From Faith to Fame: Tamron Hall's Inspiring Story

*This transcript was auto-generated*

Zac:

Hey, Kim.

Kim:

Hey.

Zac:

I have a question for you. Before we get started. I just really want to know. So you recently recorded a TikTok live.

Kim:

I did.

Zac:

How did it go?

Kim:

I got to tell you something. I loved it. I thought I was going to be like, okay, here it goes. I loved it because not that Instagram's live is great too, but that TikTok live and you've got your shop and you've got. It's a whole new group of people. I don't know. I have now just broken that fourth wall or fifth wall or whatever wall we in. I am done crossed over.

Kim:

Zac. I am a TikTok lover, okay? We have a special relationship. I'm dating TikTok.

Zac:

Okay, well, that's great, Kim. I'm really glad that's your position because I got all the footage. I made a little present for you. So let me roll the tape.

Kim:

Tonight, in my very first TikTok Live, I've got a shop that I want to share with you. Several things now.

Kim:

Amy. Yes. How do I start pulling up this stuff? Because I'm not sure. Well, this technology's. Woo. I hope some of us in Kiss My. What? Anyway, back to this. Okay, I think we can tag them.

Kim:

I don't want a clean bathroom. You do have a clean bathroom. It ain't that clean. Okay, well, but I want to add it to the thing I can't see. Okay. I don't know where to tag anyway. I mean, I show the stuff and you figure it out. Do y'all see that Shock on car art? And they probably already all know how to use Shop TikTok.

Kim:

But anyway, it's not shock TikTok. It's not. It's TikTok Shop.

Kim:

So people are answering my question. Thank you, viewers. I love you so much. Okay.

Zac:

What do you think, Kim?

Kim:

Let me just say this. My. My children are worthless. They're worthless. No, because I can. That's why. That's your wor. Because everybody's like, my teenage kids, help me.

Kim:

My teenage kids don't do jack crap for me on this stuff. I called them in there and they're like, I'm busy.

Zac:

Oh, my God.

Kim:

I'm like, you're busy doing what? Scrolling TikTok. So Beau told me. He said, that's it. I'm not helping you anymore because you share my business. He said that? He said, you share my business.

Zac:

That's fair. That is totally fair. And that would be my decision, too. Do you want to change your answer, though?

Kim:

And you know What I said to him. And you know what I said to him? Well, you share my bank account. Okay, I can share your business, Beau, because you share my bank account.

Zac:

There you go.

Kim:

Hashtag realworldproblem.

Tamron Hall:

This is the Kimber Show.

Kim:

I'm here with my new best friend, the most fashionable person on daytime tv.

Tamron Hall:

Wait a minute. Where's that sock? Where's that shoe? 10 years of hard work, and then one day, it all went away.

Kim:

You had the courage to step off and leave.

Tamron Hall:

My sister died in her home, and it is an unsolved murder. Hopefully I can write this. I marched my husband into the bathroom and it was a case of who done it. He did not jump off to try and save me. I broke up with him before we made it to land.

Kim:

The best decision I made in the last 24 hours is blank.

Tamron Hall:

To do this podcast with you and hang out with you.

Kim:

Welcome to the Kim Gravel Show. I'm Kim Gravel, and today I have a great show for you, y'all. The one and only Tamron hall is here. She is a Emmy award winning television host and executive producer of the syndicated talk show Tamron Hall. She's a veteran journalist and she's also the bestselling author. Her new novel drops on March 12, and it's called Watch where they Hide. But you can pre order it right now. And you know I got mine.

Kim:

We'll get to Tamron in a second. I want to give you a heads up, though, to stick around until after the interview because I have a listener voicemail and outtakes that are guaranteed to make you smile. All right, y'all, it's time. Let's welcome the most fashionable woman in daytime television. Not to mean. Not to mention one of the smartest. Welcome.

Tamron Hall:

Did you call Angels from Heaven for me? Wait a minute.

Kim:

I did.

Tamron Hall:

Sounds beautiful.

Kim:

I got a direct line, girl. I got a direct line.

Tamron Hall:

I love it. I love it.

Kim:

I love you. Can I just. Let me. Can I just celebrate you for a hot minute? I mean, your career is award winning, decorated. But Carl, the things that you've accomplished. I used to watch you back in your journalism days. You're from Texas. You're a Southern girl.

Kim:

Do you like boiled peanuts?

Tamron Hall:

Okay, that's where the line stops. I do like pecans, roasted, but boiled peanuts is the line for me. But I love peanuts.

Kim:

I just. I always ask every Southern that's on the show. No, I'm so glad that you came. You know, I read your first book. I read your first book.

Tamron Hall:

Thank you.

Kim:

And now you've got this second book coming out. Tell me all about. How did you. How. Okay, you're a journalist, but you're an author, too. Oh, my God. How do you have time to do all of this?

Tamron Hall:

Listen, I look at you and I ask myself the same thing. First of all, you know I adore you and thank you. You've been so good to me and my show, and I just love you so much. And I feel so blessed and honored that you even read my book and want to talk to me about it. But I didn't know I was an author. Hello. I just. I knew I was a journalist for 30 years.

