Tre'vell Anderson
Tre’vell Anderson is a journalist and the co-host of FANTI. Follow them on Twitter here. Follow FANTI on Twitter here.
Kindly introduce yourself and tell us what you do!
Tre’vell Anderson. I’m a journalist by trade and sociologist by training. I focus on diversity in Hollywood with an eye toward Black and queer film and television. I co-host the podcast FANTI where we have complex and complicated conversations about the grey areas of life.
How did the idea of the podcast pop into your brain? There is nothing else like it.
My co-host Jarrett Hill and I also lead the Los Angeles chapter of the National Assn. of Black Journalists. I’m President and he’s VP. In leading the group, we often host events together. People have always said that we should do a podcast or a TV show because they loved our dynamic. We initially came up with another podcast idea but through feedback with MaxFun, we developed FANTI. Our goal is to give listeners the nuance they may be lacking from the social media feeds and timelines.
Can you tell us about your relationship with Jarrett? How did you start working with him?
After my former VP left LA for a job on the East Coast, I duped Jarrett into running to fill the role. lol I told him I just needed someone to be a sounding board for me and that it would be a light lift. Three years later, I can confidently say that I lied. lol Through NABJLA, we’ve grown into close friends and when MaxFun producer Laura Swisher reached out to me about doing a show, I knew Jarrett would be the perfect partner in crime.
Why are you two the perfect hosts for this show?
Well, we’re both journalists. That’s important to us because we care deeply about facts and reporting when we’re talking about every issue that arises. We’re not just sharing emotional appeals and conjecture — though there definitely is a place for that. We want to make sure that people feel like they can trust the things we say, and the guests we bring on. And because we are unapologetically Black and queer people, we’re able to imbue our lived experiences into everything we discuss. So, what the listener gets is rich, deep conversations that make space for complicatedness and complexity by two people they might actually want to eat fried chicken and collard greens with.
What does your listener mail look like?
We get a lot of letters from well-meaning white people that talk to us about the lessons they’ve learned by listening. And we know they’re white because they feel compelled to explicitly tell us because they’re always surprised that they can listen to and enjoy something made for and by Black queer folk.
Has any episode in particular stirred up a lot of controversy?
The episode that’s gotten perhaps the most feedback thus far is “Why White People Love Wakanda” which actually was inspired by a host of letters we got at the start of the show from white people who were amazed that they loved the show. In the episode we talk about the (racist, homophobic, transphobic, overall problematic) issues that undergird someone’s belief that a product made by and for Black and queer folks is not for them.
Do you ever worry about backlash about speaking truth about something that most people (think they) love?
I don’t worry about backlash. I think being a somewhat visible person and having a platform requires one to be open to (valid) critique. I am open to critique and know that I am not perfect. We’ve had listeners call us (and our guests) out for ableist and fatphobic language, for example. And they were right. We addressed it on the show and take steps daily for it not to happen again.
What’s something listeners don’t understand about podcasts and what goes into making them?
I can’t speak for other podcasts, but because Jarrett and I are journalists, we actually have lengthy production meetings every week where we chart out the structure of our conversation, pull relevant source materials, audio clips, etc. We’re not just talent; We don’t just hit record and run our mouths for an hour. We’re also producers and take a very active role, as co-owners of our show, in marketing and advertising conversations, booking guests, etc.
Women in podcasting are constantly being criticized for their voices. What is your relationship with yours? How would you describe your voice?
I love my voice because it is, in the purest sense, a representation of my full being. You hear my voice and it is obviously a Black person’s, presumably a femme and/or queer person’s, and my voice is that of someone from the south with that unique souther twang. I used to hate my voice because I would get misgendered at fast food drive thrus or over the phone — but then I realized gender is a scam anyway lol. Many listeners have said my voice is meditative which is… a choice lol.
Thanks, Tre’vell!