A new talk show hopes to combat the divisive culture of television. “The Raw Word” is a syndicated talk show hosted and co-executively produced by author and professor, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson. Claudia Jordan, known from “Real Housewives of Atlanta”, and Psychologist Dr. Dan Ratner will co-host alongside Dyson. Rapper Ice-T is one of the executive producers who will occasionally guest host segments.
The Los Angeles Sentinel Newspaper received an opportunity to interview Jordan and Ratner about the show.
Los Angeles Sentinel Newspaper: There are many talk shows out there. How does “The Raw Word” stand out?
Claudia Jordan: You rarely see a show with male co-hosts. Most daytime talk shows are dominated by women. This is a show where a woman and two men can have deep conversations. That dynamic alone makes it fun. We kind of get silly but we can quickly transition into a serious topic.
Dr. Dan Ratner: The essence of why we have so much fun, is that all three of us came into this being fully ourselves. It’s a show that is designed to be positive. I think most shows are about entertainment. We are entertaining, but our show is also about making a positive impact into people’s lives. We do that by example which is being ourselves authentically.
LAS: As a psychologist, what is your perspective on the abundance of negative television?
Ratner: There has been a lot of negativity because people don’t like themselves. They would rather hate on somebody else. The answer is to learn to love yourself and feel good. Whenever we have a segment that may be negative, we try not to stay there for too long. Even when we are joking around, it is all designed to make people feel good. I think society is often trying to tear people down to feel secure.
LAS: How was the transition from reality television to hosting a talk show?
Jordan: Most of those comments were negative. It has always been other people putting the narrative about me instead of myself. It’s frustrating. When you are on a talk show, you can address situations right away. It feels like a second chance for me. I feel good everyday knowing that I could inspire someone on “The Raw Word”. I don’t want people to think we are corny or anything. We want to heal the world, but we are still entertaining.
Ratner: I agree. It’s not just we are trying to be positive, we are also trying to show truth. I think the direction of society has gotten away from truth and kindness. We are accomplishing both.
Jordan: Right! When you know you have positively impacted someone and not ponder on superficial aspects, it feels amazing.
“The Raw Word” aired on March 5th and will continue to stream throughout various markets. For information on upcoming episodes, please visit rawword.com for more information.