Adrienne Banfield Norris, AKA Gammy Norris, has never been one to box herself in. She co-hosts the talk show Red Table Talk with daughter Jada Pinkett Smith and granddaughter Willow Smith, has a fierce TikTok presence, and she just started season 2 of her podcast “Positively Gam.”
True to its name, the show presents Gammy to the podcasting world as “unleashed and unfiltered,” covering topics like aging, relationships, wellness, culture, and what’s happening in the Black community. Each episode combines Gam’s refreshing candor with guests who specialize in the episode’s topic, and sometimes even her husband Rodney—who she co-hosts Music + Talk show “Positively Gam Couples Edition” with—joins in.
We caught up with Gam about her obsession with true crime podcasts and creating for people of all ages. Her show proves you can still have an active lifestyle, no matter your age.
Gam: Fun, inclusive, uplifting, enlightening, and inspirational.
In season 2, we’re focused more on lifestyle topics pertaining to women and men as they age gracefully through life—things like health, learning TikTok, planning for retirement, and so much more. When discussing the male perspective, I’ll have my husband Rodney join me. This season is also packed with experts: licensed therapist and New York Times-bestselling author Nedra Tawwab, actor and author Dondré Whitfield, TikTok creator Drea Okeke, and financial planner Bola Sokunbi, to name a few.
Audio is a great medium for storytelling because no glam is required and you can listen anytime while you're on the go!
Being on a podcast is all new to me. It took me a while to loosen up on the mic because I’m used to being part of a trio. I definitely rely on my producers for the deep-dive research, but it’s my responsibility to participate in that process too. I typically will use the internet, social media, and necessary reading materials to prepare myself.
We try to keep the show as organic as possible. There is not much we cut out besides a long pause or two.
Some might say our audience is “boomers” because I am over 50, but honestly we’re trying to reach everyone. Your age doesn’t matter. As a co-host on Red Table Talk, I’ve been able to connect with so many people. I’m truly appreciative of that.
I promote my podcast via radio spots on iHeartRadio, Red Table Talk’s social media channels, and by dropping the trailer into other iHeartRadio podcast shows. From time to time, I even partake in social media challenges to help promote episodes. My husband Rodney and I shot a video on my Instagram helping people our age find our show on different podcast platforms.
It depends on the topic—if it’s lighthearted I hope that they enjoy it, have fun, and leave with a smile on their face. If it’s a serious topic, I hope that they listen with an open mind and come away more enlightened. That doesn’t mean that they have to change their mind about anything but maybe now they have an understanding about a perspective that differs from their own.
There’s a little bit of something for everybody in podcasting. For me, I was hooked after I listened to the podcast Serial: The Case Against Adnan Syed. It was very personal to me because it was my hometown and I remember that case in particular. Everyone should listen to Serial.
I look forward to growing my voice and our audience in the realm of podcasting. Also, being able to interview our guests in-person when it becomes safe.
