Renee Washington: A Trailblazer in Sports, Media, and Beyond

Allow us to introduce you to the remarkable and dynamic Renee Washington. Describing her as a “triple threat” feels like an understatement, she embodies a myriad of talents and accomplishments that go beyond conventional labels. Raised in Ewing, NJ, Renee Washington is not just a media personality, but a motivational speaker, model, and a dedicated entrepreneur. Her journey is a testament to her unwavering commitment to excellence. During her time at La Salle University, she achieved tremendous success as a 3 time All-American D1 soccer player, leaving an in-erasable mark that earned her a spot in the La Salle Hall of Fame. To this day, she still holds numerous school records.

Butter: Can you talk about how you discovered soccer and found the love for it?

Renee Washington: Sure. So I grew up in a sports family and both my parents played basketball. My siblings and I all played sports and literally tried almost every sport. Our parents supported whatever sport we choose. So we decided on basketball, soccer, and track. Growing up in Jersey, right over the bridge from Philly, I played a lot in the area, whether AAU tournaments or club soccer games. Soccer much like a lot of sports, has always been smaller than a sport like basketball or football, which are definitely main sports in that area. My high school, was a very big sports school where we had a lot of players that went on to play college sports for soccer, tennis, field hockey, lacrosse, basketball, football. We had a lot of professional athletes that came out of our school too. Honestly, for me, it was just more about the exposure to see growing up in an area that was so big on sports.

Butter: What was the biggest influence for your love of sports

Renee Washington: My love of sports definitely started with my family. It started at home with my parents who instilled the foundation of sports on us by teaching us about the value of just learning and succeeding and excelling through sports, but more importantly how it translates into so many other areas of life too. My family definitely motivated and encouraged me and my siblings to continue to be the best athletes and competitors that we could be. They also sent us to a good private high school where we further grew our knowledge and skills of being a student athlete. My parents kept us in everything. We were the family that was running from game to game and tournament to tournament. It seems like we were the ones that were missing out on family get-togethers or friend sleepovers or whatever it was because we were always at a game. We learned to juggle responsibility by managing all these different expectations. We gained valuable life skills from doing so.

Butter: When you were in high school, did you plan to play sports in college or professionally?

Renee Washington: I wanted to be a pro athlete, I did know that, but I just didn’t know about the opportunities that were really out there prior to high school. Once I was in high school, I was a three-year starter for the number one team in the country for soccer, and I was one of the best players on that team. So, playing on such a high-level team for school plus playing for my club team allowed me experiences to help me start to realize and create my goals. It was no longer, “I just want to be the best player in Ewing, New Jersey.” I wanted to be the best player in my high school, in the area, in the state, on my club level. So my goals were mostly about just being the best I could be. My ambition as a high schooler was absolutely to play to be a division one soccer player and to get a full ride for that because my family needed that. Our parents were not financially at a place where they could just write us all checks. There’s three kids in college at one time… So, the goal was to get a full ride to play in college, and it was soccer or basketball, and I ended up deciding to play soccer in college, and that was my better sport, and the sport that gave me the most opportunity.

Butter: What was the recruiting process like for you? What ended up being the deciding factor in going to La Salle?

Renee Washington: I had an edge with recruiting because my sisters went through the process before me, that helped put my name on the map. College coaches that were recruiting them were also looking at me. We were all very good athletes and very good at soccer and basketball. So I feel like that actually was the start of not only me getting to see schools, but schools getting to see me too. So I looked at the possibility of playing soccer and basketball. I actually wasn’t even looking for track, but I ended up running track at LaSalle as well, I was just looking for schools that fit everything.

As far as what I was looking for in a school, I wanted to be close to home. La Salle was just an hour away from my house. I was looking for a school where I could play for four years, and just compete for a starting position. I didn’t want to go somewhere where I would sit on the bench for four years. I wanted to go somewhere I could enjoy playing and be a part of a positive winning culture. Then I wanted to play at a higher level. I was getting recruited by Big East, ACC, Atlantic 10, CAA, and a variety of different conferences. I choose La Salle because they had the best mix on academics, athletics, location, and campus size

Butter: La Salle is known for its rigorous academics. How hard was it to juggle academics and being a top athlete?

Renee Washington: I think the biggest thing that helped me is I had been doing it my entire life. I was always a good student. I loved school. I was a nerd, honestly. I really enjoyed school. I was in AP classes and honors classes. And, you know, even at La Salle, that continued. I had a double minor and I took extra classes, and actually, I finished at LaSalle in three and a half years and could have graduated early. Education was always a big part of my life, whether it was because my mom was a teacher or my dad instilled academics into us and just drilled home the importance of being a student-athlete and that school came first. And so I learned as a kid how to juggle. And so when I got to college, it was no different. In fact, it was actually somewhat easier because of the fact that you don’t have classes all day like you do in high school. You just have your couple of classes every day. You have practice once or twice a day, depending on if you’re in-season or out of season. You have fewer games since you don’t play year-round games. You just play your fall season, and then the offseason is training. So it balanced out, and I really enjoyed it. I was fortunate to be a student-athlete who was still top of my class and graduated Magna Cum Laude with a really good GPA. So I’d say what helped for me was just always having had that juggle of being a student-athlete my entire life.

Butter: You had a really successful career at LaSalle including a game-winning goal your freshman year.. What challenges or adversity did you face?

Renee Washington: I faced challenges my entire career. One example was just coming in freshman year; I didn’t expect to be as successful as I was. I didn’t expect to be an all-conference player and a top scorer and things like that. So the challenge of how to handle that expectation when other teams were looking to guard me since I was on the top of scouting reports. Also, on a personal level, continuing to maintain the success I had with scoring goals and getting assists was also a challenge. I was going into games as a freshman just excited to be out there and play, and then later, I started going into games like, “Okay, I’m expecting to score. I’m expecting to get an assist. I’m expecting us to win.” So those personal expectations I put on myself were probably the biggest challenge that I faced as a player. A highlight from excelling at the challenges is that our team won our first A-10 tournament ever when I was at La Salle during my four years.

