
Let me start by saying, I give zero f*cks about Kardashian drama. I don't hate them, get your money. But as a journalist at heart and a cynic by nature, I can't help but believe that most celebrity drama is created for ratings. One of the first rules in branding is: all roads lead to the product, and in the case of the Jordyn Woods versus The Kardashians scandal, my first thought was that it was a publicity stunt to boost dialogue surrounding the upcoming season of Keeping Up With The Kardashians. Upon watching this week's episode of Jada Pinkett Smith's Red Table Talk, I realized that this might not be the case.
Jada sat down with Jordyn for an intense conversation about recent allegations against the star. According to tabloids, Jordyn, who has a decade-long friendship with Kylie Jenner, allegedly slept with Khloe Kardashian's boyfriend, Tristan Thompson. Since the news released, Jordyn has been called everything from a homewrecker to a bad friend, but now, the 21-year-old socialite has come forward to tell her side of the story and clear her name.
According to Jordyn, there was no relationship with Tristan before or after the alleged incident, and the way things played out was a lot different than the media portrayed. For starters, Jordyn claims that she was only at the basketball player's house for an after-party, and her biggest mistake was showing up. She told Jada:
"Sunday night, I went dinner with some friends and I went to this bar after. I was minding my business, dancing, drinking. Tristan was there, he was doing his own thing. Normal LA culture, go to the bar, go to the club, you go to someone's house afterward. We're not thinking about whose house. We're all having fun, we're in the moment."
Here's everything we learned from the interview:
Will Smith Is Jordyn Woods' Godfather
In my eyes, Jada and Will can do no wrong. But when I heard there would be a special episode featuring Jordyn Woods, I gave them a major side eye. I thought it was odd that Jada would use the platform she created to inspire so many women to fuel celebrity drama, so how in the hell did Jada get mixed up in all of this? It wasn't until I watched the episode that I learned that Jordyn and the Smith family actually have a life-long connection.
Jordyn's late-father worked on the set of the The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as a sound engineer, where he and Will developed a friendship. During the interview, we learned that not only have Jordyn and Jaden been besties since birth, but Will is also Jordyn's godfather. He even stopped by the Red Table before the interview via FaceTime to give Jordyn these words of encouragement:
"The world attacks. It just happens. But I want you to know that you are supported. I got you and I got you… Take your medicine and tell your truth. This is a part of what growing up is, this is a part of what learning is, a part of what family is. This world is not going to break you. We won't allow it."
Jordyn Woods Didn't Have Sex With Tristan Thompson

Although Jordyn did admit that she felt wrong for even being at Tristan's house, she said that there was no intercourse between the two and that they had stayed in a public setting for the entire duration of the party. She explained:
"He didn't even personally invite me there…We're all dancing and we're drinking and we're all enjoying the time and I'm not thinking I shouldn't be here. And that's my first step where I went wrong. And how I would feel if someone close to me is hanging at my ex's house or the father of my child. I didn't think about that. That's the first part of the problem. The first step is, I should have gone home after the party. I shouldn't have been there. Never once was I giving him a lap dance, making out with him, sitting all over him, it's just we're all together, we're in a group. Never once did we leave the public area, go to a bedroom, go to a bathroom, we're all in plain sight."
"It was just an innocent time."
...But Tristan Did Kiss Her

But… there were some questionable moments that took place at the alleged after-party. For example, Jordyn remembers laying his legs on top of his. And, when she was getting ready to leave, an unwarranted kiss:
"So this is where the story gets tricky. I feel like I can't point fingers and I can't say you did this because I allowed myself to be in that position. I allowed myself to be there. I never was belligerently drunk to where I can't remember what happened. I was never blacked out. I was drunk. I was not tipsy. I was drunk but I was not beyond the point of recollection. I know where I was."
At the time, Jordyn says she was at a loss for words and left immediately. She revealed:
"On the way out, he did kiss me. No passion. It was a kiss on the lips but no tongue kiss, no making out. And I don't think he's wrong either because I allowed myself to be in that position and when alcohol's involved, people make dumb moves or they get caught up in the moment."
Jordyn Wasn't Forthcoming Initially

My first thought after hearing this was, well did you tell Khloe what happened? But Jordyn explained that it wasn't that easy. After spending the ride home trying to forgive and forget what Tristan had done, she made the decision to keep the incident to herself. Jordyn shared:
"In my head, trying to forget that part of the story, I said, 'No he was chillin. There were girls there but he wasn't all over them.' I was honest about being there. I wasn't honest about the actions that had taken place. I just knew how much turmoil was going on, I was like let me not throw more fuel on the fire."
How The Kardashian Drama Has Affected Jordyn's Personal Life

