Celebrities and CBD

Introduction

Matt:
Hi, I’m Matt

Dee Dee:
And I’m Dee Dee. We are the hilarious outcome of opposing brains sharing a mutual desire to share knowledge and positivity when thinking about hemp and cannabis.

Matt:
We are here to tear down the walls built by big pharma and other big companies that seek to keep the human race and fear divided.

Dee Dee:
We are here to shatter the myths about hemp and cannabis and change the stigma of this amazing plant. Welcome to Hemp and Happiness with the hemp queen.

Matt:
And emperor.

Dee Dee:
Podcast. Join us as we venture into this misunderstood and the unknown.

Welcome

Dee Dee:
Hey, y’all thank you so much for coming and listening to us. Um, we are happy to be here today and we got so much fun dialogue already, already. I’m already like laughing, giggling, cuz I know how Matt’s gonna be with some of this stuff in advance. So thank you for joining us and listening to us.

Matt:
I have no idea what you’re implying. Yeah. I don’t intend to do anything, but give concise and specific information pertinent to the subject at hand

Dee Dee:
And down the rabbit hole, we will go. So welcome, welcome to hemp and happiness. And that is really what it’s all about. So, um, we, in a previous episode we had Dr. Molly Ruthford, um, she came and kind of gave us some fascinated information on COVID and some, and even on C B and things like that. And Matt, what are, what are some of your takes on that? Cause I, I wanted to hear, hear your, um, your opinion. I thought she was fabulous obviously, and I’m glad it was wonderful to have her on as a guest. Um, what do you think?

Matt:
You know, I I’ve been a, a fan of, of Molly for, for a long time and I, uh, the big takeaways, uh, which haven’t really changed, uh, for me with, with, with, with her and her philosophy is, uh, you can’t let the media and this group hysteria take a hold of you. Um, in situations like this, uh, this is more, a more than ever. We need to think for ourselves, think rationally, uh, take the necessary precautions and don’t underestimate things, but don’t let your fear become worse than the thing itself. Absolutely. And I think that that’s big on, on what she preaches and, and that’s a big takeaway for me. Mm-hmm <affirmative>, that was a really, and it really changed my perspective when I was going through COVID because I was the, the, the fear of COVID was worse than the, for me than the virus itself. Same. Um, so listening to her and, and acknowledging that it was a game changer for me personally.

Dee Dee:
Yeah. Did you take a lot of CBD products when you were, when you had COVID

Matt:
Among other things? Yes.

Dee Dee:
<laugh> same. Yes. And I’m not gonna lie. I really think it helped ease some of those symptoms. And of course I’m not making claims to that. Um, but personally I think it helped a lot. Yeah. Um, yeah, for sure. I thought what I, what I liked about Molly is that she has a different take on the whole medical, uh, in general, the whole society and how things are just, um, have evolved. And aren’t quite what maybe they should be. Um, and, you know, having a doctor’s honest opinion about some of that stuff, I think that’s great. I think we need more, I think we need more people like her.

Matt:
I think getting an honest opinion is great. Yeah. I mean, getting an honest opinion from a physician mm-hmm <affirmative> with that level of education is awesome. Absolutely. Um, but just getting people’s honest opinion about things is extremely difficult now because we live in a society where you’re no longer allowed to say your opinion, least you be judged mm-hmm <affirmative> um, and it’s exhausting <laugh> you can’t, if it it’s like, oh, well you, you have to pick side. And that, that side conforms to these ideals and these specifications. And if you don’t, then you’re not on that side, you’re on this side. Um, which is all, which is part of the division, the fear keeping us separated. Mm-hmm <affirmative> um, and, and it’s, it’s no one’s responsibility, but our own to overcome that, especially in our country where we have the constitution and the amendments, um, that so clearly spell out the freedom, which we now overlook, um,

Dee Dee:
Many times

Matt:
To subscribe to many times ideals for set by the media and by, um, by our quote unquote heroes or, or modern gods, uh, which are celebrities. Oh,

Dee Dee:
<laugh>.