“Personal expectations I put on myself were probably the biggest challenge that I faced as a player”

Butter: How was it transitioning into the media space from being a player?

Renee Washington: Having had experience as a player and as a coach made transitioning into reporting very natural. So I coached college soccer for a couple of years, and I think that through playing at a high level in college and professionally, and then coaching, it really helped me understand the reporting side because I had been interviewed so many times. I had been in so many games, championships, pre-season practices that I had perspectives coming in. And also, I had learned a lot off the field as an athlete that helped me out in the industry because it’s not easy at all. You want to talk about challenges? Yeah. There’s plenty of challenges working in sports reporting, especially as a black woman. So playing soccer where I was also a minority, was similar to coming into the reporting world.

Butter: It is often discussed about the emergence of “new media”, with numerous former NBA players such as Draymond Green and Paul George, among others, venturing into the realm of media. Do you believe that the media landscape is undergoing a transformation in this aspect? Additionally, do you perceive yourself as being part of the new media movement?

Renee Washington: I definitely believe we are undergoing a transformation in media. And I’ve seen major changes in the media even from when I was growing up compared to when I first started in the industry. Whether it’s through social media and technology or just society in general, the media industry is always evolving. Opportunities, jobs, roles, networks are always changing. It’s great to see a big part of the change in media involves inclusion and being able to create a safe space for everybody regardless of your gender, your race, or anything else. There’s a long way to go still with diversity in the professional media realm, but it’s definitely progressed in that to a more welcoming industry for people to be able to work in this space and feel like they have an opportunity to grow in this space. So it’s been fun to see, and I would consider myself a part of that change because I know how hard it’s been for me, and I’m trying to make it easier for the next wave of talent coming through, however I can.

Butter: What advice would you give for that next wave of talent coming in?

Renee Washington: I think one of the biggest things is you always have to continue raising the bar and you can never give people a reason to doubt you or question your ability, credibility, or reputation. Finding ways to continue to perfect your craft, to learn and to get reps in is something nobody can take from you. You don’t want to get complacent, you want to continue to stay motivated and to get better. In the long run, consistently doing the right thing is going to help open doors for you versus being focused on just the end results. You have the end goal in mind, but if you’re just focused on a salary or the job, you’re losing the fact that you might be missing out on chances to perfect your craft. You can be in the best network, and if you’re not getting better, you’re not going to stay there. You can be in a job that maybe is smaller, but you’re continuing to find ways to improve your work and you’re going to get noticed. So it’s not about where you are now, it’s about continuing to move forward, using the resources and your skills to continue to find ways to get reps, experience, and just opportunities, whatever that may look like.

Butter: Which sport do you like covering the most?

Renee Washington: I actually like covering basketball the most. Soccer is definitely enjoyable, but I prefer basketball the most because that’s what I grew up with. I grew up attending Sixers games, New York Liberty games and Washington Mystics gam es. Also, selfishly from a reporting standpoint, it’s a lot easier to be indoors in an arena versus, let’s say, a football or soccer game where you’re out in whatever the elements are. So, from a broadcast perspective, it’s a lot easier for me on air when covering basketball.

Butter: Do you think if someone played at the highest level of competition, that should be a factor in their opinion on sports reporting and coverage?

Renee Washington: No, because I think that there are plenty of people who have played at a high level but can’t talk about sports reporting. Sports reporting is more than just your perspective from having played. You also need to be able to talk about it, do research, go to press conferences, watch games, and break down what you’re seeing. Hosting a show or doing any sort of game commentary is not as simple as just sitting down and talking. For anybody to assume that their sports knowledge will make it easy for them to sit down and talk about it is wrong. We’ve seen plenty of former players who have tried to be broadcasters and were awful. Conversely, we see people who have never played sports but are really good at it. It’s all about what you do with your talent. I use my experiences in a couple of ways. One is that it helps for whoever I’m talking to know that I played. I’m not just a random reporter with a microphone in their face. I’ve been on the other side, and that rapport and connection of us being similar is helpful and it also gives me perspective. When I’m watching a game, I can see it from the athlete’s perspective, what they may be thinking or feeling. But you don’t have to have that perspective. You can also just be really good at watching a game and breaking it down.

Butter: What would you say is the most challenging part of your job as a sports reporter?

Renee Washington: I would say the hardest thing about being a sports reporter is probably the grind of the industry. It’s not an industry that’s very predictable. I’ve seen people who make it and then fall off, and I’ve seen people who don’t make it until later in life. It’s a very unpredictable industry, and I think that’s a reason why a lot of people don’t end up staying in it and might decide to do a career switch or something because you can’t guarantee that if you do X amount of years of work, you’re going to get X job and make X amount of money. The markers fluctuate so much, and the industry is evolving so much. TikTok alone has created whole jobs for people that didn’t exist years ago.

So, I think the uncertainty of the industry is probably the biggest challenge—staying mentally fresh and motivated and just focusing on what you can control, knowing that there are a million things that are going to happen that you cannot control. You might see someone get a job that you wanted, that you felt like you were more qualified for or you might get a job that you don’t think you’re qualified for. You have to constantly figure out how to roll with the punches and keep going even when the ups and downs and the roller coaster ride of it continue.


Butter:
What are your thoughts on the NIL, and do you think it would have changed college for you?

