In this episode, Greg Mathis Jr. and Elliott Cooper welcome photographer and creative visionary Jon Dailey to At The Table for one of the most heartfelt conversations of the season. Before Jon joins, Greg and Elliott kick things off with a Culture Catch-Up spotlighting A’ja Wilson, celebrating the WNBA champion’s authenticity, leadership, and her bestselling book Dear Black Girls. They also reflect on a recent car break-in in Hollywood that cost them an iPad — a frustrating but grounding reminder of the realities of city living. And, of course, they share what’s on the table: a full spread from Fixins Soul Kitchen, co-owned by former NBA star Kevin Johnson and his wife Michelle.

Once Jon arrives, the episode becomes an intimate journey through purpose, pain, and resilience. Jon opens up about growing up in Memphis as a twin and the youngest of seven, being raised by a single mother who hustled nonstop, and the deep impact of losing her in high school. He shares how his godparents stepped in as true chosen family, how their iconic Memphis restaurant The Four Way — a historic landmark where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once dined — shaped his understanding of legacy and community, and how his time at Jackson State University helped him embrace his creative path.

Jon then walks Greg and Elliott through his transition from engineering and government contract work to pursuing photography full-time in Los Angeles. What began with hustling for opportunities quickly grew into a standout career, leading him to work with major names including Taraji P. Henson, Regina King, Candace Dillard Bassett, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Cynthia Bailey, Alex Isley, Chris Perfetti, and more — not to mention capturing unforgettable images of Greg and Elliott themselves.

He speaks candidly about the realities of creative work: inconsistent income, undervaluation, and one painful payment dispute that became a turning point. Through it all, Jon credits the unwavering support of community — including close friends like Tay Hawes and Brian Henry — for helping him stay grounded, centered, and aligned. He also reflects on the importance of showing up authentically, trusting your path, and honoring the people who pour into you. One of the episode’s most powerful moments comes when Jon shares how Taraji insisted he shoot her Met Gala looks because his work moved her mother to tears.

Greg, Elliott, and Jon explore vulnerability, faith, and what it means to build family as an adult navigating a challenging industry. They close with their “Be Honest, Don’t Hold Back” segment and a Chef’s Kiss or Miss review of Fixins Soul Kitchen, where the gumbo, fried deviled eggs, and chicken “fried hard” earn a unanimous Chef’s Kiss.

This conversation is emotional, grounded, funny, and deeply inspiring — a reminder that purpose, creativity, and community can carry you through anything.

In this episode of At The Table, Greg Mathis Jr. and Elliott Cooper sit down with political strategist, social impact leader, and culture shifter Dorien Blythers—a powerhouse whose career spans public service, national campaigns, and advocacy at the highest levels. Fresh off a whirlwind week of weddings, travel, and lupus fundraising, Greg and Elliott jump straight into Culture Catch-Up, spotlighting philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, her Yield Giving platform, and her historic $700M+ in donations to HBCUs, including more than $132M to Howard University.

From there, they welcome Dorien, CEO of Good Rebel, a social impact firm shaping strategies for justice, equity, and civic engagement. Dorien walks listeners through his journey from Atlanta and Chulahoma, Mississippi roots to Howard University, where the Obama era transformed his worldview and pulled him toward public service. He reflects on his years advising Vice President Kamala Harris, serving at the EPA, working with End Citizens United, and learning that even the most powerful political figures are still human—and sometimes disappointing.

The conversation moves through faith, upbringing, and how service and community shaped Dorien long before he had the language for “social impact.” He breaks down how to stay civically involved beyond voting, how values shape political choices, and how younger generations can build an internal “algorithm” for understanding what truly matters to them.

Dorien also opens up about his recent viral critique of GLAAD’s partnership with Snoop Dogg following harmful comments about the LGBTQ+ community, explaining why accountability and thoughtful representation matter—especially at sacred institutions like HBCUs. Greg and Elliott deepen the discussion by connecting it to their own LGBTQ+ advocacy and the need for aligned, culturally competent voices leading public health and stigma-reduction work.