Matt:
And that that’s really the, the basis of, of our show today. We’re kind of doing a freestyle today. So we wanna be a little more, you know, we wanna be informative, but we also wanna have fun. Yeah. And for sure, uh, a lot of our conversations start out as one thing turned into another, but we find them entertaining. We hope you do too. If you don’t too bad change the channel, kiss my ass. <laugh> um, so saying that, um, tell us a little bit Dee, because I know you have a perspective on, oh, I do on celebrities and endorsements and all that stuff, and I

Dee Dee:
Do as well. And it’s crazy, man, growing up as a kid, gen X are here. I’m proud of that. Um, you know, of course I like new kids on the block. Of course I liked, uh, I, I like the other one, Backstreet boys better don’t come at me people. Um, but I just never understood why us as a society has put, so has given celebrities, oh my gosh. Just so much power into what we think is a good product or what we think is a bad product. So if a celebrity likes something, you know, and they’re endorsing it and it is com it is not even superior. Why would you buy it? Um, I just never understood that. I never understood that, you know, even in today’s society that, you know, a celebrity endorses this, so that’s the one you should buy. Well, there’s probably something better that is not endorsed by a celebrity. It, it aggravates me to no end when that, when people are like, well, but this is, um, you know, it’s Martha Stewart’s brand or it’s Snoop dog’s brand, or, and I’m like, what does that have anything to do with it? They’re just getting paid to tell you it’s a good

Matt:
Product. But I think that lends to the, uh, the deeper issue of how are we create how well, how are, how are our idols created in our society today? Um, we wanna say, oh, it’s because they’re so talented, but that’s bullshit because some are, there’s a, there’s a ton of extremely talented yeah. Celebrities out there, but being talented is not synonymous with being a celebrity. No, there are a lot of talented people out there that never get recognized, right. Never get seen. Um, there are a lot of very intelligent people out there. Um, and that’s the real tragedy is our physicians. Mm-hmm, <affirmative> our physicists are our, our, our doctors out there doing research and finding, um, new discoveries are overlooked, um, and ignored. I mean, you, you, you don’t know who these people are today, uh, which is lost. Cuz I remember as a kid, at least we had NASA.

Matt:
Right. And, and you know, we, those, those were heroes, those astronauts were heroes. Absolutely. Right. Um, now it’s, you know, uh, it’s, it it’s it’s who was chosen and the celebrities that are chosen while they may be talented, it’s not an accident. They’re a combination of things, right. That the media decides is what they want to use as their vehicle to shape our reality. Um, so you have to bear that in mind that this idol was not chosen by you, it was presented to you mm-hmm <affirmative> uh, under the specifications that it will be pleasing to, you know, some portion of your brain, um, that you will then subscribe to in a group mentality and feel coul to follow their lead.

Dee Dee:
Right. It’s the same thing with influencers.

Matt:
And that’s the thing is you’re not following their lead. You’re following the lead that they’ve been given to say, this is the, the, this is your pied Piper fiddle, right. Or pied Piper pipe. Um, that’s going to direct people the way we want them to go. Mm-hmm <affirmative> um, and it’s controlled by they’re they’re all controlled by a higher source, which is money based. Um, well, I, I say all that’s generalizing, um, most,

Dee Dee:
Most it, I mean, in our society in general, most things that people do is money based. Um, and sometimes that takes away from, I can’t even think of the words, just, it takes away from the, the good product. Do you know what I mean? Like, okay, I got a celebrity that’s endorsed me now, but they don’t know Jack shit about this product. They really can’t say anything really about this product. Truly. They don’t use it. They got paid to say that. And that irritates the living crap out of me.