Renee Washington: Oh my god, just look at college athletes over the years and how much money they have brought in for not only the school in terms of revenue, ticket sales, jersey sales, but even the area. I watched a lot of documentaries, and I was just watching one recently on Johnny Manziel and his time in Texas Tech. They were talking about how even the hotels, restaurants, local businesses were making money off them. So many people make money on the backs of athletes at the college level, especially when you look at March Madness and college football. So, I think NIL was needed, and I just hope they do a good job of regulating it because unfortunately, with everything, there’s always someone that’s going to go too far or whatever. But I do like the fact that we’re seeing athletes able to take control of their own brand, get deals that align with who they are, and get paid so that now they can support their family. If you’re on a full ride, you’re on a full ride. Great. They’re paying for classes, room and board. But what about your mom back at home? Or what about when you need to eat and you don’t have money? There are so many more components to it than the entity really was before, so stubborn against the NIL that was costing players. And that’s why they would find their ways to make money and do it under the table. So now they can legally do it in a healthy way. They can support their families and themselves.



Butter: Can you talk about your time playing for Gotham FC? You played professional soccer in New Jersey, your hometown. How was that experience?

Renee Washington: That was cool. At the time, it was Sky Blue; now, it’s Gotham, which is a full-circle moment since I worked with Gotham at the end of ESL. When I was coming out of college, the league was only in its second season, starting in 2013. It was definitely very eye-opening. Unfortunately, as we talked about NIL and the changes, the league wasn’t in the place it is now. There’s been a lot of growth in the last 10 years. It’s been great to see. I wish it was like that when I was playing, but it was a good moment for me to get a sense of what that experience was like and have closure. I felt done with playing, having reached my goals, and ready to move into coaching and reporting. It was a great experience. I wish things had gone differently, especially knowing where the league is now and the opportunities available. At that point, I was ready to move on, having played with the best, and it was great to finish my career in Jersey, where I grew up.

Butter: I’ve seen you did TED Talks, and with being a reporter. Did you always have that ability to talk in front of people?

Renee Washington: So I actually did not always have confidence or even the self-esteem to be able to do anything I’m doing today, honestly. Like modeling, motivational speaking, reporting. There’s no way I was able to do that, growing up, and that came with time, growth, maturity, and just learning about myself and my identity. Being comfortable in my own skin to be okay with putting myself out there on stages, TV, and cameras in front of people. As far as TED talks, it’s been something that I’ve really enjoyed doing, just to have a chance to do something similar to sports reporting but so much more impactful. I love the opportunity to speak on topics, in front of people, and do so in a way that hopefully inspires and helps them through what I’m sharing. Knowing where I came from, what I’ve overcome, and my own experiences, it’s rewarding to give back and use my career to help others.

Butter: Now for a change of pace, Some Rapid fire questions and then the infamous Butter Question

Renee Washington: Lets do It

Butter: If you were to create a fantasy team of four sports reporters, who would they be?

Renee Washington: I would definitely, if it’s any sport, any gender, I would go myself, LeBron James, Serena Williams and Lionel Messi. As an alternative, maybe Mia Hamm. All the Hall of Famers.

Butter: What type of music do you listen to before going on air?

Renee Washington: I don’t really listen to anything. I’m usually prepping, but if I do have some downtime, it’s something like either gospel music or maybe like R&B music. But if it’s a game day, I don’t really actually have time to listen to music, if I do have a downtime moment, it would definitely be something slower because I don’t need to be amped up to be on air or anything. something slow, calm down.

Butter: When you retire, what do you want to be remembered for?

Renee Washington: I want to be remembered as someone who made a difference. I strive to do as much as I can to help, whether it’s in growing diversity and inclusive spaces or even just changing how we look at reporting and how we look at ourselves and what’s possible, which is why I wear so many hats. I want to show that you can do whatever it is you’re passionate about and you can find ways to tap into each of your talents and goals and accomplish things. So I definitely think and hope that my legacy is going to be one of making a difference, making an impact, and hopefully positively changing the game in more ways than one.

Butter: The Butter question of the day is…… What is your personal opinion about why people stay in toxic (romantic) relationships?

Renee Washington: One reason is hoping that things are gonna change magically, and I’ve actually been guilty of this myself. Just being so stuck on the potential and the “what if” that you make excuses and justify staying in that situation. But then also on the other side of it, sometimes it’s just not knowing you deserve better. To you, it might not feel toxic. It’s easy for people to say when they’re not in a situation what they would do. You don’t have emotions and memories and feelings connected to it, but it’s harder when you’re in a situation to have the ability to see that you deserve more and then this is not okay, this is not it. It’s time to make a move, it’s time to get out of the situation because you might be feeling like for whatever reason that this is exactly what you deserve and you don’t deserve better.

So I definitely would say it’s hard when you don’t have the people around you or the awareness or the love and support to have the confidence to make decisions that are best for you and to put yourself first. When people show you who they really are, you have to believe them. When people expose their abusive side or controlling side or lying or cheating, whatever that toxicity may be, you’ve got to have the courage to walk away and to want better for yourself. And again, I’m guilty of this myself because I’ve experienced it, but it’s never easy when everybody in this world is constantly pressuring us: get married, have kids, be in love, buy the house, get the job, whatever it is. And you feel like you have to keep up with societal expectations, and sometimes you might sacrifice what you deserve because you’re so busy trying to keep up with the Joneses and look at me, I’ve got a boyfriend or a girlfriend, even though that relationship is trash. So it’s a lot of things, but it’s society, it’s our own insecurities, and it’s definitely sometimes just struggling to have the confidence to walk away

Butter: Thank you so much for your time.

Renee Washington’s multifaceted career in sports broadcasting, her role as an analyst with renowned networks, and her dedication to creating inclusive spaces through Planted Not Buried showcase her passion for making a difference. As a motivational speaker, model, and entrepreneur, Renee’s influence knows no bounds. She is a shining example of what one can achieve through unwavering determination and an unquenchable thirst for success. We can only imagine the extraordinary feats she will accomplish in the years to come.

Professional Wrestler & Reality TV Star Randy Wentworth Talks Snowflake Mountain + More

ButterB: Let’s start with the Netflix show… are you really a snowflake? 

