Will Groves
Contributing Writer
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Move over Wendy Williams: a new talk show host has arrived on the scene. “Let’s Talk About It,” an Instagram live talk show hosted by junior journalism major Taylor Butler-Gilmore, offers discussions on topics like pop culture, politics and mental health.

Growing up in the small town of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, Taylor Butler-Gilmore said she always dreamed of wanting to do it all. She went from wanting to be a pediatrician, to a dancer instructor, to a Back Yard Burgers employee, according to the Kentucky New Era. 

It was not until the end of her sophomore year at Murray State that she finally decided her true calling in journalism. 

She cites daytime television hosts like Ellen Degeneres and Wendy Williams as inspirations for her love of journalism.

“I wanted to be them,” Butler-Gilmore said. “I wanted to sit in the chair or at the table and talk about everything.”

Inspired by these daytime talk show hosts, Butler-Gilmore began her own Instagram Live Talk show called “Let’s Talk About It.” 

Butler-Gilmore’s Focus Area Manager Cydney Ahlberg met her through the TechKeyz Network Foundation, a youth and adolescent program for equipping young adults with essential educational, fine arts and wellness tactics. After being interviewed on the eighth of season two of “Let’s Talk About It,” Ahlberg began working as the focus area manager. 

“Taylor is the little sister that I never had growing up,” Ahlberg said. “We’ve grown so close in such a short amount of time.”

Her favorite memory of Butler-Gilmore was when she interviewed gospel artists the Legendary Clark Sisters and their daughter and niece Kierra Sheard-Kelly.

“I am very proud to see Taylor interviewing legends with well thought-out questions and beaming with professionalism,” Ahlberg said.

Kaybreon Robertson, a watcher of the show, said that Taylor calmed any doubts that Robertson may have had about pursuing a career in the entertainment industry after being interviewed on episode 10 of season two.

“Often I get scared of this dream, feeling that it may be too big to accomplish,” Robertson said. “She probably doesn’t know how much it meant to me to be on her platform and share my experience.”

Butler-Gilmore interviews Jelea Johnson about massage therapy on Aug. 25 (Photo courtesy of Taylor Butler-Gilmore’s Instagram.)

Butler-Gilmore said she hopes to move her talk show to an Apple or Spotify Podcast where she can shift her focus to interviewing school-age children. 

“They know more than we give them credit for,” Butler-Gilmore said. “They speak with honesty and purity because that is all they know.”

To watch her show “Let’s Talk About It,” visit @lets_.talkaboutit on Instagram on Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m.