Tamron Hall:

I'm trying to be a good mama and I hope a good daughter and a good friend. But you know what? The first book I wrote in this crime series, we were locked in and Global pandemic. None of us knew what was going to happen next. And I said so many things about life we put off, right? We keep saying, we're going to get to it, we're going to do it, we're going to do it. And I was so bored with my husband, and I was, like, sitting there, trapped in. I said, I got to do something. So I was like, I'm going to take this leap of faith because we don't know truly what tomorrow is going to bring. And I started writing this character, Jordan Manning.

Tamron Hall:

She's kind of inspired by when I was a kid and I'd read Nancy Drew and I used to watch Angie Dickinson as police lady. I'm 53. So for anybody who doesn't know who that show is, just Google it. And so I always watch these crime dramas and read these kinds of books, and I thought, I'm going to take some of the experiences that I've had 30 years of being a journalist, much of that as a crime reporter, and create this sassy, bold character who's a journalist by day, but she's pulled in to solve some of these cases. And the first book was out, and critics loved it. I couldn't believe it because I was really just winging it. It really was this moment of vulnerability for me, Kim, because I said, you know, so many things we've been fortunate and blessed to accomplish, but there's always more. And that doesn't mean more money.

Tamron Hall:

That means more to this journey. And I was like, I'm going to do it. If it's bad, it's bad, and if it's good, it's great.

Kim:

You know, I love what you said that it was vulnerable because when I wrote my book, I felt the same way. It was the hardest thing I've ever done. I'm like, that's just torture. Clearly that's not my God given gift. But you know what, you do what you're called to do. But I also like what you said about, you know, we put things off and Tamran, why do we do that? Why are we always putting off the things that we really should be doing and that we have in our hearts desire? Why do you think we do? Because I do it too.

Tamron Hall:

Yeah. I think it's two things. So first of all, I think we are, at some point in our life, we believe we have all the time in the world. And then you get to a certain point, like me, where that Bonnie Ray sounds scared to run out of time. So you're always in the middle. You're one end when you're in your 20s or when you're 18 and you're like, I have all the time in the world. I'm going to do this. I'm going to do this.

Tamron Hall:

I'm going to travel here. I'm going to try. And then for me, you wake up and suddenly you say, gosh, I'm 48. That's not old. That's middle of the journey, some would say. But I've got so many things I didn't get to. How is this possible? So I think we are always in these two worlds. And so for me, I found myself 49 years old, a little bit scared to run out of time, like everybody at that time, and then feeling that I've done so much, but I want to do more, more.

Tamron Hall:

And I do think if that moment of fear, you know, we're 2019. We're all cocky swagger now. None of us was that in 2019. We're like, oh, dear God, what's gonna happen with my life? And so for me, I thought, let me, let me do this. I've been approached to write, you know, beauty books and memoirs, and I thought, there'll be time for that. But I really wanted to do something no one expected. Even myself. Even myself.

Tamron Hall:

I didn't think I could do it. Which was a funny feeling. Right. I got this talk show first season. I was like, wait a minute, did they actually give me an Emmy? That didn't really happen, Right. Because I'm like, I would.

Kim:

Yeah, they did. And I was like, should have too. Yeah.

Tamron Hall:

I'm like, did my mom sneak in some ballads? So I couldn't believe it. But I was finding my. My comfort zone, right? I've been doing this, and there is something satisfying. And I know you understand this with being uncomfortable. We run from it. But stepping into discomfort can feel. So it's like that workout where you're like, I do not want to do this workout. I'm going to get on this bike.

Tamron Hall:

And then you get through the burn, and then you get off the bike or you finish. It's a high.

Kim:

It's a high.

Tamron Hall:

Getting past discomfort leads you on this emotional high. And so for me, that book, especially being a woman at the time, almost 50 years old, was uncomfortable. I felt vulnerable. I was nervous that people wouldn't receive it. Who does she think she is? She's got a talk show. Stay in your lane, right? You know that. Stay in your lane, right? But I've heard it. I thought, let me just go for it and let me try it.

Tamron Hall:

Why not?

Kim:

But you know what, Faith? I connect with you so much, Tamron. Watching you on your show and watching you over the years, but also having met you and even talking to you right now, you're such a strong woman of faith. And I gotta say, you know, first of all, I feel like you're my bff because I feel like I could sit down and just talk about God, talk about faith. Talk about what? You know, the future. Because, you know, with faith comes hope. But in 2017, girl, we gotta. I gotta talk about this because after being on the Today show. How long were you on the Today show when you had left? When you left? 10 years.

Tamron Hall:

10 years.

Kim:

I was a fan back then. You had the courage to step off and leave and start over. And so many people listening to you right now, Tamron, first of all, they might not know the story behind that. You share what you want to share from your heart.

Tamron Hall:

Yeah. Oh, yeah.

Kim:

The story behind it. It's not all the, whatever, why you left or whatever. It's the courage that you had to leave. Girls. Well, you know what?

Tamron Hall:

I didn't have courage. I didn't have courage. I had faith. Because here's the deal.

Kim:

That's it. That's it.

