I CAN TRACE PART OF MY COLLEGE STORY BACK TO A DIFFERENT WORLD. 🎓❤️ And that's why tonight's Talk on Tuesdays hits a little differently for me. I was a high-school student watching A Different World when it first came on NBC. I didn't ultimately attend an HBCU—I attended North Central College—but watching young people pursuing higher education on television helped influence my decision to go to college. That's impact. The original A Different World was also a bona fide television hit. During its first season, it finished No. 2 in the national ratings, right behind The Cosby Show. But all these years later, I'm much more interested in what happened beyond those numbers. We watched these characters go to class, fall in love, pledge fraternities and sororities, make mistakes, debate real issues, graduate and figure out who they wanted to become. And now we're meeting the next generation. I'm especially happy that Debbie Allen remained connected to the vision and that Felicia Pride was entrusted with creating and running this new sequel series, taking us back to Hillman while allowing these younger actors and characters to tell their stories rather than simply recreating ours. Tonight, Coach Tony Thompson and I are putting on our reviewer hats. 😂 Is the new A Different World worth watching? We're talking about the original cast, the new class, our favorite episodes, legacy characters, HBCU life, Greek life, NIL and athletics—and what it feels like for two Gen Xers who watched the original to return to Hillman almost 40 years later. https://www.youtube.com/live/Xlq-0sxTDww?is=rguDxaCgHdO8BMs3 Plus, we're sharing some of the shows we're looking forward to watching this fall. 📺 Join Coach Tony and me LIVE tonight 🕗 8 PM CT | 9 PM ET 🎙️ Interludes Extra Presents: Talk on Tuesdays 📍 Pure Lighthouse Media on YouTube And I'm curious: Did A Different World influence your college dreams, too? Because I know I'm not the only one. 👓🎓

Ladies and gentlemen, August is outta here! September is here and ready for you to produce your great podcast... Now. Last month, I set co-work days for Wednesdays at 11am CST. I'm not sure if that is a good time or should we revisit? What days and times work best for you? Please vote and let's see which co-working day will win, starting the week of September 6th (Sunday). All times are CENTRAL TIME ZONE.

Lighthouse Lab family, a successful livestream begins long before anyone presses the “Go Live” button. As I prepare to produce another episode of The Pull Up Podcast Show, I’m thinking about everything that must happen behind the scenes before a guest enters the StreamYard studio. One lesson was recently reinforced for me: whenever possible, complete your technical check a full day before your broadcast. There are three areas I always want to test: 1. THE LINK AND DEVICE Can the guest open the StreamYard link and enter the studio successfully? Find out which device they plan to use—a computer, tablet or cellphone. Make sure they understand how to give StreamYard permission to access their microphone and camera. You don’t want your guest opening the link for the first time five minutes before the broadcast. That is not the kind of suspense we need! 😂 2. THE AUDIO AND VIDEO Can you clearly hear your guest? Is the correct microphone selected? Is their sound muted somewhere outside of StreamYard? Is the camera working? Are they properly positioned, and is there enough light on their face? A guest can enter the studio and still have no sound because of one small setting on a cellphone or computer. That tiny setting can delay an entire show. Ask the guest to use headphones when appropriate, silence notifications, close unnecessary programs and test the exact equipment they plan to use during the broadcast. 3. THE INTERNET AND PLATFORM COMPATIBILITY Is the internet connection strong enough to support a livestream? Does the guest’s equipment work properly with the streaming platform and the technology available at their location? This became especially important during my recent production at Tennessee State University. I arrived on Sunday evening so we could test everything before Monday’s live broadcast. During that preparation, we discovered that my PC laptop worked better with TSU’s core technology setup than my MacBook—even though I use my MacBook for practically everything.

Lighthouse Lab family, your podcast may be live—but do the right people know it exists? Throughout August, I’ve been presenting the Podcast Blueprint Webinar Series. We’ve talked about production, content, and the work involved in creating a podcast. Now, we’re wrapping up the month with marketing. This webinar is for established business owners and entrepreneurs who already have podcasts but need help promoting their shows, increasing visibility, and connecting their content to their businesses. We’ll talk about moving beyond simply uploading another episode and beginning to use your podcast to build trust, strengthen relationships, and create new opportunities. 📅 Saturday, August 29, 2026 ⏰ 9 AM Central | 10 AM Eastern 🔗 Register here: https://streamyard.com/watch/hJHuU6TyQnxV Your voice deserves to be heard—and your podcast should help people discover the valuable work you are already doing.

I’ve been experimenting with different ways to create digital ads for podcast episodes, and I want the Lighthouse Lab to weigh in! I’m sharing two different promotional graphics for the same episode of The Interludes Podcast. Image #1 was designed primarily in Canva. Image #2 was reimagined using AI. Both graphics are promoting the same episode, featuring a conversation about why Sade, Lauryn Hill, and Mariah Carey belong in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. But here's what I really want to know: When you're scrolling through social media, what kind of podcast ad is most likely to make you STOP and actually want to listen? Look at both graphics before voting. Don't overthink it—give me your first reaction.