Instagram/@JordynWoods
Contrary to my belief, Jordyn revealed that nothing about this situation was for publicity, and the aftermath has affected her in ways that are almost too devastating to talk about. According to Jordyn, the first few days were the hardest:
"I couldn't eat. I didn't eat for days. I wouldn't look at my phone even. I would just try to sleep and hope that this wouldn't be true. Every time you refresh the page, it's another person bullying me, or wishing death upon me or telling me something like, 'Your father deserved to die.' I may have done something wrong but whatever I did, I don't think I deserve this."
In the emotional interview, Jordyn explained that it was important that she break her silence not to save her reputation, but to protect the people she loves. She continued:
"It's even hard for me to say this. Everyone's safety is now…we can't leave the house. My brother can't go to work. My sister can't go to school, she's twelve years old. My mom can't even go to the grocery store. I'm not here to play the victim. I'm here to take responsibility. And when I was asked about what happened, I didn't tell the truth to the people I loved, not because of malicious intent. But because I was just scared."
Now, I'm not here to pass judgment. Even though Jordyn Woods and The Kardashians are public figures, it doesn't give us the right to be judge, jury, or executioner when it comes to morality. But what I can say is, when I was 21 years old and made stupid mistakes, I had the advantage of not having my wrongs blasted and misconstrued all over the internet.
As much as I hate reality TV drama (with the exception of Black Ink Crew: Chicago, that's my sh*t), I am so glad Jada decided to bring Jordyn on Red Table Talk to speak her truth. No matter what the truth is, it's so important that we have people like Will and Jada in our lives who have our back and help us change the narrative. Despite how entertaining celebrity drama might be, the interview helped me gain an alternative perspective on how real lives can be affected by petty drama.
Watch the full video below:
Featured image by Jordyn Woods/Instagram.
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This Is How To Keep 'Holiday Season Stress' From Infecting Your Relationship
Hmph. Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like there is something really weird happening in the fall season air (because winter doesn’t officially begin until December 21) that cuddle season is in full swing while break-up season is as well. In fact, did you know that break-ups are so popular during the holiday season that December 11 is deemed Break-Up Day?
The reasons why relationships shift around this time vary; however, I did both roll my eyes and chuckle when I read that a very popular one is because it’s an easy way to get out of getting one’s significant other a Christmas present. SMDH.
Anyway, I personally think that the less shallow folks out here may contemplate calling things “quits” or they at least distance themselves a bit from their partner (and what I’m referring to is serious relationships) due to all of the stress and strain that oftentimes comes with the holidays whether it be financial, familial, due to their tight schedules or something else.
Listen, I would hate for you and your man to miss the fun and happiness of experiencing this time of year, all because you are so overwhelmed or irritated that you can’t really enjoy it. That’s why I have a few practical tips for how to avoid allowing the typical holiday season stress from INFECTING your relationship.
Manage Your Expectations
GiphyUnmanaged expectations. If there is a main reason why the holiday season tends to be so stress-filled for so many people, I’d bet good money that this is the cause. And when you’re in a long-term relationship, expectations can manifest themselves in all sorts of cryptic and/or unexpected ways. You might have relatives who assume that you are going to be with them for Thanksgiving or Christmas when you have other plans in mind. You might be thinking that you are going to spend one amount for presents while your man is thinking something totally different. When it comes to scheduling, your signals may be crossed.
And you know what? To all of these scenarios, this is where clear and consistent communication come in. Don’t assume anything. Don’t dictate anything either. From now until New Year’s, mutually decide to check in once a week, just to make sure that you are both on the same page as it relates to the holidays and what you both are thinking will come along with it. The less blindsided you both feel, the less stressed out you will be. Trust me on this.
Set (and Keep) a Budget
GiphyOkay, so I read that last year, 36 percent of Americans incurred some type of holiday-related debt. Hmph. Last year, there was still some sense of normalcy in this country, chile, so I can only imagine what finances are gonna look like over the next several weeks. That said, since I don’t know a lot of people who don’t find being broke stressful, make sure that you and your bae set a budget and then stick to it this year — no ifs, ands or buts.
Because really, y’all — it doesn’t make sense to deplete savings and/or max out credit cards for a few days of giggles only to be damn near losing your mind because you don’t know how to make ends meet come Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
And by the way, this tip doesn’t just speak to things like food and gifts; I also mean travel. If it doesn’t make a ton of sense (or cents) to be all over the place this year — DON’T BE.
Keep Matthew 5:37 at the Forefront
GiphyIf off the top of your head, you don’t know what Matthew 5:37 says, no worries, here ya go: “But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” That verse right there? Oh, it’s a boundaries lifesaver! I say that because do you see “maybe” or “I’ll think about it” in there? Nope. LOL. It says that you should tell people “yes” or “no” and leave it at that — and that complements Anne Lamott’s quote, “’No’ is a complete sentence” impeccably well. Yeah, you’ve got to remember that anything beyond a yes or no to a request is privileged information; you don’t owe anyone details or an explanation.