Tamron Hall:

And I'm telling you the truth. So I was there for 10 years, and I thought it was my dream job. In fact, on my desk was a picture of me and my mom 10 years prior. We were here to see the Color Purple, the musical on Broadway. I'd been local news in Chicago. I had a great gig there, and I wanted to treat my mom to see the Color Purple on Broadway the first time it Came and we were walking around New York with my best friend, and we walked by Radio City Music Hall. And my mom is a great woman of faith and really believes if she prays for you, it's going to happen. Like, my mother's like, she's got the direct line.

Tamron Hall:

And so. And so my mother stood in front of Radio Rockefeller center and she said, you're going to be working here next year. And I was like, no way. There is no way. My mom said, watch. You'll see. Sure enough, a year to the date, and this is a true story. I got a call from Steve Cappas, who was the then president of news at NBC.

Tamron Hall:

He said to me, you know, they were scouting different local news talents. And he called and said, why do you want to keep being a big fish in a little pond? And I'm like, chicago's a little pond, but I'm not very competitive, right?

Kim:

Yeah.

Tamron Hall:

I'm a Texan, so don't challenge me. I was like, don't you shut. Wait a minute. What you talking about? And he said, why don't you come and go national?

Tamron Hall:

You have the goods, I can tell. Do you believe you have go national? So I go into his office that day, and again, this story is. It's one day I'll do my memoir. I had a beloved dog. Her name was Anna Mae, after Tina Turner Anime Bullock. That was her name because she had flaming red hair, this little dog. And my dog had taken ill. I didn't have any children.

Tamron Hall:

I wasn't even in a relationship. So this is my whole world. And she was sick. I got on the plane and all I could think about was this dog. And I'm like, I don't even care about this job anymore because this is my pen and she's my family. I get into his office and I said to him, I didn't realize this, but I have this picture in my bag, my purse. I took it out and I showed him. And back then, it was one of those cameras you crank, crank, crank, crank.

Tamron Hall:

And it had the date. It had the date on the picture, right? I had the date and I handed him the picture. It was one year exactly to the date stamped on there with my mother pointing at that sign saying, you're going to be working in this building. He starts to cry because he recently lost his mother. He couldn't believe that on the exact date a year before, my mother stood in front of that building, claimed that job for me. And I said to him, as much as I want this job, my Pet is sick and I have to get back because she's my family. He could not. But he was like, wait a minute, what, what is happening here? He's like, can't you see there's a sign? And I said, but it's also a sign to me that work matters.

Tamron Hall:

But the things I love outside of work matter too. I got back on that plane and I got that job. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe it. So here I am in this place that we always find ourselves, family and profession and what matters most, my mother called it. I got the job. 10 years of hard work. And then one day it all went away.

Tamron Hall:

It all went away. I was made an offer I could refuse. I went home. It was a Tuesday. I went in my closet, I prayed, and I emerged from that closet saying, I'll never come back. But there's something else.

Kim:

It was faith.

Tamron Hall:

I was full on faith. Full on faith.

Kim:

And I love the story about your mother because I want to, I want to park it there for two hot seconds because I feel like something's speaking in my spirit about someone watching right now. Because I will tell you, people say, well, how do you have faith, Tamron? How have you developed this faith? Because I think, I think there are signs and wonders all around. I think he's always speaking to us in that still small voice. How do you recognize now? Of course, your mom's probably loud and say, hey girl, this is where you're going to be. So you listen to that. How did you recognize those sweet whispers of faith when they come upon you?

Tamron Hall:

Well, it's how I was raised. My mother was a 19 year old. My mother was a 19 year old single mother who on her own left Lulu, Texas with a daughter and stepped out on faith. She often would tell me this story of my grandfather saying to her, you don't need to move to Dallas, Fort Worth at the time, because all the opportunities in our small town, like many small towns, had evaporated. And he said, just stay here. I will help you raise her. And my mother said, I have to go. I have to see what I can build for her.

Tamron Hall:

And I grew up hearing this story of this 19 year old girl who stepped out on faith. And so for me, it's been a part of everything that I am. I'm from a part of the world that people don't say, how much do you make? You know, they don't ask you about the things in your home. They tell you their testimony, right? It's not what you have. It's how you got it. And the only way you get it, how you got it, through faith. It's through faith, it's through belief. It's through knowing that God puts these challenges in front of us.

Tamron Hall:

I remember when I was in Chicago and it rang true. When I started this talk show, my mother said I was having a hard time with our TV critic, and he was just writing mean things about me. Just awful. I never met the man. And it was like, what is. And this was my first exposure. And my mother said, God is not going to move you to the next point until you can handle this one.

Kim:

Come on.

Tamron Hall:

And I. And she said, you have to take yourself out of this and say everything that you have is not because someone gave it to you. It is because you work for it, and it's because God meant it for you. So as they try to tear you down, you're impenetrable. You're impenetrable because you are protested by the blood of Christ. God has you, and you have to believe that. And I really have watched this many points in my life, Kim. Even when I went through IVF with my child, you know, I laughed because I was on the COVID of People magazine and it said, tamara, miracle baby.

Tamron Hall:

And I. It didn't even occur to me because I was so full on faith and I was so confident in my faith. And that doesn't mean that. And let me be clear. There are many, many people who pray for the opportunity to have a child, and it does not. And that doesn't mean that my faith was stronger. I cannot say that. But it was the journey that God meant for me.