Randy: I don’t perceive myself as a snowflake but I can see how I got put in that environment. I was on track to be a doctor, in school as a Pre-med student with straight A’s and out of no where, I dropped out to be a pro wrestler and I moved in with my parents.  I could see why that would qualify me as a “snowflake” .

ButterB: That makes sense! Their definition of snowflake and what you were didn’t seem to match. However you do seem like your used to getting your way.

Randy: I grew up with a nice lifestyle and very comfortable money wise. I’m not fragile, I fit some definitions of snowflake. But also “snowflake” is such a fluid term, especially in the last few years where it has became politically charged. I feel like everyone has their own definition of it.

ButterB: What was the most challenging part of doing the show?

Randy: For me, a lot of the challenges were super easy but the biggest part was that I’m a picky eater and the food we had there were rations. No meat, no sweets. It was beans and gross food. Eating was a big struggle for me. I lost 20 pounds by the time I came back home. My body was legit shocked. I remember we won a challenge and earned a steak dinner and my body was in so much shock that I threw up after taking one bite.  

ButterB- The show featured two survivalists Matt and Joel, I liked them. They brought great comedic value to the show. How did you feel about Matt and Joel?

Randy: Matt and Joel were cool. They are very in their own worlds. They’re not trying to act anything up for tv or anything like that. If you talk to them behind the scenes, they make the same jokes and everything. Very genuine people. I have a lot of respect for them.

ButterB: How was being vanished to “Last Chance Lake “, Was it really as bad as the show made it seem?

Randy: The first time when Deandre and Solomon went to Last Chance Lake, it was the worse night of the show. It got to below freezing, crazy winds, torrential downfall and they had to basically sleep outside in that. Which was awful. After that everyone was super scared to go, but when I went, it was 60 degrees, slight breeze, clear skies and it was just like going out camping, super easy for me. I guess I was lucky.

ButterB: What about Devon, she was a pretty girl, was that genuine, did you really have feelings for her?

Randy: It was complicated, we were out there and those are the only people you see for 18 days. There is a lot of downtime that you don’t see from the tv show and sometimes it got boring. So that’s kind of where my mind went. Devon was little shy about her feelings and being on camera at some points and I was not, so it made for some awkward moments. I was watching the show for the first time with my girlfriend, (who is not Devon) and I was sweating bullets watching, not knowing what they were going to show as far as that situation haha. 

ButterB: What did you learn/Gain most from being on the show?

“I put myself out there and got brutally rejected in the most embarrassing way possible, and everything was fine after.”

Randy: After the show, I was looking at social media responses to see what people were saying about me and about the show. Everyone was saying “Oh, Randy didn’t learn anything during the show, he didn’t change at all” but like I feel like the stuff I learned and what changed me happened after the show. I put myself out there and got brutally rejected in the most embarrassing way possible, and everything was fine after. I feel like I learn that it’s okay to be vulnerable and put yourself out there sometimes and failure is even okay. Rejection is just a step in the process and not the end.

ButterB: That’s deep and great insight. The episode where you received a message from your parents was very touching, It must of provided great motivation for you to finish.

the fact that I have that message to live on forever on Netflix is very special to me

Randy: Yeah and not to bring the mood down but my Dad passed last month. So the fact that I have that message to live on forever on Netflix is very special to me. In the moment, it drove me. And then seeing it later, as a different perspective, it gives me more motivation. My Dad passed away unexpectedly. It’s been a tough experience since. My Dad was my biggest supporter. When I came back from Snowflake Mountain, he supported what I really wanted to do. I told him that I was serious about pursuing wrestling. Once he realized my passion, he spent thousands of dollars and purchased my own wrestling ring for me to train in. He’s always been my biggest supporter and now I have even more motivation to make things happen.

ButterB: I’m sorry to hear that! He sounds like he was a great father.

ButterB: How did you get into becoming a professional wrestler?

Randy: As a kid, I loved wrestling and then, like all kids I grew out of it. But my senior year of high school, I had a friend over and we were flipping through channels and saw WWE on. We thought it would be funny to make fun of how stupid it is and how it’s only for kids then we watched all three hours of it. Just like that, I was hooked back on again. After that, I did deep dives into the history of WWE and learned about all the characters. I had a brand new passion for wrestling, I even helped wrestling blogs blog about the sport. Around 2018 was when I decided to finally wrestle professionally.

ButterB : Okay, for the infamous Butter question, we are going to switch things up this time and ask some rapid fire questions.

Randy: Sounds great, Lets do it.

ButterB: What are you really proud of?

Randy: What I’m most proud of is being myself and always staying true to myself and doing what makes me happy despite what other people might think.

ButterB: Do you always wash your hands after you use the bathroom?

Randy: “Yes, I do”

ButterB: Is it since Covid?

Randy: When I wash my hands after I use the bathroom, it’s more of a rinse. I’ll sneak my hands under the sink real quick.

ButterB: Have you ever honked your horn at someone then regretted it later?

Randy: No, I’m very cautious with my horn honking. I don’t do it unless they are legitimately about to hit me. If someone cuts me off, I just let them. I think to myself , they must be in a hurry. Like, the only time I ever honk is if like, someone doesn’t see me.

ButterB: Thanks for taking the time and doing this interview and as always, Keep It Butter!

MEET COLLEGE BASKETBALL STAR EMILY ESPOSITO

ButterB: Let’s start off talking about basketball since you are such a skilled and influential player! When did you start and who inspired you to play? 

Emily- I was playing basketball since I can remember, however I started getting serious about it when I was in sixth grade, which is when I played for my first AAU team. No one in my family played basketball seriously so I believe the inspiration came from all the incredible coaches I had growing up.

ButterB- You had a very prestigious high school basketball career.. some of your accolades included… Gatorade player of the year, 1,446 point scorer, 4 year varsity player… how would you describe your playing style? 