Besides, if you are really honest with yourself, when someone asks you something and you give a “Umm, let me think about it” kind of reply, more times than not, you already know what your answer is going to be — so why not let you both off of the hook? Give your response. Commit to that. And let everyone (including yourself) get on with their lives and schedules.
I promise you that when it comes to those holiday parties, you are pissing more folks off by not RSVP’ing or doing so and not showing up than just saying, “Thank you but not this year” off the rip.
Remember That Your Personal Space Is Privilege Not a Right
GiphyA friend of mine recently bought a new house and invited me over to come see it. He’s a single man with no children, so as I was taking in all of the space that he had, especially as I walked through his finished basement, I joked about relatives coming to live with him. “Hell no” and “absolutely not” were pretty much his immediate responses as he went on to say that some folks even had the nerve to be offended when he told them that he had no intentions on taking DNA in.
Ain’t it wild how people think that your stuff is their right? And yes, that brings me to my next point. Your home is your sanctuary space. If you want to host folks this year — cool. If not, ALSO COOL. Please don’t let folks (family included) guilt you into how they want you to act or even into what they would do if the shoe was on the other foot. You are not them — and as one of my favorite quotes states, “If two people were exactly alike, one of them would be unnecessary.” (A man by the name Larry Dixon said that.)
Hell, my friends? They know that I am good for sending them random things that they need or even want all throughout the year. Coming over to hang out at my pace, though. Uh-uh. Chalk it up to being a card-carrying member of the ambivert club yet I like keeping my living space personal — and I sleep like a baby, each and every night, for feeling that way.
Always remember that your space, your time, your resources, your energy and shoot, yourself period (including your relationship), are all things that are your own. You get to choose how, when and why you want to share them. The holiday season is certainly no exception.
Cultivate Some “You Two Only” Traditions
GiphyIt’s not uncommon for some couples to hit me up after the holiday season to “detox.” Sometimes it’s due to the financial drama (and sometimes trauma) that they experienced. Sometimes it’s because they allowed their relatives (especially in-laws) to get more into their personal business than they should’ve. More than anything, though, it tends to be because they didn’t get enough quality time together and so ended up feeling “disconnected.”
Please don’t let that happen. Listen, I’m not even a holidays kind of woman and yet, I will absolutely sit myself down with some hot chocolate and chocolate chip cookies to enjoy a Hallmark holiday film or two. Aside from the fact that most of them are lighthearted and sweet, I also like that they usually focus on couples loving on each other amidst all of the holiday beauty and ambiance — which is something that all couples should set aside some time to do.
Maybe it’s a vacation. Maybe it’s a staycation. Or maybe it’s my personal favorite, A SEXCATION. Whether it’s for a few days, the weekend or even overnight — don’t you let the holidays go by without setting aside time for you and your man to celebrate one another. Don’t you dare (check out “Are You Ready To Have Some Very Merry 'Christmas Sex'?”).
GET. SOME. REST.
GiphyI once read that 8 out of 10 people get stressed out over the holidays and 3 out of 10 lose sleep during to it — and when you’re stress-filled and sleep-deprived, that can absolutely lead to hypersensitivity, making mountains out of molehills and even not being in the mood for sex.
Your relationship can’t afford to go through any of this, so definitely make sure to prioritize rest. I don’t care how unrealistic it might seem during this time, sleep should never be seen as a luxury; it will always and forever be a great necessity.
That said, try to get no less than six hours of shut-eye in (check out “6 Fascinating Ways Sex And Sleep Definitely Go Hand In Hand”) and even ask your bae to take a nap with you sometimes (check out “Wanna Have Some Next-Level Sex? Take A Nap, Sis.”). Not only will sleep help to restore your mind, body and spirit but, when it’s with your partner, it’s an act of intimacy that can make you both feel super connected, even in the midst of what might feel like chaos.
___
Holiday season stress is real. Still, never give it the permission or power to throw your relationship off. Put you and your man first and let the holidays be what they are gonna be, chile.
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I wish I enjoyed drinking plain ole’ water. I don’t, though, and, at this point, I doubt that I ever will. It’s not something that I’m proud of or anything, but like I’ve said in other articles on this platform, to me, water is so damn boring; it’s literally like drinking “wet air.”
That doesn’t mean I don’t accept that it’s a “necessary evil” being that we all are made up of so much water and being dehydrated (which is something that a lot of us are) can cause so many health-related issues, including blurred vision, muscle cramps, dried skin, fatigue and even moodiness.
That’s why, over the years, I’ve been intentional about figuring out ways to get more agua into my body without feeling like it’s a chore or something to dread. And now, I want to pass some of those hacks on to you, just in case you happen to totally relate to where I am coming from.
If something that you want to do more of right through here is get extra H2O into your system, here are 10 tips that can absolutely help to make that possible.