Tamron Hall:

And I have been allowed to share the testimony of being a late to the party parent, as I call myself. I've been able to share how in the midst of what people were calling courageous in leaving that situation at my prior job, it was truly faith. And I. I didn't feel angry. I didn't feel vengeful. That's why people say, oh, you handle it with such class. You never tried to, you know, disparage where you. I didn't feel it.

Tamron Hall:

I knew that my wings could not be lifted if I allowed that to enter my heart. And that's not what God wanted me to do. And I know that. And I. And I have no doubts about it because I'm here.

Kim:

Well, that. Yeah, you're here. And that's that deep, rich faith that I think, believe it or not, even though people don't even know that they long for, you know, What? I mean, people really long for that kind of faith. Okay, well, when we come back, we've got more with Tamron Hall. After this short break, we're going to talk about faith and how that face got her to her very own Emmy award winning talk show. Right after this, y'all. All right, we are back with who Vogue. Vogue called the most fashionable person on daytime tv.

Kim:

Okay. Tamron Hall. Do you know how fashionable you are, girl? Like, I tune in, I love to hear you, but when I see you, I'm like, girl, could I pull that off? Let me see. And then I go google it or figure out who the designer was.

Tamron Hall:

Listen, my. My uncle Henry tells me all the time I just turn it on to see what you got on. I'm like, uncle Henry, Henry, I just turned on to see what you got on.

Kim:

Is that part of the perk or is that on purpose? You know what I'm saying is that it's intentional.

Tamron Hall:

Listen, it's intentional. I was like. I was like the women who I grew up with on a Sunday morning, you gonna know. I walked in, girl, and I'm not gonna be asham of it because you know what it is? You're here. You're like, I'm here, and I'm going to celebrate this moment. And we are very intentional about how we step out. I planned the whole week of wardrobe in advance. That's something I learned from my dad.

Tamron Hall:

My dad was in the army for 30 years and his rule was if you pick out your whole week's worth of clothing, that's one less thing you have to worry about. And I always tell people that because it's like, think about how many times you have an event or you need to go to work or something. You need to pick. And you're like, wait a minute, where's that sock? Where's that shoe? Where's what's at the cleaners? And then you are late to where you need to be. So part of my journey is also being present. And that allows me to be present that I try to take care of these little things.

Kim:

Was it always your dream to have a talk show, though? I mean, I know you've been a journalist, you know, because a lot of times I'm not trying to. I'm not trying to, you know, shade anybody or thing. But from journalists to talk, that's a two different gifting, would you say? Like, I think, okay, so here's what.

Tamron Hall:

I think is the common thread. Just like you are. I love people. I am.

Kim:

You do.

Tamron Hall:

I love People, I love hearing your story. I love curious people. That's just. I could like you. We can sit and talk to somebody all night long. They'd be like, okay, Kim. Okay, Tamara, I got to get up out of you. Like, let me ask one more thing.

Tamron Hall:

Yeah, I got to get my. My car. My meter ran out. I'm like, no, no, I have more questions. I've always been very curious about people, and I love hearing folks their story. I'm often asked, well, who's my favorite guest? And I said, listen, I don't have a favorite guest. I have a feeling. I love when people come to talk, when they come to take off the mask that we all wear, and you strip down to who you are.

Tamron Hall:

That doesn't mean you're not going to protect certain things, because you do have to protect your soul. You have to protect your spirit to protect your loved ones. I didn't tell I was pregnant. I was 32 weeks because I needed to enjoy that moment with my new husband, and I didn't need people like, wait, she's too old. What is this? And, you know, I needed that time. But as we rip off our masks and we're able to share who we are, I think that's the best journey. That's the best about life. So I was always very curious.

Tamron Hall:

So as a journalist, I was curious. And then going into this talk show, I said, well, I have to use who I am. Of course, there were many people who said, okay, do Hot Topics do this? And I was like, that's not me. That's somebody else. Let me be me. And I always felt confident that the audience would come, the tam fam would find me. So I just like to talk. My favorite restaurant is my table in my house.

Tamron Hall:

Yes. The wine is cheaper than it is at the restaurant. I can take my shoes off. I could put my and just hang out. So I just love. I truly thrive off of being around and talking to people. And so it just translated to this talk show.

Kim:

It was. It is so natural, you know? And you talked about, like, taking off that mask, and I had to rip my mask off recently, big time. I'm dealing with Bell's palsy. I woke up, like, halfway through the holidays in just the left side of my face. Just was not cooperating. I thought, lord, did I have a stroke? But it's just Bell's palsy. It's getting better by the day, thank God. But I'm getting so much support from women just going on TV and being present, like on QVC and Having this issue is this.

Kim:

Have you had to ever, like, struggle with something, you know, whatever your Bell's palsy, you know, has been.

Tamron Hall:

No.

Kim:

How did you do it? How did you do it?

Tamron Hall:

First of all, I just. Another reason I love you so much is that you are so revealing, and then you're revealing, you are healing, and that is so critical in somebody's journey. And for me, the closest comparison would be the loss of my sister. My sister died in her home and it is an unsolved murder. But I didn't talk about the.

Kim:

It was murder that, you know, it was murder.