Emily- Many people have told me that I play like a boy. I love the midrange game and creating my own shot or a shot for someone else. Everyone knows my go-to move as a step-back fadeaway. I grew up with two older brothers and was always playing in the driveway with them and unless I did that move I would usually get blocked

ButterB- How would you describe your recruiting process, and who was the first school to recruit you?

Emily- The recruiting process was hard for me because I’m an overthinker and I wanted to pick the perfect school that would suit me. Looking back I now understand that there is no such thing as a perfect school or one that has everything you want. There are just some schools that check more boxes than other schools in regards to what an individual is looking for. Also no one in my family had been through the recruiting process before so it was this uncharted territory that I was struggling to navigate at first. One of the first schools to recruit me was actually Villanova, the school I ended up committing to.

ButterB- That is very true! Can you talk a bit about your experience at Villanova and ultimately what caused you to transfer 

Emily- I struggled with so many different things within my two years at Villanova. With that being said it was good for me to be away from home and experience some adversity. When I look back at my two years at Nova I don’t necessarily consider them bad years I consider them character building years. Ultimately what led to my decision to transfer was the fact that the programs morals, values and goals did not align with mine.

ButterB- What were the main factors in your decision to finish out your college career at Boston University?

“I told her that I wanted to become a better person, leader, and player and in that order”

Emily- The main reason I picked BU was because of Coach Moseley. She is one of the best coaches in the country and more importantly an incredible person. In one of my first conversations with her I told her that I wanted to become a better person, leader, and player and in that order. Being part of her program for the last two years, I feel I have grown in all three ways.


ButterB- How excited are you to lace your sneakers up and play your first game for Boston university on the 2nd against Holy Cross?

Emily- I’m extremely excited and kind of nervous. I haven’t played a game in 622 days so I think that’s where the nerves come from.

ButterB: Lets switch gears here, What is your go to food to cook?

Emily-Well I cant cook much, so probably pasta.

ButterB- What are some of your hobbies or things you do in your free time? 

Emily– Well right now given that we cant do to much I’ve enjoyed listening to podcast and ted talks. I also love to try new things. For example, during quarantine I learned how to ride a unicycle. With that being said, Over Christmas break I wanna dabble in starting a clothing line, podcast, and possibly a blog.

ButterB: Thats awesome! What is 1 song that is on your workout playlist?

Emily: Just Fine by Mary J. Blige

ButterB: Who is your celeb crush?

Emily: OBJ

ButterB: As you may know, we like to end our interviews off with a ” Keep it Butter” Question. So your Butter question is……what is the worse gift that you have ever received from someone? (Christmas, Birthday, Anniversary, etc..)  

Emily- I really haven’t received an awful gift to be honest

ButterB: Thanks for doing this interview and as always, Keep it Butter!

Emily: Of course!

Impact Pro Wrestler Chris Bey talks Inspiration, Playing A “Bad Guy” on TV, His Music and Much More

Butter B: Welcome to 2KIB, thanks so much for joining us… Lets jump right into it, My first question is, who is your favorite wrestler and why?

Chris: Besides my self, I would have to say Randy Orton. He is just an incredible performer and his accolades speak for themselves. I watched him throughout his whole career evolve and grow as a human being and a performer. I learned a lot about longevity through the way he performs and I just think it’s pretty awesome

Butter B: What inspired you to become a wrestler?

Chris: When I was 8 years old, I saw Eddie Guerrero become WWE champion and he was so relatable, everyone felt like they knew him and felt like they won when he won. The feeling that moment gave me ( When he Became champion), made me want to give that feeling to the world at some point. It’s been all I ever wanted to do. So when it became time to choose what I wanted to be, this is what I chose.

ButterB: It chose you too, because you’re in a very competitive field and a lot of people aspire to do what you do and don’t make it.

Chris: Very true!

Butter B: You talked about Eddie Guerrero being relatable.. What about him was most relatable to you?

Chris: He just felt real, from his facial expressions to his mannerisms, everything felt real. A lot of people in this business ( and rightfully so) look like they’re playing a character. Sometimes you can look at someone and go “Oh that’s a character” versus when we watch certain movies, We learn to hate those actors who play certain characters because they play their role soo well. With Eddie, it felt like he was never playing a character, and he was just someone we all knew. That’s what I try to do as well, I want to be authentic and someone people can relate to.

Butter B; What are two attributes that you would say are important in being a successful wrestler?

Chris: Stamina, because you have to be ready to go for the long run and that’s inside the ring and outside the ring. Its a big mental game! There’s no off-season and you will have to learn to deal with stuff like time away form your family. The second attribute I would say is coachability. The ability to follow directions, take feedback, etc.

Butter B: Did your parents always support your dream of becoming a Professional wrestler?

Chris: At first my Mom was not fully on board but once I showed her I can make it work, she definitely became a huge supporter of it. My Dad used to take me to all the wrestling shows when I was a kid, He unfortunately passed away 4 years ago before I started my journey but I know he knows that were making it happen now

Butter B: I’m sorry to hear about your dad passing away. It sounds like he was one of your big support systems for even going this route. Do you feel in a sense that you are honoring him by pursing your dream of becoming a pro wrestler?

“Its 100 percent in honor of him”

Chris: 100 Percent. Not only because I’m doing this to the best of my capabilities and inspiring generations but mainly because I’m doing so under my last name, which is my dads last name. To have people chant that name, hashtag that name, have that name trend on twitter, Merchandise with that name all over it. Its 100 percent in honor of him.

Butter B: That’s Amazing!

Butter B: Do you care whether you are portrayed as a bad guy or good guy on Tv?