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1. Invest in a Fun Water Bottle
There’s a far greater chance that you are going to drink water if you have a water bottle around you. So, cop yourself a cute one — one that will help you to stay motivated. A tumbler that I purchased some time back, just because I thought it was cute as hell, simply says, “Make Better Coochie Decisions” (amen?-LOL). Honestly, that doesn’t just have to apply to sex but how you treat your vagina overall — and that includes making sure that “she” has all of the fluids that she needs.
2. Try Some Sparkling Water or Mineral Water
At this point, I should take stock in Waterloo. It currently is my favorite kind of sparkling water and it has definitely made getting more water into my system easier to do. That’s because I will add some limes to it or a bit of fruit juice to it and that makes drinking water less “meh” for me. Another type of water that has bubbles in it is sparkling mineral water; it can also be beneficial since it contains magnesium, potassium and calcium.

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3. Go Halfsies with Your Other Drinks of Choice
Speaking of making some all-natural soda (which is basically what happens when you add juice to sparkling water or sparkling mineral water), you can find yourself drinking more water while consuming less calories if you fill up your glass with half of your favorite fruit juice and half of some sparkling water. More times than not, the juice doesn’t even taste watered down. Try it before you doubt me.
4. Collect Some Infused Water Recipes
I’m forever gonna be a fan of infused water; that’s because it’s water that has fresh fruits and/or veggies in them — and it doesn’t get any healthier than that. Plus, infused water tends to take on the taste of whatever fruits or vegetables that you put into the water (if you let the stuff soak for a couple of hours), so that the water doesn’t taste so boring and bland. Wanna try a few recipes? You can check out some here and here.

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5. Make Slushies Instead of Smoothies
Are you someone who enjoys consuming smoothies? Well, if you want to get more water into your system, how about going with a slushie instead? Although it is true that some smoothies have water as a base, the most bomb ones use milk (or a milk alternative) or yogurt. Slushies, on the other hand, typically go with crushed ice (which is frozen water) instead. That said, some (pardon the pun) cool slushy recipes can be found here, here and here.
6. Use Water As Your “Drink Chaser”
Another great thing about water is it can help to keep you from overeating; it does that by causing you to feel full if you drink it while you are eating. And speaking of calorie-counting, if you don’t want to give up your favorite drink at mealtime, one way to keep from downing 2-3 glasses of it at a time is to use water as your “chaser.” What I mean by that is, after enjoying a glass of your favorite beverage, “chase it down” with a glass of water. That should satisfy your want for what you want without overdoing it.

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7. Eat Foods That Are High in Water Content
Another way to get more water into your body is to eat foods that have a ton of water in them. Some that top the list include lettuce (96 percent); cucumber (95 percent); zucchini (95 percent); celery (95 percent); strawberries (91 percent); cantaloupe (90 percent), and peaches (89 percent).
8. Have a Ball with Your Ice Cubes
Ice cubes are frozen water, right? That’s why most of us prefer to enjoy our drinks before the ice cubes melt because melted cubes water down whatever it is that we are consuming. And so, for this very reason, add more ice cubes to your drinks — and have fun making them. You can add juice, fruit and/or mint leaves while making your cubes. That way, they are aesthetically-pleasing; plus, they will also add more flavor to your water once the ice cubes actually melt.

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9. Add Some Non-Alcohol Cordial to Your Water
If you’re fine with just having a tad of taste in your water, why not add a bit of cordial to it? Cordial is simply a type of tonic, syrup or sweetener (that can contain alcohol or not) that can help to make your water more…interesting. Some alcohol-based cordials can be found here. Some non-alcoholic recipes are located here.
10. Technically, Herbal Tea Counts
Tea is always gonna be my thing. That’s why I’ve penned articles on it for the site like “10 Different Ways Herbal Teas Can Fit Into Your Beauty Regimen”, “10 'Uncommon' Teas You Should Add To Your Stash (& Why)” and “I've Got 10 Teas That Will Help You To Age (Even More) Gracefully” And y’all, if you want to get a lot more water into your system yet a tall glass of water only isn’t your — pardon the pun — cup of tea, make some iced herbal tea instead.
It’s basically water with some herbs tossed in and, if you add some honey or raw organic coconut palm sugar to it, it will be a really sweet treat that will still be extremely hydrating (and very healthy) for you.
Water that is a bit more exciting for you…now. LOL.
Drink up!
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