they love it. I'm like oh no, I can't, you know? I can't. [Laughs][Interposing] I can do the salad tossing but I can't do that, you know what I mean, and that's what it is. I mean, no judging me here. So, you guys, the point is you do you. Brown love is brown love, no limits, no judgement, you do what makes you most feel brownish and loved.
Sasha: Don't get me in trouble, I'll be like ah, man. [Laughs]
Dascha: We all in trouble up in this bitch, might as well, so our next section is about music, ya missed the X-rated stuff and let's get to music, and it's called [Spanish] Con Todo, and basically it's questions that I'm asking you about music. What are you listening to right now, Darlene?
Dee: Today I listened to the new Bad Money album that he just released, and I've been listening to the Drake album as well.
Dascha: Okay.
Sasha: I've been listening to this artist named Abby Dasmon, and she has like this really dope song called "Groovy" and I'm listening to I think her EP. It's cool.
Dascha: Okay, I love how eclectic you are. You're like oh Jasmine, and she's like oh Drake and Bad Bunny.
Dee: I listen to a lot of jazz as well, like I'm listening to Scott Hamilton a lot, like when I am home and cleaning, I'll put that like a little background music.
Dascha: There's no wrong and right baby, it's okay.
Dee: I just want to listen to what's out right now.
Dascha: So what song always makes you sad?
Sasha: Oh my God, Sea of [unintelligible 00:51:39]. You ever heard that song?
Dascha: No.
Dee: For me, it's [Spanish].
Sasha: Yo, [Spanish] used to sing with some passion, yo. See, Dominicans love [Spanish], too.
Dascha: What song makes you feel romantic?
Dee: For me it's Sade, "Is it a Crime" by Sade.
Dascha: Okay, and for you Sasha?
Sasha: Daniel, is it Daniel Caesar with Caliolchas, "Get You?"
Dascha: So what is your go-to music [Spanish]?
Dee: I like them both.
Dascha: Oh yeah? Wow.
Dee: [Spanish]
Dascha: A song that reminds you of your parents?
Dee: Sade, "Sweetest Taboo" reminds me of my mom.
Sasha: Mine is Alejandro Sance [ph 00:53:25], and he looks good, too, he still looks good.
Dascha: He do still? I haven't checked him since I was 12.
Dee: You know what, me and my mom had a time without speaking and the song [Spanish].
Dascha: A song that no matter when, where you hear it you have to drop everything to sing along.
Sasha: Come on girl.
Dee: It's any reggae song, any 90s reggae song [sings] [laughter].
Dascha: Okay and then, oh my God, guys, this was so fun. This completes our interview but before it's completed we always like to close each episode with a message to our Latino community and that being said, thank you so much for taking the time to be honest, vulnerable, uncomfortable, and speaking with me. I support what you do, blessings upon blessings, and the sky is limitless so I'm going to hand over the mic to you guys and please send the message to our community.
Dee: Sasha will you go first?
Sasha: No, you go first.
Dee: Something that I want to just let the Latino community know is that even though I might seem like we are targeted as minorities or just the friend or the maid or whatever, we have a voice, we are more American than some Americans and we have a place here and just learn how to take up space and do what it is that you want to do, don't think that just because you come from a certain background you can go ahead and follow your dreams. You just got to do it.
Sasha: Absolutely. My thing is that I was never taught to reach for the stars and because it's always about make enough money to pay rent and buy food, like that was always the thing, it's like [Spanish], but I think that just make sure you reach for the stars, even though we were not taught to do so, pretty much just go for your dreams in whatever you feel like you're great at.
Dee: Yeah and one thing that I just remembered too, I feel like for a very long time our ancestors, our parents or grandparents might have been here before us, have always felt that they needed to assimilate to belong, where in 2020 this is a new generation, we can take up space and be who it is that we want to be. You don't have to simply be who you are and bringing your culture and your background into it is what makes people love you even more.
Sasha: That's right, yeah, find your gift to the world and really you'll never be broke. And just stay 6 ft. away up in this bitch.[Laughter]
Dascha: We want some kind of normal life again. I can't wait to see both of you, hug you, celebrate with both of you. Thank you for this.
Dee: Thank you for having us.
Sasha: Yes, always, much love to our community, our Dominican community, or Latino community. You already know if you ever want some Sancocho, you know I can throw down a little bit. We'll add some flavors and you already know, so thank you.
Dascha: Thank you guys. This show was produced by Netflix, Con Todo and me, Dascha Polanco. This is the last episode for now. But we'll be back with more Con Todo content on this real soon.If you like what you heard, be sure to rate and subscribe on I-Tunes, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts and don't forget to follow [Spanish] Netflix on Instagram and Twitter for all things Latin Excellence on Netflix. I've been your host, Dascha Polanco, [Spanish].
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