They also explore:

• Why hope and optimism are still political tools

• How to survive the emotional grind of national politics

• Why “light attracts light” in community organizing

• The rise of leaders like Jasmine Crockett, Zora, and young candidates stepping into congressional races, including Everton Blair in Georgia

• Finding beauty in broken moments

• Mental health, running, sunrise-chasing, and grounding practices

• How Good Rebel is expanding into film, documentary storytelling, and new issue-based campaigns

The episode closes with Be Honest, Don’t Hold Back, where Dorien talks about lessons he learned the hard way in D.C., and a hilarious Chef’s Kiss or Chef’s Miss review of their food of the week: legendary Beverly Hills spot Il Tramezzino(“El Trimm”), complete with chicken specials and Nutella crepes.

This conversation is grounded, inspiring, sharply funny, and rich with insight—politics, culture, community, love, advocacy, and joy all sitting at the same table.

Featuring:

MacKenzie Scott, Yield Giving, Howard University, Morehouse College, Spelman College, Tuskegee, Xavier, Hampton, Prairie View A&M, Vice President Kamala Harris, EPA, Biden Administration, End Citizens United, Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Jasmine Crockett, Snoop Dogg, GLAAD, Good Rebel, Il Tramezzino, John Lewis, Joshua DuBois, Values Partnerships, Everton Blair, Taylor Coleman, Dylan Het.

In Just Us Part 2, Greg Mathis Jr. and Elliott Cooper pick up right where they left off in their Be Honest, Don’t Hold Back series — this time going even deeper into what makes a healthy relationship work when the cameras turn off.

They start by unpacking a big question: is being a bad communicator a red flag, or can you grow into better communication over time? Greg and Elliott talk through why openness, vulnerability, trust, and a willingness to work on communication matter more than perfection. From there, Elliott asks one of the most emotional questions of the season: “What do you think my mom, Dr. Patricia Cooper, would think of you?” Greg shares his fears and hopes about how she would see him as Elliott’s partner, protector, and safe place — and Elliott responds with a moving reflection on why his mother would have loved Greg and embraced the Mathis family as her own.

The episode then shifts into a lighter but still intimate lane as they give each other live bios the way they do for their guests — highlighting Greg’s journey from Capitol Hill to actor and advocate, and Elliott’s path from Moncks Corner engineer to lupus fundraiser, community organizer, and proud LGBTQ+ advocate. To close things out, they dive into a hilariously chaotic round of Urban Trivia, debating “Negro spiritual” swag-surfing, ATL movie details, HBCU legacy, and who really deserves the win after a negative-point start. They wrap with a Chef’s Kiss or Miss review of Crazy Rock’n Sushi in Los Angeles, rating their California rolls, gyoza, and a very questionable spicy tuna crispy rice.

This episode is funny, tender, and deeply human — a mix of games, love, grief, and growth that feels like sitting on the couch with them, talking about everything that actually matters.

Featuring:

Dr. Patricia Cooper, Greg Mathis Jr., Elliott Cooper, Lupus Foundation of America, Urban Trivia, Crazy Rock’n Sushi (Los Angeles), University of Michigan, Clemson University, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, BET+, Fighting to Be Me: The Dwen Curry Story.

In Just Us, Greg Mathis Jr. and Elliott Cooper sit down for a rare, guest-free episode of At The Table, giving listeners a front-row seat to the unfiltered chaos, honesty, and laughter that makes their dynamic so magnetic. Over sushi from Crazy Rock’n Sushi in West Hollywood, the two husbands dive into their week, their ever-evolving routines, Greg’s mysterious hiccup saga, and the small joys of settling into fall.

In Culture Catch-Up, Elliott spotlights NSBE — the National Society of Black Engineers — a powerhouse organization uplifting Black excellence in STEM since 1975. From pre-collegiate programs to nationwide conferences, NSBE’s mission and community impact get the shine they deserve.

They also share news they’ve been sitting on: Greg, Elliott, Judge Greg Mathis, and Linda Mathis appear on the Tamron Hall Show, with Tamron dedicating an entire episode to their family, advocacy work, Elliot’s lupus fundraising, and their wedding journey. (Streaming on ABC, Hulu, and Disney+.)

With no guest to grill… they turn the show’s signature segment, Be Honest, Don’t Hold Back, on each other. The result? A hilarious and unexpectedly vulnerable exchange about exes, emotional green flags, cleanliness, leaving kitchen cabinets open, family dynamics, communication, and which one of them is messier. Greg wrestles with whether exes can truly be “friends,” Elliott breaks down the difference between friends vs. associates, and the two get real about trust, intimacy, and vulnerability inside a marriage.