Matt:
Well it’s because it it’s because it lends itself mm-hmm <affirmative> in the same. Oh, if the celebrity used it, it’s gotta be good. Or if the celebrity, they must have had something to do in the design of this product or the S of this

Dee Dee:
Product turns outta 10, they didn’t right. It’s a big corporation coming in and paying them to endorse this stuff

Matt:
Well, and, and chances are as well. They very, they may very well own a piece of the company. They yeah. More often than not, they know nothing about it. Right. Um, you know, and, and the thing about celebrities too, is this becomes most evident. Um, when you see them make a mistake, mm-hmm, <affirmative>, uh, we now live in a world of character assassination. Um, you see a celebrity when somebody decides, okay, I’m done with them. Uh, they put up some media event that they said this, or they did this, or how dare they this, and then they’re done. Um, which is it forms a, it lends to that group hysteria and forms that opinion of, oh, how dare they, how dare they? And then they’re simply written off and thrown away mm-hmm <affirmative> and made room for the next, uh, project, then

Dee Dee:
The next big

Matt:
Thing. Right. Mm-hmm <affirmative> so that is so wrong. Um, and, and it, it’s, it’s a fundamental flaw in what we’re dealing with now. And we really want to change that. Um, I, I wish more people would come out and just openly admit their, their, their flaws and, and what, what they do wrong. Just get it out of the way

Dee Dee:
We can tell you all our flaws.

Matt:
Yeah. <laugh> Greg can tell you who I’ll tell you, you know, even just the, the recent occurrences with, with the character assassination of podcasters, I, we do research on this show. We try to get it right. We do our best to get it right. But we’re not gonna get it. Right. And chances are, we’re gonna say something that, that that’s wrong. Would I apologize for, for say saying something that’s wrong? Yes. Uh, would I, would I feel particularly bad about it? No, because I did things to the best of my ability and being wrong sometimes is the only way to figure out how to be, right. You’re gonna learn more from your mistakes than anything else. But, uh, if you’re involved in the media, people aren’t gonna see it that way. They’re just gonna simply pass judgment on you. You did something, right. You made a mistake and that’s how you’re deemed judged forever. Mm-hmm <affirmative> um, and it’s

Dee Dee:
Terrible. And that, that isn’t

Matt:
Right. It’s terrible. That isn’t right. No, no human beings are gonna make mistakes. Uh, and that’s should be okay. I mean,

Dee Dee:
Every, and everybody has their opinion about everybody. So we, if you don’t like someone, then don’t listen to ’em. Yeah. Move on, move on. Yeah. Who cares? Move on. Stop making it such a big deal. About every little thing

Matt:
At this point, I, I would never judge someone’s character by something I read in the media, even a local newspaper mm-hmm um, because there, there there’s decisions made on the light that that’s presented.

Dee Dee:
Absolutely.

Matt:
And, um, there used to be something called yellow journalism that, that you never hear that phrase anymore. Cuz it’s all yellow journalism

Dee Dee:
Now. Well, when I first started Matt, this is before you, um, I had a local news station come out and interview me because a big box store started carrying CBD products and they wanted my opinion on it. I gave them my opinion on it, but what’d they do. They took out one little tiny thing and that’s what they harped on. Didn’t even talk about everything else I said and the good aspects of it versus, but they took the one little thing bad. I said, so you know, it, it, they will, media will shine the light on what they wanna shine it on. And they want that controversy. They want you to fight amongst. They want us to fight amongst ourselves. I mean,

Matt:
We’ll we’ll okay. Well there’s two things. I know one, see,

Dee Dee:
I give him more to talk about you’re.

Matt:
You’re welcome. There. There was no, before me, there was, there was darkness.

Dee Dee:
Oh please.

Matt:
And then one day there was like,

Dee Dee:
Oh my God. Riding my coattails. Like when you know it.

Matt:
Yeah. Something you’re

Dee Dee:
You’re

Matt:
Welcome. And second of all, there was no before me, that was, I, I don’t that’s and that’s it. Those are the two things <laugh>

Dee Dee:
Okay. Moving on from that. Cuz I know the truth people <laugh> I’ve been doing this way longer without you, but I am happy to have you now. So

Matt:
Thank you for allowing me

Dee Dee:
You’re welcome.

Matt:
<laugh> I, I just got shippers

Dee Dee:
<laugh> you should have.

Matt:
Right. So what was the morals of the story?