Chris: I do not. At the end of the day, it all depends on what fits the story the best. I played both roles before. Currently on tv, I’m a bad guy (believe it or not). I think it works out well because right now we have a decent amount of good guys that need their bad guys to make them look more special and to get the fans behind them. I can play the role as the bad guy good enough, to get a reaction from the fans. I don’t really care which side I’m on because regardless, I’m getting to do my dream job. Fans are smart enough to know that there is a bad guy and good guy. They understand I’m not really an asshole in real life and over time if you do your job well enough being bad, they learn to like and respect you anyway. Most of my fans that have met me will tell you, no matter what I portray on tv, I’m a very nice person and give them my undivided attention at meet and greets. i go above and beyond for my fans

Butter B Talk to me about the “Ultimate Finesser” nickname

Chris: Its a lifestyle! I wanted a nickname in wrestling that hasn’t been used and is original. I also wanted to use a popular phrase in pop culture. I think its a perfect representation of my wrestling career and my life. I came to Vegas with a dream of being a pro wrestler and people told me, I was too small and that it would take me soo long to accomplish it and in 4 years I made this a career. That’s what the “Ultimate Finesser” is.

Butter B: Lets switch gears here, you also dabble in music. Can you tell us about that and where can we listen to you?

Chris: Music has been a part of my life forever but I’ve put in the back while I pursued wrestling. Now that I’ve been fortunate to make a career out of wrestling, the music is back! You can hear all my music on all streaming platforms(Apple music, Spotify, Pandora, etc..). On November 25th, I am dropping an EP called “Odyssey” that will also be available on all streaming platforms. I’m fully invested in this, and this is a way for me to talk about my life, my journey, and my experiences.

Butter B: What is something that most people don’t know about you?

Chris: I have like 55 to 75 percent of the Hannah Montana albums downloaded. Those albums go hard and I stand by that! One of these days, I’m going to do a feature with Miley Cyrus.

Butter B: Haha I definitely wasn’t expecting that! Are you Ready for the Butter Question?

Chris: Butter me up, Lets do it!

Butter B: In Regard to romantic relationships, if you could go back and do 1 thing over again.. what would you do and who would it be with?

Chris: I wouldn’t change anything. I haven’t been perfect and I’ve made a handful of mistakes in past relationships but I think the only way for me to learn was to have gone through it that way and now I know in the future how handle things different. If I chose to go back and change those things, I wouldn’t be who I am today. I had to learn things to become who I am now

Butter B: Thanks for taking the time and doing this interview! Keep It Butter!

Professional Basketball Player Kason Harrell Talks Playing In Ireland, Covid, 2K + More

ButterB: Welcome back to 2KIB!! A lot has happen since our last interview a year ago haha. You went to training camp with The NBA G-league team, the Mad Ants, and then ended up signing a contract to play pro ball in Ireland. Can you walk us thru how that came to be and the whole process

Kason: Well right after I got released from the mad ants, I was right back in the lab grinding and not even a week later, the coach from Killester basketball club in Dublin, Ireland (Brian O’Malley) gave me a call and said they were interested. I prayed on it, and discussed it with my family and agent, and I decided to go there and play. It was a really fun experience and being able to travel was amazing. The people there were really nice and helpful and my teammates and coaches were all amazing. The competition was really good, and my club was playing very well until COVID postponed and ultimately cancelled the rest of our season. All glory to God for giving me the chance to do something that I’ve dreamed about since I was a kid and I’m grateful for the opportunity  🙏

ButterB: What was the main thing you learned from playing in Ireland that you will be able to take with you and what is the most obvious difference so far from playing college ball to professional ball?

Kason: Well the physicality is the main difference. They don’t call as many fouls as they do in the US, which really makes you have to become tougher real quick. The one thing I learned from Ireland which I was able to take home is to never get satisfied. There’s always people out there working so you have to refuse to get outworked by anyone. My mentality right now being home is that I may not be the most talented or the most athletic or the fastest, but no one will outwork me 

ButterB: So as we all know 2020 has been crazy and what some people would describe as a “roller coaster” How did Covid effect you? I know earlier you said it ended your season early but if you can just go a little more in depth

“It was lowkey a blessing in disguise as weird as that sounds”

Kason: Man, I had a plan of going to the gym like 3-4 times a day when I came home. And literally, the day after I came home, our governor shut down the state of PA so we weren’t allowed to go anywhere. I was miserable, bored, and just anxious to get back at it. But honestly, it made me go back to my roots, which was hoop in my backyard, my shooting machine, and countless hours of just grinding. My neighbor had a weight set so I was lifting at his place like 3-4 times a week, and everyday I was getting shots up outside. Days it rained, I was in the garage doing ball handling and doing conditioning on my stationary bike in my house. I was doing anything I could to stay fresh and to get better. It also gave me a chance to dig deeper into my bible and continue to get closer to God through prayer and studying his word. And as always, I was on my 2k grind as well. COVID made me tougher and more hungry so it was lowkey a blessing in disguise as weird as that sounds. With that being said, prayers to everyone affected by it and my thoughts are with you.

ButterB: You recently played current college basketball prime-time player Jared Godfrey in 2k20 in for the “2k Crown” and won.. Can you describe the game and how big of victory that was for you

Kason:  Well, I wouldn’t consider it a crown game because he’s not even the best on his team in Fort Wayne right now in my opinion. But, we played twice. The first game was kind of close until late in the 4th when I started pulling away. And then the second game was a blowout from start to finish. I got both W’s which was cool and he hasn’t tried to play me since so I hope I didn’t scare him away. First game I was the rockets and he had the clippers. 2nd game I had the bucks and he had the Lakers

ButterB: Speaking on that team in Fort Wayne (Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons) , You were on a pretty special team in 2015-16 that won 24 games. What is you’re best memory from that Team?

Kason: My best memory was being able to witness my bot Max Landis drop 44 on USD. It was easily one of the best games i ever saw and he is one of the best players i had the pleasure of learning from and watching play

ButterB: Have you ever been on a horse?

Kason: I used to ride horses when i was little but i would like to get on one again sometime soon.