Tamron Hall:

Yeah. The cause of death is. And for me, while the case is still open and hasn't been solved, what we knew and at the time, in many years before, is that she was in a relationship where there was domestic violence. And going back to your taking off the mask, I just come to New York. It just started out. And when you're just starting out, they always ask you, do you want to host these different events? And half the time you don't, but you're trying to get into good graces of the network and everybody else. Yeah. And so they invited me to host at the last minute this event for an organization called Day One.

Tamron Hall:

I never heard of Day One, didn't know what it was. I get there, and it's an actual organization teaching young people, particularly high school age, that how to love like, that love doesn't have to be toxic, that it doesn't have to be violent, that crazy in love is not a good thing and all. So when we're. I'm there and nobody really knows that. I just started out and several young girls started to tell their stories of being survivors of abuse. And I'm talking 15, 16 young girls with horrific stories of, you know, one child, Kim, talked about her boyfriend beating her so severely she had stitches in her head. And it was just. I couldn't believe, like, kid.

Tamron Hall:

These are babies 15, 16 years old. And, you know, in the south, we have the saying, fair exchange, no robbery. And they're telling me their truth and they're taking off their mask in this big event, this fancy hotel, to raise funds for this organization. And I'm standing off to the side and I walked over to the microphone and I said, I don't feel right sitting here hearing your story and not telling you my story. And I start. And I shared with them that right before my sister's dad, she was in a relationship and the person had been in our home. And I witnessed the violence. And I was so Upset with her that she wasn't willing to leave, that I stopped talking to her.

Tamron Hall:

And I at the time thought, you know, this is what you do. You get out of this, you can do better. You don't need him. We're here thinking that.

Kim:

Just pick yourself up. Just take. Yeah.

Tamron Hall:

Not knowing the things that I know now. And thank God my father called right before the holidays and said, you all need to iron this out. And. And we did. And soon after, she was found dead. And I told them that I live with such shame and such guilt and that I was telling this story because I want to help people learn how to talk and support their family members. I want to tell one of the most painful secrets of family to anyone who's willing to listen, because through my wrong, hopefully I can write this. And I started working with survivors of domestic violence, and we try to teach families and loved ones how to approach it.

Tamron Hall:

And the number one way is just listen. Everyone wants to be heard. Listen. And so, like, with your story and your challenge here, you're willing to put yourself out there and tell. You could hide, you could take a hiatus, you could take a break, but you're saying, no, I'm not going to do that. I want you to know what's happening here. And that's what I try to do with this situation with my sister is that not to be another celebrity with a problem. Because I was like, I don't want to tell this story because I don't want people to think, okay, here's another celebrity with, oh, look at what happened to me.

Kim:

Oh, it's connecting, girl.

Tamron Hall:

Yeah. And it is connecting, and it's connecting. And that's what you're doing. That's what we're doing in these journeys. And so, for me, I've been so blessed to work with Safe Horizon, which is the largest shelter in the country helping survivors of domestic violence. I'm still an ally of day one. And it was taking off the mask and saying, here's a part of my story that I hope through this pain that I can help heal somebody else.

Kim:

Yeah. And I got to tell you, you said it's all about listening. I could listen to you talk all that. Well, I do at least an hour every day.

Tamron Hall:

And that's why I got a talk show. I love that.

Kim:

You might as well talk, honey, because you good at it.

Tamron Hall:

Because I got in trouble. God is always listening.

Kim:

I could talk the hair off a monkey's butt, honey. I talk and talk and talk, and God is always listening. That's what I love to. I've heard you say that before. You know, God is always there listening. All right, I do this, I've got to let you go because I know you're a busy woman. No, no, no. We do this with every guest.

Kim:

We did a little bit different with you.

Tamron Hall:

Okay?

Kim:

We. After the break, we're going to come back and do something I called rapid fire. Fill in the blank right after this.

Tamron Hall:

I'm ready.

Kim:

All right, y'all, I'm here with my new best friend, even though she might not know it yet, is Tamron Hall.

Tamron Hall:

I'll take it. I'll take it.

Kim:

Take it. Taylor, call me, honey. I'll come over for dinner anytime. I'll bring the cheap wine, too.

Zac:

Kim, what about me? Listen, what about me, Kim?

Kim:

Oh, Zac. Yeah, for sure. I don't wanna leave Zac out.

Tamron Hall:

We got room for Zac because we need somebody that's gonna wash the dishes. Zac, that's the rule. If I cook, you gotta wash the dishes.

Kim:

You know what? I love it.

Zac:

I'll come over anytime.

Kim:

Tammy. We're there, we're there. Okay, Every guest, we do what we call rapid fire. This time, I did rapid fire. Fill in the blank. So here we go. Don't think about it.

Tamron Hall:

I won't.

Kim:

What comes up comes out.

Tamron Hall:

Okay, got you. I'm ready. Okay.

Kim:

All right, here we go. I own too many blank shoes. I knew you were gonna say shoes. Your shoe game is insane. Like, how many pairs of shoes do you have? Like, at the studio and at the house?

Tamron Hall:

Hundreds.

Kim:

Okay.

Tamron Hall:

Really? It's like, I think we counted the studio the other day. We're at 360 at the studio alone. I am. I've been in TV a long time, Kim. I'm 53. I started TV at 18. I have shoes older than some of my predators.