They also wander into topics like:

• why Elliott thinks the entire Mathis clan runs like one giant group chat

• why Greg wants their home to feel like “the Ritz Carlton at all times”

• why being playful matters

• what relationships look like for introverts vs. extroverts

• green flags that actually matter: openness, vulnerability, trust, communication

• and the honesty question that leaves Greg completely speechless: “What would Dr. Patricia Cooper think of you?”

This is a fun, candid, inside-the-house kind of episode — the kind that reminds listeners why people love Greg & Elliott together. Come for the sushi, stay for the relationship gems, the shade, and the real love.

Featuring:

Tamron Hall Show, Tamron Hall, Judge Greg Mathis, Linda Mathis, NSBE (National Society of Black Engineers), Crazy Rock’n Sushi (West Hollywood), Hulu, Disney+, ABC.

In Respect for the Law – Part 3, Greg Mathis Jr. and Elliott Cooper wrap up their powerful and deeply personal three-part conversation with civil rights attorney, restorative justice advocate, and mental health champion Jade Mathis. This final installment goes even deeper into the unseen realities of living with depression, navigating relationships, setting boundaries, and advocating for yourself in a world that often expects you to be “fine” even when you’re not.

Picking up where Part 2 left off, Jade shares what it’s like to manage an invisible disability while balancing family expectations, demanding careers, and the emotional weight of her work. She talks candidly about why she chooses to be transparent, how she learned to speak up for herself, and why seeking mental health support is a sign of strength—not weakness. The trio dives into the realities of disappearing during depressive lows, the importance of having people who check in without judgment, and what it means to rebuild capacity one day at a time.

From there, the conversation moves to faith, therapy, and how she reconciles being a lifelong churchgirl who also fully embraces treatment, medication, and talking to trained professionals. Jade opens up about finding a Black woman therapist she could trust, why it took multiple tries, and why therapy only works when you reveal what actually needs healing.

Greg and Elliott also explore Jade’s transformational journey through law school and the bar exam—failing five times, persevering through a cancer scare, taking the test a sixth time, and finally passing. Jade explains how examples like Judge Mathis and fellow attorneys kept her going, and how her testimony is now part of the message she shares with the world.

The episode ends on a lighter note—with dating talk, sibling stories, Elliot being “quietly shady,” Jade confirming she is happily single, and the group reminiscing about their Woodland Hills wine nights during filming of Mathis Family Matters. They close, as always, with Chef’s Kiss or Miss, giving final ratings to Motor City Grill (Detroit) and Pink’s Hot Dogs (Los Angeles), before shouting out Detroit’s own Mary Sheffield and reminding everyone to vote.

Featuring:

Jade Mathis, Greg Mathis Jr., Elliott Cooper, Judge Greg Mathis, Motor City Grill (Detroit), Pink’s Hot Dogs (Los Angeles), Mathis Family Matters, Project Clean Slate, restorative justice, bar exam perseverance, mental health advocacy, invisible disabilities, therapy and faith, Mary Sheffield (Detroit City Council President).

In part two of At the Table with Greg & Elliott, Greg Mathis Jr. and Elliott Cooper dig deeper with their sister, attorney and mental health advocate Jade Mathis, on what real second chances look like in America. Picking up from their conversation about blocking people “for their own good,” Greg shifts gears to highlight Jade’s work in restorative justice—including her recent expungement fair in Detroit that drew nearly 500 people, most of them Black men hoping to clear their records and rebuild their lives.

Jade walks listeners through nearly a decade of expungement work, from DC to Detroit, explaining how she became known as the “expungement guru,” why she believes in diversion programs and second-chance initiatives, and how she balances public safety with redemption. She breaks down the difference between crimes of necessity and crimes of opportunity, pushes back on the idea that reform is “soft on crime,” and shares a powerful story of a man sentenced to life as a teen who, after decades of growth inside, was finally given a second shot at freedom—with her support.