ButterB: You’re “Keep It Butter” question is about the NBA bubble. It recently came out that there is a hotline that people in the bubble can call to report other people or players that are not following the Covid-19 guidelines . Some reporters have dubbed it the ‘Snitch Hotline”. It also Came out that someone called the hotline and told on Lakers center Dwight Howard, So my question to you is, if you were in the bubble would you use the hotline and who do you think told on Dwight?

Kason:  I would use it because people need to start listening instead of doing whatever they want and putting people at sick. I think the ones who used it are being responsible and the ones who aren’t are being soft.  And honestly, if I had to guess, it was probably pat bev

ButterB: haha… not a terrible guess. Thanks for interview and Keep it Butter!

Kason: Always a pleasure Butter  Thanks for having me

MEET ESPORTS GAMER “DZ PAUL”

ButterB: You’re definitely an accomplished player, so can you tell me how you got started in Rainbow Six and video games in general? Can you also explain Rainbow Six for those that don’t already know?

Paul: In general, I played video games ever since I can remember. My dad got me in to playing XBox when I was really young, and ever since I’ve just loved it. As far a Rainbow Six, I came across it super early and I realized I was super good at it compared to all the other games I played. I just stuck with it. Basically, the game is a tactical first person shooter game. It basically revolves around strategy and methodical play than a normal shooter video game. It’s basically a 5v5 and there’s seven rounds. It’s three minutes per round and you have one life per round.

ButterB: How often do you travel for gaming?

Paul: There are four regions: North America, Europe, South America, and APAC (Asia-Pacific). If you place top two in your region you get to a major which is held in a different country decided by the developers. I just recently went to one in Montreal, and then I went to one in Japan. It’s amazing being able to visit these places and play around the world. My favorite place was definitely Japan. It is the cleanest place I’ve ever seen, like there was no pollution.

ButterB: Who do you look up to the most in the gaming world and in life in general?

Paul: The person I look up to the most is my coach. He was my ex teammate and he holds me to a high standard. Outside of the gaming world I would say Michael Jordan. I may be a little bit biased because I just finished watching the documentary he put out, but his outlook on sports and life in general is inspiring. He’s something else. The ultimate competitor.

ButterB: Do you feel like you are in a unique position as an esports gamer?

Paul: I’m super grateful to be in the position that I am. It’s a very limited position there’s only fifty people in the North American region that have the same position that I do.

ButterB: What is your favorite thing about the gaming experience?

Paul: Taking up gaming has helped me improve more as a person. It’s been a great experience learning what it means to be a great teammate, and getting to know the people beside me each day. It benefits my personal connections.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfc3h-ly4gc&t=11s

ButterB: What advice would you give to people who want to get started playing video games for money?

Paul: To follow your dreams, but if you feel like you have even one ounce of doubt then I wouldn’t put in as many hours as it takes to get here. It’s a lot of hours, and a lot of people think I just get to play video games and it is not that big of a deal but the esports industry is growing every year. It’s a lot of work.

ButterB: How many hours do you put in every week and how many do you recommend for people who want to get serious about their gaming?

Paul: I work from 12 to 7 every day except Saturday, but I recommend at least 6 to 7 hours a day. It really just depends. You can also still improve just by watching a game and studying it.

ButterB: How do you react when you lose?

Losing is amazing

Paul: It’s a great opportunity to learn from it. Losing is amazing. You learn more from a loss than you do from a win. No one likes losing, but you just have to view it positively.

ButterB: When did you start taking gaming more seriously and to a competitive level?

Paul: I’ve always been competitive. I mean I played sports like Soccer up until high school, so I think it was after my first match when my team won. It was such an amazing feeling that I loved and craved and wanted to experience every game.

ButterB: If you had to become an animal which one would you be?

Paul: This might be a common answer but I would pick the lion. They’re wild and dominant, and no one really f**** with you.

ButterB: Is there trash talk involved with teams at your level?

Paul: There’s definitely some trash talk that goes around. It doesn’t really affect me but it affects others so that’s why I do it to a certain extent. I feel like it can get in people’s heads and affect how they play. I never say anything too bad and no one takes it personal because at the end of the day people know trash talk is just trash talk.

ButterB: Whats your fashion sense like?

Paul: I’m a little hype-beast, i have some Louis Vuitton stuff. i love Adidas, their quality on their gear is amazing. I am actually wearing an Adidas sweatsuit right haha.

ButterB: That’s interesting! Ok so now it’s time for our last question called the butter question. This question is typically out of the ordinary and sometimes controversial, but we want the full, honest answer! So the butter question is: “If you had to pick one person to babysit your child out of El Chapo or Kim Jong Un who would it be?

Paul: That’s a hard choice haha. would have to pick El Chapo because if I leave my kid with Kim Jong Un I don’t know if I’d ever see him again.

ButterB: Thanks for the interview! We enjoyed having you, and keep it butter!

Paul: Thanks, keep it butter.

Comedian Steve Flye “IAmFlye” Talks Comedy, His New Hit Song + More

ButterB: Welcome to 2KIB. To start off the interview, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you got started in comedy.

Steve:  I’m an only child, so my mother and father put me in schools for gifted children. Starting when I was in elementary school. It was a place where if you wanted to focus on fine arts  for instance singing, playing an instrument, or acting.. you could do that. And because of that.. I just naturally gravitated towards making people laugh, I was voted the funniest guy in my school, out of high school.. even though I got good grades and I was a serious person.. but I just knew how to take advantage of moments .. ( like my teacher would say “ what country did America fight in the war of 1812?”…and I would scream out “Poland, Land of the Po”) little stuff like that… I would make everyone laugh, even the teachers. I didn’t really think to do comedy, what I really wanted to be was an actor. I was 5 years old when I first knew that I wanted to move to Hollywood someday. (To become an actor). I got my first local commercial when I was 8 years old. It was a black history commercial in the city of Houston. That was the first time I got to be on TV. I went through college and used to do skits in college for the football team. I hosted one of the talent shows. When I got out of college I began getting jobs to save up and move to LA. I ended up being a bartender and a bouncer at a comedy club ( “the laugh stop” in Houston), I got into an accident where my hand got cut and I couldn’t bartend, so they told me they wanted me to work the door. I would see the comedians go up, night in and night out and after a while, I was like “ I can’t believe they keep paying this dude”. This guy was horrible! It was one dude, who would perform every night and no one would be laughing. I would sit there and watch them sign his checks. So they had a contest and I figured I would get in the contest, and it was my first time doing stand-up and I won the whole contest. 