Kim:

Okay, let me ask you this, though. With those shoes, are you. Have you hit your high heel threshold? I have hit mine. Can't do four inches.

Tamron Hall:

Yes.

Kim:

I can't do three and a half. Okay. What's your high heel threshold, my love?

Tamron Hall:

Well, it's a time limit, so I still do four, four and a half. But I got about 10 good minutes of stand time. So I walk out on the set, I call them ballet shoes or 10 minutes stand time. So I walk out my th doors and I head straight. You know, all I see is that chair that looks like an oasis. I'm like, look at that chair. And Mom's like, some days it seems like it's getting further away.

Kim:

Yes.

Tamron Hall:

I got 10 minutes tomorrow you're a.

Kim:

Running woman trying to get there. I love that. 10 minutes. So it's not a heel height. It's a time limit. Okay.

Tamron Hall:

It's a dumb.

Kim:

My experience with Hollywood can be summed up with this one word, blank.

Tamron Hall:

Dark comedy.

Kim:

Keep it real. What'd you just say?

Tamron Hall:

A dark comedy?

Kim:

Yeah.

Tamron Hall:

Sometimes I feel like it's Pulp Fiction. Yes. Okay, you take it from there.

Kim:

No, nothing else needs to be said. I think you're gonna get a lot of amens and hallelujahs and thumbs up on that one. If I only had one day to live, I would like.

Tamron Hall:

Hug my son the entire day. I would smell his breath and his hair. I would just hug him and smell him the whole day.

Kim:

And I'm going to tell you, that's going to change when they become 16. Trust me.

Tamron Hall:

Listen, it's already changing a little bit. Those little stinky shoes at a 4 year old. I was like, how your feet smell at four.

Kim:

Let me. I don't want you to throw your husband under the bus so you can or cannot answer this. I'm gonna tell you.

Tamron Hall:

Yeah.

Kim:

I never sit on a clean toilet seat. How about you?

Tamron Hall:

Oh, you know what, Kim? I just lecture. I marched my husband into the bathroom and it was a case of who done it. I was like, I don't know if it's you. I don't know if it's you or your son, but somebody better get this. Whatever this yellowness is. I was like disgusting. I went from being single with a pristine white bathroom, you know, white towels, white rug. I am so over them.

Tamron Hall:

They're going to. Oh, honey, listen. They got to get their own bathroom. No, I'm not. They're going to get their own bathroom. They're going to get a bathroom. I'm going to get one of those padlocks that your hand has to go on. And that's the only way you can get in the bathroom.

Kim:

It's like. It's like your. What's it called? I can't even think about. Thumb print.

Tamron Hall:

Retinal. No. I'm going to get a retinal scan. They're going to have to share a bathroom because I am at. It is so crazy.

Kim:

It's mad.

Tamron Hall:

So I'm like. And how hard is it to aim? It can't. It's a big basin. You can't. What are you seeing?

Kim:

I think they try to draw letters up in there and they try to get out of that tamarind.

Tamron Hall:

I don't get creative. They're Going to letter up their own bathroom because they're going to both be banned in a minute from mine.

Kim:

You heard it here.

Tamron Hall:

Breaking news.

Kim:

I think my grown kids would even throw Cheerios in there again just to make it happen. I really do. Just see if they can aim good. All right. The thing I love but most people hate is blank.

Tamron Hall:

Oh, Oh, I. You gotta think on that one. I love roasted bone marrow. Oh, girl.

Zac:

Okay, you know what? I'm there with you. I'm totally there with you. Tamron. That's delicious.

Tamron Hall:

I'm a. I'm a car.

Kim:

Hey, Zac. No, you're not. Zac is not. Tell me why it's delicious.

Tamron Hall:

Meryl. It's delicious.

Zac:

It's so good.

Kim:

Is it? Oh, yeah.

Tamron Hall:

Do you have your 4 year old bone marrow?

Zac:

My. My 3 year olds will eat bone marrow. It's amazing.

Kim:

Oh, my Lord, it's so good.

Tamron Hall:

I love roasted bone marrow because it gets all gelatinous and you put on bread. I'm a country kid, so I love. I eat. I'm a carnivore there. I eat my meat medium rare or rare. I'm a carnivore.

Kim:

Well, I know we put ham hops and ham balls and all that and everything. Yes. So I'm gonna have to try that. I'm gonna have to try that.

Tamron Hall:

It's delicious.

Kim:

Everybody else tastes chicken livers, too. We used to eat livers.

Tamron Hall:

I love liver. I eat goose, what they call it, you know, fo gua. I mean, I know a lot of people may not agree with it, but I do. I eat everything.

Kim:

Okay, here we go. Here we go. All right, I've learned something new today. All right. The most dangerous thing I've ever done is blank.

Tamron Hall:

Oh, does that count?

Kim:

Dating.

Tamron Hall:

Most dangerous thing I've ever done. I'm bungee.

Kim:

Dating is dangerous.

Tamron Hall:

It is dangerous. The most dangerous thing I think would probably be I. I parasailed in Cancun in the parasail fork, and I flew out to see. I literally. The thing broke. I was in. And this is the best part. I was engaged to the guy at the time who take me on the trip.