Dee Dee:
The morals of the story is you don’t have to buy a product from a celebrity. Okay. <laugh> that they they’re just endorsing it. You, your best friend, like me could have an amazing quality product, but I’m not a celebrity. Do you know what I’m saying? Yeah. So just think about that next time. I mean you’ve got friends and, and I’m just talking about general and I’m now talking about CBD products, but just in general. Yeah. Your family, your friends, they could have a freaking amazing products that could benefit you, but you choose a celebrity instead of the, instead of their product. And it’s just something to think about. I mean, small businesses, small businesses in general, across this entire country help the communities we help give back. Um, you don’t see Amazon, you know, sponsoring your local baseball team. No it’s small businesses, small businesses do that. And even a mom and pop, they are so much more in the community than, than some of these big box stores are. And online hu giant enormous retailers that we’re not gonna mention name wise. Just think about that. That’s kind of important.

Matt:
Well, and you know, it, it, it’s funny, you should say that because with the, in invention of the internet and the evolution of the internet, mm-hmm <affirmative> we have access to more information now than we ever have before now is a lot of that fake news. Absolutely. Um, but there is a lot of legitimate sources of information and at least if nothing else, the ability to formulate your own opinion, um, on products and people, um, and you should super important use that. Uh, that is so important. Mm-hmm <affirmative> the, the problem with that is, is I feel that the internet is, is misused in the gathering of information and you see it when you log onto, uh, a web browser and you’re bombarded with these news clips, 50% of them are ads and 50% of, some of them are news and it’s, it’s not usually legitimate news. It’s usually trash.

Dee Dee:
Well, and that, that, that too, I mean, Matt, you go to search for something and in the big Google search and mostly opinions pop up and granted, we have our own blog as well. We have our own CBD education page on our website. We can find all sorts of things. Um, but you know, a lot of the information that’s out there, out there it’s opinion, it’s opinion, blogs are opinion people. Some of them do really well with the research. We definitely try and we try to provide back links and the research to it. But you know, you gotta be careful what you read too on the internet. I mean, that’s true. You know, some of it’s not, it’s just an opinion.

Matt:
Yeah. And, and, and that’s the thing is you can’t believe everything you read. Um, you can’t just take something as a, as a legitimate source. Um, you have to take that upon yourself. Mm-hmm <affirmative> and you really should be looking at multiple sources if this is, uh, particularly if you’re you’re researching something that could affect your health. Right. Um, or could affect, um, your wellbeing,

Dee Dee:
Um, read both the positive and the negatives. Yes. Read both sides and then form your own opinion. That’s what we should do.

Matt:
Yeah. Yeah. And, and remember, um, your rights mm-hmm, <affirmative> a as a, as a us citizen, uh, we, we have the first amendment, right? Mm-hmm <affirmative> of freedom of speech. You have the right to say what you wanna say. You have the right to have the opinion that you wanna have mm-hmm <affirmative> um, and that is something that should never be taken away or influenced if, and you have to recognize what is your legitimate thought and what is a thought that maybe being put in, maybe the influence might be projecting that, or altering that opinion of that thought, um, looking at, at yourself and, and as, as pure, as purely as possible and accepting, um, what is the best reality for you is critical.

Dee Dee:
It is, you know, and I wanna give a couple examples because I’ve brought this up before, um, you know, I’ve had some people tell me about the COVID hair loss, right. And how, um, people are getting thinner hair and the, that it’s from COVID. Um, I have had customers call the store because they read somewhere that CBD promotes, um, hair restoration. Well, I’m like, if it did, I would have the thickest man of hair that there ever was. Right. And I, I still have thin hair. So it, it kind of bothers me that there’s this misinformation being put out there and then people are like, oh, it’s gonna work. It’s gonna work. I gotta use it. I gotta use it that way. And I’m like, mm, I don’t know about that. Yeah. You know,

Matt:
So it’s the biggest struggle in the industry. It is, is that it, it, it is it’s full of charlatans. It is who will make a claim. And, and, and, you know, I hate to praise the FDA, but the FDA stepping in and stopping claims while hurts legitimate business people, um, at least has put a stop to, to these or slowed down these ridiculous, uh, claims that you can quit smoking. You can quit drinking, you can do all these great things. If you take this gummy, um, which is typically a CBD gummy, um, and it’s, it’s, it’s fraudulent.