ButterB: Are there any recent projects that you have done or planning on doing in the near future?

Steve: I Have a song that just dropped. It’s on every major music platform. It’s called “Ashy Titties”. I haven’t dropped the challenge for the song yet, but once I drop it on Tik Tok, it’s going to be a wrap. If you think about the whole concept of Ashy titties, you can’t get away. It’s going to stick to you. It’s all about staying moisturized haha. It’s going to be a nice challenge. I’m telling you  the first thing with this song, it’s the stupidest in the world to have fun saying. Just say it out loud. You know what I was thinking about, I wanted to talk about the fact that I’m sure Anchorage Alaska has Ashy Titties. Detroit Michigan has Ashy Titties. It is such a fun song. This Is just the beginning, I’m about to drop a whole album.

ButterB: Is your birth name actually ‘Steve Flye’ or did you give yourself that name?

Steve: I was born Flye. 

ButterB: that’s dope, that’s such a cool name

Steve: thanks, I appreciate that. It’s crazy cause I didn’t realize it but I had a lot of people judge me because of my last name. For example, when I was playing football in college.. everyone would get called by their last name, it was on the back of your Jersey, so the coaches would know who they were yelling at. That’s what it’s on there for. My last name is Flye, so every time I walked up someone would say “ hey what’s up Flye”. And if someone was there that didn’t know me, they would immediately think (like you did) that I made that name up.

ButterB: Actually, that’s really good for constant positive feedback too. When people came up to you  and were like “what’s up Flye” their Subliminally reinforcing a positive message to you, that you’re fly. 

Steve: You know what is crazy, You’re the first person I ever had this level of conversation with about my name. for you to be able to have the vision to see  that, and what it has done for me in my life, it made me be or always try to be as cool as my name. When people say “Flye” and it makes them smile when they say it, it makes me always want to be that cool to everyone I meet. 

ButterB: Right, you kinda live up to the expectation of your name. that’s awesome!

ButterB: I know you mentioned acting before, Have you ever thought about pursuing more of an acting career then comedy?

Steve: I actually did, I’ve been on TV A lot. I’ve been on CSI. I was a crime scene. I played a dead black guy HaHa.

ButterB: haha that’s dope. I would love to hear more about that episode

Steve: I was an LA gang-banger and there was a fight in Vegas. I was walking to my seat and I stepped on this guys foot… but I’m a gang banger, so I don’t give a f***. Turns out I stepped on the rival LA gang leaders foot. So him and all of his boys stand up. And it’s just me with some popcorn on my hand. You can guess what happened after that lol. This was probably my favorite acting role because of what I got paid and how it was. They flew me out to Vegas, and it was the first time I ever saw a duffel bag full of money. It was definitely some mafia type s***. It was cool haha. 

ButterB:  What would be you’re advice to anyone that wanted to pursue Stand up comedy as an career?

Steve: I would say don’t quit. Only thing I have is don’t quit. If you’re not famous ( like I’m  not famous at comedy, I’m popular but I’m not famous) people size you up. They’re like “ I can do comedy if this guy can do comedy”. What they mean when they say that though, is they can go on stage 1 time. To be a comedian means it means that you do this day in and day out forever. 

ButterB: What are your thoughts on the Coronavirus?

If I didn’t cough on you or sneeze your way, you shouldn’t be offended by anything I’m saying

Steve: It’s weird to me because everyone is trying to figure out what is going on. The new normal may be what’s going on now. It’s scary, but I think this whole thing can go on, at least until Christmas. They’re not going to tell us that up front because people are already ready to lose their minds. If we were in a place in society where people had more morality,this wouldn’t be as bad. But instead we got 20 years of ratchet and where people think the most Idiotic behavior is what’s going to get them attention.  They say an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. People are telling themselves they’re bored after 2 days, what’s going to happen after 4 months.I do believe through that if we recover and go back to what used to be normal ( going to comedy clubs again, dance clubs, festivals) were going to come back way stronger because we would have left the offended society behind. The offended society almost is ruining comedy. The whole concept where someone is like “ OMG I’m offended”… I’m offended you’re offended. I think Because of this thing now, people can’t be offended by what I say. If I didn’t cough on you or sneeze your way, you shouldn’t be offended by anything I’m saying. I’m hoping that if we do get back as society, that we stay away from that offended culture because that s**t is corny. 

ButterB: Who was you’re first celebrity crush

Steve: I would have to say Jane Kennedy

ButterB: what was the last song that you downloaded?

Steve: Ashy Titties

ButterB: haha… So You’re KeepitButter Question is……… Why do women take the guy with a nice car and a terrible personality over the guy with a nice personality and a bus pass?

Steve: You want the real answer?

Butter: yes absolutely. Here at 2KIB.. we want the raw honest answers. Especially for the butter question. Keep it butter.

Steve: It’s cause human beings are inherently lazy. They want to be able to lay around and do whatever they want. Every women would rather take Joe millionaire because Joe millionaire is going to make it where she doesn’t have to do s***. The other guy, she’s going to have to get a job and a bus pass

ButterB: Thank you for you’re time! Really appreciate! Had a fun time! Wish you the best of luck

Steve: Thank you!  Stay safe, healthy and keep it Butter!