Tamron Hall:

He was on the boat. And it's a kind. You know, they parasail, they drive and you go off the boat. It snapped. He did not jump off to try and save me. I broke up with him before we made it to land. I called it off. Yes, I did.

Tamron Hall:

I did.

Kim:

That was. That was God speaking to you on that one too.

Tamron Hall:

Not just speaking. When I. When my body slapped that water. That was God. Going. Wake up and get out of this.

Kim:

No. Oh, my God, kid. I would die anyway. Okay, here we go. I. I am an unpaid spokesperson for, like.

Tamron Hall:

Oh. Oh, my gosh. That's no eyelashes. Because I'm.

Kim:

Okay. Okay.

Tamron Hall:

I have no eyelash company. But because I cry on my show constantly, I'm always referring to the. My lashes. I think I'm an unpaid spokesperson for any kind of lash company in the world.

Kim:

Okay.

Tamron Hall:

I think.

Kim:

Tam. No, it's great. Tamara's our best rapid fire yet. Okay. If I could name a new holiday, it would be called Blank, and it would celebrate.

Tamron Hall:

It would be Let Me Sleep Day, and you would be required to leave me alone to sleep a minimum of 10 hours. I don't want to hear nothing. Nothing. Let Me sleep Day. Don't call me. Don't write me. Don't. Don't even think my name.

Tamron Hall:

I don't even want you to think my name on Let Me Sleep Day.

Kim:

I'm with you on that one. I'm with you on that one. The best decision I made in the last 24 hours is blank.

Tamron Hall:

To do this podcast with you and hang out with you.

Kim:

Oh, I love you.

Tamron Hall:

It's true. I love you. Easy decision. Easy decision. Best decision.

Kim:

All right. I'm going to claim that and just receive it.

Tamron Hall:

Couple more.

Kim:

A couple of more. I wash my hair every blank days.

Tamron Hall:

Every two days. Every two days. Because they use a lot of product on my hair. And the fun fact, as you all know, there's a difference in black hair and other hair, you know, and so my hair, you need. I can't shampoo it too much because it'll make it dry. There's a little. There's your cultural fact for the day. But I do it with, you know, Johnny does my hair.

Tamron Hall:

He's been my hairdresser since I. Hair stylist since he was 18, 19. He's now 44.

Kim:

Have mercy. Oh, my gosh, Tam.

Tamron Hall:

I raised only. Only break we've ever had, brother. He did Michelle Obama's hair for eight years in the White House. That's the only breakup we ever had. She stole my hairstylist, and I got him back.

Kim:

Well, it's Michelle Obama. You gotta let him go. If you gotta let him go.

Tamron Hall:

If you're gonna lose to somebody, lose their.

Kim:

Go to the first lady.

Tamron Hall:

There you go.

Kim:

The best thing about being a talk show is a talk show host is blank.

Tamron Hall:

Oh, you get to meet so many different people, and no. No two days are the same.

Kim:

The hardest thing about being a talk show is blank.

Tamron Hall:

Sometimes you gotta go there and ask people questions that they don't necessarily want to talk about, but people, they wanna. I respect, you know, people's privacy. I respect a lot of things, but we've had some hard hitting interviews where. Oh, it's not always easy to ask people certain questions. But that's. That's the job. That's the job.

Kim:

My celebrity crush is blank.

Tamron Hall:

Oh, Mark Anthony.

Kim:

Mark.

Tamron Hall:

Mark Anthony.

Kim:

Really? So that is such a good one. You have to tell why. Oh, you have to tell why. I just feel that tea.

Tamron Hall:

I think he is so. I just. When I see him sing in his body, the way he's just so.

Kim:

He's sexy.

Tamron Hall:

He's so sexy. He really is. He's a very sexy man.

Kim:

Oh, my.

Tamron Hall:

Great.

Kim:

That's a good one. That's a great one.

Tamron Hall:

Your random fire. Go get me divorced over here.

Kim:

No, it's not, honey. No, it's not.

Zac:

Have you met him? Tamron, listen. Have you met him?

Tamron Hall:

I briefly at the Today show many years ago and.

Kim:

Oh, Marc Anthony. Call Tamron. She needs you on the show, honey. Okay, here we go. My favorite fast food is blank. Ooh. Okay. Don't give me bone marrow.

Tamron Hall:

I would like Quarter Pounder.

Kim:

Okay.

Tamron Hall:

Quarter Pounder with cheese, no onions. A bar troop beer. That's it. Yeah. Yeah. Now, I know my friends and family are gonna scream because a Whataburger is my ultimate. But because they don't have Whataburger in New York, I have, you know, to deal with other things. But, you know, on my.

Tamron Hall:

On my deathbed, there will be blue bell ice cream, cookies and cream, and a water burger on the side.

Kim:

But now, do you like. Do you like Big Mac?

Tamron Hall:

No. Quarter pounder.

Kim:

McDonald's?

Tamron Hall:

I just do Quarter Pounder. Like, if I'm gonna do like. I only do Quarter Pounder. Water burger is the best fast food ever. And then a quarter pound Quarter Pounder with cheese. That's. I'm a burger girl. If I could eat a burger every day of my life, I would eat a burger.