Dee Dee:
It is, well, then the, there’s the scam in, and of the scam too, because then they get you on that monthly subscription thing. And you can’t, I mean, the, uh, yeah. Don’t even get me going on that, but it’s true. Yeah. Yeah. And the, the fraudulent claims in this industry, and we’ve, we have spoken about this before, too, in previous episodes, you just gotta be careful. I mean, you have to know what you’re buying. You gotta be able to ask the right sources. You gotta, you know, if, if it looks like somebody’s making in their store room or their kitchen, you, you, you might wanna question that it’s kind of an issue.

Matt:
Well, but we’re, we’re, we’re straying from the celebrity.

Dee Dee:
I know we are

Matt:
<laugh>. So

Dee Dee:
That’s what we do.

Matt:
Uh, I, I think that, that really the, the takeaway of, of this episode is you can’t just accept a product as a great product, because it’s endorsed by someone. Thank you. Who you like or who you see as a celebrity. Exactly. Um, especially if it deals with your health, something you’re putting into your body, mm-hmm, <affirmative>, the internet is out there. You can do the research, don’t be distracted and form your own opinion. And, and that’s the thing too, is you’ll notice these algorithms in, in, in these search engines will actually try to direct you towards when you’re doing research. And I know this cause I do a lot of research on the subject matter that we talk about here, but also, um, on, on products and, and, and things that we sell at our store. Right. Um, so we’ve, and it’s fascinating how you’ll be looking for something specific and 15 minutes into it.

Matt:
You’re in a whole different world because that’s where the kind of the search engines mm-hmm, <affirmative> directed you to. Um, and it is difficult even for someone who I consider myself to be on task. Most of the time, 80% of the time, um, 60% of the time, 40% of the time. Yeah. About well, to be in a completely different place somewhere I started. So the information’s out there, you have the right to it and you have the right to form your own opinion about it. Mm-hmm <affirmative> so do that, please, whatever I can do, I will put on a clown suit. I will jump up and down, like, whatever it, you have to have your own opinion out there. People cuz if you don’t, no, one’s gonna have your opinion for you and it’s not gonna happen by itself. And you’re doing other people, a disservice by not sharing what you really think, because it may be better than what’s out there.

Dee Dee:
Oh yeah. Same things for influencers too. I mean, they’re, they’re considered, you know, IG celebrities, right? Yeah. It’s the same thing with them. Yeah. So just be careful, be careful what you’re buying. I mean

Matt:
Yeah. Well and choose your idols wisely. Yeah. Because chances are, you’re idolizing them because of an GoIT construct that you’ve built around your perception of them as super fit people. Mm-hmm, <affirmative> super sexy people, super fun people. Um, and that’s exactly what the media plays on. Right. Uh, to make you want to be like them and then make you wanna buy the products that they endorse

Dee Dee:
And growing up as a kid, I just never, ever idolized anybody like that. No one, I never idolized anyone like that. I guess I was much more of a realist even as a child, cuz I’m just like, why, why do I have to believe what they’re saying? And I never understood that. So I’m, I’m pretty happy with that. <laugh> I mean, I’ve just never been into that ever. Never, ever, ever. So, and I think that’s that that in and of itself has to do with advertising and marketing obviously.

Matt:
Yeah. So agreed. Mm-hmm <affirmative> well, on that note,

Dee Dee:
On that note,

Matt:
Should we wrap it up?

Dee Dee:
I think we should wrap it up. Y’all thanks for listening to us. Definitely leave comments, follow us on all the socials. Unfortunately we have to be on ’em <laugh> um, definitely keep in touch and um, stay hippy out

Matt:
There and disagree with us please. And if we’re wrong, especially mad and we, and we misquote or say something that’s incorrect by all means. Tell us,

Dee Dee:
Don’t tell me just

Matt:
Don’t hurt my feelings. I, I wanna know. I wanna know, but don’t just assassinate my character

Dee Dee:
Agreed

Matt:
Because I’ve already done that perfectly well myself.

Dee Dee:
<laugh>. Thanks. All. Thanks for joining us for another episode of hemp and happiness with the hemp

Matt:
Queen and emperor.

Dee Dee:
Keep your mind ever open and expanding, like subscribe, review, follow us all the good stuff and

Matt:
Keep it. He there.