The conversation then moves into the heart of Jade’s advocacy: mental health. She opens up about living with clinical depression, taking medication, and learning how to “tap out before she burns out.” Jade talks about asking for a sabbatical as a prosecutor before she broke down, giving herself permission to do nothing, moving near the water, trading the gym for long walks and bike rides, and discovering that public speaking and sharing her story are forms of healing. She and Elliott unpack what it means to set boundaries, pivot careers when something no longer serves your spirit, and advocate for yourself even when people might label you “dramatic” or “too much.”

As they close, Jade frames this chapter of her life as a season of restoration—rest, reset, and rebuilding—while still doing the work of clearing records through Project Clean Slate and beyond. Greg and Elliott end the episode teasing part three, where Jade goes even further into her personal journey and their family dynamics.

Featuring:

Jade Mathis, Greg Mathis Jr., Elliott Cooper, Judge Greg Mathis, Trick Trick, Zo, Tonesa Welch, Mary Sheffield, Project Clean Slate, expungement & second-chance programs, restorative justice, juvenile life sentences, depression & mental health advocacy, seasons of rest and restoration.

In this episode of At the Table with Greg & Elliott, hosts Greg Mathis Jr. and Elliott Cooper kick things off with a weekly check-in, talking travel, auditions, and what it feels like when the calendar is finally full of real work and not just busy work. From there, they slide into Culture Ketchup with a spotlight on Uncle Nearest whiskey and the legacy of Nathan “Nearest” Green—the formerly enslaved master distiller whose craft helped shape American whiskey and inspired the Black-owned Uncle Nearest brand that’s thriving today.

Since no episode at the table is complete without food, Greg introduces Detroit’s iconic Coney Island hot dog—beef dog, chili, mustard, onions—and explains how Greek immigrants helped shape that Motor City classic. While their guest eats Coney dogs from Detroit’s Motor City Grill, Greg and Elliott hold it down in Los Angeles with legendary Pink’s Hot Dogs, comparing LA-style chaos-in-a-bun with Detroit’s chili dog tradition.

The episode then shifts to family as they welcome their guest, attorney and mental health advocate Jade Mathis, joining virtually from Detroit. Elliott introduces her as a powerful speaker and justice reform champion, while Greg adds the big-sister roasting only siblings can get away with. In their “Be Honest, Don’t Hold Back” segment, they dive into what social media trends feel the most overrated, how performative online life impacts mental health, and why Jade blocks people “for their own good.”

Just as Greg begins to unpack Jade’s work in restorative justice and expungement, the conversation gets so rich they decide to split it into two parts. This episode sets the table; Part 2 dives deep into the legal and advocacy work that defines Jade’s mission.

Featuring:

Uncle Nearest, Nathan “Nearest” Green, Detroit Coney Island hot dogs, Pink’s Hot Dogs (Los Angeles), Motor City Grill (Detroit), Mathis Family Matters, Jade Mathis, mental health advocacy, restorative justice, expungement, social media and mental health.

In Show Biz Part 2, Greg Mathis Jr. and Elliott Cooper continue their hilarious, honest, and heartfelt conversation with producer Vanda Lee and director/writer/actor Joe Carroll. Picking up where Part 1 left off, the episode dives deeper into their journeys through Hollywood, the psychology behind navigating the industry, and the resilience required to keep creating when rejection is part of the job. Joe opens up about the decade-long success of his novel series Sinful Confessions and teases Book 3, while Vanda shares how his psychology background became one of his greatest tools for surviving and thriving in the entertainment world. From childhood memories, HBCU theater roots, and early creativity to the reality of on-set chaos, artist tantrums, and unbelievable production curveballs—including motorhomes with roaches, Malibu stand-offs, and crew HR nightmares—this episode gives an unfiltered look behind the camera. Greg, Elliott, Vanda, and Joe also talk about mental health, community, authenticity, and the importance of opening doors for the next generation. They close with “Chef Kiss or Miss,” reviewing New York Chopped Cheese in LA, and give updates on where to watch and support their latest work—including Fighting To Be Me: The Dwen Curry Story on BET+.

Featuring:

Fighting To Be Me: The Dwen Curry Story (BET+), Sinful Confessions (Book Series), Better Brothers LA, HBCUs, Alabama State University, Clemson University, Lifetime, Malibu productions, Jess Kiki (Keke Palmer), Megan Thee Stallion.