Kim:

And we're doing the Heartbeat.

Tamron Hall:

I've been trying to live a little longer for this baby.

Kim:

All right. Things change when that happens. Okay, one last question. One last rapid fire. My faith is blank to me.

Tamron Hall:

My faith is the guiding light that allows me to live this journey beyond my dreams. And it is everything to me.

Kim:

And. All right, y'all, you can connect with Tamron hall at Tamron hall on all her social media platforms. And you've got to preorder her new book, but I would suggest going to get the first one and then going to pre order get that one and read it and then preorder this new book, Watch where they hide. It's available March 12th. And y'all watch her every day on the Tamron Hall Show. I watch her. If I can't watch her, I do the whole little. It's not called TiVo.

Kim:

What's it called again? What's it called?

Tamron Hall:

DVR. What do you call DVR?

Kim:

That's it. DVR in it, honey. And I'm streaming it at night. I love you, girl. Thank you for coming on.

Tamron Hall:

Thank you.

Kim:

You're such a blessing.

Zac:

Thank you.

Tamron Hall:

You are the same. And, Zac, you're not so bad yourself. I'll take it.

Zac:

I'll take it.

Kim:

All right, Tamron, call us to come up, eat, and we'll bring our dawn dishwashing sub.

Tamron Hall:

Girl. No, I don't.

Kim:

As many of you know, I am dealing with a little bit of this Bell's palsy thing going on. But I gotta say, it has been the biggest blessing because of all of you have poured out your love, your encouragement, your prayers. I just think it's this community that we felt is so powerful. And I just want to thank you from the bottom of my heart because it has meant so much to me. I believe it's been part of why I'm healing faster than ever. It is because of you. I want to thank you. We have a listener that called in, right, Zac?

Zac:

Yeah, we have a voicemail from a listener.

Kim:

Okay, I've got to hear this.

Zac:

I want to play it for you. And I want to start doing this more regularly. I think at the end of every episode. I'd love to have a listener message just like about. Because we're building community here on the Kim group.

Kim:

That's all we want to do. Yeah.

Zac:

This is all about loving who you are. And this voicemail to me just meant so much, and I want everyone to hear it.

Kim:

Okay, let's hear it.

Caller:

Kim Gravel. This is her friend over here in Texas. I am with you, girl. I had Bell's policy 40 years ago. You're going to make it. You're going to make it. You are so determined. I love your personality.

Caller:

You're going to make it. Remember, Jesus has your hand. He's your healer. He's going to take care of you. But, honey, you at the same time have to take care of Kim here on this earth. Listen to your doctor. Get rest, but keep on believing, girl. Keep on pushing, but you gotta take care of that body.

Caller:

You've got to rest those nerves in that face. Honey, I know. I've been there and I've walked in your shoes. And when I saw you, I cried because you're my sister. You mean a lot to us. We love you. Please take care, Kim. Take care of Kim.

Kim:

We love you.

Caller:

God bless you.

Kim:

No, my Lord, y'all, that is exactly what it's about. Zac, I. Can I just say I am now. I feel like after hearing that, I could just move mountains. I mean, see, that's what it's about. When you have community and you lift each other up, be a part of our community with us. I love you, too, by the way. I love you, too, and I'm praying for you.

Kim:

This is about lifting each other up. And even, like, now that I need the support. This means so much to me. But, y'all, we all need each other. So, you know, I want you to really think about, like, going to lwya.com love who you are. Get on our email list. Go to the Kim Gravel show.

Kim:

It's called the what's our. Give us the information, Zac, where people can go and get. Be a part of our community.

Zac:

Yeah. Go to kimgravelshow.com sign up for our mailing list. Sign up for our community. You can leave us a voicemail right on the site. You can leave us a message. Yeah, you can. Also, I had to pull this up on my phone.

Zac:

You can leave us a voicemail by calling 404-913-6460. Leave us a voicemail. We'll play it on the show. We love. Love to hear from you.

Kim:

Oh, my gosh. And that's what we're here doing. Sisters standing together. Sisters and Zac standing together.

Zac:

There you go. Sisters and Zac standing together. That's it. That's how we end.

Kim:

That's how we end. Bye. And I am tick tock. Let me see what I can say. I am a tick tocking. I gotta be careful what I say. I'm TikTok loving.

Tamron Hall:

I'm actually turning on my do not disturb, hoping and praying that my child does not burst in here.

Kim:

Honey, let her burst in. He's a cutie patootie.

Zac:

She's eating bone marrow, and it's like I'm into it.

Kim:

Okay, we'll talk about that in a second.

Zac:

Bone marrow's delicious. I don't know why.

Kim:

No, I'm not talking about that.

Zac:

It's all right. All right, I'm out.

Kim:

Okay. All right. Love you.

Kim:
The Kim Gravel show is produced and edited by Zac Miller at Uncommon Audio. Our associate producer is Kathleen Grant, The Brunette Exec. Production help from Emily Bredin and Sara Noto. Our cover art is designed by Sanaz Huber at Memarian Creative, and Mike Kligerman edits the show talent booking by Central Talent Booking and a special thanks to the team at QVC. Head over to kimgravelshow.com and sign up for our mailing list. Again, we can't do this without you, so thank you for listening and we love you.