The Good Girl Podcast hosted by Lansing-based journalist Cameo King is a show about women’s confessions on anything from relationships to faith to careers.
Its tagline is redefining what it means to be “good” through uncomfortable truths.
A new season of the podcast has just started, and the first episode deals with outgrowing friendships.
King joined WKAR's Sophia Saliby to talk about the show.
Interview Highlights
On where the name of the podcast came from
I think I always, for the most part, considered myself to be a good girl. But through living life, I found out that there were things that needed to be healed inside of me, things that I thought were good by societal standards. You know, maybe something your mom told you to do or, you know, "Always be quiet as a young lady," you know, "Don't talk too much here." And I learned that those things really don't get you the results that you desire, whether it's in your relationships, whether it's in career, whether it's in community, the goal is really to be yourself.
On why people share their secrets with her and her audience
I think because there really is a space that's needed, where we can be our full selves, right, and where the entirety of ourselves is still loved. You're still respected, and you're still affirmed. And so, I think a lot of folks are looking for that safe space that kind of vault. And I know it's really not a vault because people are listening, that allow you to show you know, the good and the not so good, the challenging parts of you.
On some of the topics covered on the new season of the podcast
One thing we're definitely going to attack this year is beauty. Especially I think for women, those who identify as a woman, and the standards that we're held to and how that really affects us. There are a lot of us who simply do not believe that we are beautiful because society says what you look like, what your hair is like, you know, your skin color, your nose shape is not beautiful, and how did how do we internalize that? So first, I think the confession is about like, "I don't think I'm beautiful." Right? And that's hard to articulate. But also the question is how does that manifest in our life? And then how do you begin to heal in that space? So, that's one area we're going to tackle, beauty. Health is another space and as well as some of those deep things.
Interview Transcript
Sophia Saliby: The Good Girl Podcast hosted by Lansing-based journalist Cameo King is a show about women’s confessions on anything from relationships to faith to careers.
Its tagline is redefining what it means to be “good” through uncomfortable truths.
I’m here with Cameo to talk about the show. It’s good to have you here today.
Cameo King: Hi, Sophia. I'm excited to be here.
Saliby: So, where did the name Good Girl Podcast come from? Or what does it mean to be a "good girl" in the ears of your listeners?
King: Yeah, definitely. So, I think I always, for the most part, considered myself to be a good girl. But through living life, I found out that there were things that needed to be healed inside of me, things that I thought were good by societal standards.
Whether it's in your relationships, whether it's in career, whether it's in community, the goal is really to be yourself.
You know, maybe something your mom told you to do or, you know, "Always be quiet as a young lady," you know, "Don't talk too much here."
And I learned that those things really don't get you the results that you desire, whether it's in your relationships, whether it's in career, whether it's in community, the goal is really to be yourself. That's why we like to redefine what it means to be good.
Saliby: People send in confessions to the show that are extremely personal like about relationship problems and unfaithfulness.
What about the podcast do you think makes people comfortable with sharing these, you know, secrets in a way, with you and with your audience?
King: I like to believe it's me. [Laughs] I like to believe that I make people feel comfortable, but I think because there really is a space that's needed, where we can be our full selves, right, and where the entirety of ourselves is still loved. You're still respected, and you're still affirmed.
I think a lot of folks are looking for that safe space, that kind of vault.
And so, I think a lot of folks are looking for that safe space, that kind of vault. And I know it's really not a vault because people are listening, that allow you to show you know, the good and the not so good, the challenging parts of you. And I also think that what makes it special and what makes it a good place are the guests. Because the guests that come on, I don't just allow anybody on.
But these are individuals that have been through the process and are kind of on the other side, that have healed through their confession. So, they have hindsight and they can see how they could have done better. They can see their mistakes, and they can hold themselves accountable, as well as holding other people accountable as well.
Saliby: For people listening to this conversation and who want to now try out your show, is there an episode that you maybe recommend them starting with?
King: Most recently, we did a series on marriage confessions. And there was a husband who came on, and his confession was "I don't have sex with my wife." And the conversation blew me away. It really spoke to his understanding and his accountability for being a husband and aligning with his vows in marriage, right, versus some of the things you know, we typically hear in marriage when these things happen. And what marriage is really about and how deep love really goes and the type of man he is.
But it also spoke to the difficulty. So, let's be clear, he didn't paint this out as a crystal stair. He said, "This is hard. This is difficult. I am struggling. But let's be clear, I very much still love my wife."
Saliby: And I believe that episode you were talking about it's where the wife was someone who was no longer able to be intimate due to some medical conditions. Is that right?
King: Correct. Correct.
Saliby: And then you know, looking forward, what can listeners expect from the new season of the show that's airing now?
King: We're excited to go deeper, right? And always challenge individuals just to be better in who they are. One thing we're definitely going to attack this year is beauty.
Especially I think for women, those who identify as a woman, and the standards that we're held to and how that really affects us. There are a lot of us who simply do not believe that we are beautiful because society says what you look like, what your hair is like, you know, your skin color, your nose shape is not beautiful, and how did, how do we internalize that? So first, I think the confession is about like, "I don't think I'm beautiful." Right? And that's hard to articulate.
But also the question is how does that manifest in our life? And then how do you begin to heal in that space? So, that's one area we're going to tackle, beauty. Health is another space and as well as some of those deep things.
We're definitely going deep in dealing with matters of the heart, matters of the soul.
Listen, it's one I want to share, Sophia. [Laughs] I need them to sign the media release before I share it. But we're definitely going deep in dealing with matters of the heart, matters of the soul. And I really think this is gonna shift some perspectives and change some lives.
Saliby: Cameo King is the host of The Good Girl Podcast. Thank you for joining me.
King: Thanks for having me.
This conversation has been edited for clarity and conciseness.
