Rambling Through the Brambles
Old friends Hobart Taylor (Black) and Clark Taylor (White) tackle thorny issues by talking about race in America, particularly as it concerns Black and White Americans. Both are Boomers who grew up in the seminal age of racial integration. Hobart in the North, Clark in the South. There is so much to talk about. But how do we?

Hobart Taylor
Hobart was born and raised in Detroit, graduated from Brown University and spent many years in Texas and California working in radio, education, public service and music management.
He currently resides in Irvine, CA

Clark Taylor
Born in New Orleans and raised in a small town nearby, Clark moved to California to become a professional comedian and screenwriter. He eventually returned to college, earning a Masters in History from San Francisco State University.
He has worked as an oil field laborer, bartender, author, film producer, teacher, screenwriter, restaurant manager, internet entrepreneur and carpenter.
He currently resides in St Louis, MO
Episodes

Thursday Aug 01, 2024
Trump vs Women Doing Their Black Jobs
Thursday Aug 01, 2024
Thursday Aug 01, 2024
In this episode of "Rambling Through the Brambles," Clark Taylor and Hobart Taylor delve into Donald Trump's contentious appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists. They discuss Trump's combative stance, his inability to appeal beyond his base, and the racial dynamics at play during the event.
Clark and Hobart analyze Trump's thin-skinned responses, the implications of his VP pick, and his overall strategy of playing to his core supporters. They also touch on Rachel Scott's direct confrontation with Trump and his defensive reactions. The conversation explores the authentic versus the performative aspects of Trump's persona and how his supporters perceive him.
The episode further examines Trump's transactional view of relationships and his outdated, categorical thinking. Clark and Hobart express their disappointment in Trump's continued dehumanization of individuals by reducing them to stereotypes. They also critique the panel setup and the roles of journalists like Harris Faulkner in the discussion.
Finally, the conversation shifts to the broader implications of Trump's rhetoric on American politics and journalism. Clark and Hobart reflect on the challenges of addressing Trump's evasive tactics and the potential impact on undecided voters. They conclude with thoughts on the future of American leadership and the importance of humility and genuine engagement in political discourse.

Thursday Jul 25, 2024
Kamala!
Thursday Jul 25, 2024
Thursday Jul 25, 2024
Where we find our way through the new candidate for President's campaign, image, likeability and chances in our weird-making electoral system.

Saturday Jul 13, 2024

Sunday May 05, 2024
OJ Simpson Part 2
Sunday May 05, 2024
Sunday May 05, 2024
Still more to say about the case and the context and what it all means.

Sunday May 05, 2024
OJ Simpson Part 1
Sunday May 05, 2024
Sunday May 05, 2024
We do our typically searching analysis of what OJ means in the current moment.

Friday May 03, 2024
Ramble On!
Friday May 03, 2024
Friday May 03, 2024
We are getting into the personal as we continue to explore. Today Hobart asked about subtle or hidden prejudices we may each hold about the other's race.

Tuesday Apr 02, 2024
RTTB April 2, 2024: Beyond Beyoncè Continued
Tuesday Apr 02, 2024
Tuesday Apr 02, 2024
Hobart and Clark continue to wander the thickets of the Black experience with Country Music and maintain the effort to dig into the personal as well as the broadly cultural.
It's as if we are still trying to find each other before we can move any further.

Friday Mar 15, 2024
Friday Mar 15, 2024
Hobart is mad. Mad that he and I weren't really aware of Mickey Guyton, Brittney Spencer, Rissi Palmer (!) and Chapel Hart among a group of Black women taking a stand for country music that speaks to their lives as well as the typical country music that we all know about. We discuss that dissonance -- and Beyonce -- and Hobart weighs in on the vagaries of the music business around all this.

Wednesday Mar 13, 2024
Ramblings about the Mission and Frantz Fanon
Wednesday Mar 13, 2024
Wednesday Mar 13, 2024
As we begin to hatch this crystal egg of a project, we are working on dealing with the meta-ness of what we are doing. Fortunately this episode is a quick 20 minutes!

Saturday Feb 03, 2024
RTTB 3: Dom Flemons Interview
Saturday Feb 03, 2024
Saturday Feb 03, 2024
Hobart had a chance to interview Dom Flemons, Grammy-award winning co-founder of the Carolina Chocolate Drops as well as Grammy nominated multi-instrumentalist and vocalist on his new album Traveling Wildfire.
The interview took place at the famed Focal Point music club in Maplewood, Missouri, near St Louis. Information about Dom Flemons can be found on his website: www.theamericansongster.com

Rambling Through the Brambles
Two old friends, Hobart Taylor and Clark Taylor (brothers from different mothers) make their way through the thorny thickets of race relations in America, especially as it affects Black and White America.
We will interview Americans from